Home energy audits in Charlottetown

Of Charlottetown's 10,405 houses (single-detached, semi-detached, row houses and duplexes), 20% were built before 1961 and 66% before 1991, according to the 2021 Census. The typical Charlottetown house dates from 1971–1980, and an evaluation is how you find out what that means for yours: the blower door measures air leakage, the advisor inspects the attic, walls, basement, windows and heating system, and the report ranks upgrades by what they'd save.

Charlottetown gets about 4,404 heating degree-days a year and has a winter design temperature of −19.3°C, according to NRCan's HOT2000 climate data for Charlottetown. That's about 12% more heating demand than the middle of the 70 cities we cover. The more heating a climate needs, the more each fix is worth, which is why the evaluation's ranked list matters more in some cities than others.

In Prince Edward Island, 36% of households heat mainly with a heat pump, 16% with a boiler and radiators, 14% with a forced-air furnace and 10% with electric baseboards; oil is the main heating energy for 28% of households, electricity for 18% and wood for 8% (Statistics Canada, 2023). The heating system on the report shapes the recommendations: a forced-air furnace invites a ducted heat pump, electric baseboards a ductless one.

efficiencyPEI's subsidized home energy assessment costs $99 + HST, booked directly with one of its efficiency partners.

• Initial evaluation, about 2–3 hours. The advisor measures and inspects the house and runs the blower door test.
• Report and EnerGuide rating. You get the home's energy rating in gigajoules per year and a list of recommended upgrades with estimated savings.
• Do the work. Most rebate programs only count upgrades done after the initial evaluation.
• Follow-up evaluation. A second visit measures the improvement, which is what most rebates pay on.

Read the full guide to home energy audits.