Hire a Certified HERS Rater in California
Looking to hire a certified HERS rater in California? 5 Star Energy provides independent, third-party HERS rater services statewide — from our Redding, CA base across all of Northern California and beyond. Our raters are RESNET-certified and hold the Certified Energy Analyst (CEA) credential, and we are registered with a CEC-approved HERS provider so every rating we produce is accepted by California building departments.
Whether you are a builder finishing a new home, a homeowner replacing an HVAC system, or a contractor who needs a fast, reliable field verification to close out a permit, we make hiring a California HERS rater simple.
What Does a HERS Rater Do?
A HERS rater — short for Home Energy Rating System rater — is the certified, independent inspector who verifies that a home’s energy features were built to the standards in its Title 24 plans. As your certified HERS rater, 5 Star Energy performs and registers the field verifications California requires:
- Duct leakage testing — confirming the HVAC duct system is sealed to code
- Blower-door envelope testing — measuring whole-house air tightness
- Verified system airflow (CFM) — checking that airflow meets design specs
- Air handler fan watt draw — confirming fan efficiency
- Refrigerant charge verification — validating correct charge on new AC/heat-pump systems
- Quality Insulation Installation (QII) — inspecting insulation for proper coverage
- EER2 / SEER2 verification — confirming rated equipment efficiency
Once testing passes, we register the results with a state-approved HERS provider and issue the certificate your building department needs.
Why Hire 5 Star Energy as Your HERS Rater?
- RESNET/CEA-certified — our raters carry the certifications California requires
- CEC-approved provider registration — ratings are registered and permit-ready
- Statewide California service — Northern California and the entire state
- Independent third-party verification — unbiased, code-compliant results
- Fast scheduling — we work around your construction and inspection timeline
- Full energy-services team — HERS field verification plus Title 24 compliance reports and Title 24 energy calculations under one roof
HERS Rater vs. Title 24 Consultant — What’s the Difference?
These two roles are complementary, not interchangeable. Your Title 24 consultant runs the energy calculations and produces the Certificate of Compliance (CF1R) during the design phase. Your certified HERS rater is the independent field inspector who verifies on site that the finished home matches those compliant plans. California requires the HERS verification to be performed by a separate, certified third party.
5 Star Energy provides both: we can prepare your Title 24 energy report up front and return as your certified HERS rater to complete the HERS testing and field verification at the end of the job — a single, coordinated point of contact from plan check through final sign-off.
When Do You Need to Hire a HERS Rater?
You need a certified HERS rater in California when you are:
- Building a new single-family or multifamily home
- Installing or replacing a central HVAC system (a “changeout”)
- Adding conditioned square footage to an existing home
- Required by your building department to field-verify energy features
- Applying for energy-efficiency rebates or incentive programs
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a HERS rater do? A certified HERS rater is the independent inspector who field-verifies a home’s energy features — duct leakage, envelope tightness, airflow, and refrigerant charge — against California’s Title 24 code, then registers the results so the permit can be signed off.
How do I find a certified HERS rater near me? 5 Star Energy is a RESNET/CEA-certified HERS rater serving all of California. Call (530) 275-3350 or request a quote and we’ll schedule your field verification.
What’s the difference between a HERS rater and a Title 24 consultant? The Title 24 consultant does the design-phase energy calculations; the HERS rater independently verifies the finished build in the field. We do both.
How much does it cost to hire a HERS rater? Most HERS rater fees in California run about $150-$600 depending on systems tested and home size. Contact us at (530) 275-3350 for a free quote.
Ready to hire a certified HERS rater in California? Contact 5 Star Energy today at (530) 275-3350 for fast, statewide HERS field verification.