23 million EPCs across England and Wales were surveyed as part of Uswitch's research, and Handley Park came out as the street with the lowest level of energy efficiency. It had a median energy efficiency score of five against a nationwide average of 67. This is probably because, as a cul-de-sac consisting of park homes, there is a lack of inbuilt insulation and a reliance on heating via liquid petroleum gas.
Leakiest streets
| Rank | Street | Reason for low rating | Median energy efficiency | Potential energy efficiency |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Handley Park, Sixpenny Handley, Salisbury | Park homes, some heated with bottled LPG, some with no roof insulation | 5 | 31 |
| 2 | Falmouth Road, Redruth | Leaky walls, single-glazed windows, electric room heaters | 6 | 53 |
| 3 | High Street, Shrewsbury | Top-floor flats with single-glazed windows, no insulation and no low-energy lighting | 6 | 33 |
| 4 | Station Road, Port Talbot | Top-floor flats with uninsulated granite walls, single-glazed windows and electric heaters | 6 | 65 |
| 5 | Foord Road, Folkestone | Top-floor flats with uninsulated cavity walls, electric heaters and immersion heaters | 7 | 69 |
| 6 | The Street, Musbury, Axminster | Uninsulated granite walls, uninsulated pitched roof, no thermostat control in rooms | 7 | 63 |
| 7 | Ascot Road, Maidenhead | Detached houses with uninsulated walls and electric ceiling heating | 8 | 60 |
| 8 | Brynsiencyn, Llanfairpwllgwyngyll | Detached bungalows with underfloor heating from bottled LPG and uninsulated roof | 8 | 76 |
| 9 | Trawsfynydd, Blaenau Ffestiniog | Uninsulated granite walls and uninsulated pitched roof, electric room heaters and electric immersion heaters | 10 | 95 |
| 10 | Mount Pleasant, Staithes, Saltburn-By-The-Sea | Uninsulated walls and roof, electric room heaters and single-glazed windows | 11 | 83 |
The least energy-efficient streets are comprised of caravan parks, holiday homes, old rural properties and mansions which lack effective insulation.
Conversely, the most energy-efficient streets tend to be filled with new-build homes which have been built fully insulated and sometimes feature pre-installed solar panels and heat pumps.
Least leaky streets
| Rank | Street | Reason for high rating | Median energy efficiency |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Howgate Close, Eakring, Newark | Air source heat pump, solar panels, high performance glazing | 143 |
| 2 | Glebe Close, Stoney Stanton, Leicester | Air source heat pump, solar panels, high performance glazing, underfloor heating | 121 |
| 3 | Muskett Way, Aylesham, Norwich | Solar panels, high performance glazing | 121 |
| 4 | Grover Gardens, Romford | High performance glazing, exhaust source heat pump | 117 |
| 5 | Cleeveton Row, Blakes Hill, North Littleton, Evesham | Solar panels, high performance glazing | 114 |
| 6 | The Waterside, Middleton St. George, Darlington | Biomass main heating, solar water heating, solar panels and high performance glazing | 112 |
| 7 | Rhiw Cefn Gwlad, Brackla, Bridgend | Air source heat pump, solar panels, high performance glazing | 111 |
| 8 | The Green, Goldenbank, Falmouth | Air source heat pump, solar panels, high performance glazing | 111 |
| 9 | King George's Square, Middlesbrough | Solar panels, high performance glazing | 110 |
| 10 | Clos Yr Haul, Ammanford | Solar panels, high performance glazing | 109 |
Natalie Mathie, energy expert at Uswitch.com, said: “Heating our homes is costing more than ever, so it's shocking to realise just how much energy is leaking out through uninsulated walls and roofs.
“Every bit of heat that escapes your home will cost you money, so it’s worth knowing how efficient your home is.
“Take a moment to look up your home’s EPC certificate online and see where your property could be improved – the reports are incredibly detailed and will give you estimated costs for all the energy-saving measures.
“You can’t always tell if these changes are making a difference until you see your bill – unless you track your usage. People using the Utrack app can see the impact on their bills with hourly graphs, comparing gas and electricity use by day, week, month and year.”
