A HERS Score in Plain English

If you’ve toured a home and thought, “It’s cute… but what’s it cost me every month?” — meet the HERS score.

HERS stands for Home Energy Rating System. Think of it like a home’s MPG sticker, but for energy use. It tells you how efficiently a house runs—how much it wastes, and how much it keeps you warm.

How the score works

A certified Home Energy Rater tests the home (including a blower door test that measures air leakage—aka drafts you can’t see but definitely pay for). Then they assign a score:

• 100 = a typical home built to early 2000s energy standards
• Lower is better
• 50 = strong efficiency (often “high-performance” territory)
• 0 = net zero (the home produces as much energy as it uses over a year)

So yes—this is a comfort score and durability score. It’s a monthly bill score all rolled into one number.

Why it matters to your wallet

A lower HERS score means:

• fewer drafts (goodbye “mystery cold spots”)
• steadier temps from room to room
• less strain on HVAC equipment
• lower utility bills every single month
• a quieter home (tight homes don’t leak sound either)

What actually makes up the score?

1) Insulation + air sealing (the big money-saver). Insulation isn’t just “fluffy stuff in the attic.” In high-performance homes, it’s often a continuous exterior blanket that reduces thermal bridging and seals the whole shell. For older homes, dense-pack/blown-in insulation can fill wall cavities and close up leaks without tearing everything apart.

2) Windows (but don’t overspend blindly) Newer windows can be great—but before you drop thousands, check for leaks around the frames. A $50 caulk-and-seal weekend can make a real difference fast.

3) Right-sized, high-efficiency HVAC. Bigger isn’t better. Oversized systems short-cycle (on/off/on/off), undersized systems run nonstop. A properly sized high-efficiency system keeps comfort high and bills lower—just change the filter like you mean it.

Bottom line

A pretty kitchen is fun. A low HERS score saves you $$$$. If you want a home that “loves you back,” ask for the HERS score and the paper trail (blower door results, insulation details, HVAC specs). High-performance leaves receipts.