Recently we had a customer contact us, expressing their satisfaction for a job well done. Homeworks would like to share this story with you to help give some insight as to what you can expect in your next Homeworks experience.

Garry and Angela Lester were looking to make some improvements in their home and realized that Homeworks’ house-as-a-system approach was a perfect fit. They decided to go with our organization after meeting with our knowledgeable and personable sales staff. In addition, Homeworks “is better quality of service for the price I was paying comparing to other companies” says Garry.

Chris Breadner was the Sales Consultant that guided Garry through his home renovation experience. Chris gave expert ideas as to how all of the products the Lester’s were interested in could best interact and function in their home. The Lester’s purchased a Bryant 95s multi-stage variable speed 95% efficient furnace tp provide back up heat for the Bryant two stage heat pump. Garry and Angela Lester went with ISO board foundation walls that gave them an R-50 rating in the basement walls. This combined with the R-20 in the upper floor walls and R-50 in the attic meant the heat loss/gain was very low. Given these properties, Chris recommended an Eneready HRV system that was much smaller than most equipment for a house this size for continuous ventilation and high efficiency heat filter.

All in all, this was a successful experience for the Lester’s and even though there were some unexpected issues the Lester’s experienced as there is with any job; Chris’s “level of knowledge reassured me and I was not worried” says Garry Lester.

Garry exclaimed that “Chris’ level of knowledge was superior to most people I have come across and he did an excellent job of coordinating the whole process. He had an understanding of how things fit together and his product knowledge was superb. Chris Breadner truly understood the house as a system approach. He would answer my many phone calls and questions and was extremely good about dealing with other people working on our new build home. The staff at Homeworks are excellent and truly provide a consultative approach. It is definitely an advantage to have a company that deals with all aspects of a home when it comes to planning and implementation.”

We are happy that the Lester’s had such a positive experience with Homeworks and the next time you are looking to complete home upgrades or build a new home you will have an idea of the level of service you can expect from the Homeworks team!

If you are interested in Homeworks house-as-a-system approach, book a free in-home consultation, visit our showrooms or call 604.697.5700.

February 1^st, 2010 marks the end of the Home Renovation Tax Credit (HRTC). The program had an extremely successful run and provided those individuals with a one-year temporary 15% income tax credit up to $1,350 on eligible home renovation expenditures.

So you may be asking yourself, now that the HRTC is over what incentives do I have to renovate my home? For those of you who are interested in having upgrades done, their still is hope. The Federal ecoENERGY retrofit grants are available and you can save your money by undertaking renovations before the Harmonized Sales Tax (HST) takes effect!

Under the ecoENERGY Retrofit program, homeowners can qualify for 25% more in federal grants by improving the energy efficiency of their homes, and reducing their home’s impact on the environment. The maximum grant you can receive for a single family home is $5,000.

The HST is fast approaching with a scheduled date of July 1^st, 2010. This means that starting July the BC Government will be combining GST and PST into one harmonized tax and your home upgrades will cost you 7% more for the PST that was not charged previously.

For more details check out our Offers and Incentives page on www.homeworks.ca, visit our showrooms or call 604.697.5700 for any questions you may have related to the HRTC, the HST or any other home upgrade questions you may have.

Getting ready for the winter holidays can be a stressful time. Homeworks’ has put together some energy saving tips that will make it a little easier on your wallets and allow you to save on your energy bill this winter season. Not only, will you be helping yourselves but you will also be making a contribution to saving the environment. Here are 10 tips to reducing your energy bill:

• · Stop opening the fridge or freezer-when deciding what to retrieve from the freezer or fridge try to open them scarcely and think about what you are getting before hand. Don’t overstuff your freezer-it reduces the efficiency. Finally, ensure that your cooling coils on your refrigerator are cleaned regularly to ensure they always perform well.

• · Keep the lid on-keep lids on pots while boiling and simmering to save energy. Also, instead of using your electric oven opt for the toaster oven for smaller items. Save on cooking time by thawing food completely and keep the oven door closed as much as you can.

• · Fill that dishwasher-make sure your dishwasher is loaded correctly and fully loaded to ensure your dishes are cleaned properly. Wash dishes on the shortest wash cycle and let them air dry afterwards.

