Beware of Bad Air in New Construction Homes
April 5, 2021
For more information about HERS Ratings, or to schedule a free phone consultation today.
We offer Home Energy Rating System ratings (HERS Ratings) throughout the Chicago and Northern Illinois areas. This Home Energy Rating is a requirement for many green building and energy-efficient building standards. It is the nation’s leading equivalent to “miles-per-gallon” for homes.
A HERS Rating assigns a home a score on a scale from 0-150. The higher numbers represent greater energy consumption; the lower numbers represent less energy consumption (a HERS score of 0 represents a “zero energy home,” which produces at least as much energy as it consumes). A standard new home would receive a score of around 100. Most existing homes fall somewhere between 100 and 150.
A HERS Rating is a requirement for many green building and energy-efficient building standards across the country including ENERGY STAR for Homes. A HERS Rating is also a requirement for an Energy Efficient Mortgage (EEM) and/or an Energy Improvement Mortgage (EIM). Further, it can be a great way for builders and realtors to set their homes apart in a crowded real estate market.
A good HERS score is an objective, measured representation of a home’s energy efficiency. Much as miles-per-gallon fuel efficiency ratings for automobiles play an important role in car-buyers’ decisions, a Home Energy Rating may soon play an equally important role in the home buying process for home buyers across the country.
For more information about HERS Ratings, or to schedule a free phone consultation today!
The Department of Energy, Department of Housing and Urban Development, and the Environmental Protection Agency all recognize that HERS Index is the official standard for determining home energy performance.
A HERS Rating is given to your home after we perform an index audit. We come to your home and measure its efficiency and compare it to a model reference home. We’ll take note of every little detail, like where insulation could be improved, or what models you may want to consider for energy-efficient windows.
We’ll calculate a relative performance score that’s on par with what you would expect from the HERS Index.
Home energy ratings are based on a visual inspection of your home’s physical characteristics, diagnostic testing for efficiency features, etc. Here are some of the features evaluated during a HERS rating of your home or office:
View Sample HERs Index Report
You should look to include HERS testing when selling, buying, or building a home. When you’re selling a home, this can potentially help with determining the resale price. HERS testing can also help you plan and budget for the cost of homes and give you a heads-up on necessary upgrades. Your HERS accredited builder should get your home HERS tested, making sure that it meets government standards of energy efficiency.
Since the introduction of HERS certification nearly three decades ago, more and more states have decided to recognize it for its many benefits. It’s now a required part of building codes in a growing number of states.
Providing Home Inspections, Pre-Sale Walk-Throughs, Energy Audits, Environmental Testing, Warranty Inspections, and BPI Training.
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