Summary
How to Cheat on a Rescheck (Printable PDF)
Today on the Reschexpert blog we want to discuss something we would never advise you to do, cheat on your Rescheck. We are going to discuss in detail the following:
Ways to cheat on a Rescheck
Implication of cheating on a Rescheck
Is your Rescheck correct
Published by Jobe Leonard of Rescheck.info and the Reschexpert blog. Jobe enjoys all things related to Rescheck reporting and the study of home energy audit softwares for creating Reschecks, Comchecks, and Manual Js.
Jobe Leonard Rescheck.info
How to Cheat on a Rescheck (Printable PDF)
Today on the Reschexpert blog we want to discuss something we would never advise you to do, cheat on your Rescheck. We are going to discuss in detail the following:
- Ways to cheat on a Rescheck
- Implication of cheating on a Rescheck
- Is your Rescheck correct
The easiest ways to cheat on a Rescheck are items that we see every day when reviewing Rescheck reports for building departments, municipalities, and building inspectors as a subcontractor.
Location, Location, Location!
You hear it so much in real estate that location is key. This goes for the jobsite address of a Rescheck as well. We see so many projects submitted without an address that it is impossible to count. One of the first steps of creating your plans should be to put your jobsite address on them. This is similar to your teacher making you put your name on your paper in 1st grade or giving you an automatic zero on the assignment.
If you do not know the actual jobsite, put the city and state. If you do not know the city and state, put the county. If you do not know the city, state, or county put the latitude and longitude and we can look up the location. If you do know know the city, state, county, latitude or longitude, then you are premature in ordering or creating a Rescheck and you should take a step back before starting the Rescheck portion of the process. The jobsite address on your Rescheck is so important because it determines the climate zone of your project.
In many areas of the country jobsite addresses just miles apart from each other can be situated in different climate zones. Your climate zone has a large implication on what types and sizes of insulation you will need to install. The more accurate you can be with your jobsite on your Rescheck report, the better.
Plans
Every project should have a set of plans. I have worked with many hand drawn plans that turned into fantastic million dollar homes. One easy way to cheat on the Rescheck is to not have any plans. The plans for your Rescheck are important because they become an official document to cross reference the construction details that are used in your Rescheck report. Some of the most important items to be shown on a plan for Rescheck to avoid cheating would be:
- Construction plans showing roof insulation and R value for Rescheck
- Construction plans showing wall insulation and R value for Rescheck
- Construction plans showing window U value for Rescheck
- Construction plans showing window SHGC for Rescheck
- Construction plans showing foundation R value for Rescheck
If your plans show those basic 5 details then it can go a long way to make sure that your Rescheck is accurate. Of course you still may need more information, but the basic details of those items will help you, your architect, your building inspector, and your Rescheck service provider determine what your intentions are for your insulation envelope on your Rescheck report.
Square footage
Is there a more important singular number on any construction project than the square footage? This number once generated becomes crucial data for the life of the home in the following places:
- Tax Records
- Building Permits
- Real Estate Transactions
- Utility Records
- Estimates from contractors and subcontractors
- HOA covenants and building restrictions
With such an important impact on the life of the structure it is an amazing phenomenon that many plans fail to include this important data. I know Real Estate agents that refuse to list a home unless they are allowed to go in with a tape measure and measure the square footage themselves. This is because so much of the square footage data is fudged or missing from construction plans.
When it comes to square footage in Rescheck this data is paramount. At a base level, the Rescheck is simply a calculation of the area of the components of the home multiplied by the U value of the components themselves. This gives you what is referred to as the UA of the home. For the Rescheck to pass the UA has to be equal to or less than the UA value of the current energy code (IECC 2009, IECC 2012, IECC 2015, IECC 2018, IECC 2021, IECC 2024*).
So if the simple equation to create a Rescheck score is:
Area of the insulation envelope components x U Value of the insulation envelope components = UA value of the structure
Then if the area of your components is missing then it leaves a gap in the integrity of your calculations. Please make sure you have an accurate square footage of each floor of your home, and it is listed on your plans. Nothing will go further in making sure your building department, contractor, and everyone involved in your construction project have accurate data about your project.
Implications of cheating on a Rescheck
Failed permit applications would be an immediate result of a Rescheck with incorrect results. Typically, this is a return to sender type situation where the items that need adjusted are red lined. Your project is put on hold until the non-complying items are corrected. This can cost both time and money in delays. Plus at some building departments there are fees for having to resubmit a permit application.
Higher energy bills would also be an end result that might arise from a Rescheck that made it all through the construction process. Some examples of this might be:
“We have been building like this for years.” The Rescheck report states that you need R38 insulation in your roof and R13 in your walls. The contractor knows the inspector’s method of inspection so they install an R30 roof and R11 in the walls that does not match the Rescheck. This would more than likely result in the customer having an increase in their energy bills for the life of the home.
