5 Ways to Keep Your Home Cozy This Winter

Make your home run efficiently this season, and get rewarded for it year round.

The Home Energy Rebate Offer is an opportunity for British Columbians to renovate or upgrade their energy inefficient homes and be rewarded by BC Hydro and FortisBC. As a homeowner, you have access to a variety of incentives for home renovations such as insulation upgrades, draft proofing and ventilation, space heating and water heating. With a damp, chilly winter gripping B.C., now is the time to strategize on how to keep your home cozy and comfortable when the mercury drops. Here are five ways to make this your home's coziest winter ever.1. Your home is a systemElectric heat or even a gas fireplace installed in a drafty house defeats the purpose of saving money and the environment. By thinking of your home as an interconnected system comprised of windows, heating systems and insulation, you will begin solving the energy efficient deficiencies in manageable parts.2. Invest in a home energy auditYou wouldn€™t fix your car yourself, so seek professional help with energy optimization for your home as well. It's required for some of the rebates that await (more on that below). A home energy audit (or home energy evaluation) is conducted by a certified energy advisor who will draw up your action plan and identify energy-efficient upgrades best suited for your home and budget. Find an advisor near you at bchydro.com/homerebates.3. Get help paying for itBC Hydro has teamed up with Vancity to offer financing solutions to homeowners who complete home energy efficiency renovations. The Vancity Home Energy„¢ Loan* offers a prime +1% rate and allows homeowners to borrow as little as $3,500 or maximum of $50,000, and then pay it back through flexible payments options.4. The more you upgrade, the more you've rewardedBC Hydro and FortisBC offer a variety of rebates to help make improving your home's energy efficiency more affordable through the Home Energy Rebate Offer program. The offers are substantial, including up to $1,200 for upgrading insulation, $800 for home-heating efficiency upgrades and up to $500 for reducing drafts and air leaks. See the entire rebates package at bchydro.com/homerebates. The best part? Complete three or more eligible upgrades and receive an additional $750 and enjoy long-term savings on your energy bills.5. don't procrastinateUpgrades must be installed by March 31, 2016. Home renovations take time and planning, and finding the right home energy advisor takes time, as does setting up preferred financing. The sooner you make your home€”and one of your biggest investments€”more efficient, the more time you'll have to bask in the coziness of winter and the cool relief of summer without thinking about the cost of a comfortable home.To learn more visit bchydro.com/homerebates.