Are You Eligible for a Renovation Tax Credit?

For homeowners planning to spruce up their houses or make them more energy efficient, this may be the year to act thanks to a Home Renovation Tax Credit that has been put into effect by the federal government. The temporary tax break, allows homeowners who spend money on home renovations a 15 per cent tax credit between $1,000 and $10,000 before February 1st, 2010, to a maximum credit of $1,350. This covers a variety of projects, including renovations to houses, cottages and condos.

In addition to major work such as rebuilding a kitchen or bath, or finishing a basement, it covers a lot of smaller upgrades.

New flooring or rugs, a new furnace or water heater, a refinished driveway, sod for the lawn, interior and exterior painting are all covered.

The credit comes one to a household, although any member may claim it.

It doesn’t cover things such as new furniture, household electronics or maintenance contracts for snow removal, pool cleaning and the like.

Households who make energy-saving home improvements will be able to essentially double-dip because they are eligible for grants under the federal ecoENERGY retrofit program as well as the new tax credit, in addition to provincial rebate programs where applicable such as the LiveSmart BC program.

Hiring a Contractor:
If you’re planning on hiring a contractor to do renovation or repair work on your home, hire a contractor with a solid reputation for doing good work, and have a comprehensive written contract in place before the work begins. There are many experienced and reliable contractors who do business the right way. If you are offered lower prices as long as nothing is written down and you pay them in cash you should know what the risks are before you make a hiring decision. These “under the table” cash deals mean a lot more risk for you. Always Get it in Writing.

Contact Shell Busey’s HouseSmart Home Services Referral Network whether you need something repaired, maintained or installed. We cover everything from Bathrooms to Kitchens and Basements to Attics.

• Maintenance and Repairs
• Electrical
• Plumbing
• Heating and Cooling
• Painting
• Decks
• Carpentry
• Furniture Refinishing
• Licensed Home Energy Audits
• And more…

Phone 604-542-2236 or outside Greater Vancouver 1-888-266-8806

www.TheHouseSmart.com

This information is a general overview of the program provided by the Federal Government and is subject to changes by the government at any time. To ensure the accuracy and if your upgrades qualify for the Home Renovation Tax Credit, please obtain infromation from your financial advisor or go to the Canada Revenue Agency’s website at www.cra-arc.gc.ca or call 1-800-O-Canada (1-800-622-6232.)

Garage Weatherproofing and Maintenance

When we think about keeping the heat in our homes, weather stripping is often considered a cost effective way to help keep the heat in. Weather-stripping is installed around walk-in doors and windows, but an area often overlooked, that causes a major impact around your home; especially during the winter months is your garage.

Garage Weatherproofing

Garage doors should be weather stripped especially if the garage is under bedrooms or living space. Cold winds blowing in and around garage doors can cause discomfort especially on the floors, by cooling the hot air furnace ducts running within the floor joists.

Using garage door weather stripping around the perimeter of the door on the wood frame, and convex rubber door stripping on the bottom of the door will give you the weatherproofing required.

After weather stripping the garage door, it is most important to vent the cavity of the garage, as moisture will need to get out by means of proper ventilation. Simply install an 8 x 8 wall vent in two sides (front and back) of the garage allowing the moisture to evaporate and exit through the passive wall vents.

Wood or single skinned steel garage doors can be insulated using a a foil type insulation such as reflectix, keeping your garage cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter. Properly weatherproofing your home will help you keep the warm air in, saving you money on your utility bills with the added benefit of having a more comfortable home

Insulating Unheated Garages

To insulate an unheated garage, you must first strap the inside of the building, then apply rigid foam insulation (a minimum of 1 inch thickness.) Remember to install your 2 vents on opposing walls, at least 6 inches in diameter.

Finish the inside of the building with thin plywood wall paneling (NOT Drywall) over the foam insulation doing both walls and the underside of the roof.

Tips on Wood Garage Doors

Garage doors should always be painted or stained on the inside as well as the outside including top, bottom and side edges. Remove rubber weather-stripping from the bottom of the door and reinstall after finishing.

