Sustainable Living Newsletter
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Our in-home services are now available!
Please note we are currently experiencing high volumes of requests for home energy audits. Please submit an online application to join our waitlist and we will contact you as soon as we are able to start scheduling new appointments.
If you have registered for the Canada Greener Homes Grant and selected us as your service organization, please be advised that we may not have received your application from Natural Resources Canada yet. We will adjust your position on the waitlist according to your registration date when we receive your application.
If you have registered for the Canada Greener Homes Grant and selected us as your service organization, please be advised that we may not have received your application from Natural Resources Canada yet. We will adjust your position on the waitlist according to your registration date when we receive your application.
EnerGuide Home Energy Audits
An EnerGuide home audit will identify the best ways to improve your home’s energy efficiency, save you money and make your home healthier and more comfortable.
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Why Get an Home Energy Audit?
An energy audit is a great way to identify areas of improvement in your home. The best time to have an evaluation is when you are planning some home renovations. An evaluation will assist you in choosing upgrades that increase home comfort, save energy costs and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
An energy audit can help identify:
High Energy Bills
Cold Drafts
Air Leaks
Inefficient Windows
Doors not Sealing
Poor Air Quality
Poor Insulation
Health Concerns
Dampness, Mold, Mildew
Heating and Cooling Problems
We have been offering energy audits and unbiased, trusted advice for over 20 years.
What to Expect During your Audit
1. Preparing for your Audit
During the booking process, you will be asked questions to identify whether your home is eligible for an audit. Ensure that your home is in a state to complete the assessment prior to the visit:
- Your home cannot be under any renovations at the time of the audit (I.e. drywall, insulation, windows, siding, cabinets, heating/cooling systems, etc.).
- Your home must be in habitable condition.
- All exterior openings must be sealed (windows, doors, fireplace dampers, crawlspace, attic hatches, etc.).
- Sweep your fireplace and close dampers to avoid soot from being drawn into your home. Do not have a fire within 24 hours of your evaluation.
- Have your property tax bill and roll number ready for your advisor.
- Be sure to clear access to all areas and mechanical systems of the home (including the attic and crawlspace).
2. During the Energy Audit
A typical home energy audit takes 2.5-3 hours, and a legal homeowner must be present.
Your Registered Energy Advisor will assess your home’s energy components including attic, wall, and basement insulation, windows, doors, heating and cooling systems. They will also conduct a blower door test to assess the air leakage of your home
3. Getting your Results
You will receive a personalized report about seven (7) business days after the audit that will contain a number of prioritized recommendations to improve your home’s energy efficiency.
This report will also contain an EnerGuide rating that will show you how your home’s energy consumption compares to others.
4. Following Up
If you would like to know the impact of your retrofits, schedule a follow-up energy audit. Your Registered Energy Advisor will re-assess your home’s energy components and provide you with an updated EnerGuide rating. A follow-up energy audit is required if you are applying for a rebate program (see “Enbridge Gas Home Efficiency Rebate” below for more details).
Do I Need a Follow-Up Energy Audit?
For homeowners who have already had an initial EnerGuide audit and completed some retrofit work, a 1 hour follow-up audit will measure your energy efficiency improvements. Based on this follow-up you will be provided with an updated EnerGuide rating, as well as new information about the air tightness of your home, an estimated reduction in energy use, and approximate CO2 savings. A follow-up energy audit is required if you plan to apply for any rebate or incentive programs.
If you are completing a follow-up audit, all renovations must be completed. You will need to provide your advisor with copies of any invoices, receipts, or manufacturer’s literature related to your retrofits. You will also need to provide the Energy Star labels for all new doors and windows.
How Much Does an Energy Audit Cost?
Initial energy audit: $450*
Follow-up (post-upgrade) audit: $230*
If you are eligible for an incentive program, the program may refund, in full or in part, the cost of your audits.
*No HST as Reep Green Solutions is a registered charity.
