An EnerGuide home evaluation is a standardized energy audit in which a registered energy advisor inspects your home, runs a blower door test to measure air leakage, and produces an official EnerGuide rating plus a report of recommended upgrades. It typically takes two to four hours on site and costs roughly $300 to $600 before any incentives. For many Canadians, it's the best first step before spending thousands on insulation, windows or a heat pump, because it shows where your home is actually losing energy.
Key takeaways
- EnerGuide evaluations are delivered by energy advisors working with service organizations licensed by Natural Resources Canada.
- The visit includes a walk-through, measurements and a blower door test that quantifies air leakage.
- You receive an EnerGuide label with an energy rating in gigajoules per year and a renovation upgrade report.
- Approximate cost: $300 to $600 per evaluation; some programs require both a pre- and post-retrofit evaluation.
- Many provincial and utility rebate programs have required an EnerGuide evaluation for multi-measure upgrades, so check before you book.
What is EnerGuide?
EnerGuide is Natural Resources Canada's official rating system for home energy performance. It estimates how much energy a home uses in a typical year under standard operating conditions, so homes can be compared fairly regardless of who lives in them or how they set the thermostat.
The rating is shown in gigajoules per year (GJ/year). Lower is better, and a net-zero home would rate 0 GJ/year. The label also shows a breakdown of where energy goes, such as space heating, hot water and appliances, plus the home's estimated greenhouse gas emissions.
What happens during the visit
Before the advisor arrives
You'll usually be asked to:
- Make the attic hatch, basement, furnace and water heater accessible.
- Close windows and exterior doors, and set fireplaces so they won't blow ash during the test.
- Have recent utility bills handy if possible.
The walk-through and measurements
The advisor measures each floor, notes window types and sizes, checks attic and basement insulation levels, records your heating, cooling, ventilation and water heating equipment, and photographs key details. Expect them to go into the attic hatch and look at the basement walls closely.
The blower door test
This is the heart of the evaluation. The advisor fits a temporary panel with a powerful fan into an exterior doorway and depressurizes the house, typically to 50 pascals. The fan measures how much air must be moved to hold that pressure, which reveals how leaky your home is.
The result is usually expressed as air changes per hour at 50 Pa (ACH50):
| Home type (typical) | Approximate ACH50 |
|---|---|
| Older, unrenovated home | 7–15+ |
| Average existing home | 4–7 |
| Recent code-built home | ~2.5–4 |
| High-performance or Passive House | 1.5 or lower (Passive House: 0.6) |
These are rough ranges. While the house is depressurized, many advisors walk around with you to show where air is leaking in, which is often eye-opening. Our guide to air sealing explains what to do with that information.
Software modelling
After the visit, the advisor enters everything into NRCan's energy modelling software, which calculates your rating and estimates the impact of potential upgrades.
Your report and label
Within a few weeks, you'll typically receive:
- An EnerGuide label with your rating, which you may want to keep for resale.
- A homeowner information sheet describing your home's current energy performance.
- A renovation upgrade report with recommended improvements, often ranked by impact, and a projected rating if you complete them.
Common recommendations include air sealing, attic insulation, basement insulation, heat pump installation, window replacement and ventilation improvements.
Pre- and post-retrofit evaluations
Some incentive programs have required a "pre-retrofit" evaluation before you start work and a "post-retrofit" evaluation after, to confirm improvements and calculate rebates. The post-retrofit visit repeats the blower door test and updates your rating.
Program rules have changed considerably. The federal Canada Greener Homes Grant, which required pre- and post-retrofit EnerGuide evaluations, closed to new applicants in 2024, and the companion Canada Greener Homes Loan closed to new applications in October 2025. Provincial, territorial and utility programs vary widely in whether they require an evaluation, so confirm requirements before you book or start work. Search current programs by address with our rebate finder.
Is an EnerGuide evaluation worth it?
Even without a rebate attached, an evaluation can save money by steering you away from expensive upgrades with modest payoff and toward cheap ones with big impact. For example, homeowners often assume new windows are the top priority, when air sealing and attic insulation deliver more savings per dollar.
It's especially valuable if:
- You're planning several upgrades and want to sequence them well. Our whole-home upgrade sequence shows why order matters.
- You're considering a heat pump and want it sized for your home after efficiency improvements, not before.
- You've just bought an older home and want a clear picture of its condition.
- A rebate program you're interested in requires it.
How to book one
- Find a service organization licensed by NRCan that serves your area; your provincial or utility efficiency program can often point you to one.
- Ask about cost, availability and whether the evaluation meets the requirements of any rebate you plan to apply for.
- Book the evaluation before you start any work, since a pre-retrofit evaluation can't be done after the fact.
Frequently asked questions
How long does an EnerGuide evaluation take?
The on-site visit typically takes two to four hours depending on the size and complexity of the home. The final report usually arrives within a few weeks.
Can I do my own blower door test?
Not officially. Only registered energy advisors can produce an EnerGuide rating, though some contractors offer separate blower door testing to guide air sealing work.
Does an EnerGuide rating help when selling a home?
It can. A rating gives buyers a standardized, credible picture of energy performance and expected costs, and some municipalities have explored home energy labelling.
The bottom line
An EnerGuide evaluation turns guesswork into a plan. For a few hundred dollars, you get a measured picture of how your home uses energy, where it leaks and which upgrades will make the biggest difference, plus the paperwork many rebate programs have required. Book it before you start renovating.
Sundamentals is an independent, non-profit education platform. Program details and prices change often — check current programs for your address in our rebate finder.