​This is both true and FREE in the right context. You have all the necessary enzymes and bacteria in your digestive track so there is no need to buy a commercial product, add roadkill or organ meats, or any of the other myths that have persisted over the years for superstitious or financial reasons.

​That idea holds water, if only used for water storage (cistern), but false for septic use since sewer gasses such as Hydrogen Sulphide (H2S) corrode and dissolve concrete. Within 10 years of use, concrete baffles that block the flow of floating debris to your septic field can easily be dissolved and may even require complete system replacement. Polyethylene tanks, baffles, and lids are all modern alternatives to address corrosion

​This may be true when the system is indeed fine, but is similar to a car being ‘fine’ if it is not smoking.  There are many other signs prior to catastrophic failure. Periodic maintenance with pumping is not just required by provincial law since 1997, but like a regular checkup with your mechanic or your doctor, it is a good idea for prevention!

​Perhaps if there are no solids, dirt, fats, or paper products ever flushed, but for regular human use, the floating scum and sinking sludge do buildup in the tank. Soaps, phosphates, bleach, and anti-bacterial cleaners all slow or stop decomposition.  Once 30% tank volume of scum and sludge is reached, pumping is certainly required. For many, 3-5 years is a typical frequency once, and can be adjusted once a pattern has been established.

​Who wouldn’t rather keep $200-$300 in their pocket? Compared to annual municipal sewer fees of $600+, $300 over 3-5 years is only $60-100$ per year and lets you fix any small problems before they grow!

For holding tanks, this is true where there is no chamber divider. For any typical leaching bed system however, both tank chambers and a pump chamber must be emptied of scum and sludge. The inlet and outlet baffles and effluent pump, when present, should also be checked at same time.

Ontario Building Code Part 8, BCIN 107919 Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing

Finished basements add great living space and even potential rental income but those rewards do come with risks naturally too. 

Here is a finished basement in a 2 year old home that looks great to the naked eye, has no immediately obvious stains, smells, or defects.

• Closer inspection reveals slightly raised areas of the engineered floor, not consistent with the texture throughout.
• The moisture meter shows a floor baseline reading of ~13% which is certainly no cause for alarm.
• The raised spots however, show 80%-90% moisture
• Water is trapped under the engineered floor and underlay with the MDF component of the flooring acting as a sponge
• Ideal conditions for mold growth are now present

Elevated levels in the wall, highest at the corner indicated moisture intrusion in this basement from cracks in the foundation below grade.
A nearby downspout, and high spring moisture in supporting soil resulted in high basement moisture intrusion in this case.

This is just one of the benefits of an In Depth Inspection

Possible remedies:

• Excavate the exterior, seal the foundation with a flexible membrane (BlueSkin, Redseal, etc) ($$$) - best long term solution
  
• Remove interior finishes and attempt waterproofing from interior ($$$) - hydrostatic pressure will cause this to fail much sooner than exterior however
• Remove floor and underlay, dehumidify, dry, treat with Mold Control Concrobium product ($)
• Add a sump pit and pump
• Clean gutters of any debris contributing to overflow, redirect downspout extensions well away from foundation.

If you live in a rural area or a small community or if you have a cottage, chances are you
have a septic system. Septic systems are onsite treatment units that eliminate the need
for municipal sewers in rural areas. Anything that goes down the drain — every shower
drip and every toilet flush — flows to the septic system. Septic systems are comprised of
a tank, a network of pipes and billions of organisms that process your waste.
This booklet will help you become familiar with how your system works and how to keep
it working properly. It is important to know that you are responsible for your septic system
and that it is in your best interest to take good care of it — from a health, financial and
environmental perspective.  Learn more with PDF below -->

Whether using your inspection report during home-buying negotiations, new home Tarion warranty submissions, or as a to-do list for your home,  you can create  a repair list directly from the inspection report.

Further inspection tells the rest of the story.
Among the many gases in a septic tank, methane has an escape path through the vent system in your house since it is lighter than air.  However, H2S - Hydrogen Sulfide is heavier than air which is why we first find damage from the resulting Sulfuric Acid in the outlet chamber and around the outlet baffle where the water and air meet.  Once past the resistant coating on the tank, H2S damages more of the concrete as seen until you have both a structural issue and the tank effluent is no longer distributed to the absorption field properly.

This is one more reason why plastic septic tanks are favored for most applications these days. High Density Poly Ethylene HDPE doesn't suffer the same degradation (think Jesse in 1st season Breaking Bad and the bathtub!), and lightweight tank installation can be easier too.

