1st April EPC Changes

Did you know that the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards are updating on the 1st April 2020?

From that date you must not continue to let a property on an existing tenancy where the EPC rating is not a Band E or above.

At Bluewire we have experience of working with landlords to ensure that they get the best uplift in EPC rating possible for the lowest costs. The earlier you engage with us the easier it will be to provide you with some clear guidance based on the RdSAP data to improve your property.

Please don't rely solely on your electrician or gas engineer to guide your improvements as they may not, in our experience, give you an increase in your EPC rating.

Get in touch for a no obligation chat about you properties.

info@bluewirehub.co.uk

Find out more on the govt website

7 Energy Saving Tips for your Home

Looking to save energy at home? Why not try these 7 handy tips.

1. Free your radiator

Moving furniture away from radiators can help make a room more comfortable by letting the warmth circulate better – 42 per cent of homes have one or more radiators blocked by furniture (or cats). 

2. Be brighter

Replacing all standard bulbs and halogen spotlights in your home with energy saving light bulbs such as LEDs could save you £35 a year. 

3. Don't stand by

You can save around £30 a year just by remembering to turn your appliances off standby mode.

4. Get a head

If you’ve got a shower that takes hot water straight from your boiler or hot water tank (rather than an electric shower), fit a water efficient shower head. This will reduce your hot water usage while retaining the sensation of a powerful shower.

A water efficient shower head could save a four person household (eg a family of four or even a shared student flat) around £67 a year on gas for water heating, as well as a further £100 on water bills if they have a water meter. 

Calculation is based on the assumption that the family takes just under 20 showers a week and replaces a 13 litre/minute power-shower head with a 7.7 litre / min water efficient shower head, and the family are charged £3.01 per cubic meter of water used (includes sewage charge).

5. Draught excluder

Unless your home is very new, you will lose some heat through draughts around doors and windows, gaps around the floor, or through the chimney.

DIY draught-proofing of windows, doors and blocking cracks in floors and skirting boards can cost around £200, but can save up to £25 to £35 a year on energy bills

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6. Take control of your heating

More than half the money spent on fuel bills goes towards providing heating and hot water. Having a programmer and thermostatic radiator valves installed could save you between £80 and £165 a year. Even turning down your room thermostat by just one degree can save between £85 and £90 a year.

Whatever the age of your boiler the right controls will let you:

- set your heating and hot water to come on and off when you need them

- heat only the areas of your home that need heating

- set the temperature for each area of your home.

7. Turn off lights

Turn your lights off when you’re not using them. If you switch a light off for just a few seconds, you will save more energy than it takes for the light to start up again, regardless of the type of light. This will save you around £15 on your annual energy bills.

Thanks to the

for the facts and figures 

How does a Solar PV system work?

How does a Solar PV system work

Solar Photovoltaics, or Solar PV for short, is the environmentally friendly technology used to capture normal daylight and convert it into electricity for you to use in your home or office.

Solar PV cells are made from layers of semi-conducting material, usually silicon. When light shines on the cell it creates an electric field across the layers. The stronger the sunshine, the more electricity is produced. Groups of cells are mounted together in panels or modules that can either be mounted on the roof of your home or on the ground if you have sufficient space.

Why do I need an Energy Performance Certificate?

It is a legal requirement that all residential and commercial property within the UK that is available to either purchase or rent must have a valid Energy Performance Certificate (EPC). If you are selling your home the EPC must be valid for the entire marketing and conveyancing timescale. 

The EPC will show the potential costs involved for lighting, heating and hot water at the property and also the buildings energy efficiency in the form of an A - G graph here A is he most efficient and G the least.