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Posted in Home owners, home renovations, insulation
The Basement is Usually the Last Place People Think to Insulate...
 
Yet it can account for up to 1/3 of heat loss in a home. Upgrading basement insulation can significantly cut down on energy use. It also creates a comfortable space – a boon to people who wish to extend their recreation and living space into the basement. The perfect time to consider insulating the basement is during a renovation.
 

Where Should the Insulation Go?

From a building-science point-of-view, it is better to insulate the outside of the foundation. From a practicality point-of-view, however, insulation is easier to apply from the inside, especially if done while renovating.

Here are the pros and cons of exterior versus interior insulation:

Exterior Pros

  •  You can address any foundation water issues at the same time.

  •  Insulation will not take up interior basement space.

  •  The foundation itself will be warm (at the interior temperature), reducing condensation issues.

  •  The foundation stays dry inside, reducing or eliminating mold and mildew.

Exterior Cons

  •  Disruptive and expensive: you have to dig soil to get at the foundation.

  •  The above-grade portion of the foundation insulation is difficult to finish and protect. Rigid-foam insulation is the most common exterior insulation material, most often finished with stucco, a fragile finish that gets damaged from impact of lawn tools, etc.

    Possible fix: use exterior insulation for the below-grade part of the exterior and then insulate the above-grade part from the inside.

Interior Pros

  • Much easier to install and less expensive than exterior insulation.

  • Does not disrupt landscaping.

  • Can be done while renovating the basement.

Interior Cons

  • Foundation wall will be at exterior temperature (cold), making it prone to condensation.

    Possible fix: foam-based insulation that is tightly sealed to the foundation wall is a good way to control air leakage from the house to the foundation wall surface.

  • Likely migration of moisture into the finished wall due to seepage from outside and from capillary action that draws moisture up from the ground through the footing.
  • Any moisture that gets into the wall system from the two mechanisms above does not dry readily, making the wall prone to mold.

Problems with Traditional Interior Techniques

Since interior insulation is by far the most common approach, a great deal of research and debate exists around proper installation. Traditionally, a moisture barrier is applied to the foundation. Fiber-glass batts sit against this barrier and then a vapor barrier is applied to the batts on the interior. Today’s conventional wisdom recognizes that with traditional methods, the wall cavity gets damp and has little drying potential.

Other interior insulation strategies work much better, such as foam-based insulation that is more tolerant to moisture. If you are planning to insulate your basement, make sure the contractor is up to date on the most effective strategy for your climate.

A Few Tips

Deal with dampness first – Most experts agree that you should deal with any dampness issues before insulating the basement from the interior.

Seek out knowledgeable contractors – Do not simply follow traditional conventions. Significant advances in the best techniques for insulating basements mean better results.

Fix basement windows – One of the most effective strategies for improving the thermal efficiency of your home is to seal air leaks. Seal and weather strip basement windows, which are often neglected.

Source: Pillar To Post Information Series

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Posted in banning, cell phones, driving, law, texting

New Law Prohibits Cell Phones While Driving

On January 1, 2010, changes to the Motor Vehicle Act make it illegal to use handheld devices, including cell phones, while driving. A driver caught talking on a hand-held phone or electronic device will be fined $167. A driver caught texting or emailing will be subject to the fine and three penalty points.
 
Drivers will be permitted to use only hands-free cellphones and devices that require only one touch to activate. For new drivers in the Graduated Licensing Program (GLP), there will be a full ban on all cellphone and electronic devices, including hands-free. 

 

A person may use an electronic device in a hands-free telephone function while driving if:
  • The electronic device, as well as any part or extension of it, is not held or operated by the hand; and
    • It is voice-activated or requires only one touch in order to initiate, accept or end a call; and
  • If the device includes an earpiece, that earpiece can be worn in one ear only and must be placed on the ear prior to driving*; and
  • The electronic device is securely fixed to the vehicle or worn securely on the person’s body, and is within easy reach of he driver’s seat; and 
  • The device must be installed in a manner that does not obstruct the driver’s view of the front or sides of the motor vehicle or interfere with the safety or operating equipment of the motor vehicle.
  • *Motorcyclists are exempt from the one ear requirement and may have an earpiece in both ears.

    • Note1: Manual dialing is prohibited and is treated as texting.

    Note2: Any type of electronic device with a hands-free telephone function may be used for oral communications if used in a completely hands-free manner as described above.


