Yukon · climate zone 7B · prices and rebates checked October 8, 2026

Insulation and upgrade payback calculator for Whitehorse

Whitehorse has 6,522 heating degree-days a year (climate zone 7B), and NRCan recommends about R-80 in an attic here. For a typical detached house of about 1,600 sq ft (149 m²) built between 1966 and 1980 with a oil furnace, mid-efficiency, topping up the attic from R-20 to R-60 saves about $350 a year at $1.76/L and costs about $1,200–$1,960; the smallest open rebate that applies (Yukon home insulation and air sealing rebate) is $1,200–$1,960. In an electrically heated house the same attic saves about $475 a year.

Heating degree-days

6,522

NBC climate zone 7B

NRCan attic target

R-80

code minimum for new homes R-59.2

Electricity, one more kWh

$0.289/kWh

used for every saving

Open rebate programs

2

Yukon home insulation and air sealing rebate; Yukon window energy rebate

Upgrade payback calculator for Whitehorse

Pre-filled for a typical 1966–1980 house in Whitehorse with Whitehorse's climate, prices and open rebates. The insulation levels are typical assumptions for the era, not measurements: change anything you know about your house. Nothing you enter leaves your browser.

Your house
Year built
Type
Size (heated floors above the basement)
sq ft
Heating and bills
$

Used for every saving (fixed charges left out).

$

Only used to turn a monthly bill into energy.

Calibrate to your bills (optional)

Based on a typical house

$4,430saved a year with 6 upgrades

About 15,330 kWh a year less for your electric baseboards or furnace: 55.2 GJ of the 139 GJ of heat the house needs (40%).

Installed cost
$13,550–$21,460 + your quotes
Rebates counted
$2,200–$2,960
Simple payback
4.8–7.8 years for the 4 upgrades with a cost
Saving over 20 years
$88,600

Enter your quote for wall insulation and basement wall insulation to add them to the cost and payback. The 4 upgrades with a cost save about $2,360 a year together.

Measures overlap, so the total (40% of your heating need) is less than the sum of each one alone (48%).

Add your annual use or a monthly bill to calibrate these numbers to your house. Most rebates need an EnerGuide evaluation before and after the work; their conditions are listed further down this page.

Attic insulation
R-
R-

NRCan recommends R-80 for climate zone 7B; we cap the default at R-60. The building code minimum for a new house here is R-59.2.

sq ft
$
Or cost per sq ft (low – high)
$ – $

HomeStars (updated 21/08/2026): "installation costs range from $1.50 to $2.45 per square foot"; Canadian attic jobs average $1,500–$3,000 including materials and installation.

$475/yr · 5.9 GJ (4.3% of heating) · cost $1,200–$1,960 · $1,200–$1,960 rebate · payback right away

Wall insulation
How
RSI

R-12

sq ft
$

We couldn't verify a 2025–2026 Canadian price for wall insulation, so this starts blank. NRCan: on an exterior retrofit the insulation is only about 15–20% of the cost.

$1,080/yr · 13.5 GJ (9.7% of heating) · cost enter your quote · no rebate counted · payback enter a cost

Basement wall insulation
RSI

R-4

RSI

R-20

sq ft
$

$1,710/yr · 21.3 GJ (15.3% of heating) · cost enter your quote · $10,000 rebate · payback enter a cost

New windows
windows
$
Or cost per window (low – high)
$ – $

HomeStars (updated 21/08/2026): $800–$1,000 for a double-hung and $900–$1,200 for a casement window, installed; bay and bow windows $2,500–$4,000.

$1,000/yr · 12.5 GJ (9.0% of heating) · cost $12,000–$18,000 · $1,000 rebate · payback 11–17 years

Air sealing
%
ACH50

Leave the cut blank for our default: 20%, or 15% if your house tests under 4 ACH50. The blower-door number is on your EnerGuide report.

Cost (low – high)
$ – $

HomeStars (updated 21/08/2026): air sealing and ventilation "could add $350 to $1,500" to an attic insulation job.

$420/yr · 5.2 GJ (3.8% of heating) · cost $350–$1,500 · no rebate counted · payback under 1 to 3.6 years

Thermostat setback
°C
hours a day
$

NRCan suggests 17 °C when you're asleep or away and 20 °C when you're home, and not going below 17 °C. $0 if you already have a programmable thermostat; we couldn't verify a 2025–2026 price for a new one.

