1.  Go buy some metal backed duct-tape and seal all of your exposed duct seams in any unfinished areas such as your attics, garages, basements and crawl spaces.  Add a wrap of ductwork insulation if accessible.

2. Install a programmable thermostat to lower the temperature in your house when you are sleeping or away.  Just one degree can reduce your bill by as much as 3%.

3. Best bang for your buck is air sealing.  Close all your windows and doors and then light a stick of incense and go around to fit air movement.  Window frames, doors, baseboards, ceiling penetrations, wall outlets – they are all culprits.  The biggest single heat loss is usually through an improperly fitted and sealed attic hatch.  Have you checked yours lately?  Install foam gaskets behind all of your outer wall outlets and under your ceiling light fixtures.  Use clear caulking to seal around baseboards and foam larger gaps around toilet stacks and outside holes.

4. Clean your outside vents so they close properly when not in use.  The grease build up on things like a hood fan or laundry vent can cause the flaps to remain open when not in use allowing warm air to escape.

5. Check the temperature oh your hot water heater.  Most installers set it at 140 degrees.  You can safely reduce it to 120 degrees.  While you are at it, install an insulation jacket if it is an electric heater.

6. Make sure your heating vents and cold air returns are open and that air can move in and out freely.

7. Use your curtains to allow passive solar heating to come in during the day through south facing windows and then close them all up at night.

8. Have your furnace serviced, ducts cleaned if necessary and change your air filters every month through the heating season.

9. Run your ceiling fans in reverse to allow accumulated warm air to push down.  This is especially good if you have a fan on a cathedral ceiling.

10. Buy flannel sheets.  Ok, I have no idea if this helps but being a person who hates having cold feet when I got to bed at night, I went and bought a set (40% off of course) and think this may be warmer and cozier than cool, crisp cotton sheets in winter.

Do you have other inexpensive and quick tips to share here?

We are now the proud owners of the largest, residential roof top solar system in Collingwood.  For now, anyway.

Since the last post, things happened pretty quickly and smoothly except for one minor glitch. 
Some municipalities require engineering studies before issuing building permits for installations and some don’t.  Collingwood does so, we had a report completed.  The engineer suggested that it may be prudent for us to reinforce two roof rafters before winter to ensure we can carry snow loads.  At that point, it occurred to me, that we really should have had an engineering study done BEFORE we signed a solar contract.  In our case, it was fine but, what if the engineer had determined that the roof was not suitable?

Last Friday, the building permit was issued and, on Monday of this week, installation began.  A crew of three guys from SunVolts Unlimited  worked in the 34 degree heat on Tuesday (a good omen I think) laying the tracks for the racking systems, the cabling, meter boxes and basically the foundation for the panels which were installed on Wednesday.  Our system actually covers two south facing roofs on our house.  The end result is that they are barely obvious at all!  We’ve had several people drop by since then and not one has noticed the panels until we pointed them out.

The only unsightly part is the new metering boxes which are close to our entry way and very obvious.  We can deal with those through landscaping but it will take awhile to get that established.

Kudos to one of our local newspapers, the Enterprise-Bulletin, who sent a reporter out to get a story about the microFIT program and our experience.  We are amazed at the amount of interest people have and we are happy as each new person learns more about the benefits of solar.

Now we wait.  That’s the hardest part of this whole journey so far.  The days are long, bright and sunny but our panels are not yet connected to the grid.  We are waiting for the final safety inspections and for our local utility supplier, COLLUS to be able to connect the new meters.  Hopefully this will happen in the next week or so.

We really have to give a shout out to our contractor, SunVolts Unlimited.  From beginning to end, they have been on our side, keeping us informed and answering our many, many questions.  They follow-up before we even have a chance to ask and, their whole team has been 100% professional and a pleasure to deal with.  We’re very glad we chose them for this project.  Equally, COLLUS has been the same and communicates with us, answers our questions and has made the process easier than expected.

If you are interested to see the installation as it went along, you can view a photo album of pictures on my Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/#!/collingwood.bluemountain 

 
We’re Going Solar at Our House ; Part 1
What is a Better Invest; Income Property or Solar?

You may think this a very odd thing for a REALTOR to say, but is it possible that there is actually a leveraged investment out there that is better than income property?  I’m talking about solar power generation.

Not a day goes by that there is not some mention about this technology and like you, I’ve been taking notice.  There are some interesting facts out there.  Did you know that southern Ontario receives  almost as much solar radiation as Miami, Florida?  In regard to solar, it’s actually better in our cooler climate since solar photovoltaic technology works less efficiently as the temperature in the solar panels increases

A typical solar PV system ranges from $6,000 to $10,000 per kilowatt (kW) installed. The least expensive system to install is a grid-tied system while the most expensive is the off-grid system.  Under the Ontario microFIT program, a homeowner can install a system, up to 10 kW in size.  That’s a lot of money!