    More details on what is permitted and what is prohibited under the legislation is at: http://www.pssg.gov.bc.ca/osmv/publications/index.htm.
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    Posted in First-time buyers, Laura Stein, Lyn Hart, mortgage rates, real estate
     
    Our first real estate workshop for women, held on Tuesday, October 27th at Trout Lake Community Centre in East Vancouver went well and provided attendees with some invaluable information on the current real estate market.
     
    Laura Stein, of the Mortgage Centre, with 17 years experience as an independant mortgage broker, had tons of great advice for everyone and answered questions about qualifying for a mortgage in an informal and informational 90 minutes. She had so much info to share, she left me with a mere 30 minutes for my portion of the workshop! I spoke on the direction of the market, presented some of the perks for first time buyers, and answered questions on how to get started.
     
    Laura and I have worked together for the last couple of years and she is one of the most honest, up front people I know. Together, we provide you with a powerful, trusted team for your home buying experience.
     
    We plan on holding additional workshops to help empower women and build confidence for first time or experienced buyers. Contact me if you want to be notified of the next Real Estate Workshop for Women.
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    Posted in 2009 Real Estate Market, canadian real estate market, housing costs, real estate market, Vancouver real estate market
    Here´s some interesting figures from the Canadian Real Estate Association on housing prices in Canada and in major cities across the country.
     

    Average House Prices by Province

    Jul 2009

    Jul 2008

    Jul 2007

    National

    $326,832

    $302,298

    $311,495

    Yukon

    $225,769

    $228,033

    $252,262

    Northwest Territories

    $329,503

    $272,779

    $372,127

    British Columbia

    $463,972

    $444,589

    $446,481

    Alberta

    $344,024

    $352,421

    $371,817

    Saskatchewan

    $233,655

    $237,604

    $182,920

    Manitoba

    $200,111

    $190,354

    $167,774

    Ontario

    $319,282

    $298,630

    $291,807

    Quebec

    $229,846

    $214,070

    $209,682

    New Brunswick

    $152,086

    $141,255

    $135,631

    Prince Edward Island

    $150,715

    $145,852

    $136,469

    Nova Scotia

    $203,107

    $192,160

    $183,018

    Newfoundland

    $205,423

    $181,269

    $152,718

    Average House Prices by City
    Jul 2009
    Jul 2008
    Jul 2007
    Yellowknife
    $329,503
    $272,779
    $372,127
    Vancouver
    $584,105
    $575,256
    $581,108
    Victoria
    $475,490
    $487,864
    $574,753
    Edmonton
    $324,744
    $335,100
    $353,919
    Calgary
    $381,740
    $402,788
    $436,739
    Saskatoon
    $283,619
    $292,428
    $245,152
    Regina
    $240,235
    $246,463
    $176,537
    Toronto
    $395,414
    $371,410
    $366,012
    Hamilton-Burlington
    $296,591
    $281,580
    $268,561
    Ottawa-Carleton
    $300,635
    $295,134
    $269,793
    Quebec City
    $213,932
    n/a
    $171,824
    Montreal
    $280,890
    n/a
    $233,424
    Fredericton
    $153,864
    $147,091
    $133,081
    Saint John
    $156,010
    $154,274
    $136,995
    Halifax-Dartmouth
    $243,524
    $236,514
    $219,032
    Winnipeg
    $206,135
    n/a
    n/a
     
    Courtesy of The Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA).
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    Gastown Designated a National Historic Site!

    Gastown is one of Vancouver’s most popular tourist designations, well known for its carefully preserved cobbled streets and heritage buildings. To recognize its historic significance, the Honourable Jim Prentice, Canada’s Environment Minister who also oversees Parks Canada, has designated Gastown as a National Historic Site.

     

    “The designation of Vancouver’s Gastown recognizes the role of this special place in shaping the economy and development of Western Canada,” said Minister Prentice. “The remarkable collection of architecturally significant buildings is an exceptional and early example of an urban historic district created by civic involvement in the heritage conservation movement.”
     

    Gastown was named after Captain "Gassy Jack" Deighton who had a saloon built in 1867 near the south shore of Burrard Inlet. Soon, businesses followed and in time the community grew into the City of Vancouver.

