What is QII HERS Verification?

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Quality Insulation Installation (QII)

QII stands for Quality Insulation Installation. It is an on-site verification of the installation of insulation in a home by a 3rd party called a HERS rater. It is conducted after the insulation is installed and before the drywall is installed.

The purpose of QII is to ensure that the insulation is installed correctly and per certain standards. Incorrectly installed insulation — such as when it’s compressed, poorly sealed, or misaligned — significantly reduces performance.

The California Energy Commission’s energy performance software assumed only 70% effective R-value without QII.

QII is a visual inspection that broadly checks that the insulation is:

Not compressed
Has no gaps
Has sufficient air sealing at penetrations
Is fully aligned with the air barrier

QII is a prescriptive requirement per the 2022 California Energy Code.

Important Note : If QII is called out on your Title 24 report, it would mean you would need QII verification to be conducted on your project by a qualified HERS rater.

Please Contact Us or a qualified HERS Rater well in advance and ensure that the on-site verification is conducted before the drywall is installed. This is necessary since QII requires a visual inspection of the insulation.

Is QII mandatory in California?

QII is a Prescriptive standard per the 2022 energy code. Being a prescriptive standard does not make it mandatory and it can be traded off in the performance approach of Title 24 compliance.

However, being a prescriptive standard it also carries a significant energy penalty in the Title 24 calculations if removed. This often means that we might need to add multiple upgrades to get the project to comply, such as:

Higher Insulation (R38, R49 or rigid insulation)
Higher performance windows (U-factor, SHGC)
More efficient HVAC system (higher HSPF, higher SEER)
More efficient water heater (higher UEF)

This in turn often makes it more cost effective to simply comply with QII, especially for a new construction or a large addition project.

📋Side Note: What is Prescriptive versus Mandatory per the Title 24 code?

A Prescriptive standard is a measure that is not mandatory and can be traded off by an upgrade elsewhere in the building design when using a computer simulation (called Performance approach) to meet Title 24 compliance.

However, being a Prescriptive standard, it forms the baseline against which the proposed building design is compared in the performance approach and tends to have a high energy penalty when traded off.

What are the benefits of QII?

QII ensures that the insulation is optimally delivering its intended performance. It ensures that its performance is not compromised due to ineffective installation. The key benefits of QII include:

Improved energy efficiency
Better indoor comfort (fewer hot or cold spots)
Better sound insulation
Improved indoor air quality

Importantly, the California Title 24 energy code requires it for new constructions and major additions and getting your QII helps your project comply with the energy standards.

If QII is removed from the Title 24 calculations, the California Energy Commission engine adds an energy penalty of about 30% on the performance of the insulation.

How is QII verified?

QII is verified by an on-site visual inspection by a 3rd party called a HERS rater.

A HERS rater needs to visit the site before the drywall is installed since he needs to visually inspect the insulation before it is covered. Hence it is best to contact a HERS rater when framing is complete and during mechanical rough ins. Also notify him 3-5 days before completion of installation of insulation so that he aligns his schedule to your completion of insulation installation.

The HERS rater broadly checks:

Compression of the insulation
Voids and gaps
Alignment with air barrier
Matching R-values (per the CF1R Title 24 report)

The inspection covers: walls, attic, floors, headers, and penetrations.

Examples of what is visually inspected in a QII verification?

Below are a few photos of what would fail a QII HERS inspection.

🔴Insulation should not be compresse

QII Failed – Compression and Voids

QII Passed – Insulation installed without compression or gas, well delaminated around wiring and cut around electrical boxes.

🔴There should not be gaps in the insulation installation

QII Failed – Gaps in insulation near the studs

QII Failed – improper sizing and cutting of insulation

✅Window and door headers should be sealed with expanding foam insulation

Window and Door Headers to be Sealed

✅Wall penetrations due to HVAC ducting, plumbing should be sufficiently air sealed

QII Failed – Gaps in air sealing and insufficient air sealing

QII Passed – Sufficient draft stops and air sealing around ducting penetrations.

QII Failed – No draft stops around ducting

QII Failed – Gaps in QII Passed – Ideal Sealing for Duct and Piping penetrations.air sealing and insufficient air sealing

Insulation around Electrical wiring should be split or “delaminated”

QII Failed – No Delamination around piping or wiring

QII Passed – Insulation neatly delaminated to fit around piping

💡To view a detailed checklist of all the items that are required in a QII inspection, download the QII Checklist for Builders and Installers.

What happens if QII fails?

If QII verification fails, the HERS rater will issue a correction report.

