I’ve been thinking about this topic because while I love seeing the holiday displays, I’m also an energy miser and have a bit of a problem with all that electricity being used.  I think there are some compromises we can make and I’m really interested to hear other people’s thoughts on this topic.

First, it now goes without saying that getting rid of the old traditional Christmas lights is long over-due.  LED lights use 90% less energy. 
 
Consider using solar powered Christmas lights outside.  I see Canadian Tire offers a fairly large selection of these but reviews are mixed.  If they work, great but if they don’t, they are simply landfill.  Has anyone used them locally?

Use fewer lights.  There is no need to go over the top unless winning a contest is critically important to you for some reason.  I’ve seen some really nice displays using natural materials illuminated by a single flood lamp.  How about a solar powered flood light?

I’d really appreciate your input, comments and ideas on this.

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?

It begins with an Energy Audit to identify where your home loses energy.  In this regard, the Province of Ontario is still offering to pay 50% of the cost of the Audit, up to $150.  The Home Energy Audit will give you a detailed outline of your energy use that will include:

- A basement to attic assessment of your home’s insulation, heating and cooling systems, and other energy uses
- A “blower door” test to detect air leaks and drafts
- A personalized Energy Efficient Evaluation Report and recommendations

The next step is to consider making improvements and to access in some cases the grants available through the Federal ecoENERGY Retrofit program.  From now until March 31, 2012, homeowners are eligible to receive grants of up to $5,000 to make their homes more energy-efficient.

There are two important changes to the program from when it was initially launched. First, there is a requirement for participants to register directly with the program before booking their evaluation with the Environment Network.  Second, homeowners will now be required to provide receipts to their energy advisor at the time of the post-retrofit evaluation to confirm eligibility for the grant.

Locally in the Collingwood and Blue Mountain area, audits can be arranged through the Environment Network at a cost of $300.00 which is then entitled to the Provincial rebate. Click here to book an assessment with the Environment Network  or you can phone 705-446-0551 or toll free 1-866-377-0551.

Click here to see a sample report.

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?

After making the decision to proceed, we needed to hear back from OPA (Ontario Power Authority) to the application we had submitted.  It took 9 weeks at which point we were told we passed the first test of suitability.  The next step was to make application to our local service provider, in this case, COLLUS.  Before we could contact them, COLLUS automatically ent us a rather complicated application form.

We selected our solar contractor which is Sun Volts Unlimited.  I have to say that Matt, our contact person there, was the most patient, professional and helpful person I have dealt with in a very long time.  He answered our endless questions, never rolled his eyes at me, prepared a professional written quote, modified it as I added changes and, he responded in a timely and caring manner on every occasion. They assisted us in completing the forms which we submitted to COLLUS.  Within a week following, we got the final approval from OPA – a conditional offer to connect a system. 

Things have happened quickly since then.  First we met with our bank to arrange a financing plan.  Next, we signed a contract with Sun Volts, paid a hefty deposit and arranged for the engineering report to be completed.  The contractor is looking after getting the permits and all the other technical details from this point forward.

Now we just wait for the permits, the panels and the installers.  We have a target date for installation in just a few weeks and we are as excited as kids in a candy store.  I’ll keep you posted on how this journey unfolds and in the meantime, let the sun shine!

Let the sun shine in, we’ll take it with a grin…

Funny how life unfolds.  For the purpose of research for this blog, a few months ago I wrote a post about the Ontario microFIT solar program.  The more I read, the more excited I got about the opportunity this program could offer.  We decided to contact a few solar contractors to learn more and well, one thing led to another.  In less than a month from now, we’ll have solar panels on our roof at home in Collingwood.

Under the microFIT program, the Ontario Power Authority will offer a contract to buy power back from you at a rate of 80.2 cents per kW hour from a qualified roof top system.  This rate is GUARANTEED for 20 years.  This means that all of the power generated by such a system is fed back into the grid and not into our home. 

Our first step was to fill in a simple online application form which carried no cost, risk or commitment.  At this stage, I was taking the steps only to see how it worked.  In the weeks that followed, we spoke to more contractors, did more research and spoke to over a dozen homeowners in the Province who had already installed systems.

During this phase, we learned that our roof was ideal for a roof top system.  The best returns could come from a maximum 10 kW system and our large, gently sloped roof could fit that large of an installation.  We had installed new 40 year roof shingles just two years ago and, our roof faces due south with no shading from neighbouring buildings or trees.  In short, optimal conditions for solar.  How lucky was that?

We learned that there are many, many variables to take into account when choosing the system.  The size overall, the size and style of panels, the type of inverters used.. all at variable costs and rates of return.  There are potentially additional costs such as engineering reports, building permits, meter connections and of course a big chunk for HST.  In the end, a full sized system would run anywhere from $75,000 to $85,000 in total.  (Don’t stop reading after you finish groaning.)

We learned that a full-sized system in Collingwood could generate returns of $12,000 or more annually and, that projections based on satellite readings were fairly accurate.  We looked hard at the numbers.  If you have no money but you have equity in your home or other possible sources of credit, you could install a full system with no money down, pay it off in 8 to 10 years and still put over $120,000 in your pocket over the remaining years.  In addition, your home is more valuable and best of all, you are contributing to a healthier world with an alternative energy source.

