If you want to get serious about assessing your home’s energy efficiency, there’s no better way than with the Home Energy Rating (HERS) Index. The HERS Index is an official analysis of a home’s energy efficiency that’s used to quality the home for the federal Energy Star label, Energy Efficient Mortgages (EEMs) and various tax incentives and rebates. Once your home qualifies for these elevated statuses, it’s easier to market if you want to sell it. However, if you want to stay put, a low HERS Index means substantial energy savings, plus better comfort.
Builders also use the HERS Index to market homes even before they’ve been built.
To achieve a desired HERS Index, a home’s building components must be assessed by undergoing performance testing (such blower door and duct blaster tests), and energy efficiency modeling should take place with accredited software such as EnergyGauge or REM/Rate. The resulting number, the HERS Index, compares the home’s energy performance to that of a home that precisely meets energy standards. That home is rated 100 percent. A home that achieves a HERS Index below 100 percent exceeds energy efficiency standards. One that rises above 100 percent doesn’t. The system is like a golf score; the lower the number, the better.
The rating process will produce reports on a wide range of factors concerning a home’s energy use, including:
- Estimated yearly energy costs, broken into four categories – cooling, heating, water heating and lights and certain appliances.
- Compliance with energy requirements or codes.
HERS reports for existing homes will result in a plan to reduce energy consumption in the home to qualify for the Energy Efficient Mortgage. This plan will determine specific areas where energy waste can be reduced or eliminated. A graph will rate a home’s biggest issues, in descending order. The report, however, also will show what improvements likely won’t do any good.
For more information on the Home Energy Rating Index, please contact us at Marsh Heating & Air Conditioning. We can help you reduce energy use for ample savings and improved comfort.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about home energy ratings and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
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