Before an Energy Performance Certificate can be issued for the property, a physical EPC survey must be carried out by a qualified Domestic Energy Assessor also referred to as a DEA. During the inspection, the energy assessor will need access to all the rooms and the loft (if there is safe access). Photographic evidence of the following will be required:

• Front and rear sides of the property including the roof

• Boiler and boiler pipes

• Thermostat and radiators

• Energy saving bulbs

• Gas & electricity meters

• Wall thickness of the main building including extensions

• Windows including single and double glazing variations

• Thickness of the loft insulation

• Water cylinders including controls

• Bath and mixer showers

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The DEA may also take photographs of any unusual features in the building. Care will be taken to ensure personal items are not present within the photos taken.

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Following this, the EPC Surveyor will measure the length, width and height of each floor at the property and draw a floor plan marking out any party walls and heat loss walls. A party wall is the wall that connects to an adjacent property while a heat loss wall is any wall that is exposed to external elements. A mid-terraced property has two party walls and two heat loss walls while a semi-detached property has three heat loss walls and one party wall. A detached house only has heat loss walls.

Upon completion of the above, the surveyor will go away and input the data into a special software called RDSAP+ which will then generate an Energy Performance Certificate.  An EPC can be viewed by Local Authorities at any time as they have access to the Government website where it is uploaded.  

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The Energy Performance Certificate tells you:

• The property performance in terms of the energy used per square meter of floor area, energy efficiency based on fuel costs and environmental impact on Carbon Dioxide (CO2).

• The energy performance of the building on the date it was inspected. 

• The energy efficiency rating is a measure of the overall efficiency of the building. The higher the rating the more efficient the building is, and the lower the fuel bills are likely to be.

• The environmental impact rating is a measure of a building’s impact upon the environment in terms of Carbon Dioxide (CO2) emissions. The lower the rating the less impact it has on the environment.

• The certificate also suggests improvements that you can make.

• The EPC is valid for 10 years.

The EPC certificate does not tell you:

• The value of the building or cover things that are more specifically considered when a valuation is provided, such as the locality of the building or the availability of public transport or facilities.

• About the condition of the building or it’s services.

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The inspection is non-invasive. This means that the Energy Assessor will not uproot carpets, floor coverings or boards, move furniture or remove the contents of cupboards. The Energy Assessor will not remove secured panels or undo electrical fittings. If a certain area is not accessible i.e. underfloor insulation and there is no documentary evidence, the assessor cannot mark it as present. If access to the boiler or other key heating or cooling plants is not possible, it is likely that an Energy Performance Certificate cannot be produced and the inspection will have to be abandoned.

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