Improving BER in apartment

Greenthumb2017

Hi all,
I'd be very grateful if some of you knowledgeable folks would be able to give me a bit of insight into how difficult and/or expensive it would be to improve the BER is a apartment. I'm in the processing of purchasing one, which is rated F.
From the report the main issues are poor insulation of the roof and walls.

The main question I have is whether it's possible to insulate the walls and roof of a single apartment in isolation with intracavity or external insulation, or whether it needs to be done en bloc.

But I'd appreciate any insights or to be directed to any resources, I haven't had much luck looking by myself.

Thanks

Calahonda52

An apt is a tricky one. I don't think external will be a runner

Tell us more about the apartment in terms of is it in a block or what?.. so when you say roof, is it the outside roof or and internal ceiling to apt above

Is there a management company?

Greenthumb2017

Hi thanks for getting back to me!

There is a management company.

The apartment I'm looking at is in a block, built in the 90s. It's top floor so the roof is the roof of the complex

Dardania

How is it heated?

You could look at the heating system and controls, to make an improvement there.

Also, what are the windows like?

Does it have an external door?

Calahonda52

Greenthumb2017 wrote: »

Hi thanks for getting back to me!

There is a management company.

The apartment I'm looking at is in a block, built in the 90s. It's top floor so the roof is the roof of the complex

THEN THE ROOF IS NOT YOURS TO WORK ON EXTERNALLY, YOU CAN ONLY WORK INSIDE (ignore caps )

mairbu

I insulated apartment walls 2 years ago. Internal dryling. Qualified for SEAI grant. It's made a huge difference.

For roof insulation, if you have attic access, you could ask the management company if they are amenable to you have your own insulation put in. A reasonable management company should be fine with this. Or you could bring it up at your next AGM to see if there are funds to do it on a a block level.

dontparkhere

Is a BER certificate worthwhile to get an idea of what needs improving in an apartment? Will they tell you what is causing the poor rating or just give a general idea of what may or may not be affecting it?
I have a ground-floor apartment with a BER of E2 and storage heating, where would the low hanging fruit normally be in terms of increasing the BER in an apartment?

MicktheMan

dontparkhere wrote: »

Is a BER certificate worthwhile to get an idea of what needs improving in an apartment? Will they tell you what is causing the poor rating or just give a general idea of what may or may not be affecting it?
I have a ground-floor apartment with a BER of E2 and storage heating, where would the low hanging fruit normally be in terms of increasing the BER in an apartment?

If you want to improve the ber (i.e. on paper) then probably changeing the heating method away from storage heating to, for example, natural gas central heating if available will definitely help.
However, on the other hand, if you want to make the place more comfortable, find out the main heat loss mechanism and tackle that.

Note the distinction in approach:)

dontparkhere

MicktheMan wrote: »

If you want to improve the ber (i.e. on paper) then probably changeing the heating method away from storage heating to, for example, natural gas central heating if available will definitely help.
However, on the other hand, if you want to make the place more comfortable, find out the main heat loss mechanism and tackle that.

Note the distinction in approach:)

Thanks Mick, It's more the BER that I was thinking, an E2 would be a turn off for people if I was to sell. Aluclad windows probably need attention...

MicktheMan

dontparkhere wrote: »

Thanks Mick, It's more the BER that I was thinking, an E2 would be a turn off for people I was to sell. Aluclad windows probably need attention...

In that case, ask the assessor who did your cert to advise as he/she has the pertinent data. Glws

Dardania

dontparkhere wrote: »

Thanks Mick, It's more the BER that I was thinking, an E2 would be a turn off for people if I was to sell. Aluclad windows probably need attention...

Fitting LEDs has a surprisingly beneficial impact on the BER - could be enough to jump you from an E1 to a D3