How Kamloops is built
- Before 1961 11%
- 1961–1990 51%
- 1991–2000 15%
- 2001 or later 24%
Why air leakage matters in Kamloops
Kamloops gets about 3,365 heating degree-days a year and has a winter design temperature of −17.8°C, according to NRCan's HOT2000 climate data for Kamloops. That's about 14% less heating demand than the middle of the 70 cities we cover.
Of Kamloops's 32,450 houses (single-detached, semi-detached, row houses and duplexes), 11% were built before 1961 and 62% before 1991, according to the 2021 Census. Older houses usually test leakier than newer ones, and an EnerGuide report compares your result with homes of the same era, so you can see whether your house is typical or a problem.
After you seal: two checks
- Combustion safety. In the Kamloops area, the main heating energy is natural gas for 90% of households. A tighter house changes how fuel-burning appliances vent, so the spillage check should be repeated after serious air sealing. Combustion safety testing in Kamloops
- Radon. Sealing shifts the pressure balance between the house and the soil. Health Canada's 2012 survey found 6.4% of 109 homes tested in the Thompson/Cariboo Health Service Delivery Area health region above the guideline. The larger 2024 Cross-Canada survey reports 9.5% (1 in 11) of houses at or above the guideline for the Kamloops, BC (Kamloops CMA) metro area. Test before and after big air-sealing jobs. Radon testing in Kamloops
What it costs in Kamloops
A blower door test is part of every EnerGuide evaluation rather than a separate purchase. There's no provincial price list; the City of Nanaimo quotes $400–$500 as typical for an existing home. Several B.C. municipalities subsidize evaluations for their residents (see local programs below).
How the test works
- A calibrated fan is fitted into an exterior door and pulls air out until the house is at 50 pascals, the standard test pressure.
- The result is air changes per hour at 50 Pa (ACH50): how many times an hour the whole volume of air would leak out and be replaced at that pressure.
- While the fan runs, you and the advisor walk the house and feel for leaks at the attic hatch, rim joists, pot lights, trim and plumbing and wiring penetrations.
- A second test after the work shows what changed, and it is what most rebates pay on.
NRCan-licensed service organizations serving Kamloops
A blower door test is part of every EnerGuide evaluation, so any organization below can do one in Kamloops. Ask to walk the house with the advisor while the fan runs.
- Acacia Engineering
- Capital Home Energy
- Energy Werx Profile
- Enerhome Consulting
- EnerSolution Profile
- ER Energy Solutions
- GETS Energy
- Green Canada Home Advisors Profile
- Greenbrain Profile
- HomeTech Energy Solutions
- Isle Energy Consulting
- Sensible Home Inspections
- The Energuy Profile
- VerdaTech Energy Management and Consulting
- Canada Energy Audit Profile
- Engreen Home
- Green Think
- EnerVision
- City Green Solutions
- CoEfficient Building Science
Programs that include a blower door test in Kamloops
Blower door test in Kamloops: common questions
Where can I get a blower door test in Kamloops?
Book an EnerGuide evaluation with any of the 20 NRCan-licensed organizations serving Kamloops; the blower door test is part of every evaluation.
How much does a blower door test cost in Kamloops?
It is included in an EnerGuide evaluation. There's no provincial price list; the City of Nanaimo quotes $400–$500 as typical for an existing home. Several B.C. municipalities subsidize evaluations for their residents (see local programs below).
What is a good blower door result?
Lower is better. Your EnerGuide report compares your air changes per hour at 50 Pa with homes of the same era, which is more useful than a single target number.
Does air sealing affect radon?
It can. Tightening a house changes the pressure difference with the soil, so test for radon before and after major air sealing.