HomeStars – News and Updates
HomeStars has begun a partnership with CARAHS (Canadian Association of Renovators and Home Services) – a relatively new organization. The CARAHS aim to make those in the Construction, Renovation and Home Services industry aware of their obligation under the law, as it relates to the Occuational Health & Safety Act. In addition they are working on becoming an organization which helps their members find new business by educating them on new market developments and new techniques in the home services business.
As part of that process they invited HomeStars to come an present to their members early Friday morning at the Whitby Rona Store. Fraser Firth, our business development manager presented in front of about 30 of their members, including some of our current companies with lots of reviews including CallRich Eco, and Envirotech Insulation. It was a great morning of education and networking among the members, about HomeStars, as well as about other issues in the industry. 
There have been a number of recent changes in the health and safety regulations in Ontario recently, including changes in WSIB requirements. Additionally the regulators and agencies have been cracking down on small renovators. In Ontario, many of our renovators are small businesses, and are generally too busy to get involved in bigger employee and owner education programs. CARAHS aims to help these renovators and home services companies by providing them an inexpensive way of keeping up to date on their requirements, as well as helping them network to find new business.
We would highly encourage any company involved in HomeStars to look into what they are doing and give the fearless leader of CARAHS, Alec Caldwell, a call at 1-866-366-2930, or email him at info@carahs.org. We’ve also added their link into the blogroll on the side of our blog.
We will also be posting some of their articles and information in upcoming blog posts to help our community of HomeStars companies.
Posted by BrianS
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Central air conditioners are likely the largest electricity consumer in your home (unless you have a heated driveway like we do, in which case your CAC will look like an energy sipper in comparison!). There are many steps you can take to maximize your unit’s efficiency with very little effort or cost involved.
- Have your unit cleaned annually to keep it running at its most efficient. Just like your furnace, a central air system will run more efficiently if its kept clean.
- Make sure your home is well insulated and caulk any holes or gaps you might find. Use the incense test to locate drafts. Light an incense stick in a room, hold it near the windows and watch where the smoke goes.
- Draw curtains and blinds on south facing windows to block out heat. Or apply solar film to windows to cut out heat but keep light.
- Raise your programmable thermostat to 25-26 Celsius (higher if you’re away during the day).
- Use magnetic vent covers on the basement and main floor air vents to force the cold air to higher levels. The air will work its way down to lower levels on its own.
- Install and/or run ceiling fans (which use a fraction of the energy of CACs: 60 watts vs. 3500 watts of power) to keep air circulating.
- Use the stove as little as possible to prevent additional heat in the house (or cook dinner in the morning and reheat in the microwave that night).
- Switch from incandescent to compact fluorescent or LED lightbulbs. Not only are the latter more energy efficient, they emit less heat into your home.
Related Posts:
Five Tips to Help You Buy That New Central Air Conditioning Unit
Posted by CathyR
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It invariably happens that if your central air conditioner is on its last legs it will give out on the hottest stickiest day of the year. See our list of Heating and Air Conditioning Companies for reviews but also consider the tips below when deciding which air conditioner to buy:
- Choose an Energy Star Approved Unit. Energy Star rated units are kinder to your electricity bill. Given that Central Air Conditioners are the biggest energy hogs in your home buying an Energy Star approved unit makes sense. Energy Star approved units are at least 20% more efficient than a standard model.
- Choose a unit with the Highest SEER rating you can afford:Within Energy Star there are various levels of energy efficiency. SEER stands for “Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio,” the higher the number, the more efficient unit is. Every unit whether it is Energy Star or not has a rating so that you can compare units.
- “Right Size” your unit. While you might think that buying the biggest unit you can afford is the way to go, it is in fact, an inefficient thing to do. Larger units use more power to start running. If the unit is too big for the home, it will cycle more frequently, staying on and turning off for shorter periods thereby using more electricity.
- Consider the compressor’s location: A central air conditioning unit consists of two parts, one inside the house hooked up to the furnace, and the other outside the house. The compressors are noisy and not particularly nice to look at. When getting an estimate, ask where the compressor has to go. You might have to consider some additional landscaping.
