Home renovation tax credit can help
save on contractor costs (NC)- If you've ever been interested in renovating your home, but have been hesitant to hire a contractor because of costs, the government now offers a solution to help save Canadians money in this area. Under the Home Renovation Tax Credit (HRTC) stimulus proposed in the 2009 federal budget, contractors hired to perform home renovations are eligible expenses covered under the tax credit. The HRTC is designed to encourage Canadians to renovate their homes and alleviate some of the financial woes that sometimes come with territory. It can help homeowners save up to 15 per cent on eligible expenses, up to a maximum of $1,350, assisting both families and the Canadian economy as it tries to rebound. But savings on home renovations through the tax credit may only be part of a greater financial picture. Consider an attic insulation upgrade, for example. "Re-insulating the attic is one renovation project homeowners should consider because it can help improve a home's energy efficiency and comfort for families, while helping to reduce monthly heating and cooling costs*," says Cheryl West, Insulation Expert at Owens Corning. "Hiring an insulation contractor for the project can help ease worries by getting the job done right by a professional." In addition to installing insulation, a contractor can measure the amount of insulation already in place on the attic floor and determine how much more is needed to meet the recommended insulating standard of R-50. Homeowners can help achieve this by asking the contractor to insulate their attic with up to 15 inches of PINK FIBERGLAS Batt Insulation or 18 3/4 inches of PROPINK Blown Insulation. Not only can this help reduce energy consumption, but it can help save a half ton** of greenhouse gas emissions every year, year after year. If hiring a professional is right for your home renovation project, make sure that the contractor demonstrates proven experience, provides a written estimate and assures you worry-free service. It may be worth the time to call a few references to assess their reputation. Also, protect any accidental damage to your home by confirming that they have adequate insurance coverage. Ask them to explain their workmanship to you as well as any manufacturer warranties. The HRTC is a great incentive for homeowners to renovate their homes, but don't forget about the government grants also available as part of the ecoENERGY Retrofit Program. Natural Resources Canada offers savings of up $600 in retrofit rebates to homeowners who qualify based on their home upgrades. Visit www.oee.nrcan.gc.ca for more information on how you can qualify for a government retrofit rebate, and for details about the new Home Renovation Tax Credit and how to insulate your attic, visit www.budget.gc.ca and www.insulationtaxcredit.ca. Bold blocking with surprising colour "punches" (NC)- Décor trends    You want to bring bold colour to your décor but can't quite take the plunge to paint rooms or even one wall with a vibrant hue? Then colour blocking - painting one or two colours in varying-sized 'blocks', stripes or shapes on a wall - may be your safest bet. This technique is commonly referred to by experts as adding a "punch" colour because of its ability to bring an extreme colour spark to your décor without being overwhelming. "Colour blocking is the hottest trend right now as it opens up a whole new perspective about colour in a space," said Dominique Pépin, Marketing Manager for the Sico brand and a Chairholder of the international colour forecaster Color Marketing Group. "For example, you can create horizontal movement by painting the base of a wall a different colour. Or extend the line of a low table by painting a different colour zone from the top of the table up to the ceiling. With the right combination of colours, such as a mix of both light, and punch or dark colours, colour blocking can even take the place of artwork." Pépin says that colour blocking is a great way to apply unexpected colour combinations which is the emerging trend in today's décor. "Over the next two years, we'll see unexpected colour combinations surfacing everywhere in home décor - on walls, furniture and accessories," she added. "We're talking about mixing punchy colours with pastel shades or very dark tones and complementing them with neutrals - shades that you wouldn't ordinarily think of putting together, but actually complement each other well." Colour blocking is a license to have fun with home décor where possibilities are exciting and limitless. Pépin offers these suggestions to add colour to your rooms with colour blocking: Sharpen your accents: If your room is already painted in a neutral tone, choose one wall and re-paint blocks or shapes with a punch colour. Freshen up the rest of the décor by introducing other colour combinations through accessories, pillows, bedding or throw rugs. Block to the future: Create a futuristic look with various horizontal blocks and rectangular stripes in surprising colour combinations. For example chalky whites like Sico's Time Passages (6174-11) and muted shades such as Mozart (6172-52) lilac combined with purples like Deep in Time (6174-73) and dark slates such as Rembrandt Brown (6177-41) will have you ready to be beamed up to another dimension. Stage your room: If you like a particular colour combination, but are hesitant to give it a try, introduce it in stages. Start with only one or two of the trendy colours in block patterns on your walls, and once you've lived with them for a while, introduce a third colour into your furnishings. More information and advice on colour blocking can be found visiting www.sico.ca . |
