Imagine how hard it would be to heat a house with a window left open all the time. You'll be surprised to realize that most homes are that drafty anyway. Donald Dodge of Clean Nova Scotia has a handy way to illustrate it. (runs 0:19)

Donald Dodge: "By the time you add up all the cracks and crevices and lack or weatherstripping in a home, the average home has a hole in it about this size here. Ainslie's house had a hole in it about four times bigger than this, when we add them all up, so obviously that's an area that's really going to make a huge difference in their house."

It costs $150 to have an energuide done on your home. Only three companies in Nova Scotia are connected to the grant programs available with the federal and provincial governments.
(runs 0:37)

The energuide rates your home's R value and gives you specific advice on how to improve it. The energuide report gives you a target value to aim for.

As you heard in part three of this cold house, Ainslie and Bill received a rating of 66 out of a 100 for their home. If they wish to qualify for government grants they must raise that rating to 66. The maximum grant is a total of $2600. Not everyone receives the maximum grant, but Ainslie and Bill could qualify for about $800. That will help reduce the cost of their renovations (and help cover the $150 fee.) They are also likely to see immediate savings in their heating bill.

Donald Dodge of Clean Nova Scotia explains how it will work at Ainslie and Bill's house.

Donald Dodge: "We're going to talk to them first and make sure they've done the recommendations we've suggested and then we're going to go back. We're going to check to see if the attic's been insulated and any other changes they've made. They talked about changing the front door and the back door. We'll record that info, and re-do the blower door test you saw us do, we'll reput all that information back into the program and come out with a new listing for this, which will give them a new rating. So let's say they do everything and they get back to the 66 that we thought they would, then that information is sent off to EnerCan in Ottawa and the provincial governemnt and grant money is issued."