- Look for government rebates and utility incentive programs (such as the “Peaksaver” program) for more savings.
Related Posts:
“Six Tips to Help You Get the Most out of Your Central Air Conditioner (For the Least Cost)”
Posted by CathyR
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Archetype Homes
It is estimated that homes and buildings account for 30% of all energy use in Canada. The Archetype Homes built up at the Kortright Centre are made not for other builders to copy, but rather to learn about which are the best and most efficient practices and equipment for decreasing our homes’ carbon footprint in Ontario. In the two model homes, several different heating and cooling techniques have been used including current “best practices” and those considered to be the wave of the future.
House A represents current best practices for reducing energy consumption. Specifically:
- Heating and Hot water system: A single-panel thermal plate domestic hot water heater is used in conjunction with a 98% AFUE efficient wall-mounted condensing boiler. This system provides heat for the radiant flooring for the basement floors, and hot water for domestic use.
Condensing boiler in House A
- Drain Water Heat Recovery coils are wrapped around the cold water pipes leading to the hot water tank to capture waste heat from showers and the dishwasher. This heat preheats water going into the hot water tank, so less energy is needed to raise the temperature of the cold water.
Drain Water Heat Recovery Coils
- An air source heat pump absorbs heat from the outside air, passes through a compressor and is then used to heat the home. In the summer the system is reversed. This system is usually backed up with an oil or gas system.
- A heat recovery ventilator (HRV) brings fresh air in from the outside and exhausts stale air from the inside while transferring the heat from the stale air to the fresh air.
- A high-efficiency hydronic air handler with an electrically commutated motor blower saves electricity by reducing the frequency of furnace “cycling” (turning off and on).
- A sealed wood stove is used to warm the main living area without needing to turn up the furnace.
- A programmable thermometer is installed to adjust for night time and away time during the day.
- The house is positioned so that the windows can take advantage of the sun’s light and heat in the winter (passive solar heating) and landscaped to provide heat relief in the summer via a pergola.
House B represents future developments in energy efficiency including the use of renewable energy. While the structural design and positioning of the home are the same as House A, further advances in heating and cooling have been added to study and see which are cost-effective as well as efficient. Specifically:
- House B is heated with in-floor radiant heating throughout the entire house.
- Uses a micro-cogeneration unit that produces electricity from its own waste heat.
- Has a horizontal, closed loop ground source heat pump (geo-thermal system), combined with a one-panel solar evacuated tube hot water system which produces hot water, room heating and cooling.
- 3 kilowatt wind turbine system.
3KW Wind Turbine
- A floor-by-floor zoned cooling air handler capable of maintaining different temperatures in different areas of the house
- A thermal storage sealed masonry fireplace
House B's micro cogeneration heat and hot water system
- An enthalpy recovery ventilator which not only recovers heat, but also exchanges humidity
- Home automation temperature and lighting control
- Automated blinds to control heating and cooling via the windows.
Related posts:
http://blog.homestars.com/archives/2009/05/27/archetype-homes-at-kortright-centre-three-types-of-eco-friendly-insulation/
http://blog.homestars.com/archives/2009/05/19/the-archetype-homes-water-efficiency-and-xerascaping/
http://blog.homestars.com/archives/2009/05/05/archetype-homes-construction-waste-and-innovative-building-techniques/
http://blog.homestars.com/archives/2009/04/28/the-archetype-homes-at-the-kortright-conservation-centre-green-homes-and-models-of-leed-efficiency/
Posted by CathyR
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Renovating a kitchen can be a dusty and inconvenient experience. Being prepared can make it a little easier. In a previous blog post we looked at the preplanning and planning stages of a kitchen renovation. This list considers the actual renovation schedule and what to expect (and be prepared for) during the renovation.
III. Demolition and Disposal:
- Rent a dumpster and salvage reuseable materials: If your kitchen cabinets, appliances, sinks, and faucets, doors, trim and moulding are in good shape but can’t be reused for your renovation, donate or sell them to a local salvage store, give them away on freecycle.org, or put them up for sale on craigslist. Your old building materials will avoid landfill and save you dumpster fees.