Wooden garage doors with panels should be caulked using acrylic latex caulking around the inside of the panels (where the panels insert into the door frame) before painting or staining.

All wood garage doors over 12 feet wide with automatic door mechanisms should have a sag eliminator device installed to eliminate any chance of the door sagging in the middle (commonly known as a garage door smile: up at the sides and down in the middle.)

When vehicles are parked in a garage during the winter months with snow and ice melting off, there must be ventilation provided, which allows the moisture to evaporate and escape without condensing on your garage door or windows.

When moisture evaporates it increases the relative humidity within the space. By installing 2 vents at least 6 inches in diameter, in the garage wall on opposite sides will allow air currents to vent the garage space, lowering the relative humidity. Therefore no moisture will condense. These vents should have an outside wall rain cap and an inside adjustable diffuser to control air flow.

Relative Humidity will always take the least line of resistance thereby taking the easy way out through the vents, leaving no puddles, drippy doors or windows.

Garage Door Maintenance:

Your garage door does need to be maintained from time to time, as springs, hinges and bolts can come loose, making you’re garage door drafty, noisy, and even warp in some cases. Older steel wheels are very noisy, and must be maintained with grease or oil. These outdated rollers can easily be replaced with nylon rollers which are much quieter than the metal rollers, require no oil, no maintenance, and will last twice as long as the older style metal rollers.

By going to TheHouseSmart.com Video Gallery, you can view a short garage door maintenance video featuring Dennis Baitz of Door Pro, showing you just how easy it is to tune up your garage door, also giving some tips on what to get the professionals to do.

Understanding Condensation on Windows

Condensation on windows is the most noticeable sign that you have excessive humidity levels in your home. A little condensation, now and then is to be expected but high humidity often causes consistently foggy windows that should be addressed.

Water condensation is a natural occurrence on all surfaces in the home when moisture levels are too high. Inefficient windows (i.e. single pane with aluminum frames) or inadequate ventilation can result in condensation, frost, or pools of water on windows and sills. When water vapor comes in contact with a surface which has a cooler temperature such as windows, the vapor turns into visible droplets of moisture, which can be seen on the glass. This water vapor also adheres to the walls, which can be a more serious problem because it can penetrate walls and constant excess moisture can lead to mold, mildew, and deterioration of your drywall.

Humidity in your home comes from everyday living; steamy showers, boiling water, dishwashers, washing machines, dryers, wet and snowy boots and clothing, and many other sources. Poorly insulated crawl spaces can increase the humidity in your home often resulting in a musty odor.

It’s important to remember that there is no such thing as a condensation free window and windows themselves do not cause condensation, they simply prevent moisture from escaping to the outside. Seeing condensation build-up on your window signals that steps need to be taken to reduce the moisture in the air inside your home:

Regularly use ventilation fans in kitchens,bathrooms and laundry rooms to circulate the air.

Squeegee your tub surround and shower enclosure,then use your towel to dry off the excess moisture and leave your bathroom ventilation fan on for at least 1 hour after every shower.

Open interior doors and windows to circulate airflow.

If you have a humidifier or dehumidistat set them to the correct outside temperature settings.

Make sure you have adequate ventilation through your soffits, roof ridge, basement and crawl space.

Install energy efficient windows.

Sometimes homeowners will notice more condensation when they install new energy efficient windows. That¡¦s because their old windows were probably drafty and the moisture was escaping through small air gaps. Once the home is tightened up with more energy efficient windows the humidity is trapped in the house and doesn’t escape through the cracks. However, the energy-efficient replacement windows are far better for energy efficiency and comfort than drafty windows. It just means that homeowners need to be more aware of properly ventilating their homes.

Condensation issues can also arise when upgrading to a higher efficiency heating system. Changing one item can cause issues elsewhere if your home’s ventilation is not adjusted, resulting in excess moisture and condensation problems as seen on your windows.

Upgrading to a high efficiency furnace was a wise choice that will save money on your energy bills. When installing a new furnace, Shell Busey recommends purchasing a high efficiency unit with a 2 stage burner and a variable speed DC motor installed by a reputable company. In the Lower Mainland consult with the professionals at HouseSmart Heating and Air Conditioning, who will determine the best high efficiency system for your home, visit www.thehousesmart.com to find out more about HouseSmart Heating and Air Conditioning.

