So, we're back in the paper! Page 11 and 12 of the Advance. Don't be confused, I actually wrote the article - not Ben.
Well, you've been very patient for the big news, so here it is!
The provincial government has now matched the 25% funding increase made by the federal government!
This is fantastic news as it means more money in your pockets - and even greater reason to act now.
It's simple:
1. Book your audit
2. Make the changes outlined in your personalized report
3. Book your post-retrofit audit
4. Wait for money to arrive in the mail!
Easy-peasy.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Looking for me?
For those of you following online - thank you! Be sure to keep your friends and neighbours updated, too!
I know not everyone gets online and will have an update for all you old-fashioned paper-readers shortly!
In the meantime - stay tuned! It's just about time to start getting the hands dirty! After all... we only have 18 months and a very big to-do list!
I know not everyone gets online and will have an update for all you old-fashioned paper-readers shortly!
In the meantime - stay tuned! It's just about time to start getting the hands dirty! After all... we only have 18 months and a very big to-do list!
Monday, April 13, 2009
chocolate, turkey, and ... no hot water???
It must be karma.
We have been so happy to finally have the results of our audit - and are still coming down from the excitement of our open house; I think it's made us jaded. Or, maybe our house is insulted. Whatever it is, it sure is ironic timing!
Like most of you, we were settling ourselves for a weekend of turkey and easter egg hunts. After family meal #1 on Saturday, I was prepping myself for the second feast on Sunday when I quickly realized there was no hot water. As I had just been out for a run and had to spend the day with many people (as forgiving as family can be) - this was not a good thing.
I guess this is one of the benefits of marrying a heating guy - as my husband was quickly able to diagnose and treat the problem (although, I've been told it's just a temporary fix - our hot water tank is not happy with us).
What is it about appliances and machinery that makes them break down the minute you talk of upgrading? I swear they must have feelings.
Well, hot water tank - you can try your hardest but your threats don't scare me. You will be replaced with an instantaneous hot water tank - you're only making your time come to an end much sooner...
We have been so happy to finally have the results of our audit - and are still coming down from the excitement of our open house; I think it's made us jaded. Or, maybe our house is insulted. Whatever it is, it sure is ironic timing!
Like most of you, we were settling ourselves for a weekend of turkey and easter egg hunts. After family meal #1 on Saturday, I was prepping myself for the second feast on Sunday when I quickly realized there was no hot water. As I had just been out for a run and had to spend the day with many people (as forgiving as family can be) - this was not a good thing.
I guess this is one of the benefits of marrying a heating guy - as my husband was quickly able to diagnose and treat the problem (although, I've been told it's just a temporary fix - our hot water tank is not happy with us).
What is it about appliances and machinery that makes them break down the minute you talk of upgrading? I swear they must have feelings.
Well, hot water tank - you can try your hardest but your threats don't scare me. You will be replaced with an instantaneous hot water tank - you're only making your time come to an end much sooner...
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
The guts...
Okay, for those of you who have been following along - this is what you've been waiting for! The results!
As I've mentioned - we have an older house (we're thinking late 1800's) - so, like most older homes, it's not very efficient. That said, we were pretty happy to learn that our house rated 56 points on the EnerGuide scale!
What does that mean? Well - we're above average for a house of its age in Ontario (average score is 42) - but we have a loooooong way to go in the way of improvements!
In order to be considered 'energy star' rated, a house needs to score at least 80% efficiency. The good news is - if we complete all the recommended upgrades, our rating will jump to about 81%! While we won't be able to consider ourselves 'energy star' rated (because we're an older home) - that's very impressive.
Right now, our auditor (Tim, from DT Home Energy Advisors) estimated that if we were to add up all the air leaks in our home, it would be equivalent to leaving an 18X19" window open year-round. Barf.
Our report recommended several upgrades and categorized them according to which would result in the greatest energy savings. The top of that list for us - replacing our heating system.
Because my husband works for Sauve Heating, he was excited to find us the most efficient furnace out there!
We'll be making three major changes:
1. Upgrading from our old oil furnace, to a new 98% efficient propane Luxaire furnace,
2. Replacing our current oil-fired hot water tank with a tankless instantaneous hot water heater, and
3. Installing an HRV (heat recovery ventilator) - which will help us replace the stale air in our home with fresh air - because once these upgrades are made, our house will be so efficient, barely anything will be escaping!
Next on the list, interior insulation. Our report indicated that our biggest energy waster is our basement. To fix this, Merkley Drywall and Insulation will be completely insulating our basement (walls and headers) with with a spray polyurethane foam insulation (HeatLok Soya). Not only is the insulation made from recycled plastic and soya oil, it also offers one of the highest thermal values and is water resistant.
