It comes as no surprise that the Ontario Government has suspended the home energy rebates. They claim that they need to evaluate the process by which they will continue to support the program which has been halted at the Federal level. Home inspection companies are no longer booking energy audits. If you still have not had an exit inspection you may still be in line for ecoEnergy grants, but pay close attention to the Federal program disclaimers, if the program still has funds available and the work and the final inspection are completed prior to March 31, 2011. This is a direct call to action for consumers. The HST comes into effect on July 1, 2010 and the cost of doing business will be affected. Oil is still going up in price, so the longer you put off upgrading your home with high efficiency windows and doors, the more you are going to pay for these items. The good news is that there are paybacks with lowered energy costs and increased value in your home.
Tags: ecoEnergy, ecoEnergy audits, energy efficiency, energy inspections, energy reduction, home inspection companies, homeowner grants, Mississauga replacement doors, Mississauga replacement windows, new air conditioner, new furnace, new windows
Ouch! I just posted a week ago that it was possible to re-open your grant program and this week the entire program at the Federal level has come to an end. It remains to be seen what the Ontario government’s response will be! Did Earth Hour just go out like a candle in the wind? The Globe and Mail provides some detail and early feedback. There is more info at Natural Resources Canada.
Tags: ecoEnergy, ecoEnergy audits, energy efficiency, Energy Star, Energy Star Windows
Moen Canada can certainly show you how. First, let me give credit to the authors of a book published in 1993 and written by Ken Blanchard and Sheldon Bowles, because that is where I took the title for this blog. A great read still, for anyone who wants to really grasp customer service. And truth be told it works!
I spent the weekend with a dripping kitchen tap that I just couldn’t get to. I started my day at the service counter at Moen thinking that I needed to replace some parts. As my tap is about 5-6 years old I had some difficulty finding the right model number for the needed parts. Note to all: bring along a digital image and that will speed things along very nicely. When I got the faucet apart at home, it was apparent that the real problem was that the base had rusted away. I took some shots with the camera and returned to Moen. As soon as I showed them the pictures and described the problem it was resolved with a new faucet. One hour later, all was well again, except for the dishes that still needed to be done.
Here the thing. Moen states that you are buying the product for its looks and you are going to be supported for life. And it’s true! That is how they gained a Raving Fan today. A short disclaimer is necessary in that I have no professional relationship with Moen. I use the products that customers want to have installed in their homes with no bias to one supplier over another. But this level of commitment to a company mission statement is deserving of praise.
Consumers could be missing out on ecoEnergy rebates. With all the attention in 2009 on the HRTC program and the increase in rebate amounts for Energy Star qualified windows and doors, a very important announcement was overlooked. Visit this link and read the section marked How it Works http://tinyurl.com/yhxb4l5
While stating there would not be any adjustment to the amount paid to anyone who had their post retrofit inspection, the program will allow anyone who has had an final inspection to reopen their file and claim the grant money for upgrades that had not already been done. In other words, if you had made a claim based on a furnace or air conditioner replacement and had not replace qualified windows and doors, you can now replace them and receive the rebates.
What is also very important is do this as soon as possible because the ecoEnergy program is in its final year. A careful reading of the program identifies that grants will be paid to homeowners with Energy Star upgrades made prior to March 31 2011. Access to the program continues to be on a first-come, first-served basis, and grants are subject to the availability of funds. Also of note is the requirement that the final inspection must be done prior to the cutoff date.
The ecoENERGY Retrofit grant is based on the type and number of energy improvements that have been made, and how much the efficiency of the home has been improved. The grant is based on how effective that upgrade is in saving energy, not on the cost of the upgrade.
The maximum grant one can receive per home is $5,000. The average grant is more than $1,200 and will yield an average 23 percent reduction in energy use and costs.
Tags: ecoEnergy, ecoEnergy audits, energy efficiency, Energy Star, Energy Star Windows, furnace replacement, home inspection companies, HRTC, new air conditioner, new furnace, window replacement
Low E film coating
The beauty of vinyl windows, that are manufactured with Low “E” film coatings and have argon gas filled sealed units, is that when you have as many sunny winter days as we are enjoying this year your replacement windows are lowering your energy costs in 2 ways. Obviously professionally installed windows will keep out the cold, but they can also provide you with passive solar radiated warmth.