The builder or insulation installer then has to rework the insulation to meet the QII standards. This leads to unexpected costs and delays, especially if not planned early.

When should QII be scheduled?

The HERS rater needs to visit the site after the insulation is installed and before the drywall is installed.

The HERS rater needs to visually inspect the insulation which will not be possible once the drywall covers the insulation.

It is best to reach out to a HERS Rater once framing is complete and mechanical rough-ins are underway and to notify him 3–5 days before the completion of the insulation installation.

Builders often delay scheduling a HERS visit or at worst forget about it altogether. If the drywall is installed and QII is yet to be done, it will require removing the drywall or reworking your Title 24 report to remove the QII requirement (which will most probably not be possible at that stage)!

Coordinating with a HERS rater is important during the construction phase and needs to be done at the right time.

You can Contact Us to schedule your QII HERs verification.

💡Pro tip on timing the QII inspection:

Reach out to HERS rater after completion of framing and during mechanical rough ins
Re-Notify HERS rater 3–5 days before completion of installation of insulation
Keep walls open for inspection

Who can do QII verification?

QII HERS verification is done by a 3rd party individual or company called a HERS rater.

HERS raters are certified professionals who conduct field verification of various Title 24 measures, including:

Duct leakage testing
Refrigerant charge verification
HVAC system efficiencies
HVAC system airflow
Kitchen range hood
And of course Quality insulation inspection

HERS stands for Home Energy Rating Service and a HERS Rater is a professional associated with a certified HERS registry in California.

You can reach out to us if you would like to schedule your HERs inspections.

How much does QII verification cost?

QII verification typically costs $250 to $500 depending on the region and the HERS Rater.

In most cases, QII is bundled with a full HERS package of all the HERS inspections that are triggered on your CF1R Title 24 report. The bundle often includes:

Duct testing
Refrigerant charge
Kitchen range hood
IAQ airflow
HVAC efficiency

What are common reasons QII fails?

The most common reasons that QII fails are:

Gaps around wires or pipes
Compression of batt insulation
Incomplete air sealing at penetrations
Insulation not fully aligned with the air barrier

How to pass QII the first time?

✅Hire the right installer
Proper planning and coordination is important to pass QII the first time. Hire an experienced insulation installer and have clear communication with them at the start regarding passing the QII inspection requirements.

QII has been a part of prescriptive standards since the 2019 energy code so most experienced insulation installers are well aware of the requirements and the level of detail it entails.

✅Coordinate with trades
Inform the HVAC, plumbing and electrical installers about the QII requirement and to ensure any envelope penetrations are thoroughly air sealed and the insulation is not disturbed once installed.

✅Schedule early with your HERS rater
Please make sure to coordinate with a HERS Rater early on in the construction phase. He/she will need to visit the site before the drywall is installed and complete the QII inspection.

💡Bonus: Free QII Prep Checklist for Builders and Installers
To understand or communicate the QII requirements with your builder better, you can download the QII Checklist for Builders and Installers.

Where to find QII on your Title 24 report?

This is a common sensible place to start. First, check if your Title 24 report requires QII HERS verification or not.

If your project is a new construction or a large addition then most likely QII will be required on your Title 24 report. If your project is an alteration or a small addition or on an old code cycle then you will likely not require QII on your Title 24 report.

To confirm, open your Title 24 report and on the first few pages (typically Page 2 to Page 5) search for a table with the heading “HERS Feature Summary”.

If QII HERS verification is required for your project, it will be clearly printed in this table as “Quality Insulation Installation (QII)”.

Example of a Title 24 report that requires QII Verification

Example of a Title 24 report that does NOT require QII HERS Verification

Still not sure?
Email us your Title 24 report and we’ll check it for free and also send you a quote for all the HERS tests on your project.

📥Free QII Checklist for Builders, Installers and Homeowners

Below is a detailed checklist of the items to meet QII standards. Please feel free to download and share with your builder or installer!

Frequently Asked Questions:

Q: Is QII required in California?
A: Yes, on most new constructions and additions.

Q: How do I pass the QII inspection?
A: Ensure the installer installs insulation per QII standards. Here is a handy checklist. Once installed, schedule an onsite inspection with a HERS rater before drywall is installed.

Q: When should I schedule QII verification?
A: After the insulation is installed but before the drywall is installed.

Q: Can I skip QII if I meet performance compliance?
A: You can if the project complies in the performance approach without requiring QII.

Q: How much does a QII inspection cost?
A: About $250 to $500 depending on location and HERS Rater.

Q: How do I get in touch with a HERS rater?
A: You can contact us or find a HERS rater that serves your area using Google