Quebec · 16 local services · checked September 28, 2026

Home energy audits and home testing in Québec City

Québec City gets about 4,754 heating degree-days a year (a long heating season), 20% of its houses were built before 1961, and 4 NRCan-licensed service organizations list its postal codes. Pick a service for the local details.

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A brick Montréal plex with exterior spiral staircases in winter

How Québec City is built

Québec City's houses by when they were built Ten house shapes, one for each tenth of Québec City's 121,435 houses. Before 1961: 20%, 1961–1990: 50%, 1991–2000: 11%, 2001 or later: 19%. Older houses glow hotter.
  • Before 1961 20%
  • 1961–1990 50%
  • 1991–2000 11%
  • 2001 or later 19%
Each house stands for one in ten of Québec City's 121,435 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. More snow in the drawing means more heating degree-days: a longer, colder heating season. Sources: Statistics Canada 2021 Census (table 98-10-0233-01), NRCan HOT2000 climate data.

Québec City at a glance

Climate

Québec City gets about 4,754 heating degree-days a year, a measure of how much heating its climate needs, and its winter design temperature, the cold day heating systems are sized for, is −24.8°C. Those figures come from the climate data for Ste-Foy in HOT2000, the home-energy software Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) gives energy advisors. A long heating season: air sealing and insulation pay back well, and every leak costs money for months.

Housing

Of Québec City's 121,435 houses (single-detached, semi-detached, row houses and duplexes), 20% were built before 1961 and 70% before 1991, according to the 2021 Census. The typical house dates from 1971–1980.

Heating

In the Québec area, 64% of households heat mainly with electric baseboards, 12% with a heat pump and about 8% with a forced-air furnace; electricity is the main heating energy for 78% of households (Statistics Canada, 2023).

Radon

Health Canada's 2012 survey found 8.8% of 160 homes tested in the Région de la Capitale-Nationale health region above the guideline. The larger 2024 Cross-Canada survey reports 18.1% (1 in 5) of houses at or above the guideline for the Quebec, QC (Québec CMA) metro area.

Very Cold East Northern Ontario, Saguenay, Quebec City

What homes in Québec City need

Deep, snowy winters: stop ice dams, and pair a cold-climate heat pump with backup heat.

Winters here are long and deep, with cold snaps of −25°C to −31°C and the heaviest snow loads of any region we cover. Heat escaping into the attic melts roof snow from below, which refreezes as ice dams. An EnerGuide evaluation here should focus on the attic, the basement and rim joists, and a heating plan with reliable backup heat.

In Québec City: Quebec City has the heaviest snow loads of any city we cover, so attic air sealing and insulation are the best defence against ice dams. About 78% of area homes use baseboards or other electric heat, and 12% already heat with heat pumps.

What drives bills and comfort here

  • Long, deep heating season: cold snaps reach −25°C to −31°C.
  • Snow lies 10 cm or deeper on the ground for 99 to 134 days a year, so attic heat leaks readily form ice dams.
  • Electric heat serves 76% to 78% of homes around Saguenay and Quebec City; gas heats 74% in Sudbury and 81% in Thunder Bay.
  • Summers are mild but can be humid, with about 23 to 31 days a year at a humidex of 30 or more.

Local risks to plan for

  • Wettest July in 150 years in 2023; check basement drainage.
  • Cold snaps near −25°C; heat pumps here need backup heat.
  • Radon: about 1 in 6 Quebec homes tested at or above the guideline in 2024.

What to check first, and why

  1. Stop ice dams at the attic

    NRCan says the best way to prevent ice dams is sealing attic air leaks and insulating thoroughly, so roof snow stays frozen. Snow loads here are the heaviest of any region we cover.

    Ask your energy advisor: Ask the advisor to trace attic bypasses with the blower door and thermal camera, and to check insulation depth.

    Attic inspectionBlower door testInfrared (thermal) scan

  2. Cold-climate heat pump with reliable backup

    Cold snaps of −25°C to −31°C are at or beyond many heat pumps' limits, so backup heat is a must: baseboards in most Quebec homes, the furnace in Ontario.

    Ask your energy advisor: Ask for a heat-loss calculation and a heat pump with published capacity near −25°C to −30°C.

