Home energy audits in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu

Of Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu's 26,960 houses (single-detached, semi-detached, row houses and duplexes), 19% were built before 1961 and 60% before 1991, according to the 2021 Census. The typical Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu house dates from 1981–1990, and an evaluation is how you find out what that means for yours: the blower door measures air leakage, the advisor inspects the attic, walls, basement, windows and heating system, and the report ranks upgrades by what they'd save.

Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu gets about 4,275 heating degree-days a year and has a winter design temperature of −24°C, according to NRCan's HOT2000 climate data for L'Acadie. That's about 9% more heating demand than the middle of the 70 cities we cover. The more heating a climate needs, the more each fix is worth, which is why the evaluation's ranked list matters more in some cities than others.

In Quebec, 54% of households heat mainly with electric baseboards, 16% with a heat pump, 11% with a forced-air furnace and 4% with a boiler and radiators; electricity is the main heating energy for 70% of households, natural gas for 5% and wood for 4% (Statistics Canada, 2023). The heating system on the report shapes the recommendations: a forced-air furnace invites a ducted heat pump, electric baseboards a ductless one.

In Quebec, EnerGuide evaluations are booked through the provincial Rénoclimat program: the pre-retrofit evaluation costs $150 plus taxes, reimbursed when you receive financial assistance under the program, and the first post-retrofit evaluation is free.

• Initial evaluation, about 2–3 hours. The advisor measures and inspects the house and runs the blower door test.
• Report and EnerGuide rating. You get the home's energy rating in gigajoules per year and a list of recommended upgrades with estimated savings.
• Do the work. Most rebate programs only count upgrades done after the initial evaluation.
• Follow-up evaluation. A second visit measures the improvement, which is what most rebates pay on.

Read the full guide to home energy audits.