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.
We 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 we 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.