Does an EPC Assessor Need to Go in the Loft?

This is something I get asked quite a lot, usually followed by “You'll have to excuse the mess up there!”

The simple answer is yes, if your loft is safely accessible, I'll normally need to have a look inside as part of the EPC assessment.

And don't worry – I'm not interested in how tidy it is.

Why do I need to look in the loft?

The loft gives me some useful information about the property, particularly when it comes to insulation. As part of an EPC assessment I need to establish what insulation is present and, where possible, how much there is. If you've got a normal loft with an accessible hatch, I'll usually pop my head up and have a look. I'm checking the insulation and anything else that's relevant to the assessment – I'm not inspecting your Christmas decorations or judging how many boxes you've managed to squeeze up there!

The loft is only one part of the assessment. I'll also be looking at things like the construction of the property, windows, heating, hot water, heating controls and lighting.

Do I need to clear my loft out?

No.

Please don't spend the night before your EPC emptying the loft because I'm coming round. All I really need is reasonable access to the loft hatch and enough safe access to see what I need to see. If the hatch is inside a cupboard or you've got things stacked directly underneath it, moving those beforehand is really helpful. But if the loft itself has boxes, suitcases, Christmas decorations and everything else that somehow ends up in a loft, that's completely normal.

What if I can't get into the loft?

Sometimes lofts simply aren't safely accessible. The hatch might be blocked, access might be unsafe or there may be another reason why I can't properly inspect it.

I'm not going to risk damaging your property – or myself – just to get into a loft.

If I can't safely access an area, I have to work with what I can inspect and any suitable evidence that's available. That's why, if you do have an accessible loft, it's helpful to make sure I can get to the hatch when I arrive.

What if the insulation is underneath loft boards?

This is another common one. If insulation is completely hidden underneath boarding, I can't just assume what's underneath it. An EPC has to be based on what I can establish during the assessment and any acceptable evidence that's available.

So if you've had insulation installed but it's now hidden, it's worth having any paperwork or documentation relating to the work available when I visit. The same applies to other energy-efficiency improvements around the property that aren't visible.

Will loft insulation improve my EPC rating?

It can certainly make a difference, but an EPC isn't based on the loft insulation alone.

I sometimes get asked questions along the lines of:

“I've put loads of insulation in the loft, so will that make it a C?”

Unfortunately, it isn't quite that simple.

The EPC takes lots of different things into account – the age and construction of the property, walls, roof, heating system, heating controls, hot water, windows, lighting and other features.

That's also why two houses that look almost identical from the outside can sometimes end up with different EPC ratings.

What should I do before you arrive?

Nothing particularly special.

Just make sure I can get to the loft hatch if possible.

If there's a wardrobe, boxes or anything else directly underneath it, moving those out of the way beforehand is really helpful.

And if you've had insulation or other energy-efficiency work carried out, have any paperwork you've got handy.

Other than that, don't worry about tidying the loft for me.

I've carried out plenty of EPC assessments where the loft is full of boxes, suitcases, Christmas decorations and things that probably haven't been touched for ten years.

I'm there to assess the property, not the contents of your loft.

Need an EPC?

I'm James, an independent Domestic Energy Assessor carrying out EPC assessments across York, Selby, Tadcaster, Castleford, Pontefract, Knottingley, Sherburn in Elmet and

the surrounding areas. Domestic EPCs start from £85 and certificates are usually issued within 24 hours of the assessment.

If you need an EPC for a property you're selling or letting, or your current EPC has expired, get in touch and I'll confirm the price and arrange a convenient appointment.

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