Online HERS Rater Certification Training Course
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  • HERS PRACTICE EXAMS
    • FREE HERS RATER EXAM QUESTIONS
  • NEWBIES
    • WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE?
    • HOW DO I DO...?
    • HOW TO CHOOSE A HERS RATER TRAINING CENTER
    • STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE
  • STUDY GUIDES
    • HERS RATER WRITTEN EXAM >
      • Section 1 Building Science Fundamentals >
        • 1a. Basic Terms & Definitions >
          • 1. Airflow in Buildings
          • 2. Equipment Efficiencies
          • 3. Power and Energy
          • 4. Effective Leakage Area
          • 5. Area Weighted R-Value
          • 6. Baseload / Seasonal Energy Use
          • 7. Driving Forces (Including Natural and Mechanical)
          • 8. Behavior of Radiation
          • 9. Thermal Resistance / Transmittance: R and U Values
          • 10. Latent / Sensible Heat
          • 11. Total Equivalent Length
          • 12. Dehumidification / Humidification
          • 13. Convert Pressure Units
          • 14. Thermal Bridges
          • 15. Pressure Boundary
          • 16. Stack Effect
          • 17. Exfiltration and Infiltration
          • 18. Natural / Mechanical Ventilation
          • 19. Net Free Area
          • 20. Input & Output Capacity
          • 21. Peak Electrical Demand
          • 22. Permeability and Perm Rating
          • 23. Standby Loss
          • 24. IAQ (indoor air quality): Moisture, CO, Dust
        • 1b. Principals of Energy, Air & Moisture Thermodynamics >
          • 1. Thermodynamics: Conduction, Convection, Radiation, ΔT
          • 2. Factors That Affect Insulation Performance
          • 3. House Pressurization/Depressurization by Various Forces
          • 4. Heat Gain / Loss
          • 5. Power and Energy
          • 6. Moisture Transport Mechanisms
          • 7. Identify Areas of Highest Relative Humidity
          • 8. Principles of Combustion
        • 1c. Combustion Safety >
          • 1. Combustion Analysis
          • 2. Carbon Monoxide (CO) Testing
          • 3. Combustion Appliance Venting, Draft, Combustion Air & Sizing
          • 4. Understand Combustion Safety Issues
      • Section 2 Buildings and Their Systems >
        • 2a. Building Components >
          • 1. Identify basic duct configurations and components
          • 2. Identify Basic Hydronic Distribution Configurations and Components
          • 3. Identify Basic Structural Components of Residential Construction
          • 4. Thermal Boundaries and Insulation Applications
          • 5. Basic Electrical Components and Safety Considerations
          • 6. Basic Fuel Delivery Systems and Safety Considerations
          • 7. Basic bulk water management components (drainage plumbing gutters sumps etc)
          • 8. Vapor barriers/retarders
          • 9. Radiant Barrier Principles and Installations
          • 10. Understand Fenestration Types and Efficiencies
          • 11. Understand Issues Involved With Basements, Crawlspaces, Slabs, Attics, Attached Garages, Interstitial Cavities, and Bypasses
          • 12. Understand Issues Involved With Ventilation Equipment
          • Understand Basic Heating / Cooling Equipment Components Controls and Operation
          • Understand Basic DHW Equipment Components Controls and Operation
          • Identify Common Mechanical Safety Controls
          • Identify Insulation Types and R-Values
          • Understand Various Mechanical Ventilation Equipment and Strategies: Spot, ERV, HRV
        • Conservation Strategies >
          • Appropriate Insulation Applications and Installation Based On Existing Conditions
          • Opportunity for ENERGY STAR Lighting and Appliances
          • Identify Duct Sealing Opportunities and Applications
          • Understand Importance of Air Leakage Control and Remediation Procedures
          • Blower Door-Guided Air Sealing Techniques
          • Water Conservation Devices and Strategies
          • Domestic Hot Water (DHW) Conservation Strategies
          • Heating & Cooling Efficiency Applications
          • Proper Use of Modeling to Determine Heating and Cooling Equipment Sizing and Appropriate Energy
          • Understand the Use of Utility History Analysis in Conservation Strategies
          • Appropriate Applications For Sealed Crawlspaces Basements and Attics
          • Identify / Understand High Density Cellulose
          • Appropriate Applications for Fenestration Upgrades Including Modification or Replacement
        • Comprehensive Building Assessment Process >
          • Determine Areas of Customer Complaints / Concerns in Interview
          • Understand / Recognize Need For Conducting Appropriate Diagnostic Procedures
          • Interaction Between Mechanical Systems, Envelope Systems and Occupant Behavior
        • Design Considerations >
          • Appropriate Insulation Applications Based On Existing Conditions
          • Understand Fire Codes as Necessary to Apply Home Performance in a Code-Approved Manner
          • Understand / Recognize Building Locations Where Opportunities for Retrofit Materials
          • Understand Climate Specific Concerns
          • Understand Indoor Environment Considerations for the Environmentally Sensitive
          • Understand Impact of Building Orientation, Landscape Drainage, and Grading
          • Opportunity Potential Renewable Energy Applications: Geothermal, Photovoltaic, Wind
          • Understand Impact of Shading on Heating / Cooling Loads
          • Awareness for Solar Gain Reduction / Solar Gain Opportunities
          • Understand Need for Modeling Various Options For Efficiency Upgrades
      • Measurement & Verification of Building Performance >
        • Measurement & Verification of Building Performance >
          • Air Leakage Test Results
          • Understand Building Shell / Envelope Leakage
          • Apply Fundamental Construction Mathematics and Unit Conversions
          • Calculate Building Tightness Levels (Minimum Ventilation Requirements)
          • Calculate Heating Degree Days and Cooling Degree Days
          • Identify Proper Appliance and Combustion Appliance Venting
          • Ventilation calculations and strategies
          • Proper methods for identifying / testing fuel leaks
          • Blower door setup, accurate measurement and interpretation of results
          • Combustion Appliance Zone (CAZ): depressurization, spillage, draft, Carbon Monoxide (ambient and flue)
          • Carbon Monoxide (CO) evaluation: ambient
          • Proper applications and use of temperature measuring devices
          • Pressure pan and room to room pressure diagnostics
          • Recognize contributing factors to comfort problems
          • Inspect for areas containing moisture or bulk water in undesirable locations
          • Understand and inspect for basic electric safety (e.g. frayed wires, open boxes, etc)
      • RESNET HERS RATER National Standards & Project Specifications >
        • Understand applicability content and intent of BPI National Standards – Do no harm, make buildings more healthy, comfortable, durable and energy efficient
        • Recognize need for a professional local/state/national codes evaluation
        • Be able to specify appropriate materials and processes needed for building performance projects
      • Analyzing Buildings Systems >
        • Recognize need for air sealing measures and their impact on other building systems
      • Conduct and Communications >
        • Conservation strategies
        • Conservation strategies
    • HERS RATER FIELD EXAM >
      • How To Put The House Under Worst Case & CAZ
      • What's What? Pa, CFM, CFM50, CAZ, Draft, Room Pressure
      • What To Know In The Attic
      • What To Know In The House
    • BLOWER DOOR TEST >
      • Manometer Setup
    • RESNET STANDARDS >
      • RESNET Standards Decoded
  • ESSENTIALS
    • HELP, I HATE MATH!
    • AUDITOR TO CREW COMMUNICATION
    • COMMON AUDITOR / CREW MISTAKES
    • RUN LIKE HELL
    • CONTACT
  • AFTER THE EXAM
    • GROW YOUR HOME PERFORMANCE BUSINESS
    • START A HOME PERFORMANCE BUSINESS
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FREE HERS RATER PRACTICE EXAM

