Can BER be changed after it is published?

1874

As per title, can a BER be edited after it is published? is there a window of time where an edit can happen if there were changes?

dockysher

No it can't be changed without republishing it for the publishment fee again.

This can be done straight away, but will be a new BER cert and Report again

1874

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121447711#Comment_121447711

Ok, thanks fort he prompt reply, can it be changed downwards? I am wondering if the BER I have is correct and Id prefer it reflected the actual value, if I have to pay a fee, thats fair enough, Im just wondering if it can be done.

dockysher

Yes it can be changed no problem afterwards, just will require putting it through the DEAP software again and paying publishment fee.

Ever BER is suspous be independent of last BER completed, so whatever rating it is now is not taking into account fir new BER.

1874

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121447727#Comment_121447727

thanks, does an existing or new assessor refer to the previous BER?

graememk

Did your assessor say that there were any changes you could make to improve the ber?

A new assessor will do all his own measurements and calculations. Won't go off previous documents.

If changes have been made that cannot been seen, you will need to show proof, eg receipts/invoices eg a U value of a window etc.

1874

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121448344#Comment_121448344

I dont want it to improve

DC999

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121447718#Comment_121447718

The BER is a paper document that isn't reflective of the cost of heating or cooling your home. It's a crude benchmark for a house as it can't do invasive work to verify what's in the home. Tbh I wouldn't pay to get it adjusted up or down (and I known you feel it might need to go down). Only reason I might want to get it improved would be for likes of less expensive mortgage rate. Use your money instead for some other improvement that will reduce the cost of running your home. And don't feel guilty for that!

curioustony

Grant eligibility could be a driver to reduce the BER.

That one stop shop requires a B3 or lower.

Say you have a B2 in a drafty home and are looking to do a deep retrofit...

As you say, @DCC the BER is only an indication of comfort, based on static information, which can be wrong

1874

I dont think the BER was an accurate reflection for some reason,first winter there last year and it was freezing,ridiculous heat loss and some rads not seeming like they are commissioned,some heating pipes outside which were partially buried in concrete. 2 tanks of heating oil then tells me the ability to retain heat was poor and likely wasn't in the C category claimed.

graememk

BER doesn't test heating or directly heat loss.

Or the quality of the heating systems.

It's basically a calculation on what the U values of walls, doors, windows, roof etc and on the heating source.

If you have a old boiler the ber gets hit hard, eg mine is a c2 with an old boiler but plenty of solar.

If I had a new condensing boiler I'd be well into a B.

Instead of worrying about the ber, as it's a meaningless piece of paper unless you are looking for a "green" mortgage, selling, or seai grants. Focus on your heating system and try and fix or even mitigate some of the problems

Ubbquittious

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121470278#Comment_121470278

Tis madness. Didn't they used to have to do an air tightness test back in the day for BER?

I have an oldschool oil boiler that claims around 90% efficiency on the spec sheet. Can't really justify spending 1000s more on oil burnin' technology unless it packed up completely. It will never pay off and I'd hate to see the price of heating oil in 10-15 years time. Buying a new one now would likely mean you'd be stuck on oil for years after most people have gone away from it

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121473171#Comment_121473171

BER has always been a box ticking exercise. It has never been based upon actual heat loss measurements.

The EU legislation allows for actual measured assessments but the Irish government went with the cheaper computer modelling approach.

graememk

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121473171#Comment_121473171

everything says that Boiler efficiency does reduce over time. and old boilers can be as low as 55-60% now vs what they were as new

Even new ones were mid 80% for non condensing : https://www.homeheatingguide.co.uk/efficiency-tables?make=Grant

But with condensing boilers, to be actually able to use the condensing function, the return temperature needs to be below 55c

Lower you can get that, the more you can pull out of the flue gas. Theres a lot of condensing boilers not even going into condensing mode.

If you want to get a decent idea of how much kWh your house is actually using, A oil meter, and a heat meter could be used.

Could DIY a heat meter with 2 temperature probes and a flow meter

kW= flow (l/s) x temp diff C X 4.18