Whether you're buying a home or cottage, don't just rely on the fact that the liquids and solids may have been pumped at some point. That will tell you the system has had an 'oil change' at some point to meet minimum legal requirements but does not give you an in depth picture of the system components or what substantial costs may be on the horizon.

,If your home is still heated with oil, you're likely used to regular queries from your insurance company about its age, condition, and possible leaks.
Not only are you likely paying a higher annual premium, you may also be required to replace it sooner than expected.
Although  your 14 gauge / 2.0mm steel tank may meet TSSA standards, the underwriter for your policy may require a thicker 12 gauge / 2.3 mm+ steel tank or a fiberglass tank.

Instead of spending another $3000 on a new tank, considering switching to propane.

• Propane tanks rentals are typically $75-$100 annually.
• Many propane furnaces are rated at 96% efficient, so more of the fuel is converted to heat in your home.
• Energy Incentives are currently available in all areas of Ontario - up to $2100 or up to $5000 depending on location

Take advantage of incentives to upgrade your home and heating equipment while they're still available.

Start saving on heating and insurance costs now.

Contact me, your Certified Energy Advisor®, today to determine which program and incentives you qualify for.

As of October 18, 2016 Enbridge is proud to offer the Home Energy Conservation Program which provides incentives of up to $1,600 for qualified participants. To qualify for these incentives, eligible participants must complete an initial (pre-retrofit) home energy audit (the “Initial Audit”). The Initial Audit must be completed by a Certified Energy Auditor that has been approved by Enbridge to deliver home energy audits under the Program (a “CEA”). To receive the Program incentives, eligible participants must complete at least 2 of the qualifying upgrades/installations (described below) and achieve a minimum of 15% annual gas savings*. A final (post-retrofit) home energy audit (the “Final Audit”) must also be completed by December 31, 2016, and the Final Audit must demonstrate a qualifying reduction in annual gas savings. The same PCEA must perform both the Initial Audit and the Final Audit.
 
To qualify, the Participant MUST:
 Reside in an Enbridge Program Delivery Area (please see www.knowyourenergyscore.ca for details)
 The Address must use natural gas, oil, propane or wood as the primary source for space heating
 Have a valid Enbridge account number (if an Enbridge customer) OR provide a current tax bill for the Address if the home is heated with oil, wood or propane
 Have the Initial Audit and Final Audit completed by the same PCEA. Robert Ramsdale of In Depth Energy Inspections Inc is your local CEA. Call 855-457-2004 now to schedule your pre-audit.
 Following the Initial Audit, complete at least 2 of the following upgrades as recommended by the PCEA and achieve a minimum 15% annual fuel savings*:

• Attic insulation upgrade
• Basement wall insulation upgrade
• Wall insulation upgrade
• Air sealing (must achieve a minimum of 10% annual fuel savings if air sealing is one of two eligible measures installed)
• Install a high efficiency space heating system (furnace/boiler)
• Install a high efficiency water heating system
• Replace windows with Energy Star models
• Install a drain water heat recovery unit
• Install an air source heat pump (only available for Addresses that use oil, propane or wood as the primary fuel source for space heating)

 Complete Initial Audits and Final Audits from the same CEA by December 31, 2018

Federal government changes announced this week will require those typically categorized as first time home buyers or high-ratio buyers to qualify at higher 5 year fixed Bank of Canada rates, 2.05% higher than TD's 5 year fixed rate today.  Changes take effect October 17th.

For the 99.72% of Canadian mortgage holders that do not default on their homes, the key difference is that you'll qualify for a smaller mortgage, and/or you'll need to continue saving longer for that down payment.  How does that help affordability? It may reduce the total number of buyers in some markets, but it's not millennials and 'better late than never' Gen-Xers that are driving top prices.

As the resulting market for condos, townhomes, or 'fixer-uppers' increases, the pressure to compete remains, but with less options.  As we've already seen throughout Toronto and parts of Ontario, removing the Home Inspection Clause has become a common strategy to make an offer more appealing. Contrasted to the 70% of home purchases that included home inspections 2 years ago, only 30% of home offers currently include a home inspection clause.  With less financial bargaining room, an optional Home Inspection Clause is even more likely to be removed from an offer to purchase.

If you're a first time home buyer or anyone without extra cash for repairs after a home purchase, you really need the extra trained eyes and useful explanations about home systems and maintenance, before you go firm. That's where a truly independent Master Inspector is critical to explain risks and concerns in a meaningful way so you can make informed decisions.  A quality inspection could be the most important fraction of a percent you ever spend on an investment.

Will new rules make an impact to reduce systemic risk of mortgage defaults? Perhaps, but ​let's not pretend this helps people afford homes, or helps consumers by encouraging the risk in skipping a quality home inspection.