IV. Construction: early phase:
- Rough Framing: The outline of your new kitchen takes place during this phase. With the 2×4′s going up, you may have difficulty knowing where the doors and walls are placed. Ask your contractor to give you a tour.
- Insulation: if you’ve stripped back to the studs, now is the perfect time to upgrade the insulation; it will help lower your heating bills, and possibly get you some grant money during your second eco-energy retrofit audit.
- Electrical and technological wiring: As new wiring is being installed behind the walls, make sure you’ve thought about your computer, stereo, TV and security needs as well. While the walls are open, install as many systems as you can afford, even if you don’t think you’ll use a computer or stereo in the future, it’s always good to have the wiring there. Check with the electrical plan and confirm with the electrician that there is plenty of task light, overhead light and under-cabinet lighting planned.
- Plumbing and gaslines: Renovating is the perfect time to adjust any water pressure issues you might have. Use the opportunity to increase water pressure if you live in an old house with poor pressure. If you’ve always wanted a gas stove, now is your opportunity to install one. Get a quote before you make the decision though, extending a gas line can be expensive.
- Heating and Air Conditioning and over the stove vents: Make sure the appropriate number of vents, radiant heating coils, or rads are placed in the new space. If you are increasing the size of your home, make sure your old furnace can heat the additional space.
V. Construction: middle phase:
- Drywall: If you live in a town-home or condo with neighbours above and below, now is a good time to improve your soundproofing. You can use a soundproofing drywall (such as Quietrock), insulation. or using two layers of drywall with a sound dispersal agent such as Green Glue.
- Valances and Moulding: Moulding can make a newer home look like it’s been around for years. It increases the charm of a kitchen if you’re after a country or traditional look. If your kitchen is more of a modern or contemporary theme, moulding will be simple if there is any at all. Under-cabinet valances hide lighting components.
- Baseboards and Trim: Keep baseboards and trim consistent with the rest of the house. Make sure it is easily sourced before starting the project. If not, keep old baseboard and trim and reuse in the new space.
VI. Construction: late phase:
- Installation of kitchen cabinets: There are three types of kitchen cabinets: stock, semi-custom and custom. Stock come in predetermined sizes so your space must be adaptable to the cabinets. Custom cabinets give you the ultimate in flexibility, but are the most expensive. Depending on your needs, and the kitchen company you choose, will determine your timeline. Some kitchen cabinets can take up to three months from the time of order to delivery. Others are available the day you order them (stock).
- Installation of countertops: Like the cabinets, depending on the countertop you choose, it can take a few days to a few weeks to order. Functionality is key to the choice of a longlasting countertop. Depending on the activity levels in your kitchen, durability might be your top priority. Stone is soft and can chip easily. It also needs to be sealed on a regular basis. Alternatives are stone composite counter tops, made from stone chips, but mixed with an epoxy; it’s less expensive and more durable than solid stone. Another budget-conscious choice is Arborite.
- Backsplash and tiles: A backsplash is installed after the countertop, and can extend across the entire contertop or just behind the stove, depending on your budget. Another opportunity is to spend a little more on the area behind the stove to make it a focal point with a design, and to use plain, less expensive tiles on either side of the stove.
- Sinks and Faucets: Sinks and faucets range from budget conscious to top of the line expensive. For faucets in particular getting a quality faucet will save you time and money in the long run. Higher quality internal parts means the faucets will last longer, not leak, and provide many more years of service than cheaper faucets. Sinks also provide an opportunity to spend a fortune. A simple basic stainless double sink is a good option, high on durability, low on cost.
- Flooring: choosing a floor can be another overwhelming task. There are so many options and price points it makes it difficult to make a decision. Consider your lifestyle and budget when choosing a floor. Tile is durable but hard on the back and on little children. Linoleum and hardwood are easy on the back if you’re in the kitchen for long periods of time, but hardwood in particular can scratch easily.