And lastly - exterior insulation. To make sure we're completely sealing our house from the inside-out, the folks at Merkley will also be insulating the exterior of our home with 1.5" R10 foamboard.
I know what you're probably thinking - sounds expensive!
While we will be responsible for the initial costs, once we book Tim for our post-retrofit audit, we'll be able to sit back in our wonderfully comfortable home and wait for the grant cheques to arrive! Overall, we stand to recover about 50% of our costs!
Here's a breakdown of the grants we'll receive back from the Federal and Provincial governments:
Furnace - $1,125
Hot water tank - $550
HRV -$675
Basement wall insulation - $1,125
Header insulation - $225
Exterior wall insulation - $3,225
Keep in mind that these numbers do reflect the 25% funding increase the Federal government just announced, but will likely increase by another 25% should the provincial government decide to do the same!
On top of that, we can also claim the upgrades we make towards the $1,350 Home Renovation tax credit, and - according to our report - stand to shave 50% off our current heating and electrical costs!
Phew - that may be a lot of numbers, but it all adds up to one thing - SAVINGS.
If you were on the fence before - it should be clear! NOW is the time to make your home a more comfortable and affordable place to live.
As I've mentioned - we have an older house (we're thinking late 1800's) - so, like most older homes, it's not very efficient. That said, we were pretty happy to learn that our house rated 56 points on the EnerGuide scale!
What does that mean? Well - we're above average for a house of its age in Ontario (average score is 42) - but we have a loooooong way to go in the way of improvements!
In order to be considered 'energy star' rated, a house needs to score at least 80% efficiency. The good news is - if we complete all the recommended upgrades, our rating will jump to about 81%! While we won't be able to consider ourselves 'energy star' rated (because we're an older home) - that's very impressive.
Right now, our auditor (Tim, from DT Home Energy Advisors) estimated that if we were to add up all the air leaks in our home, it would be equivalent to leaving an 18X19" window open year-round. Barf.
Our report recommended several upgrades and categorized them according to which would result in the greatest energy savings. The top of that list for us - replacing our heating system.
Because my husband works for Sauve Heating, he was excited to find us the most efficient furnace out there!
We'll be making three major changes:
1. Upgrading from our old oil furnace, to a new 98% efficient propane Luxaire furnace,
2. Replacing our current oil-fired hot water tank with a tankless instantaneous hot water heater, and
3. Installing an HRV (heat recovery ventilator) - which will help us replace the stale air in our home with fresh air - because once these upgrades are made, our house will be so efficient, barely anything will be escaping!
Next on the list, interior insulation. Our report indicated that our biggest energy waster is our basement. To fix this, Merkley Drywall and Insulation will be completely insulating our basement (walls and headers) with with a spray polyurethane foam insulation (HeatLok Soya). Not only is the insulation made from recycled plastic and soya oil, it also offers one of the highest thermal values and is water resistant.
And lastly - exterior insulation. To make sure we're completely sealing our house from the inside-out, the folks at Merkley will also be insulating the exterior of our home with 1.5" R10 foamboard.
I know what you're probably thinking - sounds expensive!
While we will be responsible for the initial costs, once we book Tim for our post-retrofit audit, we'll be able to sit back in our wonderfully comfortable home and wait for the grant cheques to arrive! Overall, we stand to recover about 50% of our costs!
Here's a breakdown of the grants we'll receive back from the Federal and Provincial governments:
Furnace - $1,125
Hot water tank - $550
HRV -$675
Basement wall insulation - $1,125
Header insulation - $225
Exterior wall insulation - $3,225
Keep in mind that these numbers do reflect the 25% funding increase the Federal government just announced, but will likely increase by another 25% should the provincial government decide to do the same!
On top of that, we can also claim the upgrades we make towards the $1,350 Home Renovation tax credit, and - according to our report - stand to shave 50% off our current heating and electrical costs!
Phew - that may be a lot of numbers, but it all adds up to one thing - SAVINGS.
If you were on the fence before - it should be clear! NOW is the time to make your home a more comfortable and affordable place to live.
Monday, April 6, 2009
Thank you!!!
Here's a great big thank you on behalf of Ben and I to all those who came to check us out on Saturday - and those who otherwise offered their support! We had a great turnout and were so pleased to see how many are also interested in making their own homes more affordable and comfortable to live in.
A few people I'd like to thank specifically...
