For ten weeks this fall, Canadian Geographic magazine challenged five families across the country to Live Net Zero. They went head to head, tackling everything from cutting commuting carbon to making their homes as energy efficient as possible.

Each family got help from a team of experts, and that’s where we came in. Capture Energy worked with the Leung family from Vancouver on the “Home Envelope Challenge.” Nancy and John and their two teenagers live in a 1930s home and our goal was to figure out where exactly their house was losing heat.

The first order of business was a walk-through and blower door test to see where the opportunities were for air sealing.

Not only does tightening your home envelope make your house more comfortable to live in, but it’s more energy efficient, which saves your money and helps the environment too.

From the attic to the basement, we looked at every bit of the Leung’s home to find out where the warm air was escaping and the cold air was sneaking in.

One place you may not think about air leakage is in the basement. A lot of times there are old vents and crawlspaces that haven’t been sealed. For any unfinished walls, make sure they are insulated and then use an air barrier before putting up drywall to keep your home nice and cozy.

“When it comes to limiting energy usage in your home, heating and cooling will be an even bigger factor as more extreme swings in temperature become common. Cutting the need to regulate temperature as much as possible is one of the best ways to deal with this. High-performance, energy-efficient windows and doors are an integral part of improving the home’s envelope and its overall ability to retain or deflect heat when needed. New window technology, low emissivity coatings, multi-chamber frames, and hiring experienced installers all make a major difference, cutting down on energy consumption and keeping homes comfortable all year round. The Leung family recognized this on their net zero journey, and Centra Windows is very excited to be part of their fantastic project.”

This entire journey was a lot of fun and we can’t wait to see how it all turns out. The winning family will get a brand new electric vehicle. Canadian Geographic Magazine will announce the winner soon, so stay tuned!