- Appliances: Appliances can consume up to half your kitchen renovation budget if you let them. Think about what you really need, do extensive online research, read reviews on epinions, and consumer reports about the appliances you’re interested in purchasing. Then, go to the stores and speak directly with sales people. Some stores are more willing to bargain than others, and you’ll have more bargaining power if you’re buying a set.
- Painting and wallpapering and window coverings: the final phase in your kitchen renovation. If you’re not using an interior designer or decorator to help you choose the wall colour or paper, use the expertise at a paint store. Take in samples of your tile or countertop, maybe a photo of the space, describe the amount of light the area receives, and a good pain salesperson will be able to give you some suggestions to take home. Try a few testers before making a decision, and leave on the walls to see the colour change with the changes in light.
Posted by CathyR
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I spent Tuesday at the National Home Show (where you can write a review and get $7 off your ticket) speaking with many of the different exhibitors about why their products stand out from others at the show. I spoke with hot tub exhibitors, patio furniture and awning suppliers, solar water heaters for domestic hot water use and solar water heaters specifically for swimming pools, siding representatives, roofing companies, interior lighting specialists, exterior lighting specialists, skylight and ceiling fan exhibitors and a snap and click ceramic flooring company. I’m sure I’ve missed a few, after all there are over 700 exhibitors. Below is a very brief list of some of the exhibitors I spoke with.
Hot tubs:
Hydro Pool hot tub
Perhaps the thing that stuck me the most were the hot tub displays. I have to admit that at past Home Shows I usually brush right past these exhibits, having little interest in buying one and thinking that all hot tubs are pretty much like the other. Our family is considering getting a hot tub for our petit backyard. But one of our kids has a chlorine sensitivity so a traditional hot tub is out. Glory be, now there are ozone and sodium bromine hot tubs which avoid chlorine altogether. A hot tub may be in our future afterall. I spoke with Holland Hills Distributing and HydroPool Industries, both of whom offer the saltwater conversion kits not to mention hot tubs in various sizes from petit right up to giant spa length. For the “greenies” out there, HydroPool manufactures their hot tubs in the east end of Toronto, and is the first carbon neutral hot tub company out there.
Roofing:
Slate metal roofing by Interlock
Metal roofing, while siginificantly more expensive than ashphalt has the added benefit of being durable. KasselWood (booth #2001) (gives a transferrable lifetime warranty on its steel roofing. Metal has the advantages that it’s wind resistant, durable, and in the winter snow slides right off preventing build up. The aesthetic quality of the metal roof is continually improving and now from the ground it is difficult to tell a slate roof from a aluminum or steel roof. Interlock manufactures a durable aluminum roof simuated to look like slate, shake or tile. They even have a solar panel integrated roofing system.
Solar Hot Water:
There are many different varieties of solar hot water heaters. One that seems to be gaining popularity is the “evacuated tube” system. Water flows across the top of the panel where it becomes heated by copper tubes which in turn have been heated by the evacuated tubing sitting exposed to the sun. The advantage of this system is that if one of the tubes breaks it is easily and cheaply replaceable. (From Globe Solar Energy, booth # 1239). Each panel costs approximately $4000 (including installation). One panel is enough for regular hotwater use for a family of four.
Globe Solar Energy Panel
There is another solar hot water system that is design specifically for swimming pools. It consists of black PVC pipes which are used to heat the water. The entire system hooks into a pool’s existing pump mechanism. The cost for a standard system (pool being approximately 18′ x 36′), is about $4000 for an area with direct southern exposure (see the Enersol Solar Products booth, #1449).
Building exterior/construction:
James Hardie siding products are a mixture of Portland Cement and sand. The siding is durable, stable, fire and wind resistant and is available in simulated wood varieties from cedar shake style to wood grained. The colour palette is also varied but sticks to the pastel shades of Eastern seaboard historic homes. Cost is about double the cost of vinyl siding.
Shouldice designer stone is a manufactured concrete stone offering a variety of products from architectural stone mouldings to shale and antique stone for exterior house finishing.
Geo-thermal heating and cooling.
There are three exhibitors of geo-thermal energy systems for your home. As awareness in this type of heating and cooling increases, the number of contractors getting into the business is also increasing. In order to install geo-thermal systems properly a contractor must have received the proper training. Check with the distributor of the system you choose to get qualified installers. Geothermal systems can provide heating, cooling and hot water heating.
