Just when I thought the deal couldn't get any sweeter!
To add on to the CTV video I posted yesterday, I've been able to dig up a bit more information about what this means! In a nutshell - more money!
For those of you who may not be familiar with the ecoENERGY-Retrofit Homes program, here's what the process looks like:
1. Book an eco-audit (that's what we're doing this Saturday, April 4 with the guys from DT Home Energy Advisors). The purpose of the audit is to explain your home's energy use, take a walk-through of your home's insulation, heating and cooling systems and other energy uses, perform a "blower door" depressurization test to identify leaks and drafts, and outline all these results in a report.
2. Make the improvements suggested in your personalized Energy Efficiency Evaluation Report
3. Get a post-retrofit audit
4. Get up to $10,000 in tax-free rebates for your upgrades!
Now, in an act of absolute, perfect timing, Natural Resources Canada just announced yesterday that grants offered under the ecoENERGY-Retrofit Homes program will increase by 25 per cent! For example, if you were looking to upgrade to a new energy-efficient furnace, the available grant has increased from $500 to $625!
In addition, these grants can be used in conjunction with the Government of Canada's new Home Renovation Tax Credit worth up to $1,350.
I know what you're thinking... what's the catch? Well - the offer is time-limited. After you've completed your audit, you have 18 months to make the upgrades and perform a post-retrofit audit to be eligible for the grants - which will only be around until March 11, 2011. If you do the math - that's not a lot of time.
What this really all boils down to - is opportunity.
NOW is the time book your own audit and take advantage of this money.
Please join us this Saturday, April 4 between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. in our home and see for yourself - you can join us in making your house more eco-friendly, more comfortable to live in, and most importantly - less expensive to opertate!
If you have any questions about our open house this Saturday, please do not hesitate to ask!
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Monday, March 30, 2009
In the news...
We're now less than a week away from our open house - and I'm pumped!
So when I caught this clip on Canada AM this morning, I got even more excited.
I think programs like the green-home grants should be featured more regularly - especially in light of the economic crisis many of us are facing. Not only can these programs help stimulate much-needed spending, they're designed to help home-owners make the upgrades needed to help save their hard-earned dollars!
Even more importantly, these grants won't be around forever! If you're not sure which upgrades would make the biggest impact to your own home, or don't know how much help you'll actually be able to take advantage of - please come to our open house this Saturday, April 4 between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m at 311 Latourell Road in Kemptville.
In case you've missed us in the Advance, not only will you be able to see the eco-audit in action, we'll have representatives from Sauve Heating, DT Home Energy Advisors, Kemptville Windows and Kitchens, Merkley Drywall and Insulation, Coldwell Banker Realty, and Tym Plumbing to answer all your home-renovation questions!
I look forward to seeing you there!
So when I caught this clip on Canada AM this morning, I got even more excited.
I think programs like the green-home grants should be featured more regularly - especially in light of the economic crisis many of us are facing. Not only can these programs help stimulate much-needed spending, they're designed to help home-owners make the upgrades needed to help save their hard-earned dollars!
Even more importantly, these grants won't be around forever! If you're not sure which upgrades would make the biggest impact to your own home, or don't know how much help you'll actually be able to take advantage of - please come to our open house this Saturday, April 4 between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m at 311 Latourell Road in Kemptville.
In case you've missed us in the Advance, not only will you be able to see the eco-audit in action, we'll have representatives from Sauve Heating, DT Home Energy Advisors, Kemptville Windows and Kitchens, Merkley Drywall and Insulation, Coldwell Banker Realty, and Tym Plumbing to answer all your home-renovation questions!
I look forward to seeing you there!
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
A shout-out...
To all of you in the North Grenville area - check us out in this week's issue of the Kemptville Advance! We're smack-dab in the middle of the paper!
With just 10 days until the open house - now's the time to start spreading the word.
So, grab a group of family, friends, or anyone you'd think would like to save a little money and be sure to stop by on the 4th between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Here's our address again.
You can also join my Facebook group - I've posted some pictures and started a discussion to see which home-improvement would be at the top of your to-do list in a perfect world. I'd love to hear from you!
With just 10 days until the open house - now's the time to start spreading the word.
So, grab a group of family, friends, or anyone you'd think would like to save a little money and be sure to stop by on the 4th between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Here's our address again.
You can also join my Facebook group - I've posted some pictures and started a discussion to see which home-improvement would be at the top of your to-do list in a perfect world. I'd love to hear from you!
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
A closer look...
April 4 is only 10 days away!!!
If you're anything like me, you're pretty sick of winter. In fact, I was done with winter about a week after Christmas! Don't get me wrong, I can appreciate the changing of the seasons and the beauty of a snowfall - but I'm a perpetually cold person. I am so ready to be warm again!
What does this have to do with our audit? A lot.
You might not be able to tell from the picture - but we have an old house. We estimate it was built in the late 1800's. Although the previous owners did a great job remodeling most of the interior, it's no secret - older homes are notoriously inefficient.
Right now, our primary heat source is an old (my husband estimates 15 years) oil furnace complimented by a pellet stove we installed last year.
For the most part, we keep our furnace set at 15 degrees (about 13 at night) and pump the pellet stove depending on how cold it is outside. I think the warmest I remember seeing the thermostat (yes, even on those coldest days), was 19.5.