$670/yr · 8.3 GJ (6.0% of heating) · cost $0 · no rebate counted · payback right away

Each upgrade on its own
UpgradeSaved a yearCost and rebatePayback20 years
Attic insulationR-20 → R-60 over 800 sq ft $4751,650 kWh a year $1,200–$1,960rebate $1,200–$1,960 right away $9,540
Wall insulationR-10 exterior insulation: RSI 2.1 → 3.9 over 1,580 sq ft $1,0803,740 kWh a year your quote enter a cost $21,630
Basement wall insulationRSI 0.7 → 3.5 over 890 sq ft of wall $1,7105,920 kWh a year your quoterebate $10,000 enter a cost $34,200
New windows15 windows: U 2.86 → 1.22 $1,0003,470 kWh a year $12,000–$18,000rebate $1,000 11–17 years $20,030
Air sealingA 20% cut in air leakage (NRCan: about 25% of heat loss) $4201,450 kWh a year $350–$1,500 under 1 to 3.6 years $8,360
Thermostat setback3.0 °C lower for 8 hours a day $6702,310 kWh a year $0 right away $13,370

Savings use the price of one more unit of energy, not your average price. Each upgrade is shown on its own against your house as it is now; the total above accounts for overlap. Payback = (cost − rebate) ÷ yearly saving; the 20-year figure has no price increases or discounting.

Whitehorse at a glance: standard upgrades for a 1966–1980 house

Detached, about 1,600 sq ft over a full basement, two storeys, with the era's typical insulation (attic R-20, walls RSI 2.1, uninsulated basement walls, double-glazed windows). Savings use the price of one more unit of energy; costs are installed ranges where we could verify one.

Oil-heated (mid-efficiency furnace)
UpgradeSaved a yearCost and rebatePayback20 years
Attic insulationR-20 → R-60 over 800 sq ft $3505.9 GJ · 4.3% $1,200–$1,960rebate $1,200–$1,960 right away $7,040
Wall insulationR-10 exterior insulation: RSI 2.1 → 3.9 over 1,580 sq ft $79513.5 GJ · 9.7% get a quote enter a cost $15,950
Basement wall insulationRSI 0.7 → 3.5 over 890 sq ft of wall $1,26021.3 GJ · 15.3% get a quoterebate $10,000 enter a cost $25,220
New windows15 windows: U 2.86 → 1.22 $74012.5 GJ · 9.0% $12,000–$18,000rebate $1,000 15–23 years $14,770
Air sealingA 20% cut in air leakage (NRCan: about 25% of heat loss) $3105.2 GJ · 3.8% $350–$1,500 1.1–4.9 years $6,160
Thermostat setback3.0 °C lower for 8 hours a day $4958.3 GJ · 6.0% $0 right away $9,860
Electrically heated (baseboards)
UpgradeSaved a yearCost and rebatePayback20 years
Attic insulationR-20 → R-60 over 800 sq ft $4755.9 GJ · 4.3% $1,200–$1,960rebate $1,200–$1,960 right away $9,540
Wall insulationR-10 exterior insulation: RSI 2.1 → 3.9 over 1,580 sq ft $1,08013.5 GJ · 9.7% get a quote enter a cost $21,630
Basement wall insulationRSI 0.7 → 3.5 over 890 sq ft of wall $1,71021.3 GJ · 15.3% get a quoterebate $10,000 enter a cost $34,200
New windows15 windows: U 2.86 → 1.22 $1,00012.5 GJ · 9.0% $12,000–$18,000rebate $1,000 11–17 years $20,030
Air sealingA 20% cut in air leakage (NRCan: about 25% of heat loss) $4205.2 GJ · 3.8% $350–$1,500 under 1 to 3.6 years $8,360
Thermostat setback3.0 °C lower for 8 hours a day $6708.3 GJ · 6.0% $0 right away $13,370

The house needs about 139 GJ of heat a year here. Walls in this era already hold about RSI 2.1, so dense-packing gains nothing and the table shows R-10 of exterior insulation instead. Wall and basement prices start blank because we couldn't verify a 2025–2026 Canadian cost; the 20-year column shows what each upgrade is worth to compare with a quote.

Rebates for these upgrades in Yukon

Yukon's Energy Branch pays some of the largest per-home amounts in Canada: insulation up to $12,000 for walls, $5,000 for air sealing to a tight target, and 50% of heat pump costs up to $10,500 (100% up to $24,000 for low-to-median incomes).