• · Let a blanket be your best friend-an extra blanket or sweater works just as well as having the heat up really high and it saves money. Make sure doors to the outside are properly closed and use programmable thermostats to regulate heat when you’re not home.

• · Let the sun shine in-open your blinds or curtains instead of turning lights on during the day. Switch your light bulbs to CFL’s (compact fluorescent light bulbs) they are more energy efficient and last much longer.

• · Cut your showers down- long hot showers and baths are nice but certainly a big contributor to your energy bill. Cut down your shower time and install low-flow showerheads and hot water heater timers. Putting an insulating cover for you water heater and pipes also adds to conservation.

• · Insulate your house-an easy way to capture wasted energy is to have proper insulation in the home. Having your floors, wall and crawlspace properly insulated will impact your energy use immensely. Weather-stripping and sealing any gaps or cracks in doors and windows is also beneficial.

• · Laundry you like- try to use detergent scarcely and use cold water whenever possible. Dryer sheets can be ripped in half and are still just as effective. Do not overload the dryer and try to let your clothes air dry.

• · Computers sleep too- turn off your computer when you are not using it and turn down the brightness of your monitor when it is in use. Remember to turn off any additional equipment such as printers. Set your computers to go to ‘sleep mode’ when they are inactive.

If you are interested in improving the energy efficiency of your home, book a free in-home consultation, visit our showrooms or call 604.697.5700.

ENERGY STAR® bathroom room fans are an important part of a home’s ventilation system. In the past, bathroom fans have been mostly recognized for their indoor air quality and health benefits. They remove odours from the house and improve indoor air quality. They also remove moisture, which decreases the level of humidity in the house. High humidity can damage building materials and can cause mold growth. In addition to indoor air quality and health, there are numerous energy-saving benefits to improving the ventilation system and these benefits are outlined below.

ENERGY-EFFICIENCY

Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) estimates that ENERGY STAR® qualified ventilation fans, use on average, 65% less energy than standard current models. Right now, it’s difficult to quantify the energy-savings against older fans (15+ years) since, the equipment does not contain the energy-rating system that is available on current models. With that being said, annual savings of up to 6 – 7% of heating costs can be achieved by using economical ventilation fans rather than opening windows. Also, operating the ventilation fan continuously can cost less than $20 a year and will save hundreds in heating costs.

In addition, it’s estimated that bathroom fans utilizing a DC motor reduce the energy consumption by about 80% (under continuous operation) compared to older fans (15+years). Additionally, new bathroom fans are required to meet performance standards whereas older fans are not. Therefore, we know that we get significantly better air-flow, thus reducing energy consumption.

NOISE, INDOOR AIR QUALITY & HEALTH

Aside from energy-consumption, we’ve found that because of the “noise” caused by older fans, people aren’t using the existing equipment. Therefore, when you choose to open windows in order to ventilate your residence it wastes more energy. By using a bathroom fan to regulate air-flow, we’ll reduce consumption because it controls evacuation of stale and damp air. It’s a well known principle of building science that tells us that it costs more to heat cold, damp air versus the heating of fresh air regulated by a bathroom fan.

In terms of indoor air quality, lack of adequate ventilation sometimes has negative repercussions on the health of a home’s occupants. Pollutants and dampness trapped inside a house can cause serious respiratory problems and lead to the deterioration of the building’s structure.

With “Going Green” being the latest trend in home improvement, many people want to take part but often do not know where to start. Having an ecoEnergy audit preformed on your house can be a great first step and help provide a clear step-by-step plan to upgrading your home in an energy-efficient manner.

An ecoEnergy audit is preformed by an outside organization’s certified energy adviser and the assessment will evaluate the energy efficiency of your home. The focus of the initial audit will be on windows, doors, the heating system and insulation and typically takes around two hours and costs around $150 per visit. A “blower door” test is completed in order to determine if there are any air leaks, a major contributor to heat loss.

Once the assessment is finished the certified energy adviser will present you with a report which will provide you with an analysis of the amount of energy you are using, where and will provide solutions to better allocate your “energy dollars” to improve the energy efficiency of your home. Accompanying the report will also be a rating of you home of how it compares to others with respect to energy efficiency.

