HERS Rater Index Process

What is the process for being a rater for the HERS Index?

An authorized and duly certified Home Energy Rating Provider trains certified RESNET HERS raters. They learn the ways to examine and assess the features concerning energy, give a home an energy rating, and make suggestions to the homeowner on what changes can be carried out to increase the home's energy efficiency during the intensive training.

There are accredited RESNET HERS raters among home inspectors and appraisers.

“Those who wish to be accredited Raters for RESNET HERS must go through extensive preparation, research, evaluation, development on a professional level, and meet the standards of quality assurance,” Briggs explains.

“As a result of a partnership between the Appraisal Institute and RESNET, artificial intelligence professionals and certified green appraisers may have access to a free appraisal platform with relevant details about the efficient use of energy HERS-rated homes in the United States which amount to more than 2.8 million,” she continues.

When rating a house, what do the HERS Raters look for?

Since the Index score of HERS informs consumers about the home's energy efficiency, the rater focuses on features that affect all the bills concerning utility. These are some of the areas:

1. Both the upper and lower condition of the exterior walls
2. The garages and Basements have unconditioned boards.
3. The roof and ceiling
4. The crawl room, attic, and base
5. Windows, ductwork, doors, and vents
6. The thermostat, the system for heating water, and the HVAC system
7. Air may divulge via cooling and heating distribution systems in the areas.

HERS raters may also definitely conduct a few standard checks to assess a home's energy quality.

Verification of airflow

During the air conditioning cycle, this will calculate the momentum of air passing through the home's system of the air duct. The rater uses this experiment in combination with the checking of the refrigerant expenditure.

Note: Freezing air, air conditioning, and refrigeration all require the use of a refrigerant. The material used to refrigerate is found inside the copper coils of the air conditioner and soaks up all the heat from the air within the space. The gas with low pressure is then converted into a liquid which is pressurized.

Refrigerants are divided into three categories: 

1. R22 and other hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs): While it is less detrimental to the ozonosphere, it will be phased out of production and usage by 2020.
2. Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), such as R12: It is adangerous gas contributing to the deterioration of the environment in the form of something known as greenhouse effect. In 1994, production came to an end.
3. HFCs, such as R134 and R410A (Most Common):  Safest refrigerants and have primarily fired the earlier choices. This refrigerant improves air quality while also being more dependable and effective.

Leakage in the ductwork

This test determines how much air escapes from the duct system's unconditioned regions.

Verification of refrigerant charge

This test determines the performance of the home's system of air conditioning and confirms that the level of refrigerant is within the manufacturer's requirements.

Performance of the fan

This test determines the amount of energy used while the unit of forced air (heating or cooling) operates, contributing to maximum capacity.

Blower hatchway

A compelling fan is used in this experiment. It is mounted on the exterior door frame where the fan changes the air pressure build upon the interiors of a house. The fan does it by blowing air into or outside of the residence. This experiment calculates the rate at which air enters the house and helps calculate the required quantity.

Installation of high-quality resistant material

It is a meticulous examination that determines how evenly the insulation has been mounted. This test contains an inspection of 31-points which ensures that the resistance material is mounted without flutter or gaps.

What is the easiest way to see if my home has been indexed yet?

If you're thinking of buying a house, you can see if it's been indexed already. You just have to go to the Home Energy Rating System Index website and use the easy method.

It's as simple as entering a location and submitting the question. Simply be careful while you enter the location. Do it correctly, without using words like “drive," "street," "place," or any other indicator of the road. You may not be able to locate the home.

Can I boost the HERS score I have?

Yes, you definitely can boost your HERS ranking.

After the Home Energy Rating System inspector has assessed your house, they will make suggestions on how to increase the energy efficiency of your home. Remember that certain improvements you will want to make will not be inexpensive. 

Popular energy home upgrades can cost anywhere from:

• Window installation ranges in price from $200 up to $1,800.
• The cost of replacing a door ranges from $470 up to $1,480.
• The cost of installing a furnace ranges from $2,570 up to $6,210.
• The cost of installing rolled (batted) insulation ranges from $1,030 up to $2,360.
• Spray foam packing ranges in price from $1,280 up to $3,680.
• The cost of blown-in insulation ranges from $930 up to $2,080.
• The cost of installing a water heater ranges from $800 up to $1,550.

You can possibly save a lot of money by raising your energy ranking. If you upgrade to improved insulation, add energy-efficient windows and doors, or upgrade the HVAC system on a brand-new house (which has an automatic ranking of 100), your score will drop to as low as 40. You will save an average of $1,080 for a new home or $1,620 annually for an existing one.

Getting your home Home Energy Rating System Indexed is an intelligent solution!

You have to consider so many things apart from the price of the house before you consider buying a residence for yourself. Among all these things Energy Efficiency is an important part but most people do not consider it as something to be looked after before finalizing the deal. Most people always think of the price of the house but do not consider the cost that they will have to pay while turning on the lights or taking a warm shower.

Electricity costs on average $110.76 a month. Natural gas costs $72.10 a month on average. Water costs an average of $70.39 per month. These expenses add up quickly!

Briggs emphasizes the significance and utility of the Home Energy Rating System indexing:

“A Home Energy Rating System Index score report lets you know how comprehensively your home runs. It is a mark which helps you figure out if you need to make any adjustments for greater savings of energy. A low score in the HERS Index can pose a problem of a higher price of resale when you wish to sell your home. If you decide to buy such a home, you can expect the utility bill costs and performance going up.”

Yes, you heard that correctly. If you are buying a house, a low HERS score can save you money on electricity bills, and when you are selling yours, it helps you ask for more money. A low HERS score is thus a profitable situation for everybody!

Professional HERS Rater and Title 24 Report Experts Here for you!

If you need an expert to create your Title 24 Report in California, feel free to contact us and get a free Title 24 Report quote. We have helped hundreds of builders create title 24 reports which were compliant but yet saved the builder money during construction costs.

If your project is located in Northern California in or near Sacramento, get in touch and we will have a professional HERS Rater come out and test your home with services we offer which includes but not limited to Quality Insulation Installation (QII), Duct Leakage Testing, HVAC Testing such as Refrigerant Charge Tests, Blower Door Test, Airflow, watt draw test and Kitchen Vent Hood Verification. Fill out out a free HERS rater quote form on our website or call us at (916) 306-5535.