Small missions for grander comfort and efficiency
Your home works as a system. Heat, air, moisture, insulation, ventilation, lighting and appliances all affect how comfortable and energy-efficient it is. A drafty door, for example, can make a room feel cold, while changes to insulation, thermostat settings or ventilation can affect energy use, moisture and indoor air quality throughout the home.
The Home Energy Check Kit helps you take a closer look at how your home is performing. Through seven simple missions, you can measure conditions around your home, identify areas that may need attention and create your own home efficiency plan.
You can borrow one of six kits from the City for up to two weeks or download the guide and use your own tools to complete regular home checkups.
Get to know your home
You don’t need to be an energy expert to start looking for opportunities to improve efficiency. The Home Energy Check Kit walks you through common areas of the home and helps you understand what to look for.
Small changes can add up
Once you've completed your checks, use what you find to create a home efficiency plan.
The guide recommends starting with efficiency concerns, then looking at lower-cost opportunities such as replacing filters, adding weatherstripping, using ventilation more effectively, installing efficient showerheads and adjusting thermostat settings.
Borrow a Home Energy Check Kit
Want to try the tools yourself? The City has six Home Energy Check Kits available to borrow for up to two weeks.
Step 1: Request a kit online: Request Home Energy Check Kit.
Step 2: Once requested, as quantities are limited, the AccessGP team will contact you directly when a kit becomes available and provide instructions for pickup.
Residents can then pick-up and return kits at the AccessGP counter at the City Service Centre (9505 112 Street).
What’s inside the kit?
The physical kit includes an appliance thermometer, air quality detector, infrared thermometer, light meter, plug-in energy meter and stopwatch, along with a bucket, flashlight and tape measure.
Build your own kit
You don't need to borrow a City kit to complete a Home Energy Check.
Download the guide and purchase some or all of the tools that are useful for your household. Keep them on hand to repeat your checks over time and see how your home changes throughout the year.
Download the Home Energy Check Kit
The downloadable guide includes instructions, suggested targets, worksheets and a home efficiency planning section to help you record what you find and decide what to address next.
Use the kit safely
The Home Energy Check Kit is an educational self-assessment and does not replace a professional energy audit, safety inspection or code compliance check. If you encounter concerns such as a strong gas smell, carbon monoxide alarm, significant mould or major electrical issues, stop and contact the appropriate utility, emergency service or qualified professional.