Always think of your house as a system keeping in mind that one reason you’re seeing these changes in your home after your upgrades is your new high efficient heating system operates differently than your old furnace. For example, your old furnace would draw air from inside the home for combustion, but the new high efficient units have their own supply line that go into the combustion chamber and is exhausted outside through their own vent pipe (plastic).

Exhaust ventilation has to be provided to accommodate increased relative humidity in the home otherwise high humidity may be the outcome.

Relative Humidity- moisture levels must be controlled within the home. The following is recommended.

Outside Air Temperature/Inside Humidity Setting

Summer Temp 50%

0 to –12oC 40%

-12 to –18oC 35%

-19 to –24oC 25%

-25 to –30oC 20%

-31 or below 15%

Another great solution to humidity that also improves the air quality within your home is by installing a heat recovery ventilation system (HRV.) These units are designed to provide an energy efficient way to bring in fresh filtered air while removing stale air. For more information on HRV’s, contact Lifebreath by going to their website at www.lifebreath.com or contact Shell Busey’s HouseSmart Referral Network office directly at 604-542-2236.

Facts About Asbestos in the Home

Asbestos was a popular material used widely in construction and many other industries. If asbestos fibres are enclosed or tightly bound in a product, for example in asbestos siding or asbestos floor tiles, there are no significant health risks. Asbestos poses health risks only when fibres are present in the air that people breathe.

Background

Asbestos is the generic name for a variety of fibrous minerals found naturally in rock formations around the world. Because asbestos fibres are strong, durable and non-combustible, they were widely used by industry, mainly in construction and friction materials. Commercial asbestos fibres belong in two broad mineralogical groups: serpentine (chrysotile) and amphibole (tremolite, actinolyte and others).

Amphibole asbestos often contains more iron and resists acid and extremely high temperatures. Because of this, it has been heavily used in industrial furnaces and heating systems. However when inhaled, amphibole fibres stay much longer in the lungs than chrysotile fibres and they are more likely to inflict damage and cause disease, including cancer. Accordingly, amphibole asbestos has been drastically controlled and largely replaced.

Chrysotile is the only serpentine asbestos that is found in almost all asbestos-based products available today and is the main form of asbestos still mined. Chrysotile is different from the amphiboles both structurally and chemically. It is generally accepted that chrysotile asbestos is less potent and does less damage to the lungs than the amphiboles.

How much asbestos is in a product does not indicate its health risk. If the asbestos fibres are enclosed or tightly bound in a compound, there is no significant health risk. One of the main problems with asbestos came from sprayed or “friable” (easily broken up) amphibole asbestos used in buildings until the 1970s. People working in construction, maintenance or in the renovation of older buildings should be particularly careful when handling this asbestos.

Sources of Asbestos

Occupational-The risks are greatest for workers in industries which produce and use asbestos, such as mining and milling. In the past, workers in these environments were exposed to 100 – 1,000 times more asbestos than today’s workers. Today’s strict standards limit workers’ exposure and the ban of most uses of amphibole asbestos have reduced the risks.

During renovations and repairs to older buildings, construction workers, tradespeople and other building maintenance workers may be exposed to very high concentrations of asbestos fibres. The environment and work methods of these occupations are more difficult to control than fixed workplaces, but most tradespeople are trained in the proper handling of asbestos-containing materials.

Environmental-Negligible levels of asbestos fibres are found in the soil, water and air, both naturally and from man-made sources. Asbestos concentrations in the air in rural areas are about ten times lower than those in larger cities, which are about 1,000 times lower than levels accepted in today’s asbestos-related jobs. With such low exposure, environmental risks are negligible.

Due to natural erosion, high concentrations of chrysotile asbestos fibres may be found in some raw water supplies. Conventional water treatment methods can substantially reduce asbestos levels and there is no evidence that swallowed chrysotile fibres are a health hazard.

