EnerGuide for Houses

Today, 17 per cent of all energy use in Canada goes toward running our homes. Every time we use energy from fossil fuels such as coal, oil and gas, we produce greenhouse gas emissions. By using less energy in our homes, we help reduce the production of the greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change and harm our environment while saving money on fuel costs.

What Is EnerGuide for Houses?

The EnerGuide for Houses evaluation service provides homeowners with information on energy-efficient improvements for their homes. Many service organizations across Canada offer this service. They can provide independent expert advice on the different systems of your home and what can be done to improve comfort and reduce energy bills. By assessing your home, an EnerGuide for Houses advisor can analyse how it uses energy and where energy is being wasted.

Like home inspectors, EnerGuide for Houses advisors identify problems by conducting visual inspections and produce written reports or checklists of their findings for homeowners. Professionals in each field have strong backgrounds in all areas of residential construction and provide unbiased opinions based on their expertise. EnerGuide for Houses advisors are professionally affiliated with EnerGuide for Houses, and home inspectors who operate in Canada are affiliated with professional associations, such as the Canadian Association of Home and Property Inspectors.

Cost and Gains of the Evaluation

An EnerGuide for Houses evaluation is valued as a professional service but support from the Government of Canada and the industry allows many regions to offer the service for significantly less. Whatever the cost in your area, the initial investment is easily recovered in savings after you implement the home improvements outlined in the evaluator's customized EnerGuide for Houses report.

When you have carried out the recommended improvements, you can request a follow-up visit to re-evaluate your home and update your EnerGuide for Houses report and label. If you have followed a number of the recommendations, you could be eligible for a grant.

The Government of Canada provides grants to homeowners who complete energy efficiency retrofits based on EnerGuide for Houses advisors' recommendations. The grant amount will depend on a comparison of the pre-retrofit and post-retrofit EnerGuide for Houses rating of the home.

Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation also offers a 10 per cent refund on its mortgage loan insurance premium for homeowners who borrow money to build or buy an energy-efficient home or renovate an existing one.

There are additional grants for home builders and low income home owners too. Visit EnerGuide for Houses for details about the program, registered evaluators and how to apply for grants.

Reduce your impact on the planet. Check out the following links for hints and ideas on becoming more environmentally friendly.

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