Then again, spending $60-100,000 is less than the cost of buying another income property.   According to Natural Resources Canada, every kilowatt (1000 watts) of solar PV installed in southern Ontario should produce an average of 1150 – 1300 kWh (kilowatt hours) of power annually.   Under Ontario’s microFIT program, the government is guaranteeing to buy the power generated back from me for 20 years at astronomical rates of 80.2 cents per kWh for a roof stop system or 64.2 cents for a ground mount system which is less expensive to install. 

How does this translate:  According to this website, I could expect the following:

$70,000 installed sloped roof residential or commercial 11.5 kW* (11,500W) rated Grid Tie Solar PV system based on an annual average of 4 peak sun hours per day:

1. 11.5 kW (11,500W) x .8 (20%) de-rate factor** = 9.2 kW
2. 9.2 kW x 4 peak sun hours/day =  36.8 kWh/day
3. 36.8 kWh/day x 80.2 cents/kWh = $29.51 /day revenue
4. $29.51 x 30 days (x365/12 method) = $897.60 average per month income or $10,771.20 annual revenue.

Now let’s say I have no money and need to finance the cost 100%.  Canadian banks are now seeing the merit in lending money for this investment.  It’s a guaranteed return for 20 years, remember?  So if I went to the bank and borrowed $70,000 at an average rate of 5% paid off over 15 years, my cost would be $552.00 a month or$6,624.00 a year.  Gosh, I could even pay down my loan each year to pay it off faster.  We’d have more than enough to pay our entire hydro bill and still have money left for increased insurance.
If I paid it off over ten years, it would cost us $8892.00 a year.

Hmm.  On top of this, my house would have an increased value every year that goes by.  After my system is paid off, I’m REALLY making some money.  I’d have no maintenance, no tenancies to deal with, an increased property value …

Here are a few of the sites I’ve been reading:

Ontario Ministry of Energy has a useful website explaining the use of residential solar energy systems http://www.mei.gov.on.ca/en/energy/index.php?page=solarpv_res
TD-Canada Trust Financing: http://www.tdcanadatrust.com/renewableenergy/homeowner/
Renewable Energy Technology Site:  http://www.retpower.com/return-on-investment
Ontario Power Authority http://microfit.powerauthority.on.ca/
COLLUS (Collingwood Utilities) http://www.collus.com/feed-in-tariff

So tell me, what am I missing?

Update:  We did it – we went solar!  Read about it here.

One of the most common things we see in homes is damp basements.  There may not be water problems per se but uninsulated concrete absorbs moisture and the continued exposure to static pressure from the ground outside is a source of musty odours in many basements.  The most common place is in a cold room.

I sit on the board of directors for a local condo corporation that has experienced some issues with musty basements.  In the course of investigating a number of things, we had an expert mention a product I had never heard of before called Crystal-Lok®.

When I got home, I started researching it on the Internet and found a few references but not many.  I did find the manufacturer though and, to make a long story short, I ended up speaking with a contractor who uses this product and arranged for a visit.

A Crystal-Lok® lesson in our basement

Crystal-Lok® is a ready-to-use, clear, water-based penetrating sealer designed for application to the surface of concrete above or below grade, inside or out.  It is used for sealing, hardening, densifying, dust-proofing, waterproofing and weatherproofing plus it stops water seepage where it is not caused by cracking or other structural failure.  In short, a potentially miraclulous product for us homeowners!

In addition, the product is solvent-free, odor-free, non-toxic (VOC <0.01 mg/L) and non-flammable plus, it is permanent and never requires re-application.

If you’ve been trying to figure out what to do with that musty cold room or basement, you may want to look into this.  You can apply it yourself or have it done at a surprisingly low cost.

After a great deal of panic and hand-wringing, we contacted a company called Pipe Vision who came over and ran cameras through the weepers to see what was going on.  Sure enough, the weepers were so plugged with silt in several areas that the camera could not even penetrate.  While this answered the question of why the basement was wet (weepers not working), it still did not answer why these relatively new weepers could be so clogged.

I know from 21 years in the real estate business that the very best contractor around for this type of problem is a fellow named Frank Fisher – a third generation excavator who has seen just about everything in this area.  Between him and his side-kick John Bettencourt, they know soil conditions and construction issues the way they know how to breathe.
 
Although we had to wait a full 3 months for them to be available, they finally came and the fun began.  With incredible finesse and skill, Frank excavated our entire foundation.  All we saw were 20 foot high mounds of dirt.  The grass was pretty well gone.  Our stone patio and entry stairs were gone, our two decks were taken apart and it felt a bit like a noisy war zone most days.  As it turns out, it was a great learning adventure.

