Published on September 25, 2019
Having an energy audit, or an energy assessment, completed on your home is the first (and most important) step in determining how well your home is performing. An energy audit will not only put you on the path to renovation rebates, but it will also tell you important information regarding the energy usage, heat loss, and energy rating of your home.
Energy audits are most effective when they are completed before any renovations have begun. The ideal scenario includes having an energy audit performed both before and after renovations, as it provides you with vital information pertaining to your home’s energy efficiency. Having an energy audit performed both before and after renovations also allows you to see if there are any areas of improvement, and how well your home has improved after the renovations are complete. One of the main components of the energy audit is the blower door test, which calculates how airtight your home is. This information is vital in determining the overall energy efficiency rating of your home.
An energy audit is a complete assessment of the inner and outer workings of the home. An energy audit will also tell you how many gigajoules your home produces in a year, which equates to the amount of energy your home uses.
An energy audit consists of 3 parts:
1) Walkthrough and evaluation of the entire home - inside and out.
Your Registered Energy Advisor will do a complete walkthrough of your home, looking at specific elements that contribute to the overall energy efficiency of your home.
This includes the heating and cooling system, including their efficiencies; all insulation levels, including the attic, basement, and exterior walls; measurement and count of all the windows and doors; and lastly, measurements of the exterior of the home.
2) Air tightness testing, or a blower door test, will be performed to see how tight the building envelope is.
A blower door test checks for air leakage in the home. The blower door test is conducted by sealing the front door, and placing a large fan inside. The fan pulls the interior air outside the home, forcing the outside air in through the holes or cracks in the home.
The leaks are easily felt with just your hand, though some Energy Advisors hold feathers or burn incense to locate the leaks.
3) A list of recommendations for energy efficient upgrades.
Your Registered Energy Advisor will provide you with a complete list of recommended upgrades to make your home more energy efficient -- most of which will help save you money on your energy bills.
This list is called your Renovation Upgrade Report (RUR), and it provides you with a breakdown of your energy usage, recommended upgrades, personalized comments from your Advisor, and your home rating before and after the recommended upgrades.
While this process may seem daunting, the information collected by your Registered Energy Advisor is necessary because they are required to input the data into a program created to ‘score’ your home on energy efficiency. This is completed after the energy audit has been conducted.
The program used will also provide you with an EnerGuide label, which outlines your home’s rating, a breakdown of your annual energy consumption, and tips for improving energy performance.
Having an energy audit completed on your home is an easy process. You can simply contact us by calling our office at 1-866-333-3920. Alternatively, you can fill out a contact form on our website, or leave us a message in our live chat. Contact us to take the first step in making your home more energy efficient!
We are also social! You can send us a message on our Facebook, Twitter, or Linkedin and we will be sure to contact you for more information regarding booking your energy audit.
One of the best parts about the Home Efficiency Rebate is that over 90% of the energy audit fee is rebated back to the homeowner, essentially giving you an energy audit for next to nothing.
If you’d like more information about an energy audit, or are interested in booking an energy audit, contact us today!
While there are upfront costs to an energy audit, you can receive over 90% of the cost back by going through the Home Efficiency Rebate.
There are a number of Service Organizations in Ontario that provide energy audits, but when looking for a Service Organization you want to take into consideration the certification of its Advisors, the number of years in service, and the locations they cover.
Here at BSG, we are proud to service all of Southwestern Ontario with over 40 Registered Energy Advisors. We have been conducting energy audits for over 30 years, and are assessing more homes every single day -- even as we speak!
The best part-- BSG completes and submits all the necessary paperwork to Enbridge Gas, and Natural Resources Canada, so all you have to do is relax and wait for your rebate cheque in the mail.
Energy audits can be completed at any time, but most benefit from having an energy audit completed on their home before renovations. Since a Registered Energy Advisor will provide a complete list of recommended energy efficient upgrades, it’s always a good idea to conduct an energy audit before you start any of the work.
The energy audit will pinpoint any problem areas of your home that may need addressing before or during the renovation. Your Registered Energy Advisor will also be able to determine if you could be eligible for any rebates.
Energy audits are most constructive when conducted both before and after renovations. Not only will this information benefit the homeowner, it also is a mandatory step in order to qualify for the Home Efficiency Rebate.
Energy audits are a great investment for your home. An energy audit easily detects areas of improvement, and can help save you money on your energy bills. You may even qualify for up to $5,000 in rebates through HER.
Contact BSG today to take the first step towards a more comfortable, healthy, and energy efficient home.
Homeowners Canada-wide are eligible for the Canada Greener Homes Grant, announced on May 27, 2021. This new incentive offers up to $5,000 in grants for home efficiency retrofit renovations, plus a $600 reimbursement for pre- and post-work EnerGuide evaluations. Eligible retrofit scopes include home insulation, heating, doors, windows, photovoltaic solar panels, resiliency measures, and thermostats.
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