1.800.265.1914
Call Now 1.800.265.1914

How To Choose Insulation Contractors in 2020

August 20, 2020

 

By hiring an insulation contractor in Ontario you can become better equipped to make any home insulation upgrade. An insulation contractor can ensure that your upgrades are completed effectively and within the parameters of the Ontario Building Code. A professional install can also net you much higher levels of energy performance and home comfort than that of a DIY insulation install. When choosing an Ontario insulation contractor, you will want to find the company that not only gives you the best value, but also a company that is backed by years of experience and proven to deliver results.

If you would like to start with a free insulation assessment from a GNI insulation contractor, please fill out the form below to include your contact information. Our Customer Experience Team can also be reached at 1-800-265-1914 and are happy to answer any questions you may have about your home insulation or available rebate programs. 

Step 1 of 2
Continue
SUBMIT
Request a free estimate

Certified and Licensed Insulation Contractors

Before you hire a new insulation contractor, you may want to find out if they are licensed, certified, and insured first. The Ontario Building Code actually restricts unlicensed insulation contractors or individuals from applying spray foam insulation to a home. This is to ensure that the spray foam insulation is properly installed and verified to be effective. A licensed spray foam installer will have a photo-id card administered to them that must be carried during all spray foam insulation installs, and their license must be renewed every five years. 

Test the Knowledge of Insulation Contractors

If you are interested in determining the quality of work or the level of knowledge that your insulation contractor possesses, you can always ask them a few questions that will help you form an answer. It is also helpful to ask around to several different contractors and gauge their answers against one another. This will allow you to see which insulation contractors you feel comfortable working with and which contractors you may want to avoid for the time being.   

Questions you may want to ask your insulation contractor include:

  • What upgrade do you think I should do first?

  • What type of insulation should I use?

  • How much do you estimate this upgrade to cost?

  • Will this help me qualify for any Ontario energy rebates?

  • In case something goes wrong, do you guarantee all of your work?

  • Do you offer environmentally friendly / sustainable insulation?

Professional Insulation Contractor vs. DIY Insulation 

A DIY insulation install can have terrific results if everything goes smoothly and no hiccups occur along the way. However this is rarely the case, as with most DIY insulation jobs there are often unforeseen challenges that pop up during an upgrade. DIY insulation removal also poses potential health risks, with the possibility of hazardous airborne particulates being disturbed during the job. For health reasons alone, GNI strongly recommends that you leave all old insulation removal jobs to an insulation contractor, along with any installs that involve tight spaces or hazardous working conditions. 

In terms of performance benefits, a professional insulation contractor can reach even higher levels of energy performance and home comfort in their installs than that of DIY insulation alone. This is due in part due to an insulation contractor's ability to get the most effectiveness out of an insulation product, but also in part to the strategy that is created before the upgrades occur. An insulation contractor can help you determine the areas of home that can be upgraded to provide you with the biggest benefits for the lowest cost possible. Targeting cost-effectiveness through DIY insulation alone is much more difficult. 

Great Northern Insulation is Ontario’s Insulation Contractor

With over 40 years of experience in the Province, GNI is proud to be a trusted and certified insulation contractor in Ontario. From attic insulation installs, to basement insulation retrofits, GNI has you covered for all of your home insulation needs. Our expert insulation contractors will even conduct a free insulation assessment in your home to help you make sense of your potential next steps. To arrange for your free insulation assessment, please contact our Customer Experience Team at 1-800-265-1914.

Canadian Made Insulation Products

Great Northern Insulation proudly uses several insulation products that are manufactured completely or partly in Canada. For example, our mineral wool insulation comes from Rockwool Insulation, which has a manufacturing facility in Milton, Ontario. And the blown in cellulose insulation used by GNI is sourced from local recycled materials which contribute to its low amount of embodied carbon.

Sustainable Insulation Products

To help homeowners make even more environmentally friendly home upgrades, GNI is proud to carry sustainable insulation products with low embodied carbon. As mentioned above, blown in cellulose insulation is made using locally sourced recycled materials, and uses air as its only blowing agent. Blown in cellulose and / or fibreglass can also be used in an array of different upgrades, and can even be combined with other types of home insulation for a combination of performance, affordability, and sustainability. The spray foam insulation we use is also third party certified to be eco-friendly, including ECOLOGO certification, Green Circle certification, and GREENGUARD certification. In terms of using sustainable insulation products for your home upgrades, GNI is the insulation contractor to call. 

Insulation Contractors Help You Get Rebates

In Ontario, homeowners are able to qualify for several energy rebates that help them save money on upgrades that improve their home’s energy performance. An insulation contractor can help you determine which energy rebates you may be eligible for, and can help ensure that you will meet each rebate’s specific qualifications. 

If you are considering applying for any Ontario energy rebate programs, the first thing GNI recommends you do is schedule a home energy audit from a Registered Energy Advisor. A home energy audit will provide you with an in-depth look at your home’s current energy performance and how it could most cost-effectively be upgraded. It is also an important part of the eligibility requirements for many energy rebates in Ontario, and should be completed before any upgrades have started. A preliminary home energy audit is not only an important part of the qualification process for many different rebates, but it also provides you with a list of every possible energy performance upgrade that you could make in your home and ranks them in order of their cost-effectiveness.  