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Not only do these windows look beautiful but they will actively retain the heat from the suns rays. The combination of low E film and argon gas reduce the emissivity of your indoor heat. The right coating of low E film can allow some of the suns energy to enter your home in the winter while still reducing the effect of the sun in the summer.
Windows manufactured with low-E coatings typically cost about 10–15% more than regular windows, but they reduce energy loss by as much as 30–50%.
A low-E coating is a microscopically thin, virtually invisible, metal or metallic oxide layer deposited directly on the surface of one or more of the panes of glass. The low-E coating reduces the infrared radiation from a warm pane of glass to a cooler pane, thereby lowering the U-factor of the window. Different types of low-E coatings have been designed to allow for high solar gain, moderate solar gain, or low solar gain. A low-E coating can also reduce a window’s visible transmittance unless you use one that’s spectrally selective.
To keep the sun’s heat out of the house (for hot climates, east and west-facing windows, and unshaded south-facing windows), the low-E coating should be applied to the outside pane of glass. If the windows are designed to provide heat energy in the winter and keep heat inside the house (typical of cold climates), the Low-E coating should be applied to the inside pane of glass.
Low-emissivity (Low-E) consists of a thin layer of metal oxide applied to the exterior face of the interior glazing in a double-glazed window. This coating allows sunlight to pass through, but blocks heat from escaping. A double-glazed Low-E window provides similar insulation value to that of a triple-glazed unit, but costs less and weighs less. Low-E glazing filters out the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays, which can fade furnishings, and can reduce condensation on the window by keeping the indoor surface of the glass and frame warmer.
Tags: approved contractors, certified installers, energy efficiency, energy reduction, Energy Star Windows, high performance windows, moisture on windows, SAWDAC, window installation, window replacement, Window Wise
I guess you have to sit back and admire someone who has the nerve to take your website name and use it to advance their own agenda. When I saw that there was a www.windowsmissauga.ca I felt a twinge of remorse. I could have registered the site at the same time as mine but I didn’t! If I had known then what I know know about SEO, meta tags and keywords I would have done it in a flash. When I started this blog, I quickly found that advertisers had added the words Windows Mississauga to their Google adword campaigns and I accepted that and felt that it was promoting my site for me.
Now, I see someone leaching off my work and they are not even backed by Window Wise certified installers, there is no SAWDAC warranty, no Energy Star rated products or even the name of the window manufacturer they are buying from. So if you are looking for high efficiency vinyl window and replacement doors you are on the right page here. Energy improvements will only come from the right products and proper installation methods and these need to be backed by the finest warranties available. David Snell Building Services gives a 7 year warranty on labour and installation. Check our supplier list and you will see their information and certification.
Tags: approved contractors, certified installers, energy efficiency, Energy Star, high performance windows, replacement doors, SAWDAC, vinyl windows, window replacement, Window Wise, www.windowsmississauga.ca
Actually we will be saddened by the ending of the HRTC tax credit. The Conservative government has been hinting strongly that this type of incentive will not be extended. The downside to this relief is that while it was a benefit to those who had the funds available to spend, it didn’t offer any assistance to homeowners that weren’t already prepared to spend money on upgrades and energy efficient projects.
Now we are not really welcoming a situation where homeowners have lost the chance to save 15 percent on a renovation and will have to pay an additional 8 percent when the HST comes into effect in July 2010.
Where does that leave us now? Will the ecoEnergy grants be the next incentive to go? I believe that the government is going to have to balance the cost of the HRTC in terms of lost tax revenue versus the potential for energy reduction by installing Energy Star windows and doors. The longer people wait to make these energy efficient upgrades the more they are going to have to pay for them.
How can we measure their commitment to the energy crisis? The ecoEnergy initiative is only funded until March 2011 and that is just over one year away.
The Ontario government is still offering a rebate of $150.00 towards the cost of home energy inspections and these energy audits will help to guide you in the decision making, but the window of opportunity to save on the cost of high efficiency exterior renovations appears to be closing!
