New Brunswick · Energy · checked September 28, 2026

Combustion safety testing in Saint John

A combustion safety test checks that your furnace, water heater and fireplace vent their exhaust outside instead of into the house, which matters most right before and after you tighten the house up.

Get matched in Saint John → The combustion safety and spillage check
A gloved hand inserting a combustion analyzer probe into a furnace flue pipe in a basement

Cost

Included with an evaluation

Natural gas heat

Not published

Gas distributor

Liberty Utilities (Gas New Brunswick)

CO alarms required (existing homes)

None found

How Saint John is built

Saint John's houses by when they were built Ten house shapes, one for each tenth of Saint John's 19,705 houses. Before 1961: 34%, 1961–1990: 44%, 1991–2000: 9%, 2001 or later: 13%. Older houses glow hotter.
  • Before 1961 34%
  • 1961–1990 44%
  • 1991–2000 9%
  • 2001 or later 13%
Each house stands for one in ten of Saint John's 19,705 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 it matters in Saint John

In the Saint John area, 38% of households heat mainly with electric baseboards and 32% with a heat pump; electricity is the main heating energy for 46% of households (Statistics Canada, 2023).

The risk rises after air sealing: a tighter house plus a strong exhaust fan or dryer can pull exhaust back down a chimney. That's why advisors test for spillage during an evaluation and why it should be repeated after serious tightening.

The CO alarm rule in New Brunswick

We found no New Brunswick rule requiring CO alarms in existing homes; new construction follows the 2020 National Building Code.

What the check involves

  • Worst-case depressurization: exhaust fans and the dryer on, doors set to make the appliance room as negative as it gets.
  • A spillage and draft check at each appliance, with a CO reading.
  • A plan if anything fails: often a sealed-combustion appliance or a fix to the venting, done by a licensed gas or oil technician.

The combustion safety check in detail.

NRCan-licensed service organizations serving Saint John

Energy advisors check for combustion spillage during an evaluation; fixing a venting problem is work for a licensed gas or oil technician.

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

Programs in Saint John

Provincial · needs an evaluation New Brunswick Total Home Energy Savings Program Evaluation-first: register, get the Home Energy Evaluation, then collect incentives on the recommended upgrades — insulation, heating, doors, windows Open

Combustion safety test in Saint John: common questions

Are CO alarms required in Saint John homes?

We found no New Brunswick rule requiring CO alarms in existing homes; new construction follows the 2020 National Building Code.

Who does combustion safety testing?

Energy advisors check for spillage during an EnerGuide evaluation. Repairs to venting or appliances are done by a licensed gas or oil technician.

I have CO alarms. Isn't that enough?

Alarms warn you once CO is already in the house. A spillage test finds a venting problem before it produces CO.

Combustion safety test near Saint John

Combustion safety test in Fredericton81 kmCombustion safety test in Moncton123 kmCombustion safety test in Halifax204 kmCombustion safety test in Charlottetown247 kmCombustion safety test in Lévis431 km All 70 cities →

Sources

Checked September 28, 2026. Census figures are for the municipality (New Brunswick); climate data is NRCan's HOT2000 station Saint John (11 km away).

Get matched with a registered advisor in Saint John

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