Buildings and Homes-Because it is a valuable reinforcing, insulating and fire-proofing material, asbestos was used widely in construction materials such as insulation board, asbestos cement, and floor and ceiling tiles. These products are very dense and do not release significant amounts of fibres under normal use. However, fibres may be released if these products are cut or damaged.

Asbestos fibre concentrations in the air in buildings are usually about the same as in the air outside, and are not a significant risk. However, levels may be higher if friable asbestos materials are disturbed.

There is also concern about vermiculite insulation which may contain small amounts of amphibole asbestos, principally tremolite or actinolite. These amphibole fibres may cause health risks if disturbed. However, there is currently no evidence of risk to your health if the insulation is sealed behind wallboards and floorboards, isolated in an attic, or otherwise kept from exposure to the home or interior environment.

The Health Risks of Asbestos

Asbestos poses health risks only when fibres are present in the air that people breathe. How exposure to asbestos can affect you depends on:

the concentration of asbestos fibres in the air;
how long the exposure lasted;
how often you were exposed;
the size of the asbestos fibres inhaled; or
the amount of time since the initial exposure.

When inhaled in significant quantities, asbestos fibres can cause asbestosis (a scarring of the lungs which makes breathing difficult), mesothelioma (a rare cancer of the lining of the chest or abdominal cavity) and lung cancer. The link between exposure to asbestos and other types of cancers is less clear.

Smoking, combined with inhaled asbestos, greatly increases the risk of lung cancer.

Minimizing Your Risk

Construction and maintenance workers should avoid creating asbestos dust from scraping, brushing, rubbing or cutting damaged insulation. Insulation damage should be reported to the appropriate authority, such as the Occupational Health and Safety Manager. If you work in this area, determine whether asbestos is present before beginning work and take appropriate precautionary measures.

Public and commercial building owners should keep an inventory of asbestos-containing materials to inform users, authorities and contractors.

Homeowners should receive expert advice before removing materials that may contain asbestos. If you think your home may contain asbestos, check regularly for signs of wear or damage. However, you can’t always tell just by looking at a material. If in doubt, have it analyzed by a qualified professional, who can be found by looking up experts in “asbestos abatement /removal”.

If you must handle small amounts of damaged asbestos-containing materials, follow these steps:

Keep other people and pets away, and seal off the work area;
Wet the material to reduce dust, making sure it is not in contact with electricity;
If possible, do not cut or damage the materials further and do not break them up;

Clean the work area afterwards using a damp cloth, not a vacuum cleaner, and seal the asbestos waste and cloth in a plastic bag. Check with your local municipality on how to dispose of asbestos-containing waste;
Wear appropriate protective clothing, including a single-use respirator approved by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH); and
Wash or dispose of clothing and shower after finishing the job.

The Government of Canada’s Role

Health Canada has encouraged provincial occupational health authorities to adopt stringent workplace exposure limits for asbestos. The sale of pure asbestos and certain high risk consumer products that are composed of or contain asbestos fibres is strictly regulated under the Hazardous Products Act. In addition, the emissions of asbestos into the environment from mining and milling operations are subject to the Canadian Environmental Protection Act

article courtesy of Health Canada. For more information visit Health Canada’s Website.

When can asbestos be a problem in the home?
Today, far fewer products in the home contain asbestos. Current products that do contain the material are better made to withstand wear and use.

However, frequent or prolonged exposure to asbestos fibres may still bring health risks. This can happen with the release of fibres into the air when asbestos-containing products break down, either through deterioration as they age or when they are cut. People can put themselves at risk — often without realizing it — if they do not take proper precautions when repairs or renovations disturb asbestoscontaining materials. This can occur in a number of situations:

- Disturbing loose-fill vermiculite insulation which may contain asbestos
- Removing deteriorating roofing shingles and siding containing asbestos, or tampering with roofing felt that contains asbestos
- Ripping away old asbestos insulation from around a hot water tank
- Sanding or scraping vinyl asbestos floor tiles
- Breaking apart acoustical ceilings tiles containing asbestos
- Sanding plaster containing asbestos, or sanding or disturbing acoustical plaster that gives ceilings and walls a soft, textured look
- Sanding or scraping older water-based asbestos coatings such as roofing compounds, spackling, sealants, paint, putty, caulking or drywall
- Sawing, drilling or smoothing rough edges of new or old asbestos materials