This really became a no-brainer.  The more we learned, the more we wondered, why wouldn’t we do this?  For us, the biggest decision was making a commitment to stay in our home for at least the next 8 to 10 years.   Once we decided we could do that, we took the next step.

Read Part 2

Having taken advantage of the program ourselves, I encourage Canadains to look seriously at having an energy audit completed while the program is back.  You never know how long it may or may not last this time.

In other budget reaction, Canadian Home Builders’ Association President, Vince Laberge said the budget is one that lays the foundation for durable economic growth and stable housing markets.  He said, This budget marks a careful and responsible transition from stimulus spending towards creating the conditions that will renew private sector demand and investment.”

On the other hand, it is sad to note that no monies have been earmarked for the very serious issue of affordable housing and once again, no mention of developing a national housing strategy.

As most Canadians suspect, the opposition parties have stated they will not support this budget which will likely lead to a Federal election this spring.  Stay tuned.

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.

Here is a summary of programs designed to help buyers achieve their goal of homeownership.

ONTARIO’S LAND TRANSFER TAX REFUND FOR FIRST-TIME HOMEBUYERS

Land Transfer Tax (LTT) is applicable to all transfers of land in Ontario.  First-time homebuyers may be eligible for a refund of all or part of that tax under this program.

For Agreements of Purchase and Sale entered into after December 13, 2007, the refund applies to all homes, whether newly constructed or resale. 

Maximum amount of the refund is $2,000.  If the refund is claimed at the time of registration it may offset the LTT payable; if not, the claim is made direction from the Ministry of Revenue.  Applications for a refund must be made within 18 months following the date of the transfer.

To claim a refund, you must be at least 18 years old; you must occupy the home as your principal residence within 9 months after the date of transfer and you cannot have owned nor had an interest in a home anywhere in the world.  Remember your spouse cannot have had an interest in a home nor had an interest in a home anywhere in the world.

For more detailed information on qualifying or claiming this refund, please visit:  http://www.rev.gov.on.ca/en/refund/newhome/index.html

HOME BUYERS’ PLAN (HBP)   

This program allows you to withdraw funds from your Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP) to buy or to build a qualifying home for yourself or for a related person with a disability.

The maximum withdrawal allowable under the HBP in a calendar year from an RRSP to buy or build a qualifying home without having to pay tax on the withdrawal is $25,000. 

You have to intend to occupy the home as your principal residence, no later than one year after buying/building it. 

You have to be considered a first time homebuyer (unless you are buying/building for a related person with a disability.)

Your HBP balance on January 1^st of the year of withdrawal must be 0.

In most cases, you repay the funds to your RRSP over a period of no more than 15 years.

For more important information about this program, please visit:  http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/tx/ndvdls/tpcs/rrsp-reer/hbp-rap/menu-eng.html

FIRST TIME HOME BUYERS’ TAX CREDIT (HBTC)

The HBTC is a non-refundable tax credit, based on an amount of $5,000.  for certain homebuyers who acquire a qualifying home, after January 27, 2009.

To qualify for this tax credit, you or your spouse (or common-law partner) acquired a qualifying home; and; you did not live in another home which you or your spouse (or common-law partner) owned in the year of acquisition or in any of the four preceding years.  The exception to the first time buyer requirement is if you are a person with a disability – or – are buying a house for a related person with a disability. 

As of this date, the calculations shown on the government’s website are based on the 2009 rate, so, the $5,000.  amount mentioned above is multiplied by the lowest personal income tax rate for the year (which was 15% in 2009.)  For 2009, the credit was $750.

Most homes qualify for this program and it must be occupied by you or the related person with a disability as a principal residence no later than one year after the home is acquired.

This credit is claimed on your personal income tax return. 

For more important information about this program, please visit:  http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/nwsrm/fctshts/2010/m01/fs100121-eng.html

CMHC GREEN HOME

Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation has now added environmentally friendly features to its Mortgage Loan Insurance.  If you choose to buy an energy-efficient home; purchase a home and make renovations that would save energy, or renovate your existing home to make it more energy efficient, you may qualify for a 10% refund on the Mortgage Loan Premium you pay to CMHC.  You may also qualify for an extended amortization time on the mortgage without being charged a premium surcharge. 

For detailed information about qualifying for this refund please visit:  http://www.cmhc-schl.gc.ca/en/co/moloin/moloin_008.cfm and for a list of homes built under qualifying programs, please visit:  http://www.cmhc-schl.gc.ca/en/co/moloin/moloin_011.cfm

The Ontario Sustainable Construction & Resource Centre (OSCAR) (formally called The Ontario Green Building Resource Centre) a not-for-profit organization, is hosting it’s first Green Homes Technoolgy Tour on Saturday October 23rd from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.  The tour is a full day, interactive and education experience that will enable participants to learn from green homeowners and qualified professionals. 

According to their website,  the tour visit homes in Grey and Bruce County which incorporate design and construction practices that combine healthy, high quality, high performance systems and materials that reduce environmental impacts.  As they say on their site, “understanding sustainable building is an important step towards reducing your footprint and improving the economic, health, and social performance of a home.”

Tickets are just $30.00 for adults or $15.00 for students which include bus transportation and lunch as well.  Full details can be found on their website at http://greenhometour.ca/.