     
    Today, many buildings remain from the 1886 to 1914 period when Victorian and Edwardian commercial architecture was prominent. During the past decade, the City of Vancouver, the Gastown Business Improvement Association and commercial building owners have shared a commitment to preserve, revitalize and promote Gastown. The City has been offering financial and administrative incentives to building owners and retailers to conserve their heritage buildings as part of the City’s Gastown Heritage Management Plan.
     
    All of these efforts have paid off. The area is undergoing a resurgence. Buildings are being brought back to life, and new businesses and new residential units are being developed.
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    Provincial Energy Upgrade Program Ends

    The BC Government’s LiveSmart BC Efficiency Incentive program has ended. The $60 million program, launched in May 2008, had been expected to run for three years. Instead, in just 15 months, the government claims it has reached its target of 40,000 initial home energy assessments.
     

    The program was part of the province’s Energy Efficient Buildings Strategy, a one-stop service created to provide homeowners with coordinated access to incentives offered by the provincial and federal governments and utility partners such as BC Hydro and Terasen Gas.

     
    As of August 15, 2009, 11,000 homeowners had completed efficiency retrofits. Homeowners already enrolled in the program have until March 31, 2011 to complete their retrofits and follow-up. They will receive the rebates and incentives listed in the current LiveSmart BC Efficiency Incentive Program incentive chart at www.livesmartbc.ca.
     
    Homeowners are still eligible for the federal ecoENERGY program incentives which were increased by 25 per cent in the last federal budget.
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    From Dining Out to Getting a Haircut, British Columbians Will Pay More.
     
    THE VANCOUVER SUN, July 23, 2009 — Consumers will likely be paying more at restaurants and for services such as haircuts and accounting when B.C. adopts a harmonized sales tax next July.
     

    Under the harmonized tax regime, announced Thursday by the provincial government, the five-per-cent federal goods and services tax will be combined with the province’s seven-per-cent provincial sales tax into a 12-per-cent harmonized tax.

     

    The added costs to consumers will come from the fact the new tax will apply to the same goods and services that the GST applies to, and that includes many items that were not subject to PST.

    For example, restaurant meals, excluding alcohol, have not been subject to PST, but will be subject to the new HST. So, too, will the purchase of such things as bicycles, school supplies and non-prescription medicines.

     
    The news is especially grim for the restaurant industry, which is already seeing business down because of the drop in tourism, said Mark von Schellwitz, regional vice-president for the Canadian Restaurant and Foodservices Association. Restaurants currently charge GST on the full meal, including alcohol, but provincial tax on the alcohol only. So the HST will add seven per cent to the cost of the food portion of the meal. History has shown that a seven-per-cent price increase translates into a seven-per-cent loss in sales, von Schellwitz said. “That’s going to cost our industry in B.C. annually $750 million,” he said.
     
    In theory, a harmonized tax lowers the cost of doing business by allowing companies to deduct the tax they pay on inputs, as they currently do with GST. The provincial government estimated this would save businesses $1.9 billion. Those savings would theoretically be passed on to consumers. But the major cost for restaurants is food, which is GST-exempt, von Schellwitz said. So there are few savings to pass on. Businesses that pay substantial amounts of provincial sales tax on inputs will see their costs go down and may lower prices, said Janice Roper, a partner at Deloitte. Then the tax on the good or service would push the price back up. But overall, “one would think that in most cases the prices [including the new tax] will go up,” Roper said.
     
    In many of the previously PST-exempt products, like services such as accounting and hairdressing, there won’t be extensive input credits that would lower costs, Roper said.
     
    To date, more than 130 countries in the world, and four other provinces in Canada, have adopted value-added taxes with input credits deductible. Ontario is poised to do so at the same time as B.C.

    So the new tax will “put our businesses on a level playing field with their international competitors,” Premier Gordon Campbell told reporters when announcing the adoption of the HST.

     

    “We do believe when our industries are on a level playing field they compete better and they win more,” Campbell said. “And that makes B.C. stronger.”

     

    The federal government will provide $1.6 billion to the province for adopting the new harmonized tax, money that will “help with our fiscal challenges,” the premier said. Earlier this month, the government announced that it expected this year’s deficit would be greater than the $495 million originally forecast.

    The B.C. Business Council was one of the many organizations that lobbied for a harmonized tax.

    “We think it’s going to be very good for the provincial economy over the long term,” the council’s executive vice-president of policy, Jock Finlayson, said in a voice-mail message.