By implementing the recommended upgrades it will allow you to reduce cold drafts of your home, identify moisture problems, improve your home’s ventilation, reduce overall energy use and save money on your energy bills.

These audits are done by organizations that are unaffiliated with Homeworks therefore, will give you a completely objective measure of your home. After, you have completed your upgrades you call the certified energy advisers back to assess the improvement of energy efficiency in your home. Having these tests done will typically qualify you for ecoEnergy federal grants and other incentives.

If you are interested in improving the energy efficiency of your home, book a free in-home consultation, visit our showrooms or call 604.697.5700.

Installation plays a huge factor in the ultimate efficiency of your window replacement. A quality install will ensure your replacement windows perform as expected. A poor install can erase any benefits that caused you to replace your windows in the first place. Water penetration is one of the biggest concerns when it comes to window installation. Below are three main methods of window installation:

1. Full Removal

During a full removal install, the glass is removed from the existing frame. Next, the cladding of the home around the window is cut back to expose the nail fin of the existing window frame. The type of exterior cladding of your home-siding, stucco or brick, will determine how much is removed. The old nail fin frame is now exposed and removed. Next the house wrap/building paper is repaired and reapplied and the bottom sill has a waterproofing membrane applied to it.

Advantages

• Complete removal using a brick mould or nail fin

• Windows are completely sealed and secured behind the weather barrier

• Provides the best protection against water infiltration

• The exterior of the home looks as if the windows are original and trims can add to the general appearance of the home

• The windows will be the same size as the existing windows

Disadvantages

• Installation can be time consuming depending on the desired exterior finish

2. Stucco/Rebate Flange

Following the example above, after removing the glass, the installer will cut off the nail fin around the frame. This method allows the installer to remove the frame without having to cut back the homes exterior siding or stucco. The old frame is then removed from the opening, leaving the existing nail fin in place. The new window is installed with either a flush fin or stucco flange depending on the application. The new window is sealed directly to the exterior of home.

Advantages

• Quick and easy

Disadvantages

• The exterior seal or caulking must be checked regularly for shrinkage to prevent water penetration

• Window will be slightly smaller than the existing window

3. Piggybacking

When this installation method is used, the glass is first removed from the old window. At this point the old frame may or may not be trimmed down. The new window is set in its place over the old frame, sealed and secured.

Advantages

• Quick and easy install

Disadvantages

• Leaves the old aluminum frame in place

• Shrinks the window size so the viewing area will decrease considerably

• The exterior seal or caulking must be checked regularly for shrinkage to prevent water penetration

When you have replacement windows installed, be sure to ask the installer a lot or questions regarding their methods. At Homeworks, we recommend and stand by the Full Removal method and feel the other two methods will not do your windows justice. If you are interested in having replacement windows installed, book a free in-home consultation, visit our showrooms or call 604.697.5700

We see this ENERGY STAR label everywhere, but does anyone really know the meaning behind it? And the question begs, how does it help us as consumers?

So lets figure out what it means together; it is defined as the international symbol that differentiates products with premium energy efficiency compared to others in its category. Products that show the ENERGY STAR symbol have been examined with respect to prearranged regulations and have met or surpassed higher energy efficiency levels without compromising functionality. The products included by ENERGY STAR range from office equipment to windows and doors.

The ENERGY STAR symbol was first introduced in the US and was initially used for computers and monitors and currently can be located on almost 40 product types including residential heating and cooling equipment. ENERGY STAR has grown to be recognized internationally including countries from Europe to Taiwan and many in between including Canada.

So now that you know a little bit about it, you might be wandering how do different products qualify for this label? Well don’t worry you don’t have to go far, its going to all be explained right here! Products must meet technical specifications designed to ensure that they are among the top energy performers on the market. The general guidelines of how products are selected are:

• There must be significant energy savings and greenhouse gas emission reductions that can be realized throughout the country
• Product performance must be maintained or enhanced with energy efficiency
• Many energy efficiency models are also high quality with a wide range of desired features and they must ensure overall performance is maintained
• You must recover your investment in a reasonable period of time with the purchase of a product
• Specifications are set so that energy efficiency criteria can be met through the use of several technology options and can not favour one manufacturer
• Labeling would substantially differentiate energy efficient products from others
• Energy consumption of a product is able to be measured

So now that your are armed with the information, the next time you are shopping for a product and see the ENERGY STAR symbol you will have a better idea of what you would be purchasing. The majority of products sold at Homeworks are ENERGY STAR rated including all of our heat pumps, furnaces, windows and doors.