Attic insulation

Yukon home insulation and air sealing rebate Open
$2,500 for insulating your attic (proportional to the percentage of attic surface area insulated).
Conditions: Existing residence (5 years or older). Energy assessment with an NRCan-registered advisor before applying and a follow-up assessment after the work ($50 each at the reduced fee), with a new assessment after each stage if done in stages. Receipts within 1 year of applying; rebate within 12 weeks. Attic must be R40 or less before and reach R60 or more.
Deadline: Receipts dated within 1 year of applying.
Program details · official page ↗ · checked October 8, 2026

Wall insulation

Yukon home insulation and air sealing rebate Open
Up to $12,000 for insulating above-ground walls (based on the percentage of the total wall area insulated).
Conditions: Existing residence (5 years or older). Energy assessment with an NRCan-registered advisor before applying and a follow-up assessment after the work ($50 each at the reduced fee), with a new assessment after each stage if done in stages. Receipts within 1 year of applying; rebate within 12 weeks. Must at least double the existing R-value.
Deadline: Receipts dated within 1 year of applying.
Program details · official page ↗ · checked October 8, 2026

Basement wall insulation

Yukon home insulation and air sealing rebate Open
Up to $10,000 for insulating below-ground walls (proportional to the depth; maximum at 6 feet or more). $2,000 for insulating slabs or floor systems.
Conditions: Existing residence (5 years or older). Energy assessment with an NRCan-registered advisor before applying and a follow-up assessment after the work ($50 each at the reduced fee), with a new assessment after each stage if done in stages. Receipts within 1 year of applying; rebate within 12 weeks. Below-ground walls and slabs must be R20 or less before and gain at least R20.
Deadline: Receipts dated within 1 year of applying.
Program details · official page ↗ · checked October 8, 2026

Air sealing

Yukon home insulation and air sealing rebate Open
The total air sealing rebate is $5,000 per building when the building meets or exceeds the air sealing target.
Conditions: Existing residence (5 years or older). Energy assessment with an NRCan-registered advisor before applying and a follow-up assessment after the work ($50 each at the reduced fee), with a new assessment after each stage if done in stages. Receipts within 1 year of applying; rebate within 12 weeks. At least 3 air changes per hour at the first assessment and 1.5 or fewer afterwards, with an HRV installed.
Deadline: Receipts dated within 1 year of applying.
Program details · official page ↗ · checked October 8, 2026

Windows and doors

Yukon window energy rebate Open
$120 per window to a maximum rebate of $1,800 per home or building.
Conditions: Complete ENERGY STAR-certified window assemblies (sealed glass units alone don't qualify); heated building at least five years old; rebate within 12 weeks.
Deadline: Not stated.
Program details · official page ↗ · checked October 8, 2026

Financing

Yukon Better Buildings Program Closed
25% of assessed value, up to $50,000 (residential); Bank of Canada rate official page ↗

Common questions in Whitehorse

Does attic insulation pay for itself in Whitehorse?

For a typical detached house of about 1,600 sq ft (149 m²) built between 1966 and 1980, going from R-20 to R-60 saves about $350 a year with a mid-efficiency oil furnace and $475 with electric baseboards, counted at the price of one more unit of energy. At HomeStars' $1.50–$2.45 per sq ft (about $1,200–$1,960) and a $1,200–$1,960 rebate, simple payback is right away (right away for an electrically heated house). Attics with less than R-20 save more.

What insulation rebates are open in Whitehorse?

As of October 8, 2026: Attic insulation: Yukon home insulation and air sealing rebate ($2,500 for insulating your attic (proportional to the percentage of attic surface area insulated).) Wall insulation: Yukon home insulation and air sealing rebate (Up to $12,000 for insulating above-ground walls (based on the percentage of the total wall area insulated).) Basement wall insulation: Yukon home insulation and air sealing rebate (Up to $10,000 for insulating below-ground walls (proportional to the depth; maximum at 6 feet or more)). Conditions apply (most need an EnerGuide evaluation before the work); the calculator counts the smallest amount for each and lets you switch it off.

How much insulation should an attic have in Whitehorse?

NRCan's Keeping the Heat In recommends about R-80 (RSI 14.1) for an attic in climate zone 7B, which covers Whitehorse at 6,522 degree-days. The National Building Code minimum for a new house here is R-59.2 without a heat recovery ventilator. Our calculator caps its default target at R-60.

Are new windows worth it for energy savings in Whitehorse?

Rarely on energy alone. Replacing 15 double-glazed windows with ENERGY STAR models saves about $740 a year in a oil-heated house and $1,000 with electric heat, against $12,000–$18,000 at HomeStars' $800–$1,200 a window: payback 15–23 years. Replace windows when they fail or for comfort; air sealing and attic insulation pay back much faster.