     

    The harmonized tax should attract new investment into the province and lead to higher productivity and higher wages, Finlayson said. And that will be good for the province. “It does represent a net shift of the consumption tax burden from intermediate production onto final consumption,” Finlayson said. “But after all, that’s what a consumption tax is supposed to do.”

     
    Members of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business are split on the tax, Brian Bonney, the director of provincial affairs in B.C., said in an interview. On the plus side will be the reduction of paperwork and the ability to deduct input credits, which will both have a “massive” impact on small businesses, he said. But businesses such as restaurants, which sell products that are currently PST-exempt but won’t be HST exempt, could be adversely affected. “Overall, this is a positive thing,” Bonney said. “But I think there are definitely some sectors in the economy that are not going to be happy with this announcement.”
     
    Under its deal with the federal government, B.C. has maintained the ability to exempt some but not all products that are currently PST-exempt through a point-of-sale rebate. Gasoline, for one, will not be subject to the higher HST. And buyers of new homes will receive a partial rebate up to a maximum of $20,000.
     
    Basic groceries, books and children’s clothing will remain exempt.
    Finance Minister Colin Hansen said moving to a harmonized tax would be revenue-neutral for the province, with tax revenues falling slightly in the first year and then rebounding to “a net positive to a limited extent.”
     
    What Gets Taxed: PST-Exempt Goods and Services to be Subject to B.C.’s Harmonized Sales Tax

    The following goods and services are currently exempt from provincial sales tax (PST), but will be subject to the full 12-per-cent harmonized sales tax when it is implemented next July. With the new HST, businesses will be able to recover the PST portion of the tax they currently pay, rather than passing it on to consumers as part of the price of these items. Theoretically, that should mean that prices for these goods will come down by seven per cent as they become subject to the full tax.

     
    GOODS

    • Residential fuels (electricity, natural gas) and heating.

    • Basic cable TV and residential phones.

    • All food products (only basic groceries will remain exempt under new tax).

    • Non-prescription medication.

    • Vitamins and dietary supplements.

    • Bicycles.

    • School supplies (books will continue to be exempt).

    • Magazines and newspapers.

    • Work-related safety equipment.

    • Safety helmets, life jackets, first-aid kits.

    • Smoke detectors and fire extinguishers.

    • Energy conservation equipment (e.g., insulation, solar power equipment).

     

    SERVICES

    • Personal services such as hair care.

    • Dry cleaning.

    • Repair services for household appliances.

    • Household maintenance such as renovations and painting.

    • Real estate fees.

    • Membership fees for health clubs.

    • Movie and theatre tickets.

    • Funeral services.

    • Professional services such as accounting and home care.

    • Airline fares within Canada.
     

    Source: B.C. Ministry of Finance

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    Posted in BC Property Transfer Tax, First-time buyers, Home owners, Homeowners, real estate market
    British Columbia
    Property Transfer Tax
     
    You pay property transfer tax each time you register a property at the BC Land Title office but if you’re purchasing your first home, you may qualify for an exemption from property transfer tax if certain requirements are met.
     
    WHAT ARE THE REQUIREMENTS?
    Purchaser

    You qualify for the exemption if:

    • You’re a Canadian Citizen, or a permanent resident as determined by Immigration Canada,
    • You’ve lived in British Columbia for 12 consecutive months immediately before the date you register the property, or you have filed 2 income tax returns as a British Columbia resident during the 6 years before the date you register the property.
    • You’ve never owned an interest in a principal residence anywhere in the world at anytime, and
    • You have never received a first time home buyers’ exemption or refund.

    Property

    The property you purchase qualifies if:

    • The fair market value of the property is not more than the current threshold of $425,000.
    • The land is 0.5 hectares (1.24 acres) or smaller, and
    • The property will only be used as your principal residence.

    If the property does not meet all of these requirements, you may still qualify for a partial exemption.

      

    HOW DO I APPLY FOR THE EXEMPTION?

    You apply for the exemption when you register the property at the Land Title office. Generally, a lawyer or notary public registers the property and applies for the exemption on your behalf.

      
    The Land Title office sends your application to the Ministry of Small Business and Revenue to verify your eligibility. Make sure you do not apply for the exemption if you have owned an interest in a principal residence anywhere in the world at anytime. If you do this, you will be assessed for the tax due and an additional penalty equal to the tax due.
      
