Home Energy Rating System For Existing Homes

With the U.S. Government’s long over due focus on home energy savings recently, I see a need to go a step further. There needs to be a rating system for existing homes.

This new rating system would be similar to the HERS rating system for new homes in that the same basic criteria would be rated. However due to the fact that most of the locations that need to be rated in a home may not be fully accessible other tools need to be used. That’s where the trained home energy auditor comes into the picture. They are trained and equipped to do a complete survey of a home without tearing down walls.

A home energy auditor is brought into someone’s home to show them where they need to make changes to save energy. They use instruments like a blower door and inferred cameras. With these tools and others they are able to give the home owner a complete report of where there home needs improvements. They can determine where you need to add insulation, and where the leaks are that you need to seal. They examine the quality of the homes windows as well as the rest of the outer shell of the home.

The basic idea is when a home owner is thinking about putting his home up for sale he would contact the ratings provider in his area and set up an appointment. The rater (home energy auditor) does his or her inspection and gives homeowner a report on the status of their home’s energy efficiency. The home owner has the choice to accept the rating (if it is a high grade) and put his house on the market. If the grade is below standards (set by some governing body) the home can make some or all the changes to increase the grade or defer the improvements to the new owner. The new owner would recoup the costs from the improvements from a reduction in the sale price of the home. They will also receive the incentives from the government and utilities for upgrading their home.

The details of the system need to be worked out correctly, where all home owners believe they are getting a fare assessment of their home’s energy efficiency. Chances are you might see banks requiring a minimum rating to approve a mortgage. A high score on a home’s energy efficiency rating might be something a real estate broker would advertise. This is a good selling point and it will allow the home owner to raise the asking price on his or her home. This should make a home owner more inclined to do more than the minimum to achieve a satisfactory grade.

The idea of a home energy rating system for existing homes serves many purposes. It will eventually make most homes energy efficient. It will create work for contractors who will perform the repairs as well as the energy auditors who do the rating. Saving home energy will reduce our dependency on fossil fuels. All of this means a cleaner healthier planet and a better future for our children.