The Ontario Home Energy Savings Program (A win/win for everyone!)
You may have heard in the media or through a neighbour that you can save a significant amount of money if you make certain energy saving upgrades to your home.
The program is called the Ontario Home Energy Savings Program and if you live in a single family home within the province of Ontario you are eligible for the program.
The way the program works is that you first have an energy audit done on your home by a home energy advisor whose company is licensed by Natural Resources Canada. A list of qualified auditors in your area is available on the homeenergyontario.ca web site.
Once you have found an energy advisor in your area, that person will come to your home and conduct your energy audit and this will take about 2 to 3 hours and costs you about $250-350 which the Ontario Government will reimburse 50% of this cost up to $150 (should you make changes).
So what do they do? The auditor will do a pressure test on your home to determine where the leaks are to the outside elements, provide you with recommendations for fixing existing issues and provide you with a complete report outlining the efficiency of your home. They will also make recommendations for changing out an old furnace or hot water tank, caulking windows, installation of insulation etc… All of these items are eligible for a rebate upon completion by you or someone you hire to carry out these changes. The total amount of rebates available is $10,000 ($5,000 from the Provincial Government and $5,000 from the Federal Government). A detailed breakdown of the rebates available for each modification is available at the HomeEnergyOntario.ca “Steps to Getting Started” page.
Finally once you have made all of your energy upgrades you will then book the second appointment for the auditor to return within 18 months following the initial audit. This appointment will cost you an additional $150 or so. The auditor will document all of your changes and submit your rebate application on your behalf. At the end of the day this is a win/win situation as you have the opportunity to save money via the rebates offered to you from your government as well as save money on the energy savings that you will incur when implementing these changes. For all of the details and visit HomeEnergyOntario.ca today and save yourself some money!
Laura Quinn is a Sales Representative with Royal LePage R.E.S./Johnston & Daniel Division. Laura is a regular blogger with Muddy York. Laura’s website is located at www.lauraquinn.ca
