New Brunswick · Energy · checked September 28, 2026

Blower door testing in Saint John

A blower door test measures how leaky a house is and shows where the leaks are. In Saint John, with about 4,580 heating degree-days a year, every leak runs up the heating bill for most of the year.

Get matched in Saint John → 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

$99 + HST

Licensed organizations

4

Companies NRCan licenses to do EnerGuide evaluations

Houses built before 1961

34%

Older houses usually leak more and have less insulation

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. 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.

Why air leakage matters in Saint John

Saint John gets about 4,580 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 −22.5°C. Those figures come from the climate data for Saint John in HOT2000, the home-energy software Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) gives energy advisors. That's about 16% more heating demand than the middle of the 70 cities we cover. A long heating season: air sealing and insulation pay back well, and every leak costs money for months.

Of Saint John's 19,705 houses (single-detached, semi-detached, row houses and duplexes), 34% were built before 1961 and 78% 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

  • Radon. Sealing shifts the pressure balance between the house and the soil. Health Canada's 2012 survey found 10.9% of 101 homes tested in the Region 2 health region above the guideline. The larger 2024 Cross-Canada survey reports 18.4% (1 in 5) of houses at or above the guideline for the Saint John, NB (Saint John CMA) metro area. Test before and after big air-sealing jobs. Radon testing in Saint John

What it costs in Saint John

A blower door test is part of every EnerGuide evaluation rather than a separate purchase. Through the Total Home Energy Savings Program, a Certified Energy Advisor charges $99 + HST, covering both the initial and final evaluations.

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.

Atlantic Canada Maritimes and Newfoundland

What this means in Saint John’s climate

Damp, windy, icy winters and costly oil: switch to heat pumps, seal, test for radon.

Why it matters here: Finds wind-driven leakage paths; a before-and-after test shows what sealing achieved.

Best timing: December to March, on a calm day.

  • Seal wind-driven leaks and the attic. Wind pushes cold air through gaps, and heavy, wet snow with frequent freezing rain makes a leaky attic prone to ice dams. Ask: Ask for a blower door test on a calm day, with a thermal scan to find wind-driven leaks.

What else homes in Saint John need →

Sources for this climate guide · checked October 26, 2026

NRCan-licensed service organizations serving Saint John

A service organization is a company that Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) licenses to deliver EnerGuide evaluations; its registered energy advisors do the home visit. A blower door test is part of every EnerGuide evaluation, so any organization below can do one in Saint John. Ask to walk the house with the advisor while the fan runs.

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 Saint John

Provincial · needs an evaluation New Brunswick Total Home Energy Savings Program Evaluation-first: $99 + HST covers both home energy evaluations, then published incentives such as $1,500 for a ducted heat pump, $0.40–$0.85 per sq ft for attic insulation and $250–$550 for air sealing Open

Blower door test in Saint John: common questions

Where can I get a blower door test in Saint John?

Book an EnerGuide evaluation with any of the 4 NRCan-licensed organizations serving Saint John; the blower door test is part of every evaluation.

How much does a blower door test cost in Saint John?

It is included in an EnerGuide evaluation. Through the Total Home Energy Savings Program, a Certified Energy Advisor charges $99 + HST, covering both the initial and final evaluations.

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 Saint John

Blower door test in Fredericton81 kmBlower door test in Moncton123 kmBlower door test in Halifax204 kmBlower door test in Charlottetown247 kmBlower door 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).

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