Avekes Canada Ltd. booth#2041, NextEnergy Inc. booth# 1415, Polar Bear Geo-Thermal systems, booth# 1349.
Nifty products:
Snapstone tile
SnapStone is a fast and easy ceramic tile that can be laid over any level floor without applying a subfloor first. This is a DIY flooring material tat can be laid in one day. Snap the tiles together, grout and it’s done. (booth #1542).
AirScape 1.7 are used to reduce air conditioning use in a home. Installed into the attic of your home and designed to work at night, it sucks warm air out of the house and draws cooler night air in through open windows. Cost of fan plus installation is approximately $700-$1000, it pays for itself within the first year or two of use (depending on how often air conditioning is used. Great for older homes too without central air conditioners and poor circulation. Booth #2109.
LED replacements potlights. At 4Watts per light, the cost savings between an LED potlight and 50Watt potlight will be significant. While it’s best to install these lights during new construction, there is a retrofit kit available to replace existing halogen potlights. Available in a variety of colour temperatures, and unlike CFL potlights, these are dimmable, and don’t need any “warm up” time to reach full lighting power. Cost: $39 per bulb, $20 for the retrofit kit. LEDs also have a long life span (usually over 50000 hours). Booth #2109.
Velux makes window skylights, best of all, they come equipped with a rain sensor so that if you’ve left it open and it starts to rain, it will close on its own. There is also a model that comes with a solar-powered blind — great for attics with no direct power source. Approximate cost for a 24″ skylight with installaton, $4000. Booth#1639.
Posted by CathyR
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It invariably happens that your old furnace takes its last dying breath on the coldest day of the year. If you’re lucky enough to have known that your furnace was on its last legs you will have been able to do some research ahead of time. If you haven’t, well, maybe we here at HomeStars can help get you started.
There are many different options available to heat your home. The three most common are oil, natural gas and electric. Outside urban areas propane, wood-burning fireplaces and stoves, and geothermal systems are aso common. Given that in the Toronto area, gas, oil and electric are the most common, we’ll address these types only. (If you’re interested in geo-thermal, I posted an article on a system in Toronto a few years ago).
Forced air Gas and oil furnaces:
In a forced air furnace, cool air is brought into the furnace, heated using either gas or oil, and forced out through ducts into rooms throughout the house.
Efficiency of gas furnaces has increased tremendously over the year and it is now possible to purchase an Energy Star approved gas furnace with an “AFUE” rating of between 90 and 97%. AFUE is the Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency of the unit. A higher number means less waste during the conversion process from gas to heat. A gas furnace with a 97% AFUE rating converts 97% of the natural gas into heat for your home with only a three percent waste.
An Energy Star oil furnace must have an AFUE rating of 85% or more.
Gas and oil boilers. In many older homes water is heated in a boiler and circulated through a system of pipes to heat the radiators throughout the house. An Energy Star boiler must have an AFUE rating of 85% or more.
Sizing a furnace for your home is a specialized task and only a heating and cooling professional can do it properly. He or she will take into account not just the size of your home, but also the ventilation, insulation, and other factors. When you are ready to buy a new furnace check out reviews in the heating and cooling category for contractors near you.
Electric baseboard heaters. While these are the least expensive heating method to install they have the highest operating costs. As I wrote about in an earlier post, another option is infrared heaters which consume less electricity than electric baseboard heaters and can be plugged into any wall outlet.
Cost: Buying a new heating system is an investment. The Office of Energy Efficiency at Natural Resources Canada has a calculator that will assist you in deciding which is the right furnace for you. Bear in mind that the calculator should only be used as a guide and only a heating contractor or other professional can give you an accurate estimate.
Rebates: There are rebates available from both the federal and provincial government, with the stipulation that an energy audit be performed by an accredited company before any changes are made. Checkout the links below for more information on these programs:
ecoEnergy Retrofit Program (federal government)
provincial grant programs
Posted by CathyR
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Got a light?
