What does an Energy Performance Certificate survey involve?

A duly qualified and accredited Domestic Energy Assessor will visit the property; the survey will take between 20 and 40 minutes to conduct. The EPC aims to show what an average person, living in the volume of space, with the method of construction and insulation that the property has, together with the lighting, glazing, insulation and most importantly of all, how the property is heated, both water and space heating, plus what controls are on the system.

The assessor will need access to every room in the property. A count is made of the number of light fittings and how many contain low energy light bulbs. Low Energy light bulbs are the CFT or LED type or normal florescent tube sort. Only fixed fittings are included in the survey.

A head and shoulder inspection of the loft space is made; if this is possible, to see how much loft insulation is present and where the insulation is situated, either laid on the joists or affixed to the rafters. All Energicert assessors carry their own surveyor’s ladders. The present recommedation is to have 270mm of loft insulation laid at the joists.

A visual inspection of the windows is made to determine if it is single, double, triple or secondary glazing. If there is double glazing, whether it was installed before or after 2002. If the home owner has a FENSA certificate or BFRC data to hand, the assessor will take this as evidence. If the property has a conservatory attached to the building an inspection of this will carried out and details noted.

The largest parts of the calculation for the EPC is how the property is heated. If there are one or more boilers, it is useful to have the handbook for that particular model to hand for the assessor. The time and heat controls are also noted. If there are one or more room thermostats this will also be noted, as will any thermostatic radiator valves if fitted. The presence of any other form of heating, like a coal or log fire or gas coal-effect fire will be recorded.

During the survey the assessor will take photographs of the various elements that have been surveyed and some photographs of the outside of the property.
Each month a number of the surveys are called in for audit by the accreditation bodies to ensure that a high standard of survey is maintained and the photographs are required for that purpose.

A number of measurements will be taken during the survey, namely the height of main rooms on each floor and the dimensions of the property.
Before leaving site, the assessor will draw a sketch plan of the property noting any extensions and alterations, together with the measurements.

These are some of the questions the assessor may ask the home owner if the answer is not obvious.

• When was the property built and when were any extensions and conversions made?
• If you have made the loft into a room, when was the work carried out?
• Has the property been inspected for, or does it have any cavity wall insulation?
• Have you very recently added any double glazing windows or doors?
• Has the property any under-floor insulation and can this be seen, or do you have the receipts for this work.
• Are you on a single or double electricity meter?
  
  Contact Energicert today to get your EPC ordered

Energicert carry out Energy Performance Certificate surveys in Harrogate, EPC surveys in Knaresborough, EPC surveys in Boroughbridge, EPC in Ripon, EPC in Leeds, EPC in Otley. EPCs are also referred to as E.P.Cs, E.P.C's and EPC's - but they are all Energy Performance Certificates.