    If you do not apply for the exemption when you register the property at the Land Title office, you can apply for a refund of the property transfer tax you pay within 18 months of the date you register the property.
     
    WHAT ARE THE REQUIREMENTS TO KEEP THE EXEMPTION? 
    • You need to occupy the property within 92 days of the date you register the property and continue to use the property as your principal residence for at least 1 year after you register the property.
    • If the land is vacant when you purchase the property, a principal residence needs to be built on the property within 1 year of the registration date, and you need to reside on the property for the remainder of that year. The fair market value of the land, plus the cost of building any improvements on the land cannot exceed the current threshold of $425,000.
    • The ministry will send you a letter at the end of the first year you own the property. If your property purchase was registered on, or after, February 20, 2008, the letter will ask you to confirm that the property is still your principal residence. If your property purchase was registered before February 20, 2008, the letter will ask for details of your financial account(s) that you have registered against your property from the date of registration until February 20, 2008.
    • If your property purchase was registered before February 20, 2008, and you paid down your mortgage before February 20, 2008, there are limitations on how much of your financing you can pay down.
    • You may still qualify for a partial exemption if you pay down your financing more than the limitation amount before February 20, 2008, or if you move off the property before the end of the first year.
    • It is your responsibility to make sure the ministry receives all of the necessary information. If the ministry does not receive the information, you will be assessed for the property transfer tax due.

    For details on the program, please see Bulletin PTT 004, First Time Home Buyers’ Program available at www.gov.bc.ca/sbr.

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    Posted in BC; British Columbia, Mercer Report, quality of living, Vancouver

    Mercer's 2009 Quality of Living Survey Highlights

     
    April 28, 2009 - Mercer's 2009 Quality of Living Survey ranks Vancouver as tied fourth with Auckland, New Zealand as one of the top cities worldwide for quality of living. The survey was updated in late April 2009.
     
    In the top cities ranked by region, Vancouver, BC was rated first in the Americas over Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, and Calgary. Not one american city placed in the top five of the Americas.
     
    Research for Mercer’s Quality of Living Reports is carried out by means of a detailed questionnaire with pre-defined criteria and a specific scoring system. Researchers and consultants in Mercer offices worldwide analyse the data which is then cross-checked against various sources by Mercer's experts.
     
    This year’s ranking also identifies the cities with the best infrastructure based on electricity supply, water availability, telephone and mail services, public transport provision, traffic congestion and the range of international flights from local airports.
     
    Mercer’s Quality of Living ranking covers 215 cities and is conducted to help governments and major companies place employees on international assignments. The quality of living rankings are based on a point-scoring index, which sees Vienna score 108.6, and Baghdad 14.4. Cities are ranked against New York as the base city with an index score of 100.
     
    In 2008, the quality of living in many regions has been affected. This is demonstrated by serious political turmoil, increasing unrest and instability, health and climatic concerns. The global financial crisis has intensified in 2008, becoming an area of increasing international concern.
     
    To read the entire report, go to http://www.mercer.com/qualityofliving.
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    Posted in electrical, First-time buyers, Home owners, Knob and Tube Wiring, old houses
    Knob and tube wiring is usually found in homes built about 50 years ago that have not had the wiring updated. Knob and tube wiring gets its name from the insulator knobs used to keep the wires isolated from objects and the ceramic tubes used to line holes through wooden floor joists. You may find it with older 60 amp services.

    Although the actual wire used may be no different from that used today for the most part, it consists of only a hot (black) and neutral (white) wire with no ground wire. Both wires must run separately to fixtures as opposed to those used now which are contained within one plastic sheathing.

    Knob and tube wiring can be safe and functional. Hire a qualified electrician to inspect the wiring to determine its safety. With proper documentation from a certified electrician many insurance companies will readily insure your home. While I have safely owned many homes with knob and tube, there are some issues to be concerned about, such as, the fact that there is no ground wire, which may be an issue for today’s lifestyle, high electricity usage and technology. Also, there are potential fire hazards with the break down of the insulation around the knob and tube wiring that comes with age, and should the black and white wires make contact.

