Mobile homes are an efficient choice of living space, because as smaller structures, they typically require less energy to heat or cool.
But as Vancouver-area homeowners Charlotte and Mike H. have discovered with their 1978 mobile home, there are still ways to make a mobile home even more efficient — and to get government grants for doing it.
The couple had lived in their Maple Ridge home for a year, and knew its energy use needed improvement, says Charlotte H. At the time, their son had just had an energy audit on his own home, and he told them about all the grants they could get for making energy-saving renovations.
They decided to have a Vancouver Home Energy Advisor conduct an energy audit on their home, too. The Advisor’s report not only confirmed which energy-saving renovations they absolutely needed to do, says Charlotte, but it also offered some new ideas for saving energy in their home.
The home energy audit revealed the Vancouver couple’s home leaked a lot more air than they had realized. Instead of heating their living space, much of the warm air generated by their old natural gas furnace escaped to the outdoors through cracks and gaps between the mobile home’s walls and old windows.
To fix this problem, the couple did air sealing, which meant caulking and weather stripping windows, and using special insulating foam to seal off gaps in the home’s structure.
The home also lost energy through the windows themselves. Because glass isn’t a good insulator, heat can travel directly through window panes.
By replacing the home’s old windows with new thermal windows that were Energy Star-rated for the Vancouver climate zone, the couple could make their home much more energy efficient. The new windows looked great, saved energy by preventing heat from escaping, and increased the value of their home.
Air source heat pump
The renovation that has made the Vancouver-area couple happiest, however, is the air source heat pump, which warms their home for a fraction of the cost of the old furnace’s gas bills.
Charlotte H. says they chose the air source heat pump because they knew it would make the home more energy efficient. By renovating the windows and the heat pump at the same time, they were able to make sure the home was at its peak efficiency.
Grants help efficiency
“Without putting in the new windows, the heat pump would not have worked as well,” says Charlotte. That’s because the windows help the indoor air stay at a constant temperature, which means the warmth from the heat pump stays indoors.
And, she adds, the grants and rebates helped the whole project come together. “We knew we were going to do the windows, but [the grants] certainly made us able to put in the heat pump.”
Overall, Charlotte says, government grants and rebates make it easier for homeowners to make energy-saving renovations. “If you can financially afford it, do it. It does long-term good for the pocketbook and the ecology.”
Vancouver homeowners can choose from a shopping list of South Coastal LiveSmart BC rebates:
Vancouver homeowners can also get ...
And there’s more.
Take advantage of government rebates + grants up to $7,000 and more for home energy renovation in Vancouver BC:
Enjoy all the benefits
Do it right
Each Vancouver home has its own specific energy-savings needs, and yours is no different. The right renovations add up to big savings. By following the expert advice of a certified BC energy advisor, you’ll make the energy renovations or "retrofits" that are right for your Vancouver home — and help improve your energy costs and the Vancouver BC environment.
Energy renovations help ...
And that’s not all. Here are more benefits ...
When you improve your home in Vancouver, you also make a difference to the rest of the world. You’ll help address important global issues like ...
And there’s even more. Click here to learn how Vancouver homeowners like you are saving thousands of dollars and tonnes of greenhouse gases every year, by making the right energy-saving home renovations. Vancouver BC homeowners can make a difference.
Learn more about Renovation Rebates in Vancouver BC ...
To qualify you need a Vancouver
home energy audit before your renovations.
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