Compare services by project stage and required output
Choose an EnerGuide evaluation for whole-home retrofit planning and reports; consider construction-stage blower-door testing when the goal is checking leakage during a build. [1][2][6] 
A blower-door test measures airtightness within an EnerGuide evaluation. The evaluation also collects whole-home information for energy modelling and an EnerGuide rating. [1][2] These options are not interchangeable: EnerGuide is the federal evaluation framework, NRG Saskatchewan describes a provider service within it, Efficiency Manitoba describes a pre-retrofit programme offer, and Greenspace BC lists assessment and construction-stage services. [1][2][4][5][6]
| Option and role | Project fit | Documented scope | Outputs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Federal EnerGuide framework | Existing-home retrofit planning | Registered advisor, airtightness testing and whole-home modelling | EnerGuide rating and energy-efficiency report [1][2] |
| Efficiency Manitoba pre-retrofit offer | Manitoba renovation planning | EnerGuide evaluation and upgrade recommendations | Rating, label, HOIS and RUR [4] |
| NRG Saskatchewan EnerGuide service | Retrofit comparison and follow-up evaluation | Blower-door test, home and mechanical-system data, energy model; thermal imaging may be included | Label, HOIS and RUR initially; new label and HOIS after a second evaluation [5] |
| Greenspace BC blower-door services | Existing-home assessment or construction-stage testing | Tests with energy assessments, mid-construction tests and infrared scanning | Step Code Compliance Reporting is listed; other report deliverables are unverified [6] |
HOIS means Homeowner Information Sheet; RUR means Renovation Upgrade Report. [4][5] If an EnerGuide rating is required, ask specifically for an EnerGuide evaluation rather than assuming a construction-stage test includes one. [1][2][6]
Efficiency Manitoba and NRG Saskatchewan explicitly list the EnerGuide label, HOIS and RUR in their initial packages. [4][5] Before booking, ask whether the quote includes those documents or only blower-door testing. The sources do not confirm detailed report fields, delivery schedules or a standalone leakage-location report. [1][2][4][5][6]
Confirm programme availability, eligibility and provider coverage directly. Efficiency Manitoba’s description does not confirm present eligibility, while NRG’s Greener Homes discussion comes from a page with update metadata. [4][5]
Check whether the property is ready
Unfinished renovations can prevent an EnerGuide evaluation if they leave the building envelope incomplete. Interior and exterior surfaces must be intact, including exterior walls, exposed floors and ceilings below roofs or attics. Renovations may affect interior partitions but must not perforate the envelope. An incomplete exterior finish prevents evaluation. [1][2]
One missing window or door is permitted if temporarily covered and air-sealed. Broken panes must also be sealed, and windows and doors must close properly. If a temporary seal fails during testing, the home cannot be evaluated. [1][2]
- Access: Clear access to attics, crawl spaces, mechanical equipment and other hard-to-reach areas. [1][2]
- Foundation: The home must be on a permanent foundation or be a permanently moored float home. [1][2]
- Heating: The system must be capable of maintaining living spaces at 22°C. NRCan’s preparation guidance also permits a system that was previously capable but has failed. [1][2]
- Power: Standard AC power must be available. Without utility power, arrange a suitable supply and notify the service organization. [1][2]
- Water and sewer: Potable water must come from a municipal or private source. Sewer service must be municipal, a private septic system or a holding tank; outhouses and bio-toilets are permitted as toilets. [1][2]
Greenspace BC lists mid-construction blower-door testing, but its provider-specific readiness criteria are not verified in the supplied sources. [6]
Prepare for an EnerGuide appointment
- Clear access to attics, crawl spaces, mechanical equipment and other hard-to-reach areas, and ensure windows and exterior doors close properly. [1][2]
- Prepare solid-fuel appliances: Remove ashes from wood-burning equipment so the blower door does not draw them into the home. Do not use wood-fired or other solid-fuel appliances during the evaluation. [1][2]
- Follow combustion-safety instructions: Fuel-fired space heating must be turned down or off, and fuel-fired water heating turned down. During testing, do not raise the thermostat, bathe, shower, run the dishwasher or use the clothes washer if doing so would activate that equipment. Settings are restored afterward. [1][2]
- Gather documents: Have the municipal property-tax roll number ready, plus paid invoices and receipts if an incentive requires post-upgrade evidence. [1][2]
The homeowner must sign the Notice to Homeowner. The advisor reviews the scope and takes photographs of the exterior, mechanical systems, attic and any wood-burning appliances; a front-of-house image is used in the customised report. [1][2]
Plan post-improvement retesting
NRG Saskatchewan says a second EnerGuide evaluation provides a new EnerGuide label and Homeowner Information Sheet. Its page does not say an updated Renovation Upgrade Report is also issued. [5]
NRG describes the second evaluation as documenting changes in performance and providing third-party verification for eligible upgrades under the Greener Homes programme discussed on its page. This vendor material does not confirm present programme eligibility or requirements. [5]
Before work begins, ask the programme administrator and service organization to confirm in writing:
- which follow-up evaluation is required;
- which reports, labels, invoices and receipts will be accepted; and
- the booking deadline, cost and required deliverables.
The supplied sources do not verify universal deadlines, retest prices or follow-up contents. [1][2][3][4][5][6]
Confirm prices and booking terms
The sources do not confirm prices, appointment duration, booking lead times, cancellation fees, refund policies, warranties, travel charges or building-size surcharges. Each option requires a direct quote. [1][2][3][4][5][6]
Request an itemised written quote covering:
- the test and assessment scope;
- the documents included;
- optional thermal scanning;
- the cost and outputs of a follow-up evaluation;
- travel, property-size and other additional charges; and
- rescheduling, cancellation and refund terms.
Direct cancellation or rescheduling questions to the selected service organization or registered energy advisor. NRCan’s sources do not state notice periods or fees. [1][2]
Interpret results without unsupported benchmarks
A blower-door result is not automatically a pass or fail. The available sources establish neither a universal Canadian airtightness threshold for existing homes nor guaranteed reductions in leakage, energy use or utility bills. [1][2][3][4][5][6]
GNI’s square-footage rule of thumb does not define its metric or unit. [3] Greenspace BC’s published thresholds are vendor statements, not independently verified code requirements for every jurisdiction or project. [6]
Start with the units and test conditions. ACH50 is air changes per hour at a test pressure difference of 50 pascals; it is not the home’s everyday air-change rate. A report may also give a leakage-area or airflow result, which should not be compared directly with an ACH50 figure.[7] Ask the advisor to identify the tested building volume, test boundary, pressure, units and any temporary sealing or other preparation that affects interpretation.
Illustrative reading, not a target: suppose a comparable pre-work test records 6 ACH50 and a post-work test records 4 ACH50. The reported leakage metric has fallen by about one third: (6 − 4) ÷ 6. This invented example does not predict one-third energy savings, establish code compliance or show that ventilation is adequate. Confirm that both tests use a comparable building boundary, volume and procedure before interpreting the change.
Request a location-based action list, such as an attic hatch, a service penetration or a door perimeter, with the observed evidence, recommended work, responsible trade and any safety constraint. Ask which leakage locations were actually investigated; the whole-house number alone does not locate every leak. Have the advisor explain ventilation and combustion-safety implications before air-sealing work, then use a comparable follow-up test to check the result. NRCan describes blower-door testing and leak-location methods as part of planning air-leakage control.[8] References