    Heat-loss calculation

  3. Insulate the basement and rim joists

    Basements can be about 20% of a home's heat loss, and the long cold season makes the savings add up. Rim joists are often among the leakiest spots.

    Ask your energy advisor: Ask whether the basement is dry enough to insulate from inside, and how much the rim joist leaks.

    Infrared (thermal) scanBlower door test

  4. Test for radon

    Thunder Bay ranked among the highest municipalities in the 2024 national survey, and about 1 in 6 Quebec homes tested at or above Health Canada's guideline.

    Ask your energy advisor: Run a 3-month test in the heating season, and retest after air sealing.

    Radon test

  5. Ventilate and keep humidity in check

    Winter air is very dry, but humidifying too much frosts windows and wets the attic. Balanced ventilation keeps a tighter house fresh without adding moisture problems.

    Ask your energy advisor: Ask for a ventilation assessment and the indoor relative humidity your windows can handle in deep cold.

    Ventilation assessment

Tests that matter most here

  • Blower door test Finds the attic and rim joist leaks that feed ice dams. Best timing: Any season; most useful with a thermal scan in winter.
  • Infrared (thermal) scan Shows missing insulation and air leaks clearly in the cold. Best timing: November to March, on calm days with little sun on the walls being scanned.
  • Attic inspection Frost, wet sheathing and roof melt patterns show where heat escapes; watch where snow melts first after a light snowfall. Best timing: Early winter, after the first light snow or a heavy frost.
  • Radon test Regional radon risk, and air sealing can change indoor levels. Best timing: At least 91 days in the heating season.
  • Combustion safety test In gas-heated Ontario homes, tightening can make appliances spill exhaust. Best timing: During the blower door visit.

Upgrades that usually pay off here

  1. Attic air sealing and insulation to R-59. Today's new-home attic minimum here is about R-59. Sealing first, then insulating, is the best way to prevent ice dams. Have old vermiculite insulation tested for asbestos before disturbing it.
  2. Cold-climate heat pump, keeping your backup. Cold-climate units work to about −30°C and use much less electricity than baseboards; keep baseboards or the furnace for the coldest nights.
  3. Basement and rim joist insulation. A large heat-loss area over a long season. Fix any dampness before insulating from inside.
  4. HRV or ERV for balanced ventilation. Controls humidity and air quality once the house is tighter.

Heating and cooling equipment

  • Choose a cold-climate heat pump with published capacity near −25°C to −30°C, and keep full backup heat for colder nights.
  • Set electric backup 2–3°C below the heat pump's setting so the heat pump does most of the work.
  • Look for demand-defrost controls, which are generally more efficient; ground-source heat pumps need no defrost at all.
  • Cooling needs are modest, but humid spells make a heat pump's cooling a welcome bonus.

Health and comfort

  • Radon: about 1 in 8 Ontario homes and 1 in 6 Quebec homes tested at or above 200 Bq/m³ in the 2024 survey. Test every home.
  • Dry indoor air in deep cold: keep relative humidity within what your windows can handle without frosting.
  • Carbon monoxide: put CO alarms near every fuel-burning appliance and outside sleeping areas.
  • Heavy summer rain happens too: Quebec City had its wettest July in 150 years in 2023, so check basement drainage.

Common mistakes in this climate

  • Chopping ice dams with an axe or pick. It damages the roof. Fix the attic air leaks and insulation that cause them.
  • Heat pumps without backup heat. Cold snaps here go beyond many units' cut-off. Keep baseboards or the furnace.
  • Over-humidifying in winter. It frosts windows and can wet attic sheathing.
  • Skipping the radon retest after tightening. Air sealing can change radon levels; retest in the next heating season.

When to book: Book the evaluation from November to March for clear thermal scans, and check the attic after the first light snow. Start a 3-month radon test in the heating season.

