Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/136981
everyday inspiration RANDOM ACTS OF CONSERVATION A bill worth bragging about breath of fresh air When Mark and Tina Timmer and their four kids moved into their new home – a two-storey Victoria house built in 1958 – they were faced with the decision of whether to continue to fill up the oil tank heater or invest in an energy-efficient heating system. After weighing up the options, they chose the heating system: "There were incentives available at the time through federal and provincial government programs, and we had friends with similar systems who were always bragging about their amazingly low bills," says Mark. Team Power Smart member Lynn Kropinak has always used a clothesline in the backyard of her Nanaimo home for hang-drying clothes in summer, long before she joined Team Power Smart in 2011. But last winter, as part of her efforts to reduce her energy use by 10 per cent and complete her challenge, Lynn started hang-drying her clothes indoors, using the stair banister as a drying rack and ensuring there was adequate ventilation to control the moisture in the house. "It's amazing how quickly things dry indoors," Lynn Kropinak changed her clothes drying habits. says Kropinak, even despite the fact that she and her husband started turning down the thermostat an extra two degrees when they go to bed. And although her new habit took some getting used to, she now makes a habit of doing laundry in the evenings so that it's dry and ready to put away in the morning – "that way it's out of sight in case guests drop by!" New hope for an old home Mark and Tina Timmer (shown above with their four children) have invested in energy-efficient upgrades and are already starting to see a dramatic reduction in their monthly bills. The Timmers also replaced 50 or so incandescent lights with LED bulbs, insulated the hot water tank to reduce heat loss, and installed low-flow showerheads and energy-efficient fans in all the bathrooms. All the appliances are ENERGY STAR®–approved, and their induction stove uses 50 per cent less energy than a conventional cooktop. Overall, Mark estimates that they spent about $8,000 on energyefficient upgrades for the house – and that they'll recuperate their investment within just five or six years. Plus, they're on track to reduce their energy consumption by 10 per cent and earn their first $75 reward cheque this summer. "We had to put out a fair bit of money at the beginning," says Mark, "but we're reaping the rewards now." With an average monthly payment of just $109, the biggest challenge the Timmers have now is trying not to brag too much. Mark laughs, "It's hard to keep my mouth shut when my friends complain about their monthly hydro bills that are considerably higher!" Photos: Nik West p06-07 Infogrf_Insp Smr2013_rev.indd 7 An older house can be extra challenging to run efficiently, as Teresa Asman can attest. When she and her husband bought their two-bedroom Port Alberni home, which is now about 70 years old, it had a dirt basement and very few upgrades. Since moving in seven years ago, they've been New windows helped Teresa Asman cut her BC Hydro bill. diligently updating it with energyefficient upgrades."Last fall we put in new windows," says Asman. "It was dramatic how big of a difference it made to our hydro bill over the winter." The couple also replaced the weather stripping around the doors, added insulation to the attic, basement and around the light sockets, plus wrapped the hot water tank and pipes. "We keep the heat at about 65 degrees (18ºC), and only put the heat on in the living room, kitchen and bathroom." Asman says they're now saving about $50 a month on their hydro bill, plus they received their $75 reward cheque. "I was really skeptical that our old house wasn't going to beat us again this year, but we did it – we actually saved 15 per cent!" ■ Tell us about your energy conservation journey. Contact us at teampowersmart@bchydro.com. team power smart summer 2013 7 13-06-07 3:15 PM