We have a small wood stove in our house. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, more than 10 million wood stoves are used in the United States. We use ours as back up in case our power goes out, and most older New England homes have a wood stove in them for the same reason. Anyone who lived through the BLIZZARD OF ’78 (caps required when discussing the BLIZZARD OF ’78, along with a wise nod) knows how important that wood stove or fireplace was.
A few weeks ago we received a town robocall warning us of a snow emergency. Off to Whole Foods we went, to stock up on basic food and overpriced produce. We found a box of Java Logs at the store’s entrance. Coffee? Burn coffee grounds in the fireplace? Was this just over-priced tripe ($17.99 for a box of 6 small logs for 12 burn hours, $23.99 for a box of 6 large logs for 18 burn hours)?
According to the manufacturer:
Java-Logs produce significantly fewer emissions than firewood:
8x Less Creosote (Safer for Chimney & Clean Burning)
Source: OMNI Consulting Services, Inc.
5x Cleaner Particulate Matter (Less Air Pollution)
Less Carbon Monoxide (Less Air Pollution)
If you’ve had to hire a chimney sweep to clean your chimney, you know that the less creosote, the better. So we fired up the Java Log and prepared for the house to smell like Simon’s.
No coffee odor. The log burned clear and clean. Very little ash, and easy.
We’re converts. The Java logs aren’t as cheap as wood (especially free wood), but in a pinch they’ll do.
So the big question: if you live in the Boston area and you don’t have a wood stove or fireplace as a backup heat source, what do you use? Or where will you go if you lose heat during a storm like the BLIZZARD OF ’78?
Answer in the comments.
p.s. Yes, that is a strawberry-flavored marshmallow on the stick. Yes, it tastes as disgusting as it sounds.
Posted by MelanieZ
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Whether you call it geo-thermal, ground-source heat pump or an earth-energy system, it’s a heating and cooling system that uses very little electricity and no gas, oil or propane. Whatever you call it, the system starts with pipes that are laid in the ground and a liquid circulates through them drawing heat from the ground and taking it into the house. In the past geothermal has been common in rural areas where a gas connection was non-existent or outrageously expense. Also, pipes are laid horizontally on large expanses of lawn or field something that isn’t very common in the city.
Last year when I was at the Metro Home show (and I’m back there again now actually) I spoke with a man who installs these systems (Unfortunately I don’t remember his name or company). I asked him how much lawn space he needed as I’d read on the internet that you needed a 75 by 75 foot expanse to install one. He said not at all. Now they can be installed in the driveway. Vertically.
Well, that makes sense, I thought. “But what happens if there’s a leak in one of the tubes?” I asked.
“The pipes we use are guaranteed for 50 years.”
“So how much is this system?” I asked.
“Depending on the size of your house and its HVAC system, how airtight it is…(etc.) about $9000 for the pipes and $6000 for the unit. It’s a better deal if you have to replace both your air conditioner an your furnace.”
“Yikes,” I said, and felt my mouth go dry.
The man shrugged, I guess he’d seen this kind of reaction before. “Think about it though,” he continued, “that’s your cost forever. You never have to worry about soaring gas or electricity prices. It’s a fixed cost. If you spread that out over ten years it’s $1500 a year. I’ll bet you pay more than that in gas right now.” It was a good argument, since in fact I do pay more than that for gas. But he hadn’t finished with the sales pitch. “If you’re replacing your furnace and air conditioner anyway you’re going to be shelling out somewhere around $6000 so you can look at the installation of the pipes as your only additional cost. It pays for itself before you know it.” I thanked him for the information and went on to the next booth and my adventure in geo-thermal heat pumps came to an end…. Or did it?
Now, I’m not one to keep things to myself, and I’m a pretty enthusiastic environmentalist (sometimes too much of the ‘armchair’ variety than actual activist, but I try), so I started chatting to people about this geothermal system. Of course no one I knew had one…or so I thought. It turned out someone I know does have one! So I said, “Lisa, can I come over to your house and take pictures of your furnace?” (how exciting, a furnace!) She was kind enough to say yes so that’s how the pictures you see below ended up here.
