Short answer
Okanagan AeroBarrier seals West Kelowna homes to a measured ACH50 target, including wildfire rebuilds after the 2023 McDougall Creek fire. A rebuild has to meet the current BC Energy Step Code, which is Step 3 minimum province-wide with an on-site airtightness test, so an owner replacing an older house often faces an airtightness number the original never had to hit. A measured seal gets the rebuild to its target before the energy advisor tests.
Rebuilding after McDougall Creek
A house built decades ago never had a blower-door number. Its replacement does. Since May 1, 2023, Step 3 has been the minimum for Part 9 homes everywhere in BC, and every Step Code home is tested for airtightness on site. For a homeowner rebuilding on an insurance timeline, a failed test is a delay they did not budget for.
I have sealed wildfire rebuilds in West Kelowna and elsewhere in BC. The approach is the same as any new build, but the stakes on schedule are higher, so I usually recommend booking the seal around the mid-construction test so the final test is a formality.
New subdivisions and hillside builds
Outside the rebuilds, West Kelowna work is mostly new single-family and hillside custom homes. Complicated envelopes with lots of corners, cantilevers and penetrations are where hand sealing misses the most, and where a seal that reaches every gap at once earns its keep. How a seal day runs.
Requirements and rebates
Step 3 is the provincial minimum and applies in West Kelowna. Check with the City of West Kelowna building department for anything above it. Step Code airtightness explained.
Written by Sebastian Motora, owner-operator. Last reviewed October 7, 2026.