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PUT YOUR HOME PERFORMANCE BUSINESS ON ROCKET FUEL

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COMMON MISTAKES

Energy Auditors

  1. Not finding all the problems in a home, especially in the attic.  This includes all the soffits, insulation misalignments, flex-to-flex splices, ductwork in need of replacement.  This is part of an auditors job, not just to show the homeowner air leaks with the blower door or an IR camera.  For my company, an energy auditor does not reach the highest pay scale until they can identify all the problem areas.
  2. Not enough details in their work orders for the installers.  How much are the installers going to reroute a flex line if the line is pulled tight with no room for play?  How are installers going to access a return plenum?  Simply diagnosing a problem is not enough and it is nobody's job but the energy auditors to call out what is needed.
  3. Unclear explanations or pictures of where and what the problems are in a house.  I love attic diagrams and lots of pictures.  Usually a general picture of the problem area, then a close-up.  There can never be enough explanation of where and what the problem is from an energy auditor to the crew.
  4. Relying too much on showmanship with an IR camera and a blower door.  Yes there is leakage around recessed canned lights and electrical outlets but how much is that really going to save a homeowner?  $20 a year?  It's fine to use some showmanship to help sell a job, I totally agree with selling a homeowner what they want, and give them what they need, but not at the expense of undermining bigger issues that will really help homeowners.
  5. Leaving doubt in the homeowner's mind.
  6. Thinking that you are a good auditor and deserve a higher pay but you are guilty of all of the above items.
  7. Over promising energy savings. This is less true with BPI Certified Energy Auditors than it is with just sales reps who have no formal energy auditor training, especially those who sell radiant barrier.

Crew

  1. Hand prints on the walls, attic hatches and ceilings.  All my crew use latex gloves and register tape around duct registers when duct sealing.
  2. Chipping paint off the wall when removing registers.  Use a blade to remove the register and cut the paint and caulk away.
  3. Leaving a mess in the attic.  Yes, the homeowner hardly goes up there, but when they do your company is the first on their mind as to who left all this trash.  Nothing hurts a companies image more than a mess left no matter if it is the attic, the driveway or the house, clean it up.
  4. Insulation blown into the AHU drip pan.  This could cause a nice flood when drain gets pulled and overflows the drip pan.  Best clean it out with the insulation hose running with just air or a shop vac.  Or just tape around it so nothing gets in the pan in the first place.
  5. Swearing and talking inappropriately in the attic.  The homeowner can still hear you.
  6. Not prepping an area, this means putting plastic out when you have carpeting, removing the clothes from a master closet attic hatch.
  7. Popping a 5 amp fuse on the AHU.  This can be done all too easily by simply hitting the AHU switch off in the attic at the wrong time.  
  8. Being late.
  9. Looking sloppy.
  10. Smoking in front of the home or leaving ciggerrette butts in the driveway.
  11. Using the company trailer or van as a trash can.
  12. Not tightening zip ties enough.  If you can fit one finger under the zip tie OR you can slightly slide the zip tie, it is not tight enough.
  13. Forgetting a open soffit also has vertical misalignments.  Don't just cap the top of a soffit, often times there is also a nice open vertical section that needs to be sealed with foam board or drywall.
  14. Getting mastic on your shoes and then tracking it on the carpet or floor.

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