When Lisa and Herman first talked about installing a geo-thermal furnace in their soon-to-be renovated house there was a lot of skepticism on the part of their friends. After all, how effective could a furnace be that used heat from the ground, particularly in a cold Canadian winter (this winter doesn’t count). “Our friends told us that if our house was ever too cold, we could stay at their place for the night,” says Lisa. Their friends were 
skeptical that heat from the ground could keep a home warm. However, seven years later, Lisa and Herman are more comfortable than they ever were with a conventional system. “The system heats and cools evenly, and there are no jumps in temperature. It’s the most comfortable house we’ve ever lived in,” she says.
Lisa and Herman have installed what might be considered the “Lexus Hybrid” of geo-thermal systems. To make the system even more efficient, their HVAC designer added a heat recovery ventilator (HRV) which transfers the heat from the used, outgoing air to the incoming fresh air. The HRV warms the fresh air before it even gets to the furnace (compressor system) making the furnace’s job that much easier. They also hooked up their hot water tank to the system which cuts down considerably on their hot water costs.
The geothermal system also replaces a central air conditioner. In the summer the system reverses itself and warm air is extracted from the house and carried by the pipes back to the ground, it’s the same principle as a refrigerator. In fact, their system is so automatic that even in our currently unpredictable spring temperatures where it can be 25 degrees Celsius one day and 4 degrees the next, the system will adjust to cool and heat.
Hindsight is 20/20: As with any new application, there were certain drawbacks with the system’s installation. The system’s size was much bigger than Lisa and Herman anticipated, especially the venting system, so they ended up forfeiting space in the workshop in order to install the furnace. “If we were to do it again, we’d have definitely dug out the basement to provide the extra room for all the vents,” says Lisa.
Another glitch they ran into was finding qualified people to maintain it. Initially, there were problems maintaining the pressure in the pipes that carried the liquid anti-freeze to the compressor unit. The installation of the pipes was fine, but the connection to the compressor unit wasn’t done properly. Air became trapped in the system and it wasn’t working as efficiently as it could have been and the pumps circulating the antifreeze liquid through the pipes burned out. “When we put the furnace in seven years ago, there were very few people who were familiar with geo-thermal units in the city. It took us awhile to find the right company, but now that we have, we’re really happy. Chris comes to maintain it about once a year now and the pressure in the pipes is fine,” says Lisa.
The technology is only getting better with age, and now, as people are beginning to retrofit homes, the manufacturers are making specific models adaptable to many different situations; units have been developed that can be installed outside like a central air conditioner, added to a current furnace to heat an addition, hooked up to a boiler, etc…. 
There is more detailed information available on how a geo-thermal system works if you check out the websites I’ve linked below. The Climate Master site is the manufacturer of the unit that Lisa and Herman have installed (in fact they installed the “Ultra Classic Series” by Climate Master. The distributor in Canada is Next Energy Solutions).
Climatemaster.com
CanRen.gc.ca
Reviews:
Vision Energy:
Chris Cody maintains our furnace and he does an excellent job! We had a lot of difficulty finding someone who understood the finer points of a geo-thermal furnace, but now that we’ve found Chris it’s been a cinch to maintain. Chris comes and makes sure it’s working well about once a year. We’re really pleased with his service and we’ve finally found someone who knows what they’re doing with ground source heat pumps. Thanks for the great work Chris!
Groundheat Systems:
Gino’s company took care of designing our geothermal system and installing it. Overall we were happy with the work, the system design in particular. An HVAC specialist came into our house and calculated the syste
m size, the size of the vents needed, the air leakage, and how to best optimize the installed system. The HVAC specialist added a Heat Recovery Ventilator, air purifier and humidifier to the system. We also hooked up our hot water tank to it, and that also has helped reduce our energy costs. The installation process wasn’t quite as smooth. Gino sub-contracted the job to a company that’s now out of business. They didn’t hook up the system properly and we had pressure problems for years. He did however, recommend Vision Energy for maintenance, and since they’ve taken over, we haven’t had any more problems.
Posted by CathyR
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