For more information and where to find qualified products visit the Natural Resources Canada’s Office of Energy Efficiency. Or visit our showrooms or call 604.697.5700 and we can help guide and inform you throughout your purchase decisions.

Heat Pumps are appliances that when paired with a gas/electric furnace will heat, cool and dehumidify and continuously filter the air of dust and impurities. It can also circulate the air to avoid stuffiness without heating or cooling the air. In summer, heat pumps will transfer heat from inside the house to outside air for cooling; conversely, in winter they will transfer heat from outside air into the home for heating. The life of a heat pump depends on what kind you choose to invest in. The two types are; air source heat pumps which will typically last 15-25 years and ground source heat pumps which will last about 20-30 years.

The efficiency of a heat pump tends to be approximately 200 to 400% because of its solar energy use; much greater than any electrical or gas system. Heat pump heating is roughly a third of the cost of electric heating and about half the cost of gas heating. They are also fairly simple to maintain as professional service and inspection can be done as little as once a year and filters should be changed every once or twice a year depending on your environment.

Some of the advantages of heat pumps are:

• They will reduce your energy bills as they are more economical to run than electric or gas heating systems
• They provide functionality throughout the year, rather than exclusively in the winter
• In BC, they use renewable hydropower green energy, heat pumps use environmentally sound refrigerant and do not harm the ozone layer
• They are usually quieter then their counterpart heating systems

Some of the disadvantages of heat pumps are:

• If you live in an area that is frequently below freezing in winter, the back up system will be required
• The initial price of a heat pump can be a deterrent when purchasing a heating unit, but the savings on energy bills will eventually offset this

All things considered, heat pumps offer the best investment in home heating and comfort. Homeworks offers two brands of heat pumps, known as Bryant and Payne. If you are interested in installing a heat pump, book a free in-home consultation, visit our showrooms or call 604.697.5700.

Many of you will be looking to get those fireplaces cleaned for the upcoming winter season. Over the course of a year, the glass of your fireplace will develop a film or buildup. Cleaning the glass will make it more aesthetically pleasing and it will also ensure that your glass is not damaged for future use, by preventing the buildup from etching into the glass. Check out this simple and easy video on how to clean the glass of your fireplace:

How-To Clean the Glass of your Fireplace

Wondering where you can get the correct glass cleaner? We sell the proper ceramic glass cleaner out of our showrooms. Not comfortable doing it yourself? We offer service contracts, where you will get a thorough cleaning of your fireplace, in addition a full inspection, which will prevent major problems from occurring in the future. These regular service visits will ensure the longevity of your fireplace, and are recommended by the manufacturers’ to be done at least every 1-3 years.

If you’re interested in learning more about our maintenance service, and the service contracts we offer, visit our showrooms or call 604.697.5700.

At some point during home renovations, there comes a time when you have the opportunity to move on from old energy-hungry technology and replace it with a new model that saves money, energy, and in the case of tankless hot water systems, space.

Right now, tankless hot water systems are capable of providing an instant, endless supply of hot water. In addition, because these systems function only when needed, they don’t require a holding tank to store pre-warmed water. No storage or holding reserve means that tankless hot water systems can last twice as long as a traditional hot water tank since they avoid the risk of rust and corrosion.

The full advantages of tankless hot water systems are:

• Supply: Endless supply of hot water
• Size: Smaller, lighter and easier to install
• Installation: Tankless hot water heaters are able to hang on a wall unlike regular hot water heaters
• More Hygienic: They do not store hot water, therefore the risk of bacteria growth is eradicated
• Expected Product Life: 20 years versus a tank hot water heater has an average lifetime of only 6-9 years
• Efficiency: Tankless hot water heaters will uphold their efficiency for the life of the unit, whereas conventional hot water heaters become less efficient as a result of annual buildups of minerals

If you’re interested in making the switch to tankless hot water, book a free in-home consultation, visit our showrooms or call 604.697.5700.