Tara and Ron Hovanes discuss their energy use with energy assessor Gilles Lesage of Total Homes, a company contracted by FortisBC to conduct the assessments.
Shawn Talbot photo
While a spacious older home with a fireplace and lots of large windows might sound like a dream for many, in the winter it can be a challenge for Ron and Tara Hovanes, who live in a renovated 1950’s-style rancher in Oliver.
During the colder months the wind whips through the desert, making their home cold and drafty.
So when the Hovaneses were invited to participate in FortisBC’s Okanagan “Energy Diet” they jumped at the chance to improve the comfort of their home and lower their monthly bills, the worst of which, Hovanes said, was $1,200.
The cost of the energy audit is $60 per household, and participants receive more than $400 in energy-saving products such as low-flow-shower heads, energy-efficient light bulbs, aerators for shower heads and outlet insulation.
FortisBC has also pledged to donate $5,000 to the community that saves the most energy, for an energy efficient upgrade to a public facility.
Participants are also eligible to apply for $4,000 in rebates from LiveSmart BC and up to $2,000 from FortisBC if they can access long-term loans.
The Hovaneses are two of 330 homeowners that signed up to participate in the assessment. In the Kootenays, more than 600 homeowners are taking part.
To start the “diet,” the Hovaneses were visited by FortisBC contractor Gilles Lesage of Total Homes, who conducted a home energy audit.
After assessing insulation levels, inspecting the Hovanes’s combustion equipment and appliances, and conducting a blower door test to find air leaks, the auditor was able to give them a full picture of where their home was losing energy and the improvements that would help them save energy.
Hovanes has made a number of improvements to his home prior to the audit, including installing new, energy efficient windows, and he plans to commit to FortisBC’s program.
Erin Christie
Oliver Chronicle
