How Saguenay is built
- Before 1961 26%
- 1961–1990 49%
- 1991–2000 9%
- 2001 or later 16%
Why the design temperature matters in Saguenay
−28.9°C is the 8th-coldest design temperature of the 70 cities we cover. The F280 calculation works out how much heat each room loses on that design day, from the house's actual walls, windows, air leakage and ceiling insulation.
At −28.9°C, even cold-climate heat pumps lose capacity just when you need heat most. The room-by-room number tells you how much the heat pump can cover and how much backup heat to plan for, rather than guessing from square footage.
In the Saguenay area, 64% of households heat mainly with electric baseboards; electricity is the main heating energy for 76% of households (Statistics Canada, 2023).
Saguenay's warm summers make the cooling side count too. CSA F280 covers cooling capacity as well as heating, so ask for both numbers: a heat pump sized only for winter can be too big for summer, which leaves rooms cool but clammy.
What CSA F280-12 asks for
The National Building Code 2020 requires the heating capacity for a house to be worked out with CSA F280, and its list of referenced documents names the 2012 edition, CSA F280-12. Provincial codes can name their own edition and climate values, so ask your designer which ones the calculation uses.
Why skipping it costs money
Contractors who size by square footage routinely oversize. An oversized heat pump costs more to buy, cycles on and off, dehumidifies poorly in summer and wears faster. An undersized one leans on backup heat. The F280 report is the evidence either way, and it's worth having before you compare quotes.
What it costs
About $150–$400 as a standalone calculation (a September 2026 planning range; quotes vary). Many energy advisors bundle it with an EnerGuide evaluation, which also gives the calculation measured air-leakage data instead of an assumption.
Very Cold East Northern Ontario, Saguenay, Quebec City
What this means in Saguenay’s climate
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.
- 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: Ask for a heat-loss calculation and a heat pump with published capacity near −25°C to −30°C.
What else homes in Saguenay 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)
- Heating and Cooling With a Heat Pump (NRCan)
- Heat pumps, Canada Greener Homes (NRCan)
- Heat pump basics (NRCan)
- Primary heating systems by household, Table 38-10-0286-01 (Statistics Canada)
- 2024 Cross-Canada Survey of Radon Exposure
- Guide for Radon Measurements in Homes (Health Canada)
- Canada's top weather stories of 2023 (ECCC)
- Conditions for thermal scans, ASTM C1060 summary (Cx Associates)
NRCan-licensed service organizations serving Saguenay
In Quebec, EnerGuide evaluations for existing homes run through the provincial Rénoclimat program; the organizations below are the ones NRCan lists for Saguenay postal codes.
A service organization is a company that Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) licenses to deliver EnerGuide evaluations; its registered energy advisors do the home visit. Many energy advisors also do room-by-room CSA F280 calculations for an extra fee; HVAC designers do them too. Ask for the F280 report itself, not just an equipment recommendation.
- Expertbâtiment Services-Conseils
- Expertise en batiment Champagne
- Inspection Immotech
Heat pump programs in Saguenay
Heat loss calculation in Saguenay: common questions
What design temperature is used for heat pump sizing in Saguenay?
NRCan's HOT2000 climate data gives −28.9°C for Jonquière. Your designer may use the building code's design value for Saguenay, which can differ slightly; ask which one the calculation uses.
What is CSA F280-12?
The 2012 edition of CSA F280, Determining the required capacity of residential space heating and cooling appliances. The National Building Code 2020 requires heating capacity for a house to be determined with it.
How much does a heat loss calculation cost?
About $150–$400 standalone as a planning range; often less when bundled with an EnerGuide evaluation.
Who does F280 calculations in Saguenay?
Many of the 3 NRCan-licensed organizations serving Saguenay offer them, as do HVAC designers. Ask for the F280 report itself.
Do rebate programs require a heat loss calculation?
Requirements vary by program and change often. Even where it isn't required, it is the best protection against an oversized or undersized system.