Sources for this climate guide · checked October 26, 2026

Local service guides for Québec City

Energy audits and tests

An energy advisor’s kit on a front-hall bench: infrared camera, pressure gauge with tubing, tape measure, headlamp and a floor sketch

Home energy audit

4 licensed organizations Companies NRCan licenses to do EnerGuide evaluations
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

Blower door test

4,754 degree-days A long heating season
Hands holding an infrared camera aimed at a ceiling corner beside a frosty window; the screen shows a cold streak

Thermal imaging inspection

4,754 degree-days A long heating season
A kitchen table with a house floor plan, a laser measure, a tape measure and a laptop showing the plan

Heat loss calculation

Design temp −24.8°C The cold day heating is sized for
A duct-testing fan on a basement floor connected by flexible duct to a furnace, a pressure gauge hanging from a joist

Duct leakage testing

about 8% forced-air Share of homes with ducts that can leak
A gloved hand inserting a combustion analyzer probe into a furnace flue pipe in a basement

Combustion safety test

4,754 degree-days
A heat recovery ventilator on a basement wall with four insulated ducts running up between the joists

Ventilation and humidity assessment

19% built since 2001 Newer, tighter homes rely on fans or an HRV
Loose-fill insulation between attic joists, a yellow ruler showing its depth and frost on the roofing nails above

Attic insulation inspection

70% built before 1991 Older attics usually need more insulation
Utility bills and a phone showing a monthly energy-use chart on a kitchen table

Energy bill analysis

Hydro-Québec Download 12 months of usage from your account

Home health tests

A small digital radon monitor on a bookshelf in a finished basement family room

Radon testing

18.1% at or above guideline (2024) Neighbours' results don't predict yours: test
A carbon monoxide alarm on an upstairs hallway wall outside the bedrooms at night

Carbon monoxide testing

Not required (recommended) Install alarms anyway
A moisture meter pressed into water-stained basement drywall, an air-sampling pump on a tripod nearby

Mould and indoor air quality testing

70% built before 1991 Older homes have more damp spots
A gloved hand holding a sealed sample bag above vermiculite insulation between attic joists

Asbestos and vermiculite testing

70% built before 1991 Common in materials until about 1990
A gloved hand swabbing layers of cracked old paint on a wooden window sill

Lead paint testing

20% built before 1961 Pre-1960 paint probably contains lead
Filling a water-sample bottle at a farmhouse kitchen tap with the aerator removed, snowy fields and a barn outside

Well water testing

Wells in some areas Only homes on private wells need it

For businesses and buildings

An auditor walking between rooftop heating and cooling units on a snowy commercial roof

Commercial energy audit

4 incentive programs

Who does energy evaluations in Québec City

In Quebec, EnerGuide evaluations for existing homes run through the provincial Rénoclimat program; the organizations below are the ones NRCan lists for Québec City postal codes.

4 NRCan-licensed service organizations list Québec City postal codes. See the list with phone numbers and coverage →

City programs in Québec City

Rénovation résidentielle (Programme Rénovation Québec)

City, SHQ and CMHC renovation subsidy for residential buildings at least 25 years old with major defects. The 'remise en état' stream inside the revitalization zone can also cover upgrades such as better insulation. Suspended: the SHQ has suspended Rénovation Québec until further notice and the City is not accepting new applications (there is a form to be notified when it reopens). No other City energy-retrofit subsidy for homes was found on the City's programs list.

Rebates and financing for Québec City homes

Provincial Rénoclimat (Quebec) Since October 1, 2026: up to $21,500 per house for roof, wall and foundation insulation and ENERGY STAR Most Efficient windows, no evaluation required, plus a new flood-protection component Open Provincial Hydro-Québec LogisVert Hydro-Québec grants for heat pumps (thermopompes) of $50–$120 per 1,000 BTU/h, up to $6,700, plus $1,500 for roof insulation with caulking, appliances and solar — no audit needed Open Federal National Heat Pump Rebate Announced October 8, 2026 and opening early 2027: up to $10,000 below the median income, $2,000 for other eligible homeowners Announced · opens 2027 Federal CMHC Eco Improvement premium refund A 25% energy-efficiency rebate on your CMHC mortgage insurance premium after $20,000 of energy renovations Open Federal Canada Greener Homes Affordability Program Free retrofits for low-to-median-income households through provincial partners in BC, Manitoba, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, PEI and Quebec (Quebec's 2026–27 intake has closed) — not available in Ontario Open · deadline

Cities near Québec City

Lévis13 kmTrois-Rivières113 kmSherbrooke167 kmSaguenay172 kmTerrebonne221 kmLongueuil222 km All 70 cities →

Sources

Checked September 28, 2026.

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