    In recent years some home insurance companies have begun to refuse to insure homes with knob and tube wiring, however, there are companies that continue to offer regular priced policies for homes with knob and tube, and others who ask a premium for this insurance. If you have any qualms about the safety of your knob and tube wiring, you can hire an electrician to update your home wiring. Be sure to get a quote, and expect to pay more to update a two- or three-story home, than you would for a bungalow. Keep the receipt to show prospective buyers when it comes time to sell.

    If you intend to purchase a home in an area where knob and tube wiring was used then ask your realtor for advice on securing insurance and peace of mind. Your realtor may recommend the use of a condition in your offer to purchase that allows you the buyer to satisfy yourself that the house is insurable. That way you won’t be stuck struggling to find insurance right before closing.
     

    Electrical Dangers in Homes With Knob and Tube Wiring

    by Brian Cook, May 2007
     
    Based on about 100 home electrical safety surveys that I have conducted done over the past 6 months, I have found only one home with dangerous knob and tube cabling. In this house the hazardous knob-and-tube wiring was a direct result of over fusing which resulted in over-loading of the conductors followed by insulation breakdown. With this home I rated the home high risk and presented that the home be rewired. The homeowner has done so.
     

    A common danger relating to knob and tube wiring is the use of electrical devices requiring grounding that are connected to "ungrounded, 3-prong receptacles" (found in virtually all homes examined). This situation, the "lack of ground" can easily be remedied with the replacement of the ungrounded 3-prong receptacles with GFCI receptacles (or GFCI protection at the panel). This is an excellent solution that in my opinion provides equal if not better ground protection than standard 3-prong grounded receptacles.

    A second danger relating to knob and tube wiring is the implementation of "Handyman add-ons". These add-ons are often found, though not exclusively, tapped into existing knob and tube circuits. Handyman add-ons can be very dangerous, consisting of, for example undersized wire, open splices, poor connections and/or dangerous placement or type of device to which it is powering. My findings show that dangerous "Handyman add-ons" are not limited to homes with knob and tube wiring, but related to the age of the house. Regarding homes with serious electrical hazards, I have found a particularly high incidence in homes with secondary suites, a result of the homeowners doing the wiring themselves or by unlicensed electricians.
     
    Interestingly, in all homes examined, I have conducted "voltage drop test under loading", an excellent test to determine the conductivity of the conductors, thus a presentation of electrical heat dissipated in the conductors and connections enroute. Any poor connections clearly show up whether the cabling be knob-and-tube, aluminum, or modern wiring. Poor electrical connections can lead to arcing followed by fire. My findings show that if there has not been "handyman tampering" the conductivity of knob-and tube circuits has been by-in-large superior to that modern cabling (1). This is likely due to the soldered connections and the shorter wire runs of knob and tube wiring.
     
    A final mention: Of significant concern is dangers of service supply conductors (home powerline). The two very dangerous concerns that have found have been (a) broken "Emily knob" (in 3% of homes) and (b) trees applying pressure to service-supply conductors (in 26% of homes), causing tension on the conductors which could lead to a broken Emily knob. Once the Emily knob has detached from the house, the service supply conductors are at high risk of becoming detached at a point close to the side of the house. This can, and has led to fire outbreak.
     

    In summary, electrical hazards have been found both in homes with and without knob and tube wiring, but the hazards have by-in large not been related to the knob and tube wiring itself. Homes with significant hazards have by-in-large been related to (a) the age of the house (the number of years where Handyman tampering could have occurred), (b) the application of the house (secondary suite or not), and proximity of trees to the service supply conductors. A comprehensive electrical inspection by qualified personnel is the only sure way to identify if and where there are electrical hazards.

     
    Brian Cook
    BCTQ Electrician, Field Safety Representative (Electrical) and owner PowerCheck
     
    1. Voltage drop test under loading: Canadian Electrical Code states that at full load values within 5% are acceptable. Modern home wiring circuits typically show values in range of 4 to 4.5 %; Knob & tube circuits most often measure values in the range of 1 to 2%; On aluminum wiring circuits I have measured values exceeding 10%. This additional voltage drop is likely due one or more poor connections enroute to the receptacle, and must be repaired. A 1500 watt load (e.g. an electric kettle) connected to a circuit with a 5% voltage drop at a poor connection yields 60 watts heat generated at that connection. This would be comparable to the heat generated from a 60 W light bulb; most dangerous and must be repaired.
     