How much do air sealing and a thermostat setback save in Whitehorse?

Cutting air leakage by 20% saves about $310 a year in a typical oil-heated house here (NRCan: about a quarter of heat loss is air leakage), and turning the thermostat down 3 °C for 8 hours a night saves about $495 a year (NRCan: about 2% per degree over eight hours). Heat pumps should be set back no more than 2 °C.

How we calculate this

1. Heat saved by insulation and windows

heat saved (GJ/yr) = area × (1/RSI before − 1/RSI after) × 6,522 degree-days × 86,400 s ÷ 10⁹ × F

F is a conservative factor: 0.75 above grade (the sun, people and appliances supply some heat, and no installation is perfect) and 0.4 for basement walls (most of the wall is below grade, where the ground stays far warmer than winter air). Windows use U-values instead of 1/RSI.

2. Typical starting points

  • Attic: R-12 before 1966, R-20 (1966–80), R-28 (1981–95), R-40 (1996–2010), R-50 (2011+). Target: NRCan's retrofit recommendation for climate zone 7B, capped at R-60.
  • Walls: RSI 0.7 (empty, before 1946), 1.4 (1946–65), 2.1 (1966–95), 3.0 (1996–2010), 3.4 (2011+). Dense-packing a 2×4 cavity gives about RSI 2.1 (cellulose is RSI 0.63 per 25.4 mm, NRCan Table 3-1); R-10 of exterior insulation adds RSI 1.76.
  • Basement walls: RSI 0.7 before 1981 (bare concrete plus the soil against it), 2.1 for 1981–2010, 3.5 since; target RSI 3.5 (R-20).
  • Windows: 12% of floor area (1.2 m² each), single with storm before 1966, double clear 1966–95, double low-e after.

These starting values are AuditYourHome planning assumptions for a typical house of each era, not survey results: we could not verify a Canadian table of insulation levels by year built. Change them to match your house; an EnerGuide evaluation measures them.

3. Air sealing

Without a blower-door number we use NRCan's statement that typically about 25% of heat loss is air leakage: saving = 25% × reduction × heating need × 0.75. With your EnerGuide result (ACH50), everyday leakage is ACH50 ÷ 20, near the conservative end of the 10–25 range used in the field, and:

heat saved = drop in natural air changes × house volume × 1.21 kJ/m³·°C × degree-days × 24 ÷ 10⁶ × 0.75

We assume a 20% reduction (15% if the house is already under 4 ACH50); rebate programs pay for measured cuts of 10%, 20% and 30%.

4. Thermostat setbacks

NRCan: “A drop of 1°C (2°F) over an eight-hour period can save about 2 percent on your heating energy consumption.” Saving = 2% × degrees × hours ÷ 8. Heat pumps are limited to a 2 °C setback, NRCan's advice, because deep setbacks can bring on backup heat.

5. Caps, overlap and your bills

No single measure may save more than 35% of the heating need, and all of them together no more than 60%. Measures overlap (a better attic leaves less heat for new windows to save), so the combined saving is 1 − (1 − a)(1 − b)…, always less than the simple sum. If you enter bills, every saving is scaled by how your use compares with a typical house (between 0.5× and 1.6×).

6. Dollars, rebates and payback

payback (years) = (installed cost − rebate) ÷ yearly saving at the price of one more unit of energy

Rebates use each program's lowest published amount per unit (per home, per window, per sq ft or per sq ft × R-value added), only for programs open today and only where your heating fuel qualifies; you can switch each one off. The 20-year saving is the yearly saving × 20, with no price inflation or discounting. Where we could not verify a 2025–2026 installed cost (walls, basements, exterior insulation), the cost starts blank: enter your quote.

More for Whitehorse

Heating and hot water costs in WhitehorseWhat heating, hot water and air conditioning cost at your local prices, and what each heating system would cost instead.Home health check in WhitehorseRadon results, winter humidity and window condensation, smoke and CO alarm rules, well water and mould.Appliance running costs in WhitehorseWhat your fridge, dryer, freezer and other appliances cost to run at your local electricity price, and what a newer model saves.
Build your upgrade plan → All home services in Whitehorse Home energy audits in WhitehorseAttic insulation inspections in WhitehorseBlower door tests in WhitehorseThermal imaging in Whitehorse Yukon rebates and programs

Sources

Prices and programs checked October 8, 2026. Climate: NRCan HOT2000 (Whitehorse) for heating and ECCC 1981–2010 normals (Whitehorse A) for cooling and temperatures.

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