How Red Deer is built
- Before 1961 8%
- 1961–1990 39%
- 1991–2000 14%
- 2001 or later 40%
Why air leakage matters in Red Deer
Red Deer gets about 5,515 heating degree-days a year and has a winter design temperature of −28.9°C, according to NRCan's HOT2000 climate data for Red Deer Regional. That's the 7th-highest heating demand of the 70 cities we cover.
Of Red Deer's 31,405 houses (single-detached, semi-detached, row houses and duplexes), 8% were built before 1961 and 46% 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 Red Deer area, the main heating energy is natural gas for 83% 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 Red Deer
- Radon. Sealing shifts the pressure balance between the house and the soil. Health Canada's 2012 survey found 7.5% of 107 homes tested in the David Thompson Regional Health Authority health region above the guideline. The larger 2024 Cross-Canada survey reports 15.1% (1 in 7) of houses at or above the guideline for the Red Deer, AB (Red Deer CMA) metro area. Test before and after big air-sealing jobs. Radon testing in Red Deer
What it costs in Red Deer
A blower door test is part of every EnerGuide evaluation rather than a separate purchase. There's no provincial rebate or price list; the City of Edmonton's guidance is to expect more than $400 and to get two or three quotes.
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 Red Deer
A blower door test is part of every EnerGuide evaluation, so any organization below can do one in Red Deer. Ask to walk the house with the advisor while the fan runs.
- Acacia Engineering
- Air Barrier Canada
- All Season Inspection Profile
- AmeriSpec Profile
- Buildingexpert
- Clean Energy Solutions
- CoEfficient Building Science
- Energy Werx Profile
- Enerhold Engineering Solutions
- EnerHome Consulting
- EnerSolution Profile
- EnerVision
- ER Energy Solutions
- Green Canada Home Advisors Profile
- Green Think
- Greenbrain Profile
- Homesol Building Solutions
- Isle Energy Consulting
- Map Energy
- NRGwise (A1 NRGwise Consulting) Profile
- Sensible Home Inspections
- The Energuy Profile
- VerdaTech Energy Management and Consulting
Blower door test in Red Deer: common questions
Where can I get a blower door test in Red Deer?
Book an EnerGuide evaluation with any of the 23 NRCan-licensed organizations serving Red Deer; the blower door test is part of every evaluation.
How much does a blower door test cost in Red Deer?
It is included in an EnerGuide evaluation. There's no provincial rebate or price list; the City of Edmonton's guidance is to expect more than $400 and to get two or three quotes.
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.