Tags: ecoEnergy audits, Energy Star Windows, furnace replacement, high performance windows, HRTC, HST, Patio Doors
With the deadline of January 31 2010, fast approaching many potential customers for vinyl window replacement and entry doors are wondering if they can still have the work finished in time. The good news is that if you are ready to sign a contract, we are very capable of meeting your needs. At David D. Snell Building Services we have been tracking and preparing for the final push by consumers to take advantage of this one-time tax credit. We are prepared to accept orders until the end of November 2009 for window and door replacement projects that are Energy Star rated and use ecoEnergy qualified products. While custom sized doors and windows still require 4 to 6 week lead times, patio doors are available from stock and can ordered and installed in 2 weeks or less. While weather is a factor in any installation project, the highest quality products used by our certified installers allow us to operate in a wider range of temperatures.
By the way, we do not remove all of your windows and then start replacing them. Windows are removed one at a time and the opening is exposed only for a few minutes until the new window is put in place.If you qualify for the HRTC and want to know if your replacement project can be done on time and within your budget, please get in touch with us. Finance options are also available.
Tags: certified installers, David D Snell Building Services, David Snell, ecoEnergy, Energy Star Windows, HRTC, Patio Doors, replacement doors, vinyl windows, window replacement, Window Wise
What are the questions that you should ask your window replacement supplier when you consider replacing your wood frame windows with new vinyl windows? The first question to ask is can you install windows either brick to brick or retrofit. This will help you compare their ability to provide you with the best and most economical window replacement. Contractors must provide both types of installation so that you can choose the method and price that fits your needs and budget.
Some window installers can only provide one style of replacement window because either the window manufacturer only makes brick to brick windows or only retrofit windows. Retrofit windows require that the existing windows are cut out of the frame and a new window is placed into the opening. The advantage to this is a lower cost. However, some window installers do not offer this service because they lack the expertise to finish the window on the exterior. Brick to brick window replacement means that the interior window casings are removed and replaced. This allows the entire window to be removed so that a new window can be fitted into the actual wall opening. While there are many advantages to this, the cost of the replacement windows will be higher. Vinyl windows can be supplied with vinyl brick mould attached to the new window frames or the exterior can be capped in maintenance free aluminum. Contractors that offer only a brick mould option may not have the expertise to finish the exterior in any other way.
Once you know what services they offer, they should be able to explain what the best option is for you. The surface of the drywall around a window may be damaged or the casings may be shifting at the corners caused by water penetration. One or both of these conditions may indicate a need for brick to brick removal. The amount of glass surface that will be lost in a retrofit installation is another concern especially if you are replacing narrow frame windows with wider casement windows. In Canada, there is a program called Window Wise that is administered by S.A.W.D.A.C. and there are detailed descriptions on high efficiency windows and the different installations options on their website at www.windowwise.com.
Many homeowners are responding to the HRTC tax credit and the ecoEnergy grant programs to replace older wood and vinyl windows that are not energy efficient. However, poor quality window installations can lower the performance of new high efficiency windows and are the major cause of over 80% of service related issues that homeowners experience. Unfortunately, too many contractors are capitalizing on the increased demand and offering replacement window installations when they do not have the proper training or certification. Be on the lookout for contractors that offer windows that are Window Wise certified but do not have Window Wise trained employees. You will not receive the added protection of the 5 year warranty.
If your contractor can provide high efficiency Energy Star windows, certified installation and the choice of brick to brick or retrofit window installation, then you have chosen wisely.
Tags: brick mould, brick to brick, Casement Windows, certified installers, ecoEnergy, energy efficiency, Energy Star, Energy Star Windows, high performance windows, HRTC, retrofit, SAWDAC, vinyl windows, window contractors, window installation, window replacement, Window Wise, Wooden Windows
For more information on fiberglass entry doors I have added some PDF files from the Master Grain website.
http://www.mastergrain.com/images/MasterGrain_Door_Thermal_Testing_Report.pdf
These files document the attention to detail and high performance of the doors. I have also included a link to their catalogue of products.
http://www.mastergrain.com/images/MasterGrain_2009_Catalogue.pdf
Thanks for the many enquiries and hopefully this will make it easier to find more information on these beautiful wood grain doors.
Tags: fiberglass entry doors, Mississauga, replacement doors, Thermal Bowing, wood, wood grain doors
