Ever wonder why the temperature of your home fluctuates room-to-room, your energy bills keep climbing, or your allergies act up indoors? These are all symptoms of poor home performance, and addressing them can unlock powerful home performance benefits like lower costs, better health, and a more comfortable space.
Home performance benefits can make any home healthier, more affordable, and more valuable. At Pearl, we’re passionate about helping homeowners unlock these benefits, and we’re excited about an upcoming tool launching in September 2025 to make it easier than ever. In this guide, we’ll explore what home performance is, why it matters, and how you can start improving your home today.
What is home performance? It’s a way to measure and improve how your home works for you, focusing on five critical performance pillars: Safety, Comfort, Operations, Resilience, and Energy. These pillars, rooted in building science, help homeowners understand, measure, and improve a home’s ability to deliver a healthy, comfortable, cost-effective living environment. Whether you’re dealing with stuffy air, high utility bills, or a home that feels unprepared for storms, home performance addresses these issues head-on.
“Home performance is about creating spaces that work for you, not against you,” says Casey Murphy, Pearl’s SVP of Quality,Standards and Customer Experience. “Too many homeowners suffer from the tyranny of low expectations - utility bills always go higher, or rooms are always too hot in summer and too cold in winter. Building science has solutions to improve your quality of life.””
Here’s how each home performance pillar can contribute to your day-to-day life, as outlined by the building science experts at Pearl.
A safe home minimizes risks like poor indoor air quality, radon, or carbon monoxide. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), 24.7 million Americans suffer from asthma. Even more suffer from allergies or other respiratory problems. often worsened by high humidity levels that can create mold, mildew, and dust mites.. Features like improved air filtration and ventilation systems can reduce these risks, creating a healthier living environment.
Ever notice some rooms are freezing while others are too warm? Comfort means consistent temperatures and good air quality throughout your home. Upgrades like better attic insulation and proper air sealing reduce drafts and keep your home cozy, no matter the season.
Improving how your home utilizes energy can cut utility bills and decrease environmental impact. The average U.S. household spends $2,200 annually on utilities, per the DOE. A high-performing maximizes energy and water efficiency, lowering the costs of homeownership. A home’s insulation levels and the presence of high-efficiency appliances are essential. Well maintained, high-efficiency systems financially pay back in two ways - lowering monthly energy and water bills, as well as reducing the risk associated with premature failure and subsequent replacement costs. The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) notes that well-maintained systems can extend equipment life by 5–10 years, saving you from costly repairs.
Learn more in our article: 6 Smart Ways to Understand a Home’s Energy Use—Before It Hurts Your Wallet
With climate risks on the rise, resilience is crucial. The First Street Foundation estimates 70-80% of U.S. homes face flood risk by 2050. Features like proper exterior drainage, appropriate protections for the home’s foundation, impact-resistant windows, or durable, properly installed roofing products protect your home from storms, floods, and other disasters, providing peace of mind and protection for your family.
Gone are the days when you must rely solely on the utility companies for all of your power, have no visibility to where your dollars go (beyond the monthly utility bill), and are left in the dark and without heating or cooling when the grid goes down. Energy systems like solar, batteries, smart electrical panels, EV chargers, and other features bring a home into the modern era. The highest performing homes have no monthly energy costs at all - and can even provide the energy for your family’s (electric) vehicles.
The housing market is evolving, and home performance is at the forefront. Whether you’re buying, selling, or staying put, understanding your home’s performance can save you money and improve your quality of life. For example, first-time buyers often overlook hidden issues like poor insulation, leading to costly surprises on the utility bill.
Here’s an article about First-Time Homebuyers Go From Miserable to Merry about one couple’s journey.
And when it comes to selling, high-performing homes stand out. A Pearl study across four markets (Boston, MA; Grand Rapids, MI; Charlottesville, VA; and Phoenix, AZ) found that high-performing homes sold for an average premium of 5%—equating to thousands of dollars more in your pocket. Sellers benefit too—homes with certified efficiency upgrades sell faster and for more, per a 2023 National Association of Realtors study.
Properly marketing a high-performing home is essential. You can learn more here: The Real Costs of Homeowner: What Listings Don’t Tell You About Quality of Life
Ready to see how your home performs? Start by downloading the Pearl app and create a free home profile. Inside, you can update home assets like appliances, water heaters, your HVAC system and more to see how well your home is working for you and where your home performance can be improved.
Home performance measures how well a home functions in terms of safety, comfort, operations, resilience, and efficiency. It involves optimizing systems like insulation, HVAC, and ventilation to improve health, reduce costs, and increase durability.
High-performing homes save money (up to 30% on utility bills), improve indoor air quality (reducing asthma risks), and boost resale value (3–5% higher, per Pearl appraisal study). They’re also more resilient to climate risks like flooding.
Start by creating a free home profile in the Pearl app. Take a few minutes to update assets like appliances and water heaters in order to see how well your home performs. Discover ways to improve your home’s performance directly in the app.
Yes! Upgrades often have a 3–7-year ROI, per DOE. For example, air sealing can save $200–$400 annually, while adding value—certified high-performing homes sell for 5% more, per Pearl's study.
The home performance benefits are clear: a healthier, more comfortable, and valuable home. Don’t wait to make your home work better for you. Download the free Pearl app to explore home performance with the Pearl app. Start your journey today!
