Yes, depending on what your province or city may offer. The federal Greener Homes Grant program offers up to a maximum of $5,000 with $600 off your pre- and post-EnerGuide evaluation for eligible retrofits.
Yes, you can complete more than 1 recommended retrofit; the total grant amount under the federal Greener Homes Grant is $5000 regardless of the number of retrofits undertaken.
Depending on where you live, there may be additional provincial and/or municipal grant programs that can help cover the costs of the additional retrofits.
Our vendors need to be verified and approved to provide service and equipment that qualify for the Greener Grant Program. We believe in accountability and only approve memberships to reputable companies with a strong track record.
Saaf makes money through referral fees, paid by the energy efficiency vendors for retrofits they are selected for and potentially from sponsored content/advertisements.
As a Homeowner, Saaf provides its services for free. In some cases, if additional help is required, Saaf may charge a small consulting fee.
As a service provider, you will pay Saaf a referral fee for jobs selected by the homeowner. Providing a quote for the projects is free.
Saaf is an independent third party and does not have any relationship with the Service Providers, Homeowners or the respective Government Organizations.
Saaf charges a standard fee for all work won on our platform. We do not charge this fee until the Homeowner has selected the vendor(s) for the retrofit(s). We provide you with the data you need to make an informed decision.
Service Providers will only pay Saaf the lead generation fee (3% of the quoted amount + GST) when a Homeowner selects you for the proposed retrofit.
Yes, Saaf will not charge you a fee to bid on projects listed on the platform.
While high-efficiency furnaces and gas-fired water heaters are not eligible for reimbursement under the Canada Greener Homes grant, some provincial or municipal programs might allow grants for this equipment (e.g., Edmonton).
Your Service Provider will be able to provide an assessment to see what is required for your specific property.
In Canada, where air temperatures can go below -30 C, Ground-Source systems can operate more efficiently because they take advantage of warmer and more stable ground temperatures. Ground-Sourced systems are very efficient and have heating cost savings of around 65% compared with electric furnaces.
Ground-Sourced Heat Pumps tend to be more expensive to install and sometimes require an installation permit.
Given the need to drill and install equipment underground, Ground-Sourced Heat Pumps might not be a practical solution in densely populated urban settings.
Air-Sourced Heat Pumps use the outdoor air as a thermal energy source in heating mode and as a sink to reject energy in cooling mode.
Yes, according to the Canadian Geothermal Energy Association, there is a geothermal resource potential of 388,500 megawatts (MW) in Alberta that can be used under existing technical, structural and ecologic restrictions (with a 14% recovery rate.)
Yes, it is recommended to pair your heat pumps with solar panels. We can help get a quote for your solar PV system based on your heat pumps requirements.
From the time of signing a contract your solar PV system could take a few weeks to 6 months to install. The installation time varies based on factors like system size, complexity, local utility permitting timeline, roof pitch & layout, current order pipeline of the installer and weather conditions (most installers will not install in sub-zero conditions for safety reasons).
On average, once you have a firm install date, the actual installation can take anywhere from 1-2 days to a week.
The Canada Greener Homes Loans Program- a federal government initiative, provides homeowners up to $40,000 (interest free, subject to credit approval) to install solar panels. Homeowners can take advantage of the Canada Greener Homes Grant, up to $5,000, and Canada Greener Homes Loans of up to an additional $40,000 to undertake eligible retrofits (potentially financing $45,000 worth of renovations).
But you will have to act quickly to take advantage of these programs as the Canada Greener Homes Grant program is expected to stop accepting new applications as of March 2024.
Permit requirements vary by location. Typical permits would include Micro-Generation approval, inter-connection agreement from local utility for grid-tied systems, sign off from the local municipality. Generally, solar installers will manage all the necessary permits and paperwork as part of their turn-key solutions.
Warranties offered can vary from company to company. Most solar companies offer a 25 year production warranty on solar panels and warranties on the micro-inverters, labour and workmanship.
When you utilize our services, we will highlight the equipment provided and warranties offered by our solar installer partners.
Savings depend on factors like system size, energy usage, local electricity rates, net-metering regulations and sunlight availability. In many cases, homeowners can significantly reduce or even eliminate their electricity bills over time. In Alberta you can also take advantage of Solar Clubs to optimize the revenue earned from your systems excess production in the summer months.
You can use our Solar Calculator to get an estimate of your savings, payback time and return on investment.
Additionally if you live in Alberta use our Carbon Calculator to find out how much you might make by selling the carbon credits from your systems production.
Solar panels typically require minimal maintenance. Regular cleaning to remove dirt and debris is beneficial, and occasional inspections by professionals ensure optimal performance.
The production of your solar PV system will reduce in months of heavy snow or rain or cloudy/overcast conditions. Once the snow melts and the clouds clear your production will increase to its designed capacity.
Most systems and solar panels are designed to be durable even in the event of hail. However, just in case we recommend adding the Solar PV system to your home’s insurance policy to help cover costs associated with any unexpected damage.
Yes, depending on what your province or city may offer. The federal Greener Homes Grant program offers up to $5,000 with $600 off your pre- and post-EnerGuide evaluation for eligible retrofits.
Our Service Providers need to be verified and approved to provide service and equipment that qualify for the Greener Grant Program. We believe in accountability and only approve memberships to reputable companies with a strong track record.
Yes, you can combine rebates to improve the insulation in different areas in your house. However, the total grant amount offered by the Federal Government under the Greener Homes Grant is $5,000.
No, the type of insulation does not matter. The retrofit has to improve insulation within specific parameters to be eligible for a grant.
The Renovation Upgrade Report (RUR) provided after your pre-retrofit EnerGuide Assessment will have targeted recommendations of areas to improve your home's energy efficiency. Talk to your Energy Advisor to learn more.
The Renovation Upgrade Report (RUR) provided after your pre-retrofit EnerGuide Assessment will have targeted recommendations of areas to improve your home's energy efficiency. Talk to your Energy Advisor to learn more.
A new window unit can be inserted into the existing frame of an old window, but replacements of only the glass, sash or door without a frame are not eligible. There is a maximum of $250 per rough, opening up to a cap of $5,000.
If your EnerGuide evaluation has revealed severe problems with your window's glazing, sash or entire unit, your best option may be to replace all or part of the window.
Energy-efficient windows will have:
Air Sealing is the most critical retrofit activity and should be considered first in your home retrofit/upgrade strategy.
Air Sealing is essential every time you insulate or make changes to the building envelope to ensure moisture does not enter the insulation or building envelope.
Air Sealing involves identifying and sealing as many air leakage paths as possible with weather-stripping and caulking or applying gaskets and tape.
A blower door test can be a powerful tool in helping understand how air-tight your home is; this is included in your pre-retrofit EnerGuide Assessment.
As leakages are controlled, household humidity levels rise (impacting indoor air quality). Consider installing heat recovery ventilators (HRVs) or energy recovery ventilators (ERVs) to improve your home's indoor air quality.
Unfortunately, HRVs and ERVs are not reimbursable under the Canada Greener Homes Grant. However, some of the provincial or municipal programs may cover these under their grants (e.g. the Home Energy Retrofit Accelerator in Edmonton)
Some of the critical problem areas for air leakage in your home include:
