I have a super human sense of smell.  While this drives me (and my family, friends and co-workers) crazy at times, it sure does come in handy in the real estate business.  If a house has any musty smell, even hidden in a closet, I’ll usually smell it before my shoes are off at the door.

In my own home, this once resulted in my tearing off a piece of drywall in an interior closet only to find a coffee cup between two sheets of drywall left behind by the contractor.  No one else could smell it but to my nose, it was so musty that I couldn’t sleep at night even one floor away.

Do your windows sweat in the winter?  Have you noticed more static cling when you take clothes out of the dryer?
It is usually in the colder months when we most notice moisture issues in our home.  As cold and warm airs mix at certain points, we may find condensation forming on windows, musty smells or, dry skin and static.  Finding a balance is important as the long term effects on our homes and contents can be significant if left unattended.

One of the most common things I see in houses is mold growing on window ledges.  Often, the seals have failed on the window units themselves allowing cold air in to mix with the warm inside area which creates a perfect breeding ground for mold growth.  Another common issue is the presence of exposed concrete walls in a basement with insufficient heat and air exchange resulting in musty smells and often showing signs of mold growth.

During the heating season, the relative humidity of a home should be in the range of 30 to 50%.  In order to determine this, home owners can buy a fairly inexpensive gadget called a hygrometer which will provide a reading of the relative humidity in your home in various areas.  You can buy either mechanical or electronic versions at most hardware stores for under $50.00.  If you find the balance is off, there can be several reasons and many options for rectify those.

CMHC has an excellent booklet about moisture and air problem signs and remedies.  If you are having issues with either too much or too little humidity in your home, don’t ignore it.  Your health and comfort are important so it’s worth addressing the issues.

Well, maybe that is a big first step.  But it is true indeed that one persons junk is another persons’ treasure.
A few years ago, we had a yard sale and among other things, there was an old iron bed headboard.  The lady who bought it told me she was going to give it a fresh coat of black paint and it would become a garden gate.  What a great idea!

Now, I am the least creative person I know when it comes to decorating ideas.  If it weren’t for my friends, I can’t imagine what our home might look like.  But somehow over the years, we’ve been able to create a nest that we think is cozy and beautiful without spending much.  Believe it or not, after over 30 years of home ownership, we don’t own any new furniture.  Even our bed was a wedding gift!  Recently it occurred to be that the golden pine cannonballs were very “retro” now but in need of some updating.  Rather than buy our first bed, we shipped it off for refinishing (with VOC-free paint of course) and voila – the now linen-cream coloured posts and frame look new and chic.

We had an old chair that was SOOOO comfy but sadly, the stuffing didn’t survive our kids teen years.  Rather than cart if off to become land-fill, we had it recovered and it’s gorgeous if I say so myself.  We splurged on exquisite quality upholstery when Three Herons had a sale on downtown and now, it sits proudly in our living room as a focal point of the room.

We have a lamp made out of an old knitting spool.  In one house I sold, the headboard of their frameless bed was made of a piece of driftwood with small glass vases affixed for dried flowers.  I’ve seen framed children’s art that look like gallery pieces.

When it comes to home decorating, I’m trying harder to see what I can alter, reclaim, adapt and reuse before rushing out to buy new.  How about you?

With the current Home Renovation Tax Credit (HRTC) and the ecoEnergy grants available, home renovation appears to be alive and well.  It certainly is in our house.

Have you ever wondered what the pay back might be for the money you invest in those renovations? 

The Appraisal Institute of Canada has a handy calculator on their website to assist people in estimating this pay back range on 20 of the most popular home renovation projects.  While it is a guideline only and does not reflect differences in various real estate markets, it will give most people a good sense of what is really worthwhile doing in terms of investment.  You can visit the website here.

I would have to add that renovations have a pay back in more subtle ways as well that are harder to quantify.  Some renovations may not easily have a dollar figure attached however, they will impact the salability of the house.  For example, putting in new carpet is said to have a return value of 50-75% of the original cost.  If however you’ve put in a bold colour that only you and three other people might love, that could drop considerably.  On the other hand, replacing that purple carpet with hardwood flooring might yield a return of greater than 100% and affect how quickly the house will sell.

I got a notice the other day from the Environment Network in Collingwood that I think will be of interest to all rural property owners.  They are promoting the Well Aware Program  which is a project of Green Communities Canada that receives funding support from the Ontario Ministry of the Environment.

Well Aware home visits, conducted by trained Water Guides, help rural well owners identify priorities for action to protect their drinking water source. The visits, which are VOLUNTARY, CONFIDENTIAL, and NON-REGULATORY, guide well owners through a self-assessment to help identify and address potential risks to their well water.

This Includes:
• Well owners are guided through a self-assessment to help identify and address
potential risks to their well water
• Recommendations on well maintenance and upgrading
• Water Conservation Tips
• Information on sealing unused wells
• How to correctly take water samples
• Septic Safety Information
• A full written report for the well owner

To arrange well aware home visit for rural well and septic owners in Simcoe and Grey Counties, contact the Environment Network located at 44 St. Marie St. In Collingwood, 705.446.0551 or Toll Free: 866.377.0551 Email: info@environmentnetwork.org

Time for another update on our chemical free-lawn progress.

If you recall, I first wrote about this  in May of last year.  Our lawn had already been free of chemicals for almost two years but the poor thing was suffering.

Then, about 15 months ago, we hired Garden Holistics to come in and apply some organic magic.  I know many people are sceptical about organic solutions but I can tell you from experience, it’s worked really well for us.  Here is our lawn today:

It’s not perfect and yes, there are some weeds here and there but it’s healthy, soft, lush and happy like us.  Most communities have now followed Collingwood’s lead and banned the use of pesticides and lawn chemicals.  Alternatives exist and get better each year.  Now, when I see an artificially and perfect bright green lawn free of a single weed, I can’t help but think of how unhealthy it really is.  Organic has proven to be more than satisfactory without putting our health at risk.

Can you imagine having an oil spill on your own property and the subsequent costs involved in cleaning it up?  Depending on the size, location and nature of the spill, the costs could easily reach the 5 and 6 figures or, in one case we know of, the millions! This is not an odd occurrence – I have seen several examples over the last twenty years of oil spills, faulty tanks, buried tanks and site contamination.

While there are no laws that provide for age limit restrictions by either code or regulation requiring an oil tank to be replaced, insurers take a very specific view on this issue.

Recently, I received an email from Grassroots Home Inspections in Owen Sound about home insurance.  Attached was a copy of a notice from TD Home and Auto Insurance that very clearly stated:

Please note that damage due to the escape of domestic fuel oil is no longer covered through your main home insurance policy.  Provided you are eligible, this coverage can now be added to your home insurance policy through our Domestic Fuel Oil Escape endorsement.”

According to TD’s website, eligible includes having a policy with them already plus:

• You have an aboveground exterior tank which is less than 14 years old or an interior tank which is less than 19 years old. If your tank is near our designated age limit, you may be asked to replace it.
• Your tank is in perfect working condition; this means there are no signs of leakage or spills, no evident fumes or odours.
• Your tank is inspected/serviced annually by a certified or licensed heating contractor.
• Your tank is located on a non-combustible, level support.
• For exterior installations both your tank and fuel supply line are protected from vehicle impact.
• You reside in Canada.

In most cases today, we make offers conditional upon the buyer satisfying themselves that they can obtain insurance for the home they wish to purchase.  In addition, people who are putting an offer in on a home that is heated with oil, would be prudent to make the offer further conditional upon having the oil tank inspected  to ensure that the system is in good operating order and that it will be compliant with current insurance requirements.

Grassroots has provided some good information about this topic on their website.   If you are considering the purchase of a home with oil heat or, with an old oil tank present, it’s crucial that the safety of the system be addressed at the time of an offer.  If you are a homeowner with an existing oil system, you would be well advised to have your tank inspected and ensure that your insurance policy covers your system.

Do you ever wonder how your own behaviours and expenditures as a home owner stack up to the norm?

