Improve a BER
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Did you know?
You can save up to €600 per year on heating bills by insulating the attic and walls of your home properly.
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Did you know?
Replacing your conventional heating system with a heat pump can transform the comfort of your home and reduce energy costs, energy usage and emissions.
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Did you know?
Even in Ireland, solar energy can be used to generate renewable energy to power all electrical devices in your home, or for water heating.
Enjoy a more comfortable home
Improving your BER will increase the comfort, value and energy efficiency of your home. It will also reduce your energy bills and carbon emissions.
Aim for a B2 rating
When planning energy upgrades to your home, we recommend aiming for a B2 rating. This rating will give you the most energy savings for the money you invest. These types of energy upgrades focus on reducing heat loss and installing an efficient heating system. Then you might choose to install technologies such as a heat pump or solar panels to further improve your BER.
Find a BER assessor View home energy grantsCreate an energy efficient roadmap
You can use your advisory report recommendations, BER assessor advice and our website to build a roadmap for your home improvements. This information will help you to understand:
- which upgrades will give you the most benefit
- what solutions are best for your home
- what home energy grants are available to you
- how long a major renovation will take
Bundle work for cost efficiencies
It is often more cost effective to install a number of upgrades at once. Your budget and ambition will help decide how much work you want to engage in. The cost of works will depend on a number of factors, including how efficient your house is to start with.
Prioritise your upgrades
We recommend you prioritise your upgrades so that each step builds on what has been done before. That way, if you decide to carry out the first two steps you maximise the benefit from the work completed.
1. Insulate your home
This is the first, key step. Improving the insulation in your attic and walls keeps valuable heat in your home. This is sometimes referred to as a 'fabric first' approach.
2. Heating system
Once the insulation is in place you should replace any old, inefficient boilers with a heat pump that uses renewable energy. A dwelling should have low heat loss to ensure the heat pump works efficiently.
3. Generate / Renewables
When your home is fully insulated with high efficiency heating you can install rooftop solar panels. These can heat hot water or generate electricity.
View home energy grantsSimple measures
If you are not in a position to undertake the more significant works in your home, there are simple measures that you can take to improve your BER.
Draught-proofing
Draught-proofing, fitted to windows, doors and loft or attic hatches, improves airtightness and thermal comfort, reduces heat loss, improves noise insulation and reduces dust ingress.
Lighting
Correct lighting levels are essential for visual comfort, safety and for aesthetic effects. Fit efficient electric lighting and maximise the use of daylight.
Hot water cylinder insulation
Hot water cylinders without insulation or poorly insulated should be fitted with a hot water cylinder jacket. Replacement hot water cylinders should be factory insulated.
Hot water cylinder thermostat
Set your water heating to 65°C on your immersion heating so that you don't waste energy by overheating water. Fit a cylinder thermostat if the hot water is being heated by the central-heating boiler.
Regulations and documentation of works
It is important that you retain any details and documentation of works done to your home. These could be certifications, receipts, invoices or specification documents. This information is important for ensuring you receive the most accurate BER for your home after the upgrades. If you are unsure about the documentation required talk to your BER assessor or technical advisor.
All works should be carried out in accordance with the applicable Building Regulations and S.R. 54 Code of Practice for the Energy Efficient Retrofit of Dwellings. Please seek professional advice before carrying out any energy upgrade works.
Ventilation and Radon
Care should always be taken to ensure sufficient levels of ventilation in each room. Signs of inadequate ventilation are persistent condensation and mould growth and should be addressed in the first instance. It is important not to permanently close or cover over air vents as they are required to provide ventilation.
Radon concentrations can increase in existing houses as a result of reduced draughts. That is why it is important to maintain good ventilation. Further information on radon is available on the EPA website.
It is important to ensure an adequate air supply to combustion appliances e.g. gas, oil or solid fuel and to have proper ventilation in rooms containing combustion appliances. Useful health and safety information can be found on the Carbon Monoxide safety website.
BER helpdesk
Contact us with any questions about your BER.
Email: [email protected]
Call: 01 808 2054