Now is the perfect time for Canadian homeowners to make their homes more energy efficient — thanks to the recent extension of the popular ecoENERGY Retrofit program. The Canada Office of Energy Efficiency (OEE) has extended the program’s application deadline to March 31, 2012, giving homeowners a little extra time to make energy-efficient updates. Through ecoENERGY, homeowners are eligible to receive grants of up to $5,000 to make their homes more energy-efficient. To date, homeowners who participated in the program have saved an average of 20 percent on their energy bills.
CertainTeed, North America’s largest brand of building products, encourages homeowners to take advantage of this opportunity before time runs out. CertainTeed provides a few suggestions on where to start in order to upgrade the efficiency of your home:
• Insulation: Be sure that your home has adequate levels of insulation. Adding insulation to the walls, basement and attic of a home can reduce your energy bill by as much as 30 percent, according to Natural Resources Canada. CertainTeed offers a complete line of fiberglass batt, blown-in and polyurethane spray-foam insulation to meet the needs of all homeowners.
• Water heaters: Replace your water heater with an ENERGY STAR® heater that has a high energy factor (EF). The installation cost is typically included in the grant.
• Energy-saving windows, doors and skylights: Upgrade to ENERGY STAR® qualified products, especially casement or double-pane windows. Each qualified model comes with a temporary label showing the appropriate ENERGY STAR climate zones.
• Efficient heating and cooling equipment: By upgrading to an ENERGY STAR®-rated heating or cooling system that uses electric, natural gas, propane or oil, you can also earn big savings on your monthly utility bill, while creating a comfortable home.
• Give your home an extra energy-efficient boost with insulated siding, such as CedarBoards™ from CertainTeed, which can help prevent heat loss in walls.
• Daily life: Increasing energy efficiency can also be a simple matter of adjusting your daily electrical use. Some of the best ways to do this are to buy ENERGY STAR® rated home appliances, use compact fluorescent or LED lighting, shut off lights and appliances when leaving a room and install programmable thermostats.
To speak to an expert, contact Mike Loughery of CertainTeed Corporation at mike.b.loughery@saint-gobain.com or 610-341-7328. For more information, visit www.certainteed.com.
Contributed by Michael Loughery, CertainTeed