We learned three important things:
1.  There was a very old (likely from the 1800’s) clay drain tile emptying about 3 feet away from the foundation providing a continuous source of water underground.
2. The weepers that were put in before were installed incorrectly!  As pointed out in part 1, the weepers must be installed BELOW the footings whereas these ones were resting right on top.
3. The aggregate (stone) covering the weepers was dirty stone as opposed to clean stone meaning that silt filtered through directly into the slits of the weeping drainage pipes and, there was no proper filter cloth creating a screen.

Over a period of 8 days, all the weeping tiles were replaced with new ones, new clean stone was wrapped and put in, the walls were re-tarred for damp-proofing and a rubber dimple wrap was added for water-proofing.  The soil was filled back in, the land graded and the first stage of construction completed.

As John says, you could float the house in Georgian Bay now and we’d stay dry.  I think he’s right!  Here’s a 90 second clip showing some of our adventure.

A little history:  the house was custom built and then changed hands a few times. From what I’ve heard from neighbours, a wet basement had been an issue for a long time. Then, the owner before us decided to rectify the situation once and for all.  She had the foundation dug up, new weeping tile installed, the foundation walls wet-proofed with a blue skin membrane and put in the beginnings of a back yard drainage system.

This is a weeping tile

When we bought the house about 6 years ago, we were given copies of the invoices showing the work that had been done.  We then completed the drainage system in the rear yard which works like a charm.  We had confidence that any problem was surely rectified so we went ahead and finished the basement.  So, you can imagine our heartache when we opened a wall running along the back of our home only to find water running along the base where the floor and wall meet.  Everything above was dry which ruled out things like burst pipes, snow, rain or grading issues.  I knew right away that it was the weepers.  The 8 year old weepers!  I turned into one myself.  We wondered, how is this possible?

It’s worth taking a moment to explain weeping tiles.  According to a reference in Wikipedia a weeping tile is “used for underground drainage. The pipe is usually made of  plastic with small slits cut lengthwise into it. It is buried and surrounded by aggregate larger than the slits. The aggregate rocks prevent excessive soil from falling through the slits into the weeping tile. With this arrangement, water in the surrounding soil above the weeping tile flows into the weeping tile. The weeping tile then drains into a storm sewer or a sump pump.”  “It is used for water drainage near basement foundations to prevent flooding. It can be used in farmer’s fields to drain waterlogged fields. Such fields are called “tiled”. Weeping tiles can be used anywhere soil needs to be drained.”

“The weeping tile is to be installed so that the top of the product is lower than the bottom of the interior concrete floor. The weeping tile should be connected to a sump pit, located on the interior of the home. The ground water collected in the sump pit can then be removed by a sump pump. The exhausted water can be pumped a safe distance from the home by means of a flexible line or in some areas, into the city storm drains. Care should be taken not to create flooding conditions for adjoining properties.”

Next week- what we found and what we did

Most home owners at one time or another, do a renovation project in their homes.  This is a great opportunity to look for green options and a little research can lead to all kinds of interesting ideas.

Here is a video that looks at a “green” kitchen.  Nothing in it is too complex or expensive for the average home owner to incorporate in a kitchen remodel:

I especially love the idea of using recycled glass materials for the counter top and using bamboo for cabinetry.  Did you know some bamboos grow up to 2 feet in a day?  I’ve even heard of 4 feet.  And yes, it can grow in Canada so it would be good of course to look for sources nearby where possible to reduce shipping and transportation impacts on the environment.

As the demand for environmentally sustainable housing grows exponentially each year, I would think a kitchen that incorporates “green” features wherever possible will also add value to a home.

Darn it, now I want to remodel my 80’s kitchen…

On March 31st of this year, the Federal government abruptly announced an immediate end to their very popular ecoEnergy Retrofit Homes Program.  Under that initiative, homeowners were able to access grants of up to $10,000 of combined Federal and Provincial contributions for specific home energy retrofits.  This was our own experience with it.

Earlier this week, the Ontario government announced it was continuing with their half of the program for the time being.  According to the Ministry of Energy website,  “Ontario is reviewing its options to create and deliver effective conservation programs to Ontarians. Until such time a decision is made and notice given, Ontario will continue to fund new pre-retrofit audits. This means we will continue to pay 50% of your home’s audit, up to $150. Audits will qualify you for up to $5,000 in provincial retrofit grants.”

In my opinion, the audit is well worth doing regardless of any grants but the reality is that the funds have been the incentive that drove homeowners to participate in the program.  The contributions allowed many people to carry out retrofits they may not have been able to do otherwise and the end result is that many thousands of Ontarians have improved the energy efficiency of their homes and the health of the Planet.

If you have not already booked an audit, how about doing it today on Earth Day?  Locally, you can contact the Environment Network by phone or online to arrange a visit or, you can search for a certified audit delivery agency here. 

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.

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?