HIP-Energy Performance Certificate

Iconic

tek-monkey wrote: »

Mine certainly tells me I need to install low energy bulbs once I buy, was one of the first things it mentioned! As you can get them for 10p each in a lot of places now you may as well change them, then put 'real' bulbs back in after he's gone.

The 10p ones are no problem I have got them already!

Its the concealed ones in the kitchen and a couple of others that cost £5 each:eek: I am not prepared to change these for what appears to be a very hit and miss report!

Is the standard cavity wall 4" because I understand ours is 5" ? That's something that might be worth telling the inspector if I knew what I was talking about!

WillowCat

You don't lose a lot in the numbers/energy band by not having all eco light bulbs so it's not worth spending lots of money to replace halogens for example. Just do the ones with on regular ceiling pendants.

They definately do look at bulbs though - and it always makes me laugh to see them all banging on about such an irrelevant item - irrelevant because it's not part of the structure of the house and it's up to the buyer to use or not use them according to their own values. It can't make the slightest difference to whether you buy the house or not. Now the structure of the walls, that's a different matter!

My assessor did check up in the loft space for insulation (though only as a quick look through the hatch) and actually took a photograph as proof.

keith969

Iconic wrote: »

That's stupid. Light bulbs are not part of the house and in theory you can take them with you when you move! They are not even included in the pre HIP questionarre I have just filled in.

Unfortunately the whole EPC thing, like the HIP, is a pile of excrement.

The funniest thing I find is where they recommend 'solar photovoltaics panels' for 'further improvement'. They forget to mention that these cost a fortune - typically £15000 - and it has been estimated that it would take 100 years to pay back the installation costs!

cashndash

The question to ask really is, does anyone actually look at the energy report? Would you reject a house because of it, I know I wouldn't. If it was the house I wanted to buy, then that's that!

We can't use low energy bulbs in most of our lights as they haven't perfected them for dimmers yet and 90% of our lights are on dimmers (you'd think we'd get points for that, but no!)

Iconic

cashndash wrote: »

The question to ask really is, does anyone actually look at the energy report? Would you reject a house because of it, I know I wouldn't. If it was the house I wanted to buy, then that's that!

We can't use low energy bulbs in most of our lights as they haven't perfected them for dimmers yet and 90% of our lights are on dimmers (you'd think we'd get points for that, but no!)

I wouldn't reject a house on the report either but If there were similar houses available and I could save £500 a year on heating buying one of them it might swing it for me.

Your point about dimmers reminds me I ruined a sensor lamp trying to use a low energy bulb on it:mad:

Anybody got advice on my 5inch/4inch cavity wall question earlier in the thread.

tek-monkey

After living in a damn awful rental, yes I pay attention to the energy report. Although just having double glazing is a win for me!

Doozergirl

Iconic wrote: »

Is the standard cavity wall 4" because I understand ours is 5" ? That's something that might be worth telling the inspector if I knew what I was talking about!

I'd say the type of insulation within that cavity is more important than the space. Different types of insulations have different u Values for the same thickness.

tek-monkey

I thought most cavity insulation encouraged damp to spread between walls?

chickmug

Doozergirl wrote: »

Yup. I'm buying a property, the EPC says 87 square metres. The architects drawings say 98 square metres.

Yes but it depends how you measure it:p

There was another recent thread on how to measure a house and a link to the RICS Pdf of the guidlines. Got a bit boring though:D

23rdspiral

the chap came last week and he didnt want to see the boiler, just took my word that it was new and a good rating and he didnt ask what rating either!
he did ask about the lightbulbs, but didnt know that LED downlighters were the most efficient of all, and he took photos of the thermostat and the heating timer and the open fire place though. odd. very odd.