In February, the AEA travelled to Deline to complete our first home energy evaluations in the community since 2013. We evaluated 11 homes while we were there. The results can help the homeowners make decisions on things like making upgrades to save on energy costs or even to make their homes more comfortable—such as by reducing drafts.
We were glad to see that a lot of homes in the community are using wood stoves for heat. An efficient, properly installed wood stove can save on heating costs and greenhouse gases compared to an oil furnace. Many of the homes we visited were using wood as their primary heat source, and some didn’t have a furnace at all.
Most of the NWT’s demand for home evaluations is in Yellowknife but our energy advisors are able to schedule a trip to a community when several homeowners sign up. Evaluations of existing homes are subsidized by the GNWT, so the cost is the same regardless of the community.