A Home Energy Evaluation is an audit performed on a residential property by an Energy Advisor that's been licensed by Natural Resources Canada. The goal is to assess how energy efficient and environmentally friendly your house is. The Energy Advisor will assess this by examining your existing heating and cooling systems, measuring drafts coming through windows and doors, examining ductwork and plumbing, etc. The Advisor will provide you with a report that gives an "EnerGuide Rating" to your home, along with recommendations on things you can buy or implement to improve your home's energy efficiency.
The table below illustrates the typical EnerGuide Rating based on type of house.
Home EnerGuide Rating Chart
Type of House / Average Rating
Older house not upgraded /0 - 50
Upgraded old house / 51 - 60
Energy efficient upgraded old house or typical new house / 66 - 74
Energy efficient new house / 75 - 79
Highly energy efficient new house / 80 - 90
An “advanced house” that uses little to no purchased energy / 91 -100
ENERGY EVALUATION TO SELL YOUR HOME
Of course, if you are considering selling your home, being able to show a report with an acceptable or above-average EnerGuide rating to potential buyers will make your home more attractive.
In the near future, Energy Audit reports may be required as a condition of selling your home. There are a few variables, and a few directions that legislation can go, so I won't get into all the details here.
ENERGY EVALUATION WHEN STAYING IN YOUR HOME
A happy biproduct of having an Energy Evaluation is that by purchasing items or services that your advisor has officially recommended, e.g. Install a new furnace, replace a toilet, you become eligible for huge rebates from both the federal and provincial government.
Therefore, if you're considering doing a renovation anyway, it definitely makes sense to invest in an audit because it may allow you to apply for rebates for items you may have been planning to purchase all along.
This table is an example of just some of the grant amounts available to owners of Single Family Residences from the Federal and Ontario provincial government:
Item / Grant
Windows, doors, skylights (must be Energy Star compliant)
/ $80 per unit replaced
Instantaneous hot water heater (must be Energy Star compliant)
/ $750
Low flush toilets (max of 4 units per home)/ $130 each
I hope you find this information helpful! Bottom line is, implementing Energy Efficient systems in your house is a way to save the environment, save you money, and add value to your house.
Susan Taylor
susan@getbenczik.com
Salesperson
Leslie Benczik Team
Re/Max All-Stars Realty Inc., Brokerage
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