Energy Efficiency Incentives

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We understand that our customers are proud of their homes and that they make great efforts to keep them, warm, dry and comfortable.  In addition to basement waterproofing, energy efficiency is key to realizing this goal. We have gathered a little information to keep you warm all winter!

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It’s important for your well-being, wallet and sanity that your house be made as energy-efficient as possible. A draft can be super annoying, but it becomes truly intolerable when your energy bill comes in. If you’re looking to make your home more energy efficient, it’s incredibly important to check whether or not your project qualifies for government energy rebates, grants, and incentives.

Ontario has a few under the Save On Energy program. The program is usually offered through your local hydro company, and it offers incentives for Ontarians to make their homes more energy efficient and cut down on their bills. They usually come in the form of coupons and rebates that are easily pulled from the Save On Energy website.

The Heating and Cooling Incentive will help you with large-scale upgrades. Moving to Energy Star-certified heating and cooling systems could save you $325 a year, and you could receive up to $650 with the rebates offered to put new systems in. The program also offers coupons that help you save on energy-efficient products like LED bulbs, special power bars, and more. They make it easier to take care of the smaller things, saving you a little dough you can put elsewhere into your home.

If you’re planning on building a new home, check out the New Home Construction Initiative, which offers a host of benefits to contractors and homebuilders in three different measures: prescriptive, performance-based, and custom. It’s meant to encourage builders to use energy-friendly materials and construction methods in building or renovating a home. Any equipment that is eligible for these measures, on their own or combined, can earn the builder some saving incentives. It doesn’t hurt to contact your local hydro company to see if you qualify.

Knowledge is power, as they say, and knowing the peak times and how you use energy during them will help you save on power. Time-of-use pricing with smart meters allows you to see when exactly you’re using energy; with this information, you can shift energy-intensive activities to non-peak times. The Green Button Initiative lets you get this information on mobile device apps, making it easier to track and analyze your patterns. Energy

It’s also important to know what your energy company offers. Many energy companies, like HydroOne and Enbridge Gas Distribution, offer rebates for shifting to Energy Star-certified products. Enbridge in particular offers up to $2000 for home energy audit and upgrade costs for large alterations, such as high-efficiency boilers, furnaces, and water heaters. Contact your provider to see how you can take advantage of any programs they offer.

Of course, there’s also the incentive that you will be paying less for energy in the long run, and your home value will go up. Even if you don’t have it in the budget to make large renovations, small things like ensuring the caulking and weather stripping are in good condition will help make your home more comfortable and energy efficient.

Make sure to check out the EnerGuide home evaluation to help you make the right choices when thinking about buying a new home or renovating your existing one. When those darn winter bills come in, you’ll be thankful you did!