Green – Grey Water Waste Systems

Water our life sustaining resource

With the world including Canada experiencing higher costs and in some cases runnging out of fresh water the idea of catching and reusing our waste water is becoming more appealing.  The capture of  Rain and Grey Waste water can be accomplished simply by using Rain Barrels or by installing a more elaborate holding tank system within your home.

The bath, laundry and sink Grey Water is captured and filtered for  reuse  in gardens and for other chores such as flushing toilets and the laundry. A savings of 400 litres or 87.7 gallons of fresh water can be saved each day by using Grey water.

An addition of  Grey or Rain Barrel water system will add value to your home  and set is apart from the crowd with the current Real Estate Market additional features are desired. The water issue will come into its own in the next decade and we will go from a water wasting country to a water conserving one like any movement unfortunately there will have to be a crises first. Will you be ahead of the crowd.

The Federal Government see’s the light and is providing rebates for the installation of Grey Water systems  follow all the links for information 

Source Robert-Paterson@ColdwellBanker.Ca

 

Home Maintenance – How is your Furnace running ?

Its that time of year again, yes time to turn the thermostat up and heat the house. Did you know that over 1 million furnaces break down each year. To avoid furnace disruptions you may wish to turn up the thermostat prior to the cold period when you want warmth. This little exercise can save you dollars in more than one way as we all know during peak season the furnace repair guy can cost a premium.

To ensure your furnace is ready to perform as you expect In the late summer check your furnace and filtering systems. Change and clean the filters as required by the manufacturer depending on the filter you may have to clean it every 30 days this is important so be sure to check it out.

A typical 20 yr old furnace will run at 60% efficiency while a new high efficiency furnance will run at 90% efficiency. Replacing the old furnace could save you 40% as this amount is wasted energy flowing up the chimney compared to the 10% waste from a new energy efficient model.

If you are in the market to replace or have replaced old reliable you may qualify for goverment rebates see the Energy Audit link

Source….. Rob Paterson

Green – Water Efficeincy

 

When it comes to water and the environment the city of Toronto is allways looking for ways to save.Yes save you and i money, the Toronto toilet rebate program allows you to replace your old water guzzling toilet and receive up to $75.00 cash-back….

Looking to replace your washing appliances how about another $60.00 for making the switch to a front loader….

Need a new high efficient shower head the city will sell them during Community Environment Day for $15.00 apiece talk to your local councillor’s to find the next location and date….

If you do not live in Toronto do an internet seach and you will likely find that your own local government will have similar incentives to save…..

Source…. Rob Paterson, City of Toronto

Home Maintenance – Bathroom’s A simple alternative to replacement

Re-Bath A “Refreshing Model”

This type of renovation has been around ‘30yrs has become mainstream and is Eco friendly  from a waste perspective and who can ignore the dollar savings. Why replace when you can recover with the same results. 

Covering existing fixtures can quickly give your dated washroom a up to date modern look in a short time. Check out the neat link Design your Bath to update your old bathroom.

Contact Lampert Plumbing And Renovation in Toronto and surronding area 416 787-4921 

or 1800-BATHTUB 

Remember if you are planning to sell your home the best place to renovate is the washroom’s and kitchen Renovations in these area’s will give you the most value for your dollar.

Source…. Rob “torontorealty“ Paterson 

  

Green – Energy Star Construction

Energy Star Construction

By now we have all heard of Energy Star Appliances well now they are building homes with the same concept in mind. A properly contructed Energy Star code home has many benefits such as:

• Improved comfort — reduces drafts, noise, and moisture.
• Improved indoor air quality — keeps dust, pollen, car exhaust, and insects out of the home.
• Lower costs — see link

Energy Star

Source….. Rob “torontorealty” Paterson, Internet Search

Home Maintenance – When to seed your lawn……

 

The best time to establish/renew your lawn is in the autumn months. Seed’s germinate well during the cool, moist weather – with little competition from weeds. This is the best time of year to introduce healthy blends of new grass and seed to your lawn.

Rake up your lawn this will loosen up the existing grass and remove any twigs and dead grass from the soil.  The new seeds will reach the soil easier where they will begin the growth cycle. When you seed plan to over-seed spread the seeds evenly two to four weeks prior to the onset of the first hard frost.

When chosing grass seed look for a perennial seed, an annual seed will offer the advantage of quick germination rusulting in a lower cost. Always use a fertilizer to assist the growth of your lawn for the best lay your seed in early spring and fall. With a nice thick lawn the weed seeds will have a hard time reaching the soil resulting in a healthier weed free lawn.

For more great gardening around the home tips check out mygreathome.com

 Source…….Rob Paterson

Maintenance – Home repair and Maintenance Tips

Home repair is key to the well being of your property

A monthly maintenance schedule should be followed in order to keep on top of any repairs that may need completing.

The CMHC Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation has a great deal of information with respect to this and many other topics, for a printable calendar follow the link

Source CMHC, Rob Paterson……

Home Maintenance – Duct Cleaning, Should I ?

When should i get my Ducts cleaned cleaned?

Every home requires air duct cleaning at some point.

1. First thing, check your air filter see how dirty it becomes after replacing it. If it is dirty mabye you should consider cleaning your ducts
2. Second, check the return air vents. It will be pretty dusty in there this is typical as this is the part of your duct system that draws the air from inside your home back to the furnace before it is cleaned, reconditioned and circulated back into the house.
3. Check your heating vents. If you see any dirt or cobwebs in there at all, then you should get your ducts cleaned.

Also, if you notice any: unpleasant odours, poor airflow or cold spots when your furnace is on you may want to have your ducts cleaned.

So to clean or not to clean?

The choice is up to you. Duct cleaning may possibly improve the air quality of your house especially where existing of problems occur i.e. moisture, mold in the ducts. But in general a cleaning of all heating and cooling system components may help air movement in the house. However  a regular duct cleaning is probably unnecessary  for most households.

 Source  City Duct Cleaning Inc., Rob Paterson…

Renovating – The Grading Around your home is important

When looking to buy or renovate you may want to have a look at the grading of your property i.e. around your house and in the back yard.

A proper grade will ensure there is enough slope that the rain/snow runoff will run away from your home and not into the basement.

The grade around your property will ensure there are not pools of water in the backyard. Without proper grading any pools of water that appear could take a couple of days to disappear this can be expensive to correct.

Source… Rob Paterson

Water Savings = Dollar Savings

Who knew that a low flush toilet could save you dollars with every flush. With the water rate increasing and the supply of fresh water decreasing every year this should on the top of everyone’s mind.

Every day Your average toilet use i.e. flushes per day is about 100 litres imagine this over the whole year you now have 36,500 litres wow how can we change this?  Toilets account for 28% of indoor water use if this can be decreased it should be looked at.

Water faucet use, why not low flow? If your faucet uses more than 8 1/2 litres of water per minute, replace the aerator with a new water efficient aerator. A steady drop can waste up to 55 litres of water in just 24 hours, if not looked after, it could add up to 20,075 litres per year.

Oh for $$ Savings Check out the Toilet Replacement Program  check out more tips for other ideas

Do you have other water saving tips, please (post) pass them on…

Source… Robert Paterson, City of Toronto