How to Get Ready for your Home Energy Score

ready for home energy scores in portland

Ready to schedule your Home Energy Score report? Here are five tips for making the most of the experience.

1. Choose a reputable assessment firm. Before the Home Energy Score Policy went into effect in Portland in January 2018, there were fewer than fifty licensed Assessors in the region. Now, that number has more than doubled. Check the company’s qualifications and industry associations before you book your Home Energy Score Assessment. The full list is here.

2. Be ready. Get to know what home features are relevant to the Score, and which aren’t.  For example, the following items improve performance, not efficiency of the home and are therefore not counted toward your Home Energy Score:

  • Smart thermostats
  • LED light bulbs
  • Low-flow showerheads (the HES doesn’t look at water use at all)
  • Window shades and insulators like film

Small home improvements can make a critical difference in improving efficiency. Start by conducting a basic air leak detection test, then seal any gaps and cracks. Look through our list of articles on how to improve your home energy score yourself or by hiring a professional. If you have a previous blow test done, or records of energy efficient improvements, please have those out and ready for your energy score assessor to view. Make sure all important parts of the home are accessible, the attic (if there is one), the HVAC system, water heater, all windows, and more.

3. Schedule the assessment, then follow along. Our assessment firm offers on-site results, the complete report which you’ll share with your real estate agent and potential buyers. If something seems off, you can bring it up right away. One data entry error (for example, the R-value of your wall insulation) could throw off the whole score.

4. Promote it. The City of Portland requires that real estate agents include a link to your home energy score in the home listing and provide a paper copy to interested buyers (We provide 30 color score flyers and an instant PDF.) However, if you got a good score, it is a good idea to and also highlight that information in the listing description itself. Portland homes score an average of 4.4, so anything better could be worth discussing alongside energy efficiency improvements you’ve made to the home.

5. Don’t stress. If your Score isn’t so hot, and you don’t have the time or budget to make efficiency improvements, remember that buyers are looking at the whole home, not just the Home Energy Score.

Bottom line? The best way to get the most out of your Home Energy Score in Portland is to read it and put it to work. Just remember that if you make any changes that could affect the home’s energy efficiency after receiving the Score Report, you’ll have to schedule another one before listing the home for sale. We make it quick, easy, and affordable!