Northwest Territories · climate zone 8 · prices and rebates checked October 8, 2026

Insulation and upgrade payback calculator for Yellowknife

Yellowknife has 7,856 heating degree-days a year (climate zone 8), 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 $405 a year at $1.69/L and costs about $1,200–$1,960; no open provincial rebate applies. In an electrically heated house the same attic saves about $780 a year.

Heating degree-days

7,856

NBC climate zone 8

NRCan attic target

R-80

code minimum for new homes R-59.2

Electricity, one more kWh

$0.393/kWh

used for every saving

Open rebate programs

None

see financing options below

Upgrade payback calculator for Yellowknife

Pre-filled for a typical 1966–1980 house in Yellowknife with Yellowknife'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

$7,260saved a year with 6 upgrades

About 18,460 kWh a year less for your electric baseboards or furnace: 66.5 GJ of the 167 GJ of heat the house needs (40%).

Installed cost
$13,550–$21,460 + your quotes
Rebates counted
$0
Simple payback
3.5–5.5 years for the 4 upgrades with a cost
Saving over 20 years
$145,120

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 $3,870 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 8; 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.

$780/yr · 7.2 GJ (4.3% of heating) · cost $1,200–$1,960 · no rebate counted · payback 1.5–2.5 years

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.

$1,770/yr · 16.2 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
$

$2,800/yr · 25.7 GJ (15.3% of heating) · cost enter your quote · no rebate counted · 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.

$1,640/yr · 15.0 GJ (9.0% of heating) · cost $12,000–$18,000 · no rebate counted · payback 7.3–11 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.

$685/yr · 6.3 GJ (3.8% of heating) · cost $350–$1,500 · no rebate counted · payback under 1 to 2.2 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.

$1,100/yr · 10.0 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 $7801,990 kWh a year $1,200–$1,960 1.5–2.5 years $15,630
Wall insulationR-10 exterior insulation: RSI 2.1 → 3.9 over 1,580 sq ft $1,7704,510 kWh a year your quote enter a cost $35,420
Basement wall insulationRSI 0.7 → 3.5 over 890 sq ft of wall $2,8007,130 kWh a year your quote enter a cost $56,020
New windows15 windows: U 2.86 → 1.22 $1,6404,170 kWh a year $12,000–$18,000 7.3–11 years $32,810
Air sealingA 20% cut in air leakage (NRCan: about 25% of heat loss) $6851,740 kWh a year $350–$1,500 under 1 to 2.2 years $13,690
Thermostat setback3.0 °C lower for 8 hours a day $1,1002,790 kWh a year $0 right away $21,910

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.

Yellowknife 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 $4057.2 GJ · 4.3% $1,200–$1,960 2.9–4.8 years $8,140
Wall insulationR-10 exterior insulation: RSI 2.1 → 3.9 over 1,580 sq ft $92016.2 GJ · 9.7% get a quote enter a cost $18,440
Basement wall insulationRSI 0.7 → 3.5 over 890 sq ft of wall $1,46025.7 GJ · 15.3% get a quote enter a cost $29,160
New windows15 windows: U 2.86 → 1.22 $85515.0 GJ · 9.0% $12,000–$18,000 14–21 years $17,080
Air sealingA 20% cut in air leakage (NRCan: about 25% of heat loss) $3556.3 GJ · 3.8% $350–$1,500 under 1 to 4.2 years $7,130
Thermostat setback3.0 °C lower for 8 hours a day $57010.0 GJ · 6.0% $0 right away $11,400
Electrically heated (baseboards)
UpgradeSaved a yearCost and rebatePayback20 years
Attic insulationR-20 → R-60 over 800 sq ft $7807.2 GJ · 4.3% $1,200–$1,960 1.5–2.5 years $15,630
Wall insulationR-10 exterior insulation: RSI 2.1 → 3.9 over 1,580 sq ft $1,77016.2 GJ · 9.7% get a quote enter a cost $35,420
Basement wall insulationRSI 0.7 → 3.5 over 890 sq ft of wall $2,80025.7 GJ · 15.3% get a quote enter a cost $56,020
New windows15 windows: U 2.86 → 1.22 $1,64015.0 GJ · 9.0% $12,000–$18,000 7.3–11 years $32,810
Air sealingA 20% cut in air leakage (NRCan: about 25% of heat loss) $6856.3 GJ · 3.8% $350–$1,500 under 1 to 2.2 years $13,690
Thermostat setback3.0 °C lower for 8 hours a day $1,10010.0 GJ · 6.0% $0 right away $21,910

The house needs about 167 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 Northwest Territories

The Arctic Energy Alliance (AEA) pays insulation rebates and 50% of programmable thermostat costs, and subsidizes EnerGuide evaluations. No current residential heat pump, window or HPWH rebate is listed, and AEA no longer rebates fossil-fuel systems.

Attic insulation

Arctic Energy Alliance Energy-Efficient Products rebates Open
Ceiling insulation: Up to $1,500.
Conditions: NWT residents; rules in AEA's Residential Insulation Rebate Application Form (not retrieved). Rebates are first-come, first-served within the April 1, 2026 – March 31, 2027 year.
Deadline: 2026/27 program year ends March 31, 2027.
Program details · official page ↗ · checked October 8, 2026

Wall insulation

Arctic Energy Alliance Energy-Efficient Products rebates Open
Exterior wall insulation: Up to $8,000.
Conditions: As above.
Deadline: 2026/27 program year.
Program details · official page ↗ · checked October 8, 2026

Basement wall insulation

Arctic Energy Alliance Energy-Efficient Products rebates Open
Basement insulation: Up to $2,500. Basement header insulation: $625. Crawlspace insulation: Up to $2,000. Exposed floor insulation: $500.
Conditions: As above.
Deadline: 2026/27 program year.
Program details · official page ↗ · checked October 8, 2026

Air sealing

No air sealing rebate listed.

Windows and doors

No window rebate listed.

Common questions in Yellowknife

Does attic insulation pay for itself in Yellowknife?

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 $405 a year with a mid-efficiency oil furnace and $780 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) with no rebate, simple payback is 2.9–4.8 years (1.5–2.5 years for an electrically heated house). Attics with less than R-20 save more.

What insulation rebates are open in Yellowknife?

We found no open provincial insulation rebate for Northwest Territories as of October 8, 2026. The Arctic Energy Alliance (AEA) pays insulation rebates and 50% of programmable thermostat costs, and subsidizes EnerGuide evaluations. No current residential heat pump, window or HPWH rebate is listed, and AEA no longer rebates fossil-fuel systems.

How much insulation should an attic have in Yellowknife?

NRCan's Keeping the Heat In recommends about R-80 (RSI 14.1) for an attic in climate zone 8, which covers Yellowknife at 7,856 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 Yellowknife?

Rarely on energy alone. Replacing 15 double-glazed windows with ENERGY STAR models saves about $855 a year in a oil-heated house and $1,640 with electric heat, against $12,000–$18,000 at HomeStars' $800–$1,200 a window: payback 14–21 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 Yellowknife?

Cutting air leakage by 20% saves about $355 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 $570 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) × 7,856 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 8, 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 Yellowknife

Heating and hot water costs in YellowknifeWhat heating, hot water and air conditioning cost at your local prices, and what each heating system would cost instead.Home health check in YellowknifeRadon results, winter humidity and window condensation, smoke and CO alarm rules, well water and mould.Appliance running costs in YellowknifeWhat 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 Yellowknife Home energy audits in YellowknifeAttic insulation inspections in YellowknifeBlower door tests in YellowknifeThermal imaging in Yellowknife Northwest Territories rebates and programs

Sources

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

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