Whether you're ready to book a full home inspection now, or first want a pre-offer inspection to make an informed offer, I'm your Certified Master Inspector®.  An In Depth Energy Home Inspection protects what matters most - your family, and your investment.

Starting August 1st, Union Gas has doubled the maximum rebate available in the Home Reno program from $2500 to $5000 AND is now open to homes without natural gas too.  
This includes rebates for homes heated with propane, oil, and even wood!
Water heater rebates have more than doubled from $200 to $500, furnace rebates have doubled to $1000, insulation and window incentives have increased too.
There is also an extra $100 available for an adaptive thermostat bringing the total available to $5100.
If you're in one of the areas serviced by Union Gas, call me today at 855-457-2004 to determine eligibility and to schedule your pre-upgrade audit.
Service areas include Huntsville, Bracebridge, Orillia, Muskoka, Ramara, Gravenhurst, Oshawa, Cobourg, Belleville, Halton - Oakville, Hamilton, Burlington, Milton, and more.

If you're not in a Union Gas program area, you may still qualify for up to $2100 through a similar Enbridge program that has recently expanded into Lindsay, Peterborough and other parts of Durham.

Already planning renovations? Call now book your pre-audit before you start as homes already under renovation are not eligible.
​

Log homes may be site-built or pre-cut in a factory for delivery to the site. Some log home manufacturers can also customize their designs. Before designing or purchasing a manufactured log home, you need to consider the following factors for energy efficiency.

The R-Value of Wood

In a log home, the wood helps provide some insulation. Wood's thermal resistance (or resistance to heat flow) is measured by its R-value. The higher the R-value, the more thermal resistance.
The R-value for wood ranges between 1.41 per inch (2.54 cm) for most softwoods, and 0.71 for most hardwoods. Ignoring the benefits of the thermal mass, a 6-inch (15.24 cm) thick log wall would have a clear-wall (a wall without windows or doors) R-value of just over 8.
 
Compared to a conventional wood stud wall (31 D2 inches [8.89 cm] insulation, sheathing, wallboard, a total of about R-14), the log wall is apparently a vastly inferior insulation system. Based only on this, log walls do not satisfy most building codes' energy standards. However, to what extent a log building interacts with its surroundings depends greatly on the climate. Because of the log's heat-storage capability, its large mass may cause the walls to behave considerably better in some climates than in others. Logs act like "thermal batteries" and can, under the right circumstances, store heat during the day and gradually release it at night. This generally increases the apparent R-value of a log by 0.1 per inch of thickness in mild, sunny climates that have a substantial temperature swing from day to night. Such climates generally exist in the Earth's temperate zones between the 15th and 40th parallels.
Minimizing Air Leakage in Log Homes

Log homes are susceptible to developing air leaks. Air-dried logs are still about 15% to 20% water when the house is assembled or constructed. As the logs dry over the next few years, the logs shrink. The contraction and expansion of the logs open gaps between the logs, creating air leaks, which cause drafts and high heating requirements. To minimize air leakage, logs should be seasoned (dried in a protected space) for at least six months before construction begins. These are the best woods to use to avoid this problem, in order of effectiveness:

• cedar;
• spruce;
• pine;
• fir; and 
• larch.

Since most manufacturers and experienced builders know of these shrinkage and resulting air leakage problems, many will kiln-dry the logs prior to finish-shaping and installation. Some also recommend using plastic gaskets and caulking compounds to seal gaps. These seals require regular inspection and re-sealing when necessary. To be safe, always hire an InterNACHI Certified Log Home inspector. 

Controlling Moisture in Log Homes

Since trees absorb large amounts of water as they grow, the tree cells are also able to absorb water very readily after the wood has dried. For this reason, a log home is very hydroscopic—it can absorb water quickly. This promotes wood rot and insect infestation. It is strongly recommended that you protect the logs from any contact with any water or moisture. One moisture-control method is to use only waterproofed and insecticide-treated logs. Re-apply these treatments every few years for the life of the house. Generous roof overhangs, properly sized gutters and downspouts, and drainage plains around the house are also critical for moisture control.
 
Building Energy-Code Compliance for Log Homes

Because log homes don't have conventional wood-stud walls and insulation, they often don't satisfy most building codes' energy standards—usually those involving required insulation R-values. 
 ® InterNachi 
 

As Ontario building code energy requirements increase starting in 2017, you may eventually need to demonstrate this home will use the same or less energy than a conventional home built to code.  I also offer energy modelling services to help determine overall energy consumption or to help you find upgrades to offset code requirements.