According to a report released by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), approximately 1.7 million households across 10 major city centres spent almost $21.3 billion on renovations to their primary residence in 2008.  About 35 percent of households spent $1,000 or more on these renovations.

Other highlights from the survey include:

• The most popular reno was painting or wallpapering a room, with 28% of those who renovated stating they had undertaken this type of renovation in 2008.  Remodelling a room or installing wall to wall carpeting or hard surface flooring came a close second at 27 percent.
• Of those households who renovated in 2008, about 75% did alterations and improvements to their homes, 46 percent did maintenance and repairs.  The survey further noted 19% completed both maintenance and repairs and alterations and improvements in 2008.
• The main reason for renovating given by the renovating respondents was that they wanted to add value, update or to prepare their home for selling.  Second most popular was that the dwelling needed to be repaired.
• Renovating to increase energy efficiency was popular in Halifax and Ottawa in 2008.
• The majority of those households who renovated, hired a contractor to do all of the work (39%);  while 30% did the work themselves or with help of family/friends and approximately 25% both hired a contract and did some of the work themselves.
• Of the homeowners surveyed across the 10 major centres, an average of $12,600 was spent on renovations, which is down approximately $200 from 2007. 
• The survey found that householders living in older homes spend more on renovations.  $20,000 on average was spent on renos to home built between 1921-1945, while in newer homes built between 2006-2008 spent around $7,500
• Of the renovating households, 46% stayed on budget with their renovation costs, while 38% went over budget.
• Close to half (46%) of all homeowners included in this survey indicated having an intention to undertake home renos of more than $1,000 in 2009.  This is more than the number of households who DID undertake renos in 2008 (35%.)
• The number one method of paying for renovations in 2008 was from savings (almost 75%) as opposed to around 26% using credit cards or lines of credit.

We often talk about our desire to “go green” but outside of replacing fluorescent light bulbs and using organic garbage bins, I’m not sure some people really have been able to translate their desires into concrete action.  I’ve been thinking about this a great deal lately as we try to develop our own green plan here in our home.

A few weeks ago, it was a real treat for me to visit my clients, Dr and Dr Vecchio at their Inner Harmony Chiropractic Clinic and to see a green commitment in action.  You may recall from earlier posts  that Dave and Melissa have a special touch when it comes to renovating and, they’ve done it once again.

When they bought this building last year, it had been home to a lovely older couple for many, many years.  The Vecchio’s could envision modifying the property into a live/work space with a longer term view of an exclusively commercial space.  They brought in Paulette Clement who has a master’s degree and many years of experience in the area of Feng Shui as well as a professional design background.  I have to say it was fascinating to hear her thoughts and really in hindsight, they were spot on.

Since then, the Vecchio’s have done a marvellous renovation that has been 90% green.  Here are some examples of what they did:

•  Purchased materials from the Habitat for Humanity Restore in order to recycle and reuse wherever possible.  They found things like tiles, wood, mirrors and old doors that could be put to reuse
• All paints and finishes are low VOC including the floor stain which is a non-toxic, water-based formulation made by SamaN.
•  I found the unique, textured  finish on the reception area walls of particular interest.  Made from American clay, it comes in a powder from eco Inhabit in Meaford.
• Most windows were replaced with Energy Star approved windows
• They used natural slate in the entry and bathrooms while the old existing hardwood floors were refinished with low VOC, water-based stain.
• The unique reception area bench was made with wood reclaimed from an old park bench and old doors!
• A half wall made of natural stone product separates the waiting area from the clinical area allowing light and air to flow freely through-out
• The reception desk was reused from another business
• All of the original wood trim was salvaged

“Meet” Melissa in this quick 1 minute video:

A few weeks ago, I read a blog post  written by one of my favourite home inspectors about radon gas.  For years we’ve heard rumours that this may become the “next big thing” and suddenly, it seems to be here.

Radon gas is an invisible and radioactive gas that may be present in cellars, basements and crawl spaces of our homes.  It is the second leading cause of lung cancer, next to smoking.  According to Steve, “It exists naturally in the environment in very low concentrations. Radon comes from uranium in the soil. While uranium is not present in significant quantities in most geographical areas, traces of uranium in the soil exist everywhere. As uranium breaks down, it produces radon gas.”