I know what you're thinking - I own a lot of sweaters.
Although my husband is always about 10 degrees warmer than I am - this isn't ideal. It's the byproduct of a small budget coupled with an inefficient furnace and poorly insulated house.
While there's not much I can do about my budget, I know the purpose of this audit is to explore options to help me stretch these very important heating dollars further.
On April 4, I look forward to talking with the guys from Sauve Heating and Merkley Drywall and Insulation to help make this happen.
Until then... fleece, afghans, tea, and hot chocolate remain my constant winter companions!
If you're anything like me, you're pretty sick of winter. In fact, I was done with winter about a week after Christmas! Don't get me wrong, I can appreciate the changing of the seasons and the beauty of a snowfall - but I'm a perpetually cold person. I am so ready to be warm again!
What does this have to do with our audit? A lot.
You might not be able to tell from the picture - but we have an old house. We estimate it was built in the late 1800's. Although the previous owners did a great job remodeling most of the interior, it's no secret - older homes are notoriously inefficient.
Right now, our primary heat source is an old (my husband estimates 15 years) oil furnace complimented by a pellet stove we installed last year.
For the most part, we keep our furnace set at 15 degrees (about 13 at night) and pump the pellet stove depending on how cold it is outside. I think the warmest I remember seeing the thermostat (yes, even on those coldest days), was 19.5.
I know what you're thinking - I own a lot of sweaters.
Although my husband is always about 10 degrees warmer than I am - this isn't ideal. It's the byproduct of a small budget coupled with an inefficient furnace and poorly insulated house.
While there's not much I can do about my budget, I know the purpose of this audit is to explore options to help me stretch these very important heating dollars further.
On April 4, I look forward to talking with the guys from Sauve Heating and Merkley Drywall and Insulation to help make this happen.
Until then... fleece, afghans, tea, and hot chocolate remain my constant winter companions!
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
At least we were somewhat prepared...
We certainly didn't jump into this whole thing expecting our house to be perfect... that would defeat the purpose. Of course, starting any home-renovation project is like peeling back century-old carpet - you could find beautiful hardwood underneath - or something really nasty!
Yesterday, we had the fine folks from DT Eco Home Energy Advisors perform a preliminary home energy audit - and let me tell you, we had our fingers crossed for the hardwood!
Thankfully, the results weren't too far outside what we were expecting. We learned that while most of the house is relatively efficient - our basement needs a lot of work - we're talking insulation and maybe a new source of heating. Luckily - it sounds like this makes us eligible for some really great funding!
We should have the results of our audit in about a week, at which point I'll share the findings with you.
And remember - our open house is coming up on Saturday, April 4!
Stop by anytime between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. to see the audit in action, learn what mistakes to avoid, and meet local area contractors that can help get your home back up to snuff!
We're at 311 Latourell Road - just off South Gower Drive.
Stay tuned!!
Yesterday, we had the fine folks from DT Eco Home Energy Advisors perform a preliminary home energy audit - and let me tell you, we had our fingers crossed for the hardwood!
Thankfully, the results weren't too far outside what we were expecting. We learned that while most of the house is relatively efficient - our basement needs a lot of work - we're talking insulation and maybe a new source of heating. Luckily - it sounds like this makes us eligible for some really great funding!
We should have the results of our audit in about a week, at which point I'll share the findings with you.
And remember - our open house is coming up on Saturday, April 4!
Stop by anytime between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. to see the audit in action, learn what mistakes to avoid, and meet local area contractors that can help get your home back up to snuff!
We're at 311 Latourell Road - just off South Gower Drive.
Stay tuned!!
Saturday, March 14, 2009
And it begins...
Just over a year ago, my husband and I bought our own little piece of heaven on the outskirts of Kemptville. It was a good compromise for the two of us; it had enough 'work' left to appease my husband, but didn't need to be gutted - my only stipulation! After being in the house for a little over a year now, that 'to-do' list seems to have grown exponentially!
As a young couple on a modest budget, we know we can't do it all at once. So, we've prioritized the work that:
1. Needs to be done the most,
2. Would make the biggest impact, and
3. We can afford!
While the side of me that loves instant gratification immediately jumps to plans of wrap-around decks and hot tubs, my practical side (aka my husband) knows those plans will need to wait a few more years.
Instead, we've decided to take advantage of the resources already out there - like grants and tax credits - to help stretch our budget even further. While it may not be as exciting as a new TV or granite countertops, I know that by making the backbone of our house as efficient as possible, we'll also be making it more environmentally friendly and less expensive to run!
This is our experiment - and we invite you along for the ride!
The first step?
We'll need to learn which parts of our home are the most wasteful and which grants we would be eligible to receive, so we've booked an eco-energy audit.
Mark your calendar for Saturday, April 4!
We invite you to come out and learn with us where we're wasting our money - if your home is facing the same problems - and what can be done to fix it!
We've enlisted help from local-area businesses to help us with our upgrades - I'll introduce them later.
Ultimately, our goal is to help minimize the impact our home has on the environment - and also save money on our heating and electrical costs. We're inviting you to share our journey so you can do the same!
Boy, this takes spring cleaning to a whole new level, doesn't it??
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