Performance testing is an essential part of a HERS® rating. Proper equipment maintenance and calibration are necessary to ensure accurate test results. Equipment calibration is required by the HERS® Standards, as well as ANSI/RESNET/ICC/ACCA 310, ANSI/RESNET/ICC 380, and ANSI/ACCA 12 QH. Manufacturers generally set minimum recommended recalibration intervals. For a HERS® rating, the following calibration requirements apply: If the manufacturer recommends a minimum recalibration interval, then the equipment must be recalibrated at least at that interval. If the manufacturer does not recommend a minimum recalibration interval, then the equipment must be recalibrated at least annually. Field checks catch problems that develop between recalibrations (pinched or leaking tubes, damaged fan parts). These do not replace lab calibration, but they can flag a system that has drifted out of tolerance and needs repair before the next recalibration is due. The Energy Conservatory (TEC): https://www.energyconservatory.com/calibration-repair/ Field Check Recommendation¹: Manometer/Gauge – Annually or when damage is suspected Blower Door or Duct Blaster Fans – Annually or when damage is suspected Calibration/Recalibration Intervals: DG-1000, DG-8 and Digital TrueFlow® – every 4 years DG-700 and DG-500 – every 2 years DG-2 and DG-3 – every year Fans – Calibration is only required if a fan fails a field check. Useful links: Field checks: https://www.energyconservatory.com/calibration-repair/ Contact support at info@energyconservatory.com or (612) 827-1117 Retrotec: https://retrotec.com/calibration.html Field Check Recommendation¹: Manometers/Gauges – Annually or when damage is suspected Blower Door or Duct Blaster Fans – Annually or when damage is suspected Calibration/Recalibration Intervals: DM32 and DM32x – every 5 years DM2 – every 2 years Fan Models 200, 300, 400, 500, 1000, 2000, 3000, 5000 and 6000 series – every 5 years ¹Note: any equipment that fails the field check must be sent to Manufacturer for repair Useful links: Repairs & Calibration request form (and cert lookup): https://retrotec.com/calibration.html Certificate lookup: https://portal.retrotec.com/Excalibur/SerialNumberSearch Equipment Calibration blog/video series: https://retrotec.com/blog/category/equipment-calibration Gauge field check (“Perform a Calibration Check”): https://retrotec.com/blog/post/perform-a-calibration-check DucTester field check: https://retrotec.com/blog/post/check-your-ductester-s-calibration Contact support@retrotec.com or (855) 738-7683 Many testing standards defer to the manufacturer’s recommendations. And some standards such as Headquarters U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) require more frequent recalibration than the default. Most fire standards such as National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) require fan recalibration every 5 years, and the manometer recalibration annually. Testers should always check the recalibration interval mandated by the standard they are testing under and adhere to whichever interval is shorter. Maintaining Calibration Records RESNET® requires Rating Providers to maintain calibration and field-check records for each piece of testing equipment. Records should include the equipment type, manufacturer, model and serial number; the date and result of each calibration or field check; the next calibration due date; any repairs performed; and the equipment user (individual, shared or spare). Calibration certificates and supporting documentation should be retained and readily available for Quality Assurance review. For more information or if you have questions, please contact technicalsupport@resnet.us