Then a few week’s ago, I was reading my latest issue of Maclean’s magazine and lo and behold, there’s a headline that says, “Feds look into Canada’s killer homes” and it’s all about radon.  It says that while radon is hardly new, the Federal government is suddenly anxious to investigate further to find out which neighbourhoods are particularly at risk.  They plan to spend almost $1 million testing 18,000 randomly selected homes to pinpoint possible danger zones.

There are do-it-yourself test kits available at hardware stores for around $50.00 but resolution is best left to the professionals.  I doubt most of us have reason to run out and buy a kit however, I can predict the day will come that insurers will require testing in certain zones.  This is an issue to keep our eye on in the real estate industry.

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The house that my hubby and I live in is just over 20 years old.  It was well built and you wouldn’t think there would be much value to having an energy audit done.  Think again.

Since talking to people a lot about things like ecoEnergy rebates,  the pending Home Energy Rating Act and about becoming a certified Green Broker,  I’ve found that public awareness and sadly interest, is still very low about green real estate initiatives.  Almost daily, I find myself telling people about the opportunities available.  Even in the general real estate community, few REALTORS® seem to be aware of these types of things.

This week, we had our audit done and thought it may be helpful to follow the process with you. 

First, we went online to the Collingwood based, Environment Network website and filled out a request for an audit.  Within 24 hours, we got a call and an appointment was arranged within days.  The price is $300.00 plus GST however, the government will automatically refund $150.00 to us after the audit is done.

Yesterday, Jeff, the auditor arrived and started by doing a walk about the outside of the house taking notes, measurements and pictures.  Then he came inside and toured the house looking at things like our toilets, windows, heating/cooling mechanicals and an attic inspection.  All the while, Jeff was most pleasant in explaining to us what he was looking for and he was very patient in answering our questions as we went along.

Next came the really fun part.  Jeff set up a contraption at the front door which created an air lock through which he placed a large blower fan.  This was connected to a computer and controller device of some sort so that a blower test could be performed.  Basically what it does is create a de-pressurized state in the house which causes air leaks to be easily revealed.  Jeff explained to us that the combined effect of multiple little air leaks could be the equivalent to having a big hole in your wall directly to the outside.

While the blower was working, we then walked around the entire house and looked for drafts around things like electrical outlets on outside walks, the range hood fan, dryer vents, window and door frames, baseboards and so on.  Our energy rated windows performed well but we did find some air leaks around doors that could easily be fixed with new gaskets.  We were amazed to feel the air blowing back in through vents – they had never been cleaned outside and were no longer closing properly.  Places where vents headed outside or too the attic left some real drafty holes and a quick correction with foam spray should solve those problem areas.  Our attic is well insulated but with the passage of time and the recognition of higher standards, Jeff explained to us that we could blow in lots of extra insulation to bring it up to an R50 value for a very reasonable cost.

One of the things we had not thought about was phantom energy. Today, when we turn off appliances, battery chargers, TV’s or computers, the little lights are still drawing currents that add up around the house to several dollars of electrical usage that would be the equivalent to leaving several lights on 24/7 all year round.  By simply plugging these into a power bar and shutting that off at night, we could reduce our energy consumption painlessly.

In Collingwood, every drop of water we use is meterered and then sewer fees are tied to that.  Jeff pointed out that two of our toilets were 13L tanks instead of the more efficient 6L tanks readily available on the market today. By changing those, we could reduce our water consumption by 7L every single time we flush and that would certainly add up over time. He also suggested we consider investing in or renting one of the new tankless hot water heaters that only heat water as needed rather than 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

In the end, our house rated as being in the top rating category for energy efficiency but yet there is much we can do to improve.

Jeff gave us a kit that explained all of the things we could do.  It also included a questionnaire that could assist us further in improving our energy efficiency by looking at newer energy rated appliances, how we use our furnace and ceiling fans, energy efficient lighting choices and so on. 

But the best part was reviewing the ecoEnergy grants available to us.  I’ll review that in the next post.

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