Ontario · Energy · checked September 28, 2026

Blower door testing in Toronto

A blower door test measures how leaky a house is and shows where the leaks are. In Toronto, with about 3,559 heating degree-days a year, every leak runs up the heating bill for most of the year.

Get matched in Toronto → The blower door test, step by step
A red blower-door panel with a large fan fitted into the front doorway of a brick bungalow, a pressure gauge on a stool inside

Cost

Included in an evaluation

Evaluation price

About $500–$700

Licensed organizations

28

Houses built before 1961

46%

How Toronto is built

Toronto's houses by when they were built Ten house shapes, one for each tenth of Toronto's 455,985 houses. Before 1961: 46%, 1961–1990: 35%, 1991–2000: 6%, 2001 or later: 13%. Older houses glow hotter.
  • Before 1961 46%
  • 1961–1990 35%
  • 1991–2000 6%
  • 2001 or later 13%
Each house stands for one in ten of Toronto's 455,985 houses (single-detached, semi-detached, row and duplex), drawn by when it was built. The glow shows the usual pattern: older houses tend to be leakier and less insulated. Snowfall scales with heating degree-days. Sources: Statistics Canada 2021 Census (table 98-10-0233-01), NRCan HOT2000 climate data.

Why air leakage matters in Toronto

Toronto gets about 3,559 heating degree-days a year and has a winter design temperature of −16.3°C, according to NRCan's HOT2000 climate data for Toronto City Centre. That's about 10% less heating demand than the middle of the 70 cities we cover.

Of Toronto's 455,985 houses (single-detached, semi-detached, row houses and duplexes), 46% were built before 1961 and 81% 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 Toronto area, the main heating energy is natural gas for 52% 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 Toronto
  • Radon. Sealing shifts the pressure balance between the house and the soil. Health Canada's 2012 survey found 2.7% of 73 homes tested in the City of Toronto Health Unit health region above the guideline. The larger 2024 Cross-Canada survey reports 4.5% (1 in 22) of houses at or above the guideline for Toronto Metro Area (Toronto CMA). Test before and after big air-sealing jobs. Radon testing in Toronto

What it costs in Toronto

A blower door test is part of every EnerGuide evaluation rather than a separate purchase. Typical Ontario prices are about $500–$700 for the initial EnerGuide evaluation and $200–$450 for the follow-up, plus HST where it applies. Windfall Ecology Centre charges $500 + HST for the initial evaluation and $250 + HST for the follow-up, Reep Green Solutions charges $540 and $406 with no HST, and City-backed programs in Ottawa and London quote $500–$700 as typical for the first visit. Only assessments from the seven HRSP-approved organizations qualify for the $600 Home Renovation Savings rebate, and none of the seven publishes a price.

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.

The blower door test in detail.

NRCan-licensed service organizations serving Toronto

A blower door test is part of every EnerGuide evaluation, so any organization below can do one in Toronto. Ask to walk the house with the advisor while the fan runs.

Only assessments from the seven HRSP-approved organizations qualify for the $600 Home Renovation Savings rebate and its assessment-path upgrade rebates; each listing below says whether it's one of them.

Source: NRCan list of licensed service organizations, checked September 28, 2026. Call to confirm your street is covered and ask about wait times.

Programs that include a blower door test in Toronto

Provincial · needs an evaluation Home Renovation Savings — Home Energy Assessment path Up to $10,000 per home for insulation, windows and air sealing, plus $600 back on your assessments — if the follow-up assessment is done by December 31, 2026 Open · deadline Municipal · needs an evaluation Toronto Home Energy Loan Program (HELP) City loans up to $125,000 (or 10% of your home's assessed value) for energy retrofits, repaid on your property tax bill Open

Blower door test in Toronto: common questions

Where can I get a blower door test in Toronto?

Book an EnerGuide evaluation with any of the 28 NRCan-licensed organizations serving Toronto; the blower door test is part of every evaluation.

How much does a blower door test cost in Toronto?

It is included in an EnerGuide evaluation. Typical Ontario prices are about $500–$700 for the initial EnerGuide evaluation and $200–$450 for the follow-up, plus HST where it applies. Windfall Ecology Centre charges $500 + HST for the initial evaluation and $250 + HST for the follow-up, Reep Green Solutions charges $540 and $406 with no HST, and City-backed programs in Ottawa and London quote $500–$700 as typical for the first visit. Only assessments from the seven HRSP-approved organizations qualify for the $600 Home Renovation Savings rebate, and none of the seven publishes a price.

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.

Blower door test near Toronto

Blower door test in Vaughan16 kmBlower door test in Markham19 kmBlower door test in Richmond Hill20 kmBlower door test in Mississauga23 kmBlower door test in Pickering29 km All 70 cities →

Sources

Checked September 28, 2026. Census figures are for the municipality (Ontario); climate data is NRCan's HOT2000 station Toronto City Centre (9 km away).

Get matched with a registered advisor in Toronto

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