Do you know your Home Energy Rating?  Have you ever heard of a system that rates a home’s energy efficiency?  The Residential Energy Services Network (RESNET) established the Home Energy Rating System (HERS) to measure the energy efficiency of your home.

Essentially, a home energy rating involves an analysis of a home’s construction plans and onsite inspections. Based on the home’s plans, the Home Energy Rater uses an energy efficiency software package to perform an energy analysis of the home’s design. This analysis yields a projected, pre-construction HERS Index.  Some tests conducted to determine efficiency include a blower door test (to test the leakiness of the house) and a duct test (to test the leakiness of the ducts). Results of these tests, along with inputs derived from the plan review, are used to generate the HERS Index score for the home.

The HERS Index is a scoring system compares the home being tested to a HERS Reference Home that was built based upton the 2006 International Energy Conservation Code.  This reference home has a Index of 100, and represents the minimum energy rating acceptable to be considered Energy Star Certified.  The lower a home’s HERS Index, the more energy efficient it is in comparison to the HERS Reference Home.

Each 1-point decrease in the HERS Index corresponds to a 1% reduction in energy consumption compared to the HERS Reference Home. So for example, if your home scores a HERS index of 85, then it would be 15% more energy efficient than the HERS Reference Home, and thereby considered to be quite energy efficient.

So why do we even need a Home Energy Rating System?  It is actually used for multiple reasons.  The obvious reason is so people know whether or not they are wasting money on their energy costs.  This index provides a way for homeowners to determine where they are losing money every month, and what they can do to cut back on energy costs.

Another reason is for financing renewable energy projects.  Do you remember our post about financing options for solar energy units?  Lenders will examine and home’s HERS Index when considering them for a loan.

So do you know your home’s rating?  You may be surprised to find that you’re paying quite a bit extra every month on your energy bill because of an inefficient home.  Sustainable Energy Solutions is currently offering free site inspections to determine the efficiency of your home.  Give us a call or respond to this blog to have us out to the house.  As we said, it’s completely free.  If your home is inefficient, we can talk about options then.  If not, the worst that can happen is you learn your home is doing its job with regard to energy consumption!  We look forward to seeing you soon.

Have you ever noticed that your monthly electrical bill peaks twice a year?  If you’re like most Charleston homeowners, your energy bill is at it’s highest in June – August and again in December – February.  Don’t worry, you’re not alone.  In fact, statistics show that you would share that in common with most of the country.

At Sustainable Energy Solutions, we care about the environment.  We want to let you know about some simple things you can do on your own to be environmentally friendly while lowering your monthly energy costs.

Insulation and Sealing Air Leaks

Checking your home’s insulation is one of the fastest and most cost-effective ways to use a whole-house approach to reduce energy waste and make the most of your energy dollars.

Heating and Cooling

Heating and cooling your home uses more energy and drains more energy dollars than any other system in your home. Typically, 43% of your utility bill goes for heating and cooling. What’s more, heating and cooling systems in the United States together emit 150 million tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere each year.

• Set your thermostat as low as is comfortable in the winter and as high as is comfortable in the summer.
• Clean or replace filters on furnaces once a month or as needed.
• During the cooling season, keep the window coverings closed during the day to prevent solar gain.

Water Heating

Water heating is the third largest energy expense in your home. Depending on the number of people in your home and the heating fuel (electricity or gas), water heating accounts for 10 to 25 percent of your home’s utility bill. There are four ways to cut your water heating bills: use less hot water, turn down the thermostat on your water heater, insulate your water heater, or buy a new, more efficient model.

• Repair leaky faucets promptly; a leaky faucet wastes gallons of water in a short period of time.
• Lower the thermostat on your water heater; water heaters sometimes come from the factory with high temperature settings, but a setting of 120°F provides comfortable hot water for most uses.

Those are just a few.  We would highly encourage you to explore the benefits of installing a solar water heater in your home.  More than 1.5 million homes and businesses in the United States have invested in solar water heating systems, and surveys indicate that more than 94% of these customers consider the systems a good investment.  In addition to saving you money, during a 20-year period, one solar water heater can avoid more than 50 tons of carbon dioxide emissions!  Sounds like a win win. We’d also love to come out to your home or business and do a FREE Solar Site inspection, <—-click the link find out more!

What do you do around the house to decrease your electric bill?  We want to know!  Tell us your tips or about how your solar water heater has affected you.