SPONSORED CONTENT 08:00 AM Metroland Media
Many homeowners and landlords in Ontario are looking to reduce their carbon footprint and their energy bills. Luckily, there are incentives to help decrease renovation costs through government-sponsored rebate programs, such as the GreenON Rebates Program offered by the Green Ontario Fund—an agency of the Government of Ontario. You must use a participating contractor, such as Great Northern Insulation, to access the incentives offered through the GreenON Rebates Program.
But more often than not, these types of home improvement programs end up providing additional benefits that you didn’t even think about when you applied. Updating your home’s insulation and air sealing can get you up to $7,300 back in rebates through the GreenON Rebates Program, and will of course help you to save on future energy costs. For participating homeowners, making these upgrades and renovations can truly change their lives.
It’s easy to show the stats, numbers and figures to prove that programs like the GreenON Rebates Program are worthwhile, but real stories from real homeowners are what truly demonstrate their value. There’s no cookie-cutter solution for every homeowner — but each participating household can show how making these essential upgrades has improved their lives and the value of their home. Great Northern Insulation has multiple examples of homeowners who have had their home life change with better insulation.
One homeowner of a farmhouse built in 1899 added insulation to the basement walls and attic, and air sealed the holes and cracks unseen by the human eye. As an older home, it is still heated with an oil-fueled furnace, and the homeowner saw their oil use reduced by 50 litres in just one month. Another participating household used 49 per cent less gas than they had the previous year.
With quality insulation, homeowners and families don’t have to rely on their HVAC system constantly running for home comfort, which is not always measured by your utility bill, but rather how you feel. Just by insulating their home’s attic, another homeowner noticed that the upper floor felt significantly warmer during the summer months than it had previously — and this was without air conditioning. Insulation works in the reverse during the winter by trapping warm air indoors. Many homeowners have experienced the happiness of kicking off those slippers after insulating under their floors — making them warmer to the touch.
Other homeowners have expressed joy in the fact that they can lower the thermostat and not have to listen to the constant hum of the furnace kicking on and off throughout the day and night. Replacing or adding to existing insulation, combined with air sealing, can also eliminate drafts from windows, doors and floorboards.
Insulation doesn’t just help with temperature control. Many homeowners have experienced the soundproofing effect new or additional insulation can have. Not only can it help reduce outside noise from getting in, but it also blocks noise from room to room.
Another huge benefit of improving your home’s insulation is the ability to expand your livable space. By insulating the basement and attic, you are making it possible to finish these rooms. Basements and attics can be converted into additional bedrooms, recreational spaces, home offices and more. Insulation and air sealing also helps to eliminate the dampness often associated with these rooms.
Have a critter problem in your basement or crawlspace? Having spray foam applied to these critical areas can help to deter those unwanted roommates from invading your home.
If you want to know where you can benefit most from new or additional insulation, have a Registered Energy Advisor from a Service Organization licensed by Natural Resources Canada, like Barrier Sciences Group, perform an energy audit on your home and recommend improvements. They can go beyond just insulation and recommend a new furnace, air conditioner and other home comfort appliances, and get rebates from additional programs. This step is necessary if you want to qualify for the Union Gas Home Reno Rebate program.
In the end, saving money is just the bonus of these upgrades. By improving your home’s insulation, you are creating a healthier, happier, more comfortable home to live in for you and your family. You’re also reducing your carbon footprint.