Step 1 of 2
Continue
SUBMIT
Request a free estimate
Western Ontario

935 Keyes Drive
Woodstock, Ontario
Canada N4V 1C3

Phone: 1-800-265-1914

Fax: (519) 539-7946
TOLL FREE: 1-800-265-1914

Muskoka, Haliburton, Northern Ontario

1027 Elwell Park Road
Gravenhurst, Ontario
Canada P1P 1R1

TOLL FREE: 1-800-265-1914

Central Ontario

29 Ferndale Industrial Drive
Barrie, Ontario
Canada L4N 9V5

TOLL FREE: 1-800-265-1914

Greater Toronto Area

2 Guided Court
Etobicoke, ON
M9V 4K6

TOLL FREE: 1-800-265-1914

GTA East

103 North Port Road
Port Perry, Ontario
Canada L9L 1B2

TOLL FREE: 1-800-265-1914

South Central Ontario

450 Industrial Dr,
Toronto (Milton), Ontario
Canada L9T 5A6

TOLL FREE: 1-800-265-1914

Eastern Ontario

1035 Moodie Dr #1,
Nepean, ON
K2R 1H4

TOLL FREE: 1-800-265-1914

Niagara Region

25 Lincoln Ave
St. Catharines, ON
L2P 2C7

TOLL FREE: 1-800-265-1914

BBB

Great Northern Insulation - Better Business Bureau Profile.

Homestars Best of 2021 Award

Best of 2021

HomeStars has ranked Great Northern Insulation as a company that goes above and beyond in every aspect of business for the year of 2021.

Homestars Best of 2022 Award

Best of 2022

HomeStars has ranked Great Northern Insulation as a company that goes above and beyond in every aspect of business for the year of 2022.

Lowes

GNI is the Authorized & Trusted Insulation and Air Sealing Installer for Lowe’s

Trusted for Over 40 Years

Over 40 Years in Business

At GNI, we service your project with the most experienced staff in the industry. Ongoing professional development is an obsession at GNI and we will not compromise at any level to bring to our customers the very best Installers, Sales Representatives, Customer Care Personnel, Field Superintendents, Estimating and Technical Support to your project.

100% Canadian

100% Canadian

Great Northern Insulation is recognized as Canada's largest full-service insulation contractor. GNI is 100% Canadian owned, proudly serving Ontario customers since 1980.

Foam Masters

Do it right the first time
- with foam mastersTM

January, 2021 regulatory phaseout of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) with the introduction of WALLTITE CM01. Using hydrofluorolefins (HFOs) with lower global warming potential (GWP) compared to HFCs, WALLTITE CM01 is the next generation of spray foam insulation.

HEATLOK® SOYA HFO™ 

Huntsman HEATLOK® SOYA HFO™ 

Heatlok® Soya HFOTM leverages Honeywell’s latest Solstice® Liquid Blowing Agent technology. This new hydrofluoroolefin (HFO) blowing agent is the most environmentally conscious blowing agent produced to date, with a zero ozone depletion potential (ODP) and a global warming potential (GWP) of 1, which is more than two orders of magnitude (99.9%) lower than HFCs used in this industry.

3M

3MTM products.
Quality + Performance = Savings

3MTM energy-saving products are designed to keep warm air in, and cold air out, while keeping energy bills down. Products optimize energy efficiency in buildings and homes; improve indoor environment for occupants; and effect the reduction of seasonal energy costs. 3M products are authorized for LEED credits (Leadership in Energy/Environmental Design).

Holmes and Holmes

Holmes and Holmes

 

Mike Holmes and his son Mike Jr. (MJ) convert MJ’s bachelor bungalow into a two-storey home for MJ and his girlfriend Lisa. Choosing the newest materials and build techniques, the father and son team follow Mike’s famous motto – “Make it right.” The show can be watched on HGTV and DIY Network.

Enbridge

Enbridge Incentives

The Home Efficiency Rebate Plus program offers up to $10,000 in home reno rebates – and Great Northern Insulation can pave the way.

Renomark

Great Northern Insulation proudly abides by a renovation-specific Code of Conduct set by RenoMark™.

eRenovate

We are Verified & Bonded by eRenovate. When you choose to proceed with our services through their platform, you receive the gaurantees set forth through their program.

As Seen on Love It or List It

The GNI crew have been featured installing insulation on Love It or List It - have you seen our logo in an episode?

Climatizer Cellulose

Climatizer

CLIMATIZER PLUS cellulose insulation is manufactured from a minimum of 85% locally-sourced post-consumer recycled newsprint. Non-toxic additives are applied to the uniquely fiberized paper generating a building material with superior thermal and acoustic properties, as well as exceptional resistance to fire, moisture, mould and pests.

Please, enter a valid value

Incorrect values!