Please note that there is a $20.00 mileage fee to service outside of Waterloo Region.
An additional square footage fee is charged for homes larger than 3,000 square feet:
3000 – 3499 sq ft: $50.00
3500 – 4499 sq ft: $75.00
4500 – 5499 sq ft: $125.00
5500 – 6499 sq ft: $175.00
6500 sq ft +: $250.00
An additional fee is charged if an addition has been added to the home since the original assessment, the following geometry
change fees apply to the cost of the follow-up assessment:
1-399 sq ft: $50.00
400-900 sq ft: $90.00
+900 sq ft: $120.00
Kitchener Utilities subsidizes the cost of the evaluations.
Initial audit: $390.00* ($60.00 subsidy provided by Kitchener Utilities)
Follow-up audit: $190.00* ($40 subsidy provided by Kitchener Utilities)
Appointments cancelled less than 24 hours before the evaluation will be subject to a $75 rescheduling fee.
Are there any Rebates or Incentive Programs?
Request a Home Energy Audit
If you are interested in scheduling a home energy audit, please complete and submit the form below. We will contact you by email within two business days of submitting. We serve Waterloo Region and the surrounding area (Guelph, Elora, Brantford).
Please note: For Canada’s Greener Homes Incentive, you must register through Natural Resources Canada. You can find us listed on the portal as ‘Green Communities Canada’. You do not need to fill out the form below – Natural Resources Canada will pass your application on to us. We will adjust your position on the waitlist according to your registration date when we receive your application.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Receive unbiased recommendations
Completing an EnerGuide home energy audit prior to starting renovations can help you to prioritize your projects. Speak to your Registered Energy Advisor about your specific goals.
Improve your home’s overall comfort
The recommendations included in the Renovation Upgrade Report after your initial
audit could help you eliminate drafts, reduce exterior noise, provide consistent temperatures and cleaner air.
Potential to save money on your utility bills
If you follow the recommendations included in the report you can reduce your home’s overall energy consumption and energy costs.
Our energy advisors use blower door test equipment to measure your home’s rate of air leakage (otherwise known as air tightness). The blower door is a variable-speed fan mounted on an adjustable panel that can fit into an exterior door opening of your home.
As part of initial and follow-up audits, the blower door test is performed and the results of the test are incorporated into the EnerGuide rating and the house label.
What are the steps to run the Blower Door test?
- When the fan is turned on, the pressure inside your home is gradually reduced to allow outside air to flow into the house through unsealed openings or cracks in the house structure.
- Pressure gauges connected to the fan measure the rate of airflow required to keep your home at a constant pressure so that the advisor can calculate your home’s resistance to air infiltration.
- The blower door test equipment then calculates the air leakage rate of the home. The results of the test are considered in your home’s energy efficiency rating. Because airtight homes are energy efficient, a house that has little air leakage will score a better rating than a home that has a lot of air leakage.
The EnerGuide home evaluation and rating system was designed by Natural Resources Canada to help home and property owners make their homes more energy-efficient and reduce the burden of high energy costs.
Reep provides EnerGuide home evaluations throughout the Waterloo Region under an agreement with Green Communities Canada. Reep Green Solutions is a Natural Resources Canada (NRCAN) licensed service provider with NRCAN Registered Energy Advisors conducting your home energy evaluation.
Check out this Guide to the EnerGuide Label.
Waterloo Region and surrounding area (Guelph, Elora, Brantford). Contact us to see if we have an advisor who can service your area. Please note that there is a $20.00 mileage fee to service outside of Waterloo Region.
If you are outside of our service area, check out our partners through Green Communities Canada for other service organizations in Canada: https://greencommunitiescanada.org/programs/home-energy-solutions/energuide-home-energy-audits/
Impact on Your Home and Our Community
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Tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions reduced since August 2016
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Saved on energy costs after upgrades
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Invested in the local economy in renovations and retrofits
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