How Nanaimo is built
- Before 1961 15%
- 1961–1990 40%
- 1991–2000 18%
- 2001 or later 28%
Why air leakage matters in Nanaimo
Nanaimo gets about 2,939 heating degree-days a year and has a winter design temperature of −3.2°C, according to NRCan's HOT2000 climate data for Comox, the closest comparable location in that data set (87 km away). That's about 25% less heating demand than the middle of the 70 cities we cover.
Of Nanaimo's 33,520 houses (single-detached, semi-detached, row houses and duplexes), 15% were built before 1961 and 54% 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
- Radon. Sealing shifts the pressure balance between the house and the soil. Health Canada's 2012 survey found 0.9% of 109 homes tested in the Central Vancouver Island Health Service Delivery Area health region above the guideline. The larger 2024 Cross-Canada survey reports 1.3% (1 in 75) of households at or above the guideline for Pacific Coastal Canada (Vancouver Island, Sea-to-Sky, Sunshine Coast, northern BC coast, Lower Mainland and western Fraser Valley up to but not including Chilliwack). Test before and after big air-sealing jobs. Radon testing in Nanaimo
What it costs in Nanaimo
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 Nanaimo
A blower door test is part of every EnerGuide evaluation, so any organization below can do one in Nanaimo. Ask to walk the house with the advisor while the fan runs.
- Acacia Engineering
- All Season Inspection Profile
- Capital Home Energy
- City Green Solutions
- CoEfficient Building Science
- DW Energy Advisors
- Energy Werx Profile
- Enerhold Engineering Solutions
- Enerhome Consulting
- EnerSolution Profile
- EnerTech Solutions
- ER Energy Solutions
- GETS Energy
- Green Canada Home Advisors Profile
- Greenbrain Profile
- HomeTech Energy Solutions
- Isle Energy Consulting
- NRGwise (A1 NRGwise Consulting) Profile
- Sensible Home Inspections
- The Energuy Profile
- VerdaTech Energy Management and Consulting
- Canada Energy Audit Profile
- Green Think
Programs that include a blower door test in Nanaimo
Blower door test in Nanaimo: common questions
Where can I get a blower door test in Nanaimo?
Book an EnerGuide evaluation with any of the 23 NRCan-licensed organizations serving Nanaimo; the blower door test is part of every evaluation.
How much does a blower door test cost in Nanaimo?
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.