A warm heart – and a warm home

Nova Scotia Power CEO Karen Hutt visited Deborah Stewart’s cozy home in Louisbourg, Cape Breton, on a bright and chilly day in January. The two enjoyed a cup of tea and Deborah showed off all the recent energy efficiency upgrades to her home that have helped cut her expected energy usage almost in half.

Deborah is a participant in the HomeWarming program, which helps income-qualified Nova Scotian homeowners save money on heating bills and feel more comfortable in their homes. It’s funded by Nova Scotia Power and the Province of Nova Scotia, and administered in partnership by Clean Foundation and Efficiency Nova Scotia.

Deborah is so grateful for her HomeWarming energy advisor, says Matt Best. As a member of the Clean Foundation team, Matt conducted an efficiency audit of her home, discovered some areas where upgrades could reduce her heating and energy costs, and facilitated the process with certified contractors to get the work done.

“The one thing I hear all the time from homeowners like Deborah is, ‘You’ve got to be kidding. This HomeWarming program is too good to be true!’

“I’m so proud to be able to work with her and other homeowners to show them the difference that can be made in their homes, thanks to the generous support from Nova Scotia Power and the provincial government,” says Matt.

Since 2015, nearly 8,000 Nova Scotian homes have benefited from the program.

“We want the power system, as well as all the homes and businesses in Nova Scotia, to be as energy efficient as possible,” says Karen.

“We look at the HomeWarming program as an investment – in the homes and in the people we are proud to serve.”

Deborah received the following energy efficiency improvements at no cost to her:

• Spray foam in her basement and basement headers
• Caulking around her patio door
• Weather stripping and insulation around her attic hatch
• Foam backers for all her plugs/outlets
• Insulation wrap for her hot water tank
• Dehumidifier
• Heat pump

“I’m so grateful for everything they’ve done. I love my new heat pump and could really feel the difference after the spray foam was added in the basement,” says Deborah.

“The only one that loves the upgrades more than me is Phyllis… my cat!”

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If you’re looking to improve your home’s efficiency and reduce heating and power bills, you can speak confidentially with a Service Advisor about your eligibility for HomeWarming.

For help getting started, call 1 877 434 2136 (toll free), or email homewarming@efficiencyns.ca.

HomeWarming is a program that provides energy-saving home upgrades to income-qualified homeowners at no cost.

Clean Foundation delivers the electric heat portion of the program through a generous contribution from Nova Scotia Power.

Efficiency Nova Scotia delivers the program to non-electrically heated homes with funding from the Province of Nova Scotia.