How it works
A clear path from first visit to grant cheque
No jargon, no surprises. Here's exactly what happens when you book an EnerGuide evaluation — what we do, what you'll see, and what you get at the end.
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1
Book & prepare
We schedule a visit that works around your day and send you a short prep list beforehand. Preparation matters more than people expect — an inaccessible attic hatch or a blocked mechanical room can mean a second visit.
Before the appointment, please:
- Clear access to the attic hatch
- Clear access to the mechanical room
- Clear access to the electrical panel
- Note any wood-burning appliances
- Have recent utility bills handy if possible
- Plan to keep pets secured during testing
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2
On-site evaluation
This is the data-gathering visit. We measure the building envelope room by room, photograph and record insulation levels, window and door specifications, and the details of your heating, cooling, ventilation and hot water systems.
Exhaust safety checks follow — confirming that combustion appliances vent properly and that the home isn't at risk of backdrafting. Most single-family homes take two to three hours end to end.
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3
Find the leaks
A calibrated blower door is fitted to an exterior doorway and depressurizes the house, exaggerating every gap in the envelope. The result is a hard number — air changes per hour — that becomes part of your energy model.
Then comes the part most homeowners remember: we walk the house together while it's still depressurized so you can feel exactly where the outside air is getting in. Rim joists, pot lights, attic hatches and baseboards give themselves away immediately. It reframes the whole conversation about where to spend your money.
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4
Report & upgrade plan
Everything collected on site goes into a full house energy model. Within about two weeks you receive your official EnerGuide label, a homeowner information sheet, and a renovation upgrade report that ranks improvements by their actual impact on your home rather than generic advice.
The file is submitted to Natural Resources Canada as part of the process, so your rating is on record for program purposes and for future buyers.
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5
Claim your grants
Complete your upgrades at your own pace, keeping invoices and product documentation as you go. When the work is done, book the post-retrofit evaluation — a shorter return visit that measures the improvement and confirms what actually changed.
We then help finalize the paperwork so you can unlock every rebate you qualify for across the federal and municipal programs. See the grants and rebates page for what's currently available.
Common questions
What to expect on the day
Do I need to be home during the evaluation?
Yes, ideally. Someone over 18 needs to be present, and being there for the depressurized walkthrough is genuinely the most useful part of the whole appointment.
Is the blower door test hard on the house?
No. It applies a modest pressure difference — roughly what a stiff wind does — for a short period. The one thing to plan for is any wood-burning appliance: ash needs to be cleaned out and the fire must be cold well before testing.
Can you do the evaluation in winter?
Yes, evaluations run year-round in Alberta. Winter testing has an advantage, actually — temperature differences make air leaks even easier to feel during the walkthrough.
What if my upgrades take longer than planned?
That's normal, and usually fine — but program deadlines are real. Tell us your expected timeline up front and we'll flag anything that risks falling outside a program window.
Ready to book your evaluation?
Tell us a bit about your home and we'll get you scheduled — and send the prep checklist ahead of time.