You, or someone you know, pays for running the heating, cooling and hot water in your home. If you have an older house that hasn't been upgraded or renovated in the last few years, it may result in you overpaying on your energy bills each month! Undertaking home energy retrofits can help you improve energy efficiency, save money and increase comfort. The first step before undertaking any retrofit, however, is to conduct an EnerGuide home energy audit.
What Is A Home Energy Audit?
A professional EnerGuide home energy audit helps you understand how your home uses energy and identifies retrofits that will have the most impact on improving the energy efficiency of your home. The energy audit is performed by a Natural Resources Canada Registered Energy Advisor who has completed extensive training and qualification exams to obtain their license.
What Does A Home Energy Audit Involve?
You'll need to complete two EnerGuide home energy audits - one before and one after completing your home energy retrofits.​
During the pre-retrofit energy audit, your energy advisor will evaluate your home from attic to foundation, including measuring your insulation levels, assessing your HVAC and hot water systems and conducting a blower door test.
A blower door is a diagnostic tool used by energy advisors to assess the airtightness of your home and to determine where air is entering or escaping. Uncontrolled airflow through walls and ceilings can be a major source of heat loss, uncomfortable drafts and dry winter air. During the blower door test, your energy advisor will set up a frame and large fan in an exterior doorway of your home. The fan pulls air out of the house and draws outside air into the house through unsealed cracks and openings. Your energy advisor will conduct an air leakage tour to show you locations where air is being drawn in and explain techniques for reducing air leakage. Air sealing is one of the most cost-effective energy-saving measures you can take to reduce heat loss and improve comfort in your home.
Following the on-site visit, you’ll be provided with a customized report, including a roadmap of recommended retrofits to improve your home’s overall energy efficiency, as well as an EnerGuide rating so you can compare the energy efficiency of your home with other homes.
When you’ve completed your renovations, your energy advisor will return to complete a post-retrofit energy audit to document your upgrades, conduct another blower door test and generate a new EnerGuide rating showing the improved energy performance of your home.
Is It Worth Getting A Home Energy Audit?
It is essential to get an EnerGuide home energy audit in Canada before undertaking any retrofit project in your home. An energy audit helps you determine the best strategy for retrofitting your home and
unlocks access to government rebate and interest-free loan programs, such as the Enbridge Home Efficiency Rebate Plus program and the Canada Greener Homes Initiative, where eligible individuals can receive up to $10,000 in rebates and $40,000 in interest free loans for installing eligible windows, doors, insulation, air sealing, heat pumps, smart thermostats, solar panels and more.
Conclusion
Taking advantage of a professional home energy audit will not only help you figure out where you can save on energy bills but also help you apply for rebates and interest-free loans through government green energy initiatives.
Get in touch with EcoLogic Energy Advisors today to arrange for your professional EnerGuide home energy audit.
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