Your home’s energy efficiency plays a significant role in determining the cost of your monthly energy bills and also influences the overall property value. The Home Energy Rating System (HERS) Index is used to accurately measure the energy efficiency of your home, providing you with valuable data that can be used to save you money and boost real estate value.
The HERS Index
Created by the Residential Energy Services Network (RESNET) in 2006, the HERS Index is the nationally recognized industry standard for measuring a house’s energy efficiency level. HERS Index Scores can range from 0 all the way up to 150. The lower the HERS Index Score, the more energy efficient the home. A home with a HERS Index Score of 0 is known as a Net Zero Energy Home, producing as much energy as it consumes by using renewable, eco-friendly energy resources.
According to the US Department of Energy, resale homes have an average HERS Index Score of 130 and new homes generally hover around the 100 range. Therefore, most resale homes are around 30% less energy efficient compared to recently built homes. Although a home with a HERS Index Score of 100 meets energy efficiency guidelines, lower scores are optimal.
How Can I Find Out My Home’s HERS Index Score?
The only way to obtain your home’s HERS Index Score is by having a RESNET certified HERS rater professionally evaluate its energy efficiency level. Fortunately, Radiant Drywall & Insulation has trained and certified HERS raters that can properly assess your home, providing you with an accurate energy efficiency rating.
Can I Improve My Home’s HERS Index Score?
The answer is yes! There are a variety of ways to boost your home’s energy efficiency rating. Many aspects of your home affect its energy rating including:
- Exterior walls, ceilings, and roofs
- Flooring
- Windows
- Home entrances
- Ventilation
- Insulation
- HVAC solutions
At Radiant Drywall & Insulation, our team of certified HERS raters can tell you exactly where improvements can be made to achieve higher energy efficiency levels. And because the Radiant team also includes insulation and drywall experts, we can actually help to implement some of those energy efficient improvements.
Increasing The Value of Your Home
Did you know that the more energy efficient your home is, the more your home is worth? In fact, documented studies have shown that a $1.00 reduction in annual energy costs increases the value of your home by around $20.00. And because these studies were conducted in the 1990s when the dollar was worth about half of its current value, this increase could actually be doubled! Hypothetically, if you have a Net Zero Energy Home, properly insulated and using renewable energy sources such as solar panels, the $1,000+ in annual energy savings could potentially boost your home’s value by upwards of $40,000! And even though it is difficult to achieve net zero energy efficiency, the boost in home value provided by dropping your HERS Index Score by just 10 points is still significant.
Looking to Optimize Your Home’s Energy Efficiency?
Optimizing the energy efficiency of your home can start with the appraisal of your HERS Index Score by a certified HERS rater. Contact us today to schedule an appointment with one of our home energy experts.
