Home energy testing in BC: your questions answered

What does a home energy evaluation include in BC?

An EnerGuide home evaluation by an NRCan-registered energy advisor: a blower door test for air leakage, an inventory of insulation, windows, doors and heating and hot-water equipment, and a computer model of the house. You get an EnerGuide rating in gigajoules per year and a renovation upgrade report (NRCan ↗). Better Homes BC keeps a list of program-qualified energy advisors ↗.

Do I need an evaluation for BC rebates?

For the Home Energy Improvement Bonus, yes. It pays $20 for every percentage point your EnerGuide rating improves, from $750 to $2,000, once you install at least three bonus-eligible upgrades. It needs a pre-upgrade and a post-upgrade evaluation by a program-qualified advisor, with the upgrades and the post-upgrade evaluation done within 18 months of the first, and you apply within six months of the post-upgrade evaluation. Doing only two upgrades? The separate $300 Two Upgrade Bonus needs no evaluation: install two bonus-eligible upgrades within 18 months of each other and apply within six months of the second invoice. It's one bonus per property (Better Homes BC ↗). The per-measure rebates from BC Hydro and FortisBC have their own requirements; see our Improvement Bonus page.

What is a CSA F280 calculation, and when do I need one?

CSA F280 is the Canadian standard for working out how much heating and cooling capacity a house needs, room by room, at its local design temperature. BC's rebate rules make it mandatory in the most common case: for an air-source heat pump replacing electric heat, the contractor must complete a heat-load calculation using CSA F280-12 verified software at the home's design temperature, and northern dual-fuel heat pumps need a program-approved calculation (Better Homes BC ↗).

Expect about $150–$400 as a standalone service, or less when bundled with an evaluation (our F280 guide).

Why F280 sizing matters in the Okanagan

Kelowna, Vernon and Penticton have milder winters than the north but hot, dry summers, so a heat pump there does double duty. F280 covers both heating and cooling loads, and a proper calculation stops the two classic mistakes: a unit sized to the old furnace, which is often too big, and one sized for winter alone, which can struggle on 35°C afternoons. Ask the contractor for the F280 report by name and check it uses your home's actual design temperatures.

What do blower door numbers mean?

The main result is ACH50: how many times per hour the house's whole air volume leaks out and gets replaced at a test pressure of 50 pascals. Lower is tighter. The advisor also estimates the leakage area and, with a smoke pencil or thermal camera, shows you where the leaks are. After air sealing, the follow-up test measures what you gained — the number the Improvement Bonus pays on. More in our blower door guide.

Should I test for radon in BC?

Yes. Health Canada recommends every home test, with a long-term test of at least three months in the heating season; the Canadian guideline is 200 Bq/m³ (Health Canada ↗). Radon varies house by house, so a neighbour's result doesn't tell you yours. Test before air sealing and again afterwards. Our radon guide covers kits and mitigation.

Are there free options in BC?

For income-qualified households, yes. The CleanBC Energy Savings Program installs upgrades at no cost, and BC Hydro's Energy Conservation Assistance Program has income limits from $51,100 for one person to $135,100 for seven or more (BC Hydro ↗). BC also delivers the federal Greener Homes Affordability Program.