Steve and Kurtis Merkley of Merkley Drywall and Insulation for their insulation expertise! We quickly learned that our biggest problem is our basement. We look forward to working with Steve and Kurtis in the coming months as we plan to completely insulate our basement - and the exterior of our home (no more spiders!!). I'll post more report details soon.
Rilla Seward-McShane of Coldwell Banker Coburn Realty for her help promoting our open house, providing signage throughout the town, and her continued support during this eco-audit process. You're a true example of how to create and foster lasting relationships! (Plus, you're a true sport for letting me take your p
icture so many times!!)
A special thank you to Don and Ben Sauve of Sauve Heating! Ben (my husband) originally came up with the idea to have an open house for our energy audit knowing that information on the grants available can not only be difficult to find, but also to translate. I'm now looking forward to starting our improvements- specifically upgrading to our new 98% efficient furnace (the best you can find)!
And finally, thanks to my mom for donating so much food! Your meatball soup was delish, and the rest of the snacks were a huge hit - and to my pooch, Marley - for being so well behaved with so many visitors! I had quite a few offers for adoption... sorry folks! haha
We were happy to see people show up right at 10 - and then continue steadily right until 4! While not everyone signed our guest book - we estimate about 50 people (plus support from both the Kemptville EMC and Advance) to have visited - success!
A few people I'd like to thank specifically...Tim Vandermeer of DT Home Energy Advisors for walking everyone through our home audit! We must have done the fan-door test 10... 12 ... 15 times?? Thanks to you, we now know which improvements will make the biggest impact to our home, how much we'll get back for making them, and how much we can potentially save!
Steve and Kurtis Merkley of Merkley Drywall and Insulation for their insulation expertise! We quickly learned that our biggest problem is our basement. We look forward to working with Steve and Kurtis in the coming months as we plan to completely insulate our basement - and the exterior of our home (no more spiders!!). I'll post more report details soon.
Rilla Seward-McShane of Coldwell Banker Coburn Realty for her help promoting our open house, providing signage throughout the town, and her continued support during this eco-audit process. You're a true example of how to create and foster lasting relationships! (Plus, you're a true sport for letting me take your p
icture so many times!!)Jim and Rob Hossie of Kemptville Windows and Kitchens for supporting our eco-audit adventure - and for demonstrating what a difference replacing old, inefficient windows can truly make to your heating and electrical costs!
A special thank you to Don and Ben Sauve of Sauve Heating! Ben (my husband) originally came up with the idea to have an open house for our energy audit knowing that information on the grants available can not only be difficult to find, but also to translate. I'm now looking forward to starting our improvements- specifically upgrading to our new 98% efficient furnace (the best you can find)!
And finally, thanks to my mom for donating so much food! Your meatball soup was delish, and the rest of the snacks were a huge hit - and to my pooch, Marley - for being so well behaved with so many visitors! I had quite a few offers for adoption... sorry folks! hahaWe have since received our personalized report with the results of our audit. I'll post details soon - stay tuned!
Friday, April 3, 2009
Hopefully...
Here's hoping we see you tomorrow - Saturday, April 4 between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.!
Sounds like it'll be a rainy day - perfect weather to come out for some hot coffee and learn about how to save your hard-earned dough!
I'm looking forward to seeing what we'll be able to save - I'll post details soon!
And of course, if you have any questions about our open house - or about the experiment in general, please be sure to ask.
Sounds like it'll be a rainy day - perfect weather to come out for some hot coffee and learn about how to save your hard-earned dough!
I'm looking forward to seeing what we'll be able to save - I'll post details soon!
And of course, if you have any questions about our open house - or about the experiment in general, please be sure to ask.
Thursday, April 2, 2009
48 hours and counting...
Well, now that hump day's come and gone, we're officially in the home stretch to the weekend!
When making your own weekend plans, be sure to include a stop at our home sometime between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
Why, you ask? Because you will....
- See a home energy audit in action for yourself
- Have the opportunity to learn about upgrades that will save YOU money
- Talk to local area contractors to help you learn about and even schedule these upgrades
- Learn about how much money you'll receive (and save!) for the improvements you make
- Be one step closer to a more energy-efficient and comfortable home!
Can't wait to see you there!
If you have any questions about our open house, please do not hesitate to ask!
When making your own weekend plans, be sure to include a stop at our home sometime between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
Why, you ask? Because you will....
- See a home energy audit in action for yourself
- Have the opportunity to learn about upgrades that will save YOU money
- Talk to local area contractors to help you learn about and even schedule these upgrades
- Learn about how much money you'll receive (and save!) for the improvements you make
- Be one step closer to a more energy-efficient and comfortable home!
Can't wait to see you there!
If you have any questions about our open house, please do not hesitate to ask!
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