How Whitehorse is built
- Before 1961 8%
- 1961–1990 41%
- 1991–2000 16%
- 2001 or later 35%
Why air leakage matters in Whitehorse
Whitehorse gets about 6,522 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 −36.4°C. Those figures come from the climate data for Whitehorse in HOT2000, the home-energy software Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) gives energy advisors. That's the 2nd-highest heating demand of the 70 cities we cover. Very cold winters: heating dominates, and a heat pump needs cold-climate ratings and backup heat.
Wildfire smoke reaches Whitehorse in some summers. The Government of Canada's advice is to keep windows and doors closed, limit exhaust fans and use the best filter your system can handle, so ask the advisor what your furnace or HRV can take.
Of Whitehorse's 9,485 houses (single-detached, semi-detached, row houses and duplexes), 8% were built before 1961 and 48% 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 19.6% of 225 homes tested in the Yukon health region above the guideline. The larger 2024 Cross-Canada survey reports 27.8% (1 in 4) of houses at or above the guideline for Whitehorse, YK (Whitehorse census agglomeration). Test before and after big air-sealing jobs. Radon testing in Whitehorse
What it costs in Whitehorse
A blower door test is part of every EnerGuide evaluation rather than a separate purchase. Yukon's Good Energy program arranges reduced-cost assessments with local energy advisors: $50 for a pre-renovation assessment and $50 for the return visit.
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 North Yukon, NWT and Nunavut
What this means in Whitehorse’s climate
Extreme cold and costly energy: envelope first, reliable heat, safe oil tanks, permafrost.
Why it matters here: The biggest savings come from finding and sealing leaks; it measures ACH50 before and after.
Best timing: October to April, avoiding strong wind.
- Envelope first: seal, insulate, upgrade windows. With the coldest winters we cover and costly fuel, envelope work saves more than equipment changes. Today's new-home minimums here, about R-59 attics and R-22 walls, are good targets. Ask: Ask for a blower door test with a thermal scan, and a list of envelope upgrades ranked by savings.
What else homes in Whitehorse need →
Sources for this climate guide · checked October 26, 2026
- National Building Code of Canada 2020, climate data (NRC)
- Canadian Climate Normals 1991–2020 (ECCC)
- Keeping the Heat In (NRCan)
- Air-Source Heat Pump Sizing and Selection Guide (NRCan)
- Heat pumps, Canada Greener Homes (NRCan)
- Heating and Cooling With a Heat Pump (NRCan)
- Yukon Energy Facts 2024 (Yukon Bureau of Statistics)
- Household heating oil prices, Table 18-10-0001-01 (Statistics Canada)
- Residential electricity rates, April 2026 (ATCO Electric Yukon)
- Residential rate schedule, July 2026 (Naka Power, Yellowknife)
- Rates and riders (Naka Power, Yellowknife)
- Energy profile: Northwest Territories (Canada Energy Regulator)
- Energy profile: Yukon (Canada Energy Regulator)
- Keep Your House on Solid Ground: permafrost guide (Government of the NWT)
- Permafrost in Nunavut: a homeowner's guide (Government of Nunavut)
- Permafrost thaw mapping, Whitehorse area (Yukon University)
- 2024 Cross-Canada Survey of Radon Exposure
- Guide for Radon Measurements in Homes (Health Canada)
- Canada's top weather stories of 2022 (ECCC)
- Canada's top weather stories of 2023 (ECCC)
- Conditions for thermal scans, ASTM C1060 summary (Cx Associates)
NRCan-licensed service organizations serving Whitehorse
In Yukon, the territorial government's Energy Branch is the licensed service organization and arranges assessments with local energy advisors.
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 Whitehorse. Ask to walk the house with the advisor while the fan runs.
- Government of Yukon Energy Mines and Resources
Blower door test in Whitehorse: common questions
Where can I get a blower door test in Whitehorse?
Book an EnerGuide evaluation with any of the 1 NRCan-licensed organizations serving Whitehorse; the blower door test is part of every evaluation.
How much does a blower door test cost in Whitehorse?
It is included in an EnerGuide evaluation. Yukon's Good Energy program arranges reduced-cost assessments with local energy advisors: $50 for a pre-renovation assessment and $50 for the return visit.
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.