If your home has a low EPC rating, the good news is that most properties can move up at least one or two bands with the right upgrades. The challenge is knowing which upgrades make the biggest difference for the money you spend.
This guide explains the practical improvements that actually move the needle towards a better EPC rating.
First step: check the recommendations on your EPC certificate
Every EPC includes a recommendations section showing improvements an assessor believes will raise your rating, from quick wins to major upgrades. It’s tailored to your property, based on how the home was built and how it performs today.
If you already have a certificate:
- Look for the section called “Recommended measures”
- Note which items have the largest potential rating increase
- Treat that as your priority list before exploring extra improvements
Check your property EPC here →
If you don’t have a valid EPC (they last 10 years):
Getting one is the easiest way to understand where your home is losing energy and what will make the biggest difference.
Do you need help finding someone to carry out an EPC?
Share a few details about your home, and our UK Property Looker assistant will help you find qualified assessors who can visit your property and issue an official EPC.
Why improving an EPC rating feels hard
Energy-efficiency upgrades are the least glamorous things you can spend money on. No one admires your new loft insulation. No one has ever said, “I love what you’ve done with the cavity walls.” These upgrades are invisible — and because they’re invisible, they’re easy to postpone.
But they matter. A more efficient home is warmer, cheaper to run, and often more valuable when you come to remortgage or sell.
EPC ratings don’t reward the new kitchen or the stylish bathroom. They reward the quiet, behind-the-scenes work: insulation, airtightness, and a heating system that wastes less energy.
At their core, EPCs care about two things:
- Stop heat escaping
- Make your heating system work less hard
Get those right, and your EPC rating follows.
The most effective ways to improve your EPC rating
Below are the upgrades EPC assessors value most, roughly in order of impact.
Loft or roof insulation
Heat rises, and uninsulated lofts lose a huge amount of warmth. Topping up insulation to around 270mm is often the single highest-impact EPC upgrade.
Typical impact: ★ ★ ★ High
Wall insulation
Your walls are the largest surface area in the home, so improving them makes a big difference.
- Cavity walls → quick, cost-effective
- Solid walls → internal or external insulation
- Non-standard construction → specialist advice recommended
Typical impact: ★ ★ ★ High
Heating system upgrades and smart controls
A modern condensing boiler and smarter controls (smart thermostats, TRVs, zoned heating) help your system run far more efficiently.
Typical impact: ★ ★ Medium–high
Draught-proofing
Often overlooked but very effective. Target gaps around doors, windows, loft hatches, pipework and unused chimneys.
Typical impact: ★ Medium
LED lighting
A quick, inexpensive win. EPC assessors always note low-energy lighting coverage.
Typical impact: ★ Low
Double or triple-glazed windows
Improves comfort and reduces heat loss, though the EPC uplift varies by property size and type.
Typical impact: ★ Medium
Renewable energy systems
Best done once insulation and heating efficiency have been improved.
Options include:
- Solar PV
- Solar thermal
- Air source heat pumps
- Battery storage
Typical impact: ★ ★ Medium–high
Hot water cylinder insulation
A cylinder jacket and insulated pipework reduce heat loss from stored hot water.
Typical impact: ★ Low–medium
What to prioritise
Most homes see the fastest improvements from:
- Loft insulation
- Cavity wall insulation (if applicable)
- Heating controls
- Draught-proofing
- LED lighting
Then, build from there depending on your budget and property type.
Final thought
Visible upgrades like new floors and décor make a home feel nicer. But EPC gains come from the upgrades you don’t see: insulation, airtightness and smarter heating controls. They quietly cut heat loss and running costs in the background.
Get the invisible essentials right first, and everything else you add to the home works better.