     
     
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    Posted in 2009 Real Estate Market, buying, First-time buyers, Homeowners, Vancouver Real Estate blog
    Mandatory Licensing of Home Inspectors Coming
     
    On March 31, 2009, BC will become the first Canadian province requiring home inspectors to be licensed. For the past decade, the BC Real Estate Association and the Real Estate Board Of Greater Vancouver have advocated that home inspectors meet licensing and uniform education standards.
        Members were concerned that training for inspectors was voluntary and anyone could call themselves a home inspector. This created problems for homebuyers who hired “professional” home inspectors who ultimately weren’t qualified. When problems were discovered that an inspector should have identified, the homebuyer had no recourse.
        Under the new standards, the province’s 300 to 400 home inspectors will be required to meet the qualifications of one of the following organizations:
    • the Canadian Association of Home & Property Inspectors – BC branch;
    • the Applied Science Technologists and Technicians of British Columbia; or
    • the National Certification Program for Home and Property Inspectors.Licensing will be under the Business Practices and Consumer Protection Act. Home inspectors must complete examinations and field experience, undergo a criminal records check and pay a $100 licensing fee. 
       
    The Business Practices and Consumer Protection Authority (BPCPA) will be the regulatory body, overseeing licensing and complaints, and will monitor compliance through inspections and enforcement. Maximum penalties for non compliance will be $5,000.
        Licensing information and application forms will be posted on the BPCPA website at     www.bpcpa.caby February 27, 2009.
        Until March 31, 2009, home inspectors who haven’t met the requirements of a BPCPA-recognized professional association or authority can apply to the BPCPA to have their experience, knowledge and ability assessed and may be issued a licence. “Grandfathered” inspectors must meet the requirements of one of the three recognized groups by March 31, 2011.
        Questions have been raised about whether the new standards will prove adequate. Discussions between the government and the inspection industry organizations are ongoing.
     

    Most Frequent House Problems Found by Home Inspectors

    1. Improper surface grading/drainage: Results in water penetration in the basement or crawl space.
    2. Improper electrical wiring: Includes insufficient electrical service to the house, inadequate overload protection, and amateur, often dangerous, wiring connections.
    3. Roof damage: Includes old or damaged shingles or improper flashing which cause water leakage.
    4. Heating systems: Includes broken or malfunctioning operation controls, blocked chimneys and unsafe exhaust disposal.
    5. Poor overall maintenance: Includes cracked, peeling, or dirty painted surfaces, crumbling masonry, makeshift wiring or plumbing, and broken fixtures or appliances.
    6. Structure-related problems: Includes damage to foundation walls, floor joists, rafters, and window and door headers.
    7. Plumbing: Includes old or incompatible piping materials, faulty fixtures and waste lines.
    8. Exterior flaws: Includes inadequate caulking and/or weather stripping on windows, doors, and wall surfaces which leads to water and air penetration.
    9. Poor ventilation: includes over-sealed homes which result in excessive interior moisture that causes rotting and premature failure of structural and non-structural elements.


    Source: The Canadian Association of Home and Property Inspectors


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    Posted on by
    Posted in eco-friendly, green

    From quick and easy things you can do today to projects that require the help of a professional, there are many ways to make your home more eco-friendly. The list below will give you some ideas on how to improve your home’s energy efficiency and save you money.
     
    Tier
    1
    Estimated Annual Savings
    = $20-50
    • Install low-flow faucets and showerheads to reduce water usage and reduce the cost of heating water by up to 50%
    • Choose energy efficient appliances
    • Install outdoor motion detector switches
    • Replace air conditioner and furnace filters regularly
    Tier
    2
    Estimated Annual Savings
    = $50-100
    • Use power bars to switch off your electronics
    • Switch to compact fluorescent light bulbs
    • Install a programmable thermostat
    Tier
    3
    Estimated Annual Savings
    = $100-250
    • Caulk all windows and make sure your home is properly insulated
    • Use ceiling fans year round to help circulate warm and cool air evenly around a room*
    • Replacing an old refrigerator with an energy efficient one can save enough electricity to light the average home for more than four and a half months
    Tier
    4
    Estimated Annual Savings
    = $250+
    • Replace your existing windows and doors with energy efficient designs that will reduce your home’s energy use (both heating and cooling).
    • Replace your existing furnace with a high efficiency furnace. They have increased safety (for newer airtight homes), longevity and there is no need for a chimney.

    (Courtesy of RBC)

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