Source: CMHC

Flood Prevention and Maintaining Your Home’s Drainage System

Homeowners’ Update:
If there is a catch basin in front of your property that hasn’t yet been cleared of snow and ice, please clear it off to help the water run off.
Also, to protect your property, make sure that your gutters, drains and any drains serving sunken patios or roof decks are clear. If you’re concerned about snow on your roof, please do not clear it off yourself – hire a professional.

Flood Prevention and Maintenance:
Prevention and maintenance is the key to reducing the risk of water damage caused by flooding. Looking at your home now and fixing any problem areas before the next major rainstorm or rapid snow melt can save you a lot of money and inconvenience. To begin, an assessment of your home drainage system will make a difference in reducing your flood risk.

Homeowner’s Guide to Flood Prevention

• Clear eavestroughs, downspouts and catch basins of leaves and other debris that prevent proper drainage.
• Be sure grading around your home drains water away from all exterior walls.
  Even clear eavestroughs can overflow in intense, prolonged rainstorms; so make sure water can run away from the home.
• Make sure disconnected downspouts are draining properly, ideally 1.8 metres(six feet) from basement walls.
• Ensure storm sewer grates (catch basin grates) both on and near your property aren’t blocked by garbage, leaves, ice or other debris that would prevent proper drainage and potentially lead to flooding.
• Fix leaks in walls, floors, windows or foundations. Check for moisture along the walls and the floor and fill and seal any visible cracks.

Maintaining Your Home Drainage System
Don’t wait until there’s water in your basement before taking action. It’s good idea to evaluate the condition of your home drainage system – inside and out. If you find a problem, don’t put off the repairs. Consider most flooding on private property is caused by a home drainage issue. Follow these simple steps to prevent the danger of flooding. If you are unsure of what to do, there are companies that specialize in Drainage Systems.

Eavestroughs & Downspouts
- Clean leaves and debris from inside the trough and downspouts.
- Tighten elbows and other connections.
- Caulk and seal any leaks.
- Repair or replace sagging, badly dented or cracked sections.
Water pours off your eavestroughs into downspouts. If the downspouts are dumping the water right beside your foundation, it drains directly to the weeping tile and can easily overload your home’s drainage. Extend downspouts so that water flows away from your house and does not collect next to the basement walls and windows. Also, be sure the water does not drain toward your neighbour’s basement walls. It should drain away from your house toward the street, rear yard, or back lane. Clean debris from eavestroughs regularly.

Lot Grading:
- Check the slope from the basement wall.
- Check for settling, particularly under stairs and decks.
- Raise any low spots.
- Look for cracks or spaces on driveways, sidewalks and patios that are next to the foundation wall. Caulk or waterproof where needed.
If the land around your home slopes in toward the foundation, rainwater heads right for the weeping tile around the basement and can overload your foundation drainage system. The land around many homes settles over time, and then slopes in toward the foundation. If your lot slopes inward, you’ll want to fill in and grade the lot so that, for at least 1.8 metres (6 feet) out from around the foundation, the land slopes away from your house. Build up the ground around your house so that water drains away from your basement walls. Also, examine sidewalks, patios, decks and driveways. These can settle over time and cause water to drain back towards your basement walls.

Proper drainage helps to:

• Reduce the amount of water flowing to your home’s sewer system and to the main sewer system, and lessen the risk of sewer backup
• Reduce water seepage into your home through basement windows and cracks in your basement walls.
• Keep the moisture content of the soil around and under your house stable to reduce the chances of cracking and shifting. If water collects next to your basement, it can make its way to the footings that support the basement walls. The increased moisture may cause the footings to heave or settle
• Extend the life of your sump pump by reducing the amount of work it has to do.

