Home Energy Rating System Contractors

Is Your Long Island Home ‘HERS’ Rated?

Homeowners report that an energy efficient home with a low HERS index score costs less to run and is valued higher by buyers. Ben’s General Contracting (516-623-2945) directly assists homeowners on the South Shore, in Nassau County and in Suffolk County on Long Island in providing one of the most in depth energy performance assessments and in upgrading your home to become more energy efficient. The goal is to have a low HERS score. The lower the score, the more energy efficient your home and the more you save.

What is an HERS rating?

HERS Rating stands for Home Energy Rating System. HERS rating is a comprehensive analysis of a home’s energy efficiency using an HERS Index score. The scoring system is based on the 2006 International Energy Conservation Code. The lower the index score, the more energy efficient the home.

The primary requirement for a HERS rating is for people who are building new homes. Ben’s General Contracting’s HERS rater will review the plans of the new home you are building and will make an energy analysis and ensure that the details of the plan will meet energy star performance guidelines. During and after the process of building your home, we test the leakiness of the home and the HVAC ducts using a blower door test and a duct blaster test. The purpose of both tests is to determine the leakiness of the envelope of the home and the duct work in the house. We can ensure that your home will pass the HERS standards that are required for your specific village, town or city.

Our very own Tony Jackson is a Certified RESNET Home Energy Rater. If you need a HERS Rater, call 516-623-2945.

Who Is Required To Have A HERS Rating?

People Building New Homes

A HERS Compliance Certificate is required for all newly built homes on Long Island and New York City in order to obtain a building permit for many towns and villages in Nassau and Suffolk County, builders must certify compliance from an HERS rater indicating that the building is designed to meet the required index for that town and will later test the finished job. More and more large renovations like dormers, extensions and whole house renovations are required to have the testing. An HERS rating and energy analysis can also be done on an existing home to determine if the house is energy efficient and to identify problem leakage areas.

 

Why Should I Get A HERS Rating?

•    Save on energy costs and bills
•    Improve the safety and environment of your home
•    Reduce your carbon footprint
•    Meet local requirements
•    Make your home more attractive and valuable to potential buyers
•    Follow standards of a nationally recognized scoring system

Many areas are now requiring more stringent energy savings methods of construction. This includes testing and certification by a HERs rater. The HERS energy index rating are used by the Towns of Hempstead and Oyster Bay, to name a few. Most of what’s needed is not very expensive to implement with the exception of HVAC equipment. The energy rating for this equipment must have a much higher rating than it did prior to any upgrades, which can increase equipment costs. All the ductwork must be sealed on all ends and fully insulated, for example.

Some other differences in construction are sealing the vapor barriers with tape, spray foam at all the seams in the framing and sheathing and spray foam at the sill plates. Many of these practices are normal procedures anyway. The insulation now used has a higher “R” value also. All combustion appliances must comply with combustion safety testing standards.  All lighting must also be energy efficient. A minimum 50 cfm bath fan must be used, for example.

All the above will save in energy costs. It’s important that your home does not become too “tight,” however because fresh air is important. The goal is to have a “tight” house while maintaining proper venting levels.

Once your home is complete, a series of tests will be performed to check for leaks in the HVAC system and the “tightness” of the house. Once complete and passed a certificate will be issued. Your Certificate of occupancy could be delayed without this certificate.

The HERS tests are as follows:

•  Sizing HVAC Systems  •  Air-seal Inspection   •  Insulation inspection  • HVAC Duct-leakage  • Air infiltration (blower door test)

• Duct test   •  Mechanical ventilation  • Combustion safety test   • Attic hatch   • Lighting  • Appliance assessment

Making Your Home Energy Efficient

When we design your new home, the important elements of today’s practices of today’s energy efficiency will be used:

Spray foam Insulation – Closed cell spay foam insulation is one of the best ways to help seal the envelope of the home and give you more R value with less thickness,

Air Sealing – We caulk every crack and use spray foam only to fill every gap and crevice to prevent leakage.  Traditional fiberglass insulation coupled with this air sealing can be effective.

Other Important Elements Include:

• Energy Efficient Boilers and Heat Exchangers
• Energy Efficient Windows
• Using All LED or CFL Lighting
• Solar Panels

Contact Ben’s: An Energy Star Rated Company

Ben’s General Contracting Corp is on the cutting edge of consulting,  designing, building and testing  energy efficient homes.  We can design your home HVAC system to comply with the energy requirements and handle the HERS testing that is required from start to finish.  If you are looking for a contractor in New York City or Long Island who will help you test, rate and improve the energy efficiency of your home, call Ben’s General Contracting at (516) 623-2945 today.  We are an energy star company and have a full time HERS rater on staff.

NOTE: According to resnet.us, “Government agencies such as the Department of Energy (DOE), Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recognize the HERS Index as an official verification of energy performance.”

[HERS image source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Home_energy_rating]