“I will be installing 5 inches of spray foam insulation in my ceiling.” Spray foam Reschecks are another area where details can be vague and misleading. On many spray foam insulation quotes, you only see the inches of insulation that will be installed. Spray foam has many different R values per inch. A closed cell spray foam has much higher R value per inch than an open cell spray foam. It is imperative that you know what type of insulation will be installed, what the R value is per inch, and how the finished application will be measured to make sure the spray foam Rescheck thickness is installed correctly. This should be on every spray foam insulation quote and set of plan:
- Type of spray foam material being installed for Rescheck.
- R value per inch of spray foam for Rescheck
- Total R value of finished spray foam installation for Rescheck
After you determine those three items are present, make sure they able to pass a Rescheck for the energy code in your area. Using open cell spray instead or closed cell spray foam, installing the wrong thickness of spray foam, and having an incorrectly calculated R value of spray foam for Rescheck would most likely result in increased energy bills for your home.
“The inspector does not know what he is talking about.” The building department and building inspector always have the final say on a project. They are a wealth of knowledge on local construction conditions, past construction projects, and what details need to be present on each Rescheck. Instead of making the building department an enemy on the project, you should consider that your building permit fees allow you to use their knowledge of construction to make your home better. This is very true on the energy code side of each construction project. If you choose to go against what the building inspector has told you on a Rescheck or construction detail then the cost of your building permit, certificate of occupancy, and final inspection preparations could be sky high. Not to mention an increase in your energy bills if you choose to ignore pertinent insulation details from your Rescheck.
Is your Rescheck correct?
How do you know if the Rescheck on your construction project is correct? This is a combination of checks and balances throughout the construction project. The actual Rescheck report itself makes sure these checks go smoothly. On the first page of your Rescheck you have the UA calculations. This is the U value of components multiplied by the insulation envelope’s areas. You can check and make sure these areas, U values, R values, and SHGCs are what you plan to install and what are included in your construction quotes.
The next set of checks is an actual checklist. This is a 7-11 page section of the Rescheck that is located in the middle of the document. This is an easy to use checklist that you and your building inspector will work through as you complete your construction project. It has information relevant to the energy code on your project. The Rescheck checklist for a project would be different for each of the following energy codes:
- IECC 2009 Rescheck Checklist
- IECC 2012 Rescheck Checklist
- IECC 2015 Rescheck Checklist
- IECC 2018 Rescheck Checklist
- IECC 2021 Rescheck Checklist
- IECC 2024 Rescheck Checklist*
Finally the last sets of checks and balances that can help you know if your Rescheck is correct is the Rescheck Compliance certificate. This is the final page of your Rescheck and the information on your compliance certificate should jive with what was installed on your home throughout the construction processes. This Rescheck information includes the following important details:
What Energy Code was used for your Rescheck? IECC 2009 Rescheck, IECC 2012 Rescheck, IECC 2015 Rescheck, IECC 2018 Rescheck, IECC 2021 Rescheck, IECC 2024 Rescheck*
- Above Grade Wall Insulation Rating used in Rescheck and the R Value
- Below Grade Wall Insulation Rating used in Rescheck and the R Value
- Floor Insulation Rating used in Rescheck and the R Value
- Ceiling Insulation Rating used in Rescheck and the R Value
- Ductwork Insulation Rating used in Rescheck and the R Value
- Window U Value used in Rescheck calculation
- Window SHGC used in Rescheck calculation
- Door U Value used in Rescheck calculation
- Door SHGC used in Rescheck calculation
- Heating System and Equipment efficiency used in Rescheck calculation
- Cooling System and Equipment efficiency used in Rescheck calculation
- Water Heater System and Equipment efficiency used in Rescheck calculation
This final page compliance certificate is then printed, filled out, and signed at the end of your construction project. It is placed on the electrical panel or with other important documents for the home like your title. It serves as a record of compliance to the energy code that your home constructed under and can help when going to resale, renovate, or add on to your home.
Cheating on a Rescheck Conclusion
Overall, cheating on a Rescheck is very bad idea. If you are cheating on Reschecks, then you are cheating at life. Do not let that be you. There are some simple ways to make sure that your Rescheck is correct and details are followed. If you make sure your plans include jobsite address, square footage, and details about your insulation envelope it can work as a fail safe to make sure your building permit, plans, and Rescheck all have data that is in agreement with one another.
If you need a Rescheck created for you then Rescheck.info can help. We need PDF plans, jobsite address, and square footage. You can email those to us at service@rescheck.info. The typical process takes 4-6 hours and we charge $79. Thanks again for reading the Reschexpert blog.