Weeping Tile: Weeping tile is a perforated plastic pipe that surrounds the foundation of a home. It sits in a bed of gravel. This allows excess groundwater to seep into it. This water is channelled to a sump pump, or the sanitary sewer system, or the storm water sewer system, depending on the age of the home. Some homes built in older neighbourhoods do not have weeping tile. This may not be a concern if other drainage elements like eavestroughs, lot grading, etc. are in good condition. Installing or repairing weeping tile is expensive but necessary in some cases. For example, weeping tile that is collapsed or clogged by debris should be repaired to prevent damage to the foundation and basement walls. You should seek professional advice from a plumber or qualified drainage contractor before making any decisions.

Sump Pumps: A working pump plays an important part in flood prevention, channelling
groundwater away from the home. A good quality pump should last around 10 years, depending on how often it is working and the acidity and dirtiness of the water.
- Check and test your pump each spring before the rainy season begins, and before you leave your house for a long time. Pour water into the pit to trigger the pump to operate.
- Remove and thoroughly clean the pump at least once a year. Disconnect the pump from the power source before you handle or clean it.
- Check the pit every so often to ensure it is free of debris. Most pumps have a screen that covers the water intake. You must keep this screen clean.
Sump Pump Discharge Pipe:
- Check the outside pipe to confirm water is flowing to the street or back lane.

Sump Pit
- Clean the pit each year after freeze-up. Weeping tile drainage may carry small amounts of soil, sand and debris into the pit from around your basement foundation.
- Some water may remain in the pit and cause a musty smell if it sits for a long time. If so, you can flush the pit by adding fresh water until the pump removes the stale water.

Backwater Valve
A backwater valve is a device that prevents sewage in an overloaded main sewer line from backing up into your basement. The valve automatically closes if sewage backs up from the main sewer A properly installed backwater valve must be placed so that sewage backup will be stopped and not come out through other outlets in your basement, such as sinks, toilets, showers and laundry tubs.
- Make sure that you can get at the valve at all times.
- Check the valve regularly and remove any material that may prevent the valve from operating properly.
You will normally require a permit and inspection to install a backwater valve and sump pit. Since part of the basement floor will be dug up and since proper placement of these items is important, we recommend that you use a qualified plumbing contractor.

What can cause a flood in your home:

• Basement flooding can occur when there are problems with the sewer system. Knowing some of the causes is the first step toward prevention.
• Problems in the municipal sewer system. Sewers can collapse or become blocked by waste and debris. Sometimes the pumping stations located throughout the sewer main system can break down or malfunction. Construction activity on or near the water distribution system can also cause problems.
• Problems in the lateral from your home. If the pipe between your home and the sewer main becomes blocked with debris, wastewater from your home can back up into your basement. Such problems can be caused by a collapsed pipe, the accumulation of grease, paper, kitchen waste or other foreign objects. In some cases, tree roots are to blame.
• Spring run-off. Rapid snow melt can leak through cracks or joints in your basement walls or floor. You can avoid or minimize damage from spring run-off by making sure the ground yard slopes away from your foundation, allowing rain water to flow away from your home.
• Overloaded sewers. The sewer system may be unable to handle the additional water produced by heavy rains or the spring run-off. Water and sewage can back up into your basement through floor drains, or any other plumbing fixture located in the basement that is not protected by a back water valve.
• Help keep catch basins clear. Where possible, safely
  clear snow, ice, and debris from the catch basins in
  your area

Responsibilities as a homeowner:
As a homeowner, it is your responsibility to maintain your storm drainage systems, any installed sump pumps, grading at the foundation and window wells, roof drainage downspouts, hoses and the storm lateral that leads from your home to the municipal storm sewer line. As well, you are responsible for maintaining your internal plumbing system, plumbing fixtures, piping and ventilation systems, floor drains, septic systems, and the sanitary lateral that connects your home to municipal sanitary sewer line.

Visit TheHouseSmart.com Video Gallery, to view 2 great videos dealing with drainage:

Basement Systems-Waterguard and Super Sump and
Perimeter Drainage Inspection and Flushing.

For a certified plumber or drainage professional contact 604-542-2236 (outside Greater Vancouver contact 1-888-266-8806.)