HERS, or Home Energy Rating Systems

A HERS report is similar to a miles-per-gallon (mpg) rating on a car. HERS are programs which provide evaluations of an individual home's energy-efficiency. A HERS report is prepared by a trained certified Energy Rater. Factors such as insulation, appliance efficiencies, window types, local climate, and utility rates are used to rate the home and calculate energy costs.

A Rating Index is between 1 and 100. A lower index indicates greater efficiency. Cost-effective upgrades are those which will save more money through energy savings than they cost to install.

The HERS rating will look at the following systems and make recommendations based on current applications and where improvements can be made:

INSULATION
WINDOWS
HEATING SYSTEMS
COOLING SYSTEMS
VENILATION SYSTEMS
WATER HEATING SYSTEMS
LIGHTING AND EXTERIOR LIGHTING
APPLIANCES 

Some examples of what could be recommended:
Replacing a cooling / heating system, fixing or replacing a chimney, insulating an attic, crawl space, slab, pipes and / or air ducts, replacing doors and windows, installing solar technologies.

A HERS rating usually costs between $300 and $800. This could be paid for by the buyer, seller, lender, or real estate agent. Sometimes the cost of the rating may be financed as part of the mortgage. No matter how the rating is paid for, it is a very good investment because an EEM could save you or your buyer hundreds of dollars each year. 

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