Making conscious decisions to reduce energy consumption and lower your energy bills is pretty much a no-brainer these days. The cost of heating and cooling your home is not cheap, so if there’s something you can do to reduce those ongoing expenses logic says, “Do It”. But sometimes it takes more than common sense and logic to affect change. In those cases nothing talks louder than money.
Every little bit helps and with that thought in mind, AmeriSpec Canada would like to introduce you to the ecoENERGY Retrofit – Homes program. Launched on April 1, 2007 by Canada’s Federal Government, this program’s purpose is to encourage homeowners to implement energy saving projects that reduce energy-related greenhouse gases and air pollution. And just how is the government planning to encourage Canadians to implement change? With financial incentives, of course! Property owners can qualify for federal grants by improving the energy efficiency of their homes.
Getting Started – The Pre-Retrofit Evaluation
Your home’s current energy rating must be assessed by a licensed energy evaluator. In this thorough attic to basement assessment, the evaluator performs a blower door test to find air leaks, provides an unbiased printed report that indicates where energy dollars are being spent and recommendations on what can be done to improve your home’s energy efficiency, and gives an energy efficiency rating label that shows how efficient your home is compared to others in your area. The findings on the printed report will assist you in planning your energy saving projects. Homeowners have 18 months in which to complete upgrades. Grants of up to $5000 are available based on individual retrofit initiatives. For a list of the individual grant amounts related to retrofits, see this table.
The Post-Retrofit Evaluation
Once energy retrofits have been completed, your home is re-assessed. The individual grant amounts will be determined by the effectiveness of the upgrades in reducing energy or water use, not directly on the cost of the upgrade. The energy evaluator will tell you how much you can expect to receive, prepare all paperwork for you to sign, and after you sign, he/she will forward your grant application to NRCan. Homeowners can expect to receive a cheque within 90 days following the post-retrofit evaluation.
What’s In It For You
Besides the obvious financial incentives from the government, by improving the energy efficiency of your home, you’ll have taken a positive step in reducing your home’s negative impact on the environment. That’s something you can be proud of and you’ll have monthly reminders of the good you’ve done every time you open one of those lower utility bills.
To see how much you qualify for, contact an ecoENERGY EVALUATOR near you. Find a qualified evaluator by using the handy search tool below.
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