When doing home remodeling, not only is the house to look and flow better, but you want it to be more energy efficient too. With newly built homes becoming more and more efficient, you too can take advantage of better systems and building methods when home remodeling to make your house more comfortable and lower the energy bills. That keeps the house truly current, so when it is time to sell, a buyer will be attracted to the long-term savings of a more energy efficient home.
More cities are combating pollution by raising the standard of building’s energy efficiency. The most stringent energy efficient building code standards in the United States are in Boulder County in Colorado. California has a goal of homes built being net zero by 2020. Other cities with goals to lower carbon gases by increasing energy efficient building requirements are: Phoenix, Atlanta, Minneapolis, Cincinnati, and Portland. A home’s energy efficiency is measured and given a HERS Index Score, and the lower the number, the better. HERS stands for Home Energy Rating System.
A previously owned home typically has a HERS Index Score of 130. That means it is 30% less efficient than it should be. A newly built home has a HERS Index Score of 100. If you were buying a home with a higher HERS Index Score, you might want to consider an Energy Improvement Mortgage to have money for home remodeling to lower the score/increase the home’s energy efficiency. How low can a HERS Index Score go?
A HERS Index Score of 0 is commonly referred to as a net zero home. This means the home produces as much energy as it consumes by harvesting renewable energy from the sun and/or wind. Not only could energy bills be eliminated, the home will not have temperature fluctuations even in the heat of summer or cold of winter. It would be better for the environment too.
According to a study published in the Appraisal Journal, for every dollar saved in energy costs, that is worth $20 in value to a potential buyer. So if by home remodeling one dropped their energy bills by $300 a year, that would add $6000 in value to the price of a home.
The best place to start is to have an energy audit of your home by a certified professional. They will test the building envelope, look for missing insulation, assess the window’s efficiency, the ventilation, the home systems, and make cost effective recommendations for home remodeling to lower the HERS Index Score.
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