Whether you are looking to reduce energy use, increase the comfort of your home, access rebates and incentives, or simply want to learn more about how your home currently uses energy, getting a home energy evaluation is always the first step.

A Home Energy Evaluation is carried out by a registered NRCan Registered Energy Advisor. It is the only way to accurately determine your home’s current energy efficiency and make informed decisions on how best to improve it.

Participants in the Better Homes Kingston Program are also eligible for a rebate of up to $600 for your home energy evaluation, where the homeowner does not qualify for the existing NRCan Greener Homes Grant Program or Enbridge rebates.

Eligible participants will receive 75 per cent of this rebate upfront, after completing their pre-retrofit home energy evaluation. 

Why Get a Home Energy Evaluation?

• To understand your home’s energy usage.
• To identify opportunities for energy savings.
• To access rebates and incentives (a home energy evaluation is always a requirement, no matter what program you are applying for)

Home Energy Evaluations (also called Energy Audits) are carried out by Registered Energy Advisors. The evaluation includes a thorough inspection of your home to look for air leaks and drafts, gaps around doors and windows, indoor air quality, insulation levels, and HVAC equipment. A Home Energy Evaluation is the first step in the energy retrofit journey.

How It Works

A registered energy advisor will conduct a top-to-bottom evaluation of your home, inspecting your home’s insulation, heating, and cooling systems, and overall home energy use to detect sources of energy loss. When the evaluation is complete, you will receive: 

• An EnerGuide Rating Label, which rates your home’s energy consumption and compares your home’s performance to a typical new house. The label will also show you the proportion of energy consumed by your home’s heating, cooling, ventilation, and other equipment and appliances.
• A Homeowner Information Sheet, which provides information on how your EnerGuide Rating was calculated and a detailed report on how your home uses energy.
• A Renovation Upgrade Report, which provides you with a customized action plan to improve the energy efficiency of your home, including: 
  • Recommended energy efficiency upgrades
  • Potential home energy and greenhouse gas emissions reductions
  • Health and safety information
  • Energy-saving tips

How to Prepare for a Home Energy Evaluation

Before booking your Home Energy Evaluation make sure that your home is eligible for evaluation. To be eligible make sure that:

• Your home is habitable.  
• Your home isn’t under renovation during the audit.  
• All openings are sealed — windows, doors, attic knee-walls, recessed lighting, etc. 
• If you have a fireplace, don’t use it within 24 hours of your evaluation, and make sure you close the dampers. 
• All areas of your home are accessible to the advisor.  
• Bonus points if you have your property tax bill and roll number on hand!  

Generally, evaluations will take 2.5-3 hours. It’s required that the legal homeowner be present for the duration of the evaluation.  

During your in-house visit, a Registered Energy Advisor will evaluate different areas of your home, from insulation to heating and cooling systems. They will also conduct a blower door test, to assess your home’s air leakage.  

Following your in-house visit, you can expect to receive your Energy Audit Reports within approximately 2 weeks. This will outline several tiered recommendations to help you improve your energy efficiency. All recommendations are fully customized to your home and lifestyle, to help you navigate your next steps.  

Blower door test 101

A blower door test is a way to find (and fix) air leaks in your home’s building envelope. All windows and doors must be properly closed, then your home is depressurized using a large fan built into a shield that is placed in one open doorway. This powerful exhaust fan draws air in from any existing hole in your air barrier no matter how small it is.

How Much Does an Energy Evaluation Cost?

• Initial energy audit: costs between $400 and $500
• Follow-up (post-upgrade) audit: between $250 and $300

If you are eligible for an incentive program, the program may refund, in full or in part, the cost of your energy evaluations.

Qualifying for Rebates and Incentives 

To qualify for available rebates and incentives, you will need to get a home energy evaluation before and after your renovation. 

Check out the Better Homes Kingston Program, and contact us to learn more about how you can get help to apply for multiple programs to maximize your energy-saving and incentives/rebates before starting your renovation. Starting work in the home before your home energy evaluation may disqualify you from available rebates and incentives. 

For more information visit nrcan.gc.ca/myenerguide