Lawn care the natural way   (NC)-More Canadians are looking for natural and healthy alternatives to cosmetic pesticides for keeping weeds away. The lawn and garden team at Canadian Tire has the following helpful tips and steps to help get Canadians on the right track to a healthy lawn and garden. Weekly • Set mowing height to 7.5 cm (3 in.) for stronger roots • Use a manual or cordless lawnmower and trimmer to reduce harmful greenhouse-gas emissions • Water thoroughly once a week to grow deeper roots • Check for signs of weed and insect infestations • Mulch grass clippings to shade soil, reduce evaporation and naturally fertilize your lawn • Water lawn and garden during morning (7 a.m. - 10 a.m.) to avoid midday heat and evaporation. Look for an oscillating sprinkler to ensure good coverage as well as a unit with a timer to prevent over-watering and to promote water conservation. Available at Canadian Tire is the yardworks oscillating sprinkler with timer that is easy to use and delivers ample coverage Every 2 months • Feed 3-4 times per year with a slow release fertilizer • Use a composter to reduce your household waste and create a natural humus that your garden and plants will love Once a year • Over-seed every spring or fall to thicken turf naturally • Aerate your lawn to improve air, water and nutrient uptake • Top dress stressed areas of lawn with organic lawn soil • Check soil pH, add lime to correct acidic soil conditions As required • Repair lawn damage and bare spots promptly with quality grass seed and lawn soil • Use weeding tools to remove isolated weeds. An excellent product available at Canadian Tire, is the fiskars telescopic weeder. It is extendable for easy height adjustments and is great for dandelions, thistles and other invasive lawn weeds • Top-quality outdoor tools are a good investment as they incorporate high-grade materials, ergonomic design and durable steel heads and blades • Save your back by investing in a good quality wheel barrow to haul your supplies, soil, mulch and plants around the yard Accessorize your outdoor room (NC)—  Accessories are a great way to add a touch of colour or interest to your outdoor room. Whether you're adding something new or layering onto existing items, accessories serve as an inexpensive way to make your existing décor look brand new again. The outdoor room team at Canadian Tire has the following ideas to accessorize your outdoor space this season. • Use throw cushions in vibrant colours and plush fabrics to add a punch of colour to your outdoor furniture. Available at Canadian Tire, are many cushions in a variety of colours and patterns such as the exotic throw pillow or the casual throw pillow. • Choose a colour palette and match patterned acrylic dinnerware and cushions. Pull the look together by adding an outdoor rug. • Create drama in your space by using oversized statues or fountains. The sound of trickling water in the fountain will also give your guests a sense of peace and relaxation. • Display wall art on sheds and back doors or suspend mini hanging lanterns from trees and fence tops. • Using live plants in coordinated planters is a great way to enhance any space. Elevate small planters on tabletops or window ledges and use larger plants to create cozy spaces or to add greenery to an urban balcony. • Use lighting to create ambience. Canadian Tire has many solar lighting options that act as the perfect accessory for lining a walkway without the need of extension cords. Incorporating solar lighting can also help you to save on your utility bills! |
Two ways to help offset your home
renovation costs (NC)- Thinking of renovating your home this summer? Before you 'nail-down' your renovation budget and write down your priority list, make sure you include an attic re-insulation project to the mix. "Many homes in Canada don't meet the recommended attic insulation standard of R-50," says Cheryl West, Insulation Expert at Owens Corning. "It may not be a project homeowners often consider, but when you explain that this easy upgrade can help achieve savings on monthly heating and cooling bills*, they begin to pay more attention to the insulation in their attic." Before upgrading your attic insulation, research the following two government incentives that can help save you money in rebates and tax credits. ecoENERGY Retrofit Grants To receive the maximum amount of $600 provided for an attic insulation retrofit, the attic must achieve a minimum insulation value of R-40. Keep in mind that the grant amount will vary according to the existing level of insulation already in place. Install 15 inches of PINK FIBERGLAS Batt Insulation or 18 3/4 inches of PROPINK Blown Insulation to achieve the recommended insulating standard of R-50 for optimal thermal resistance. This helps to save a half ton** of greenhouse gas emissions every year, year after year. Visit www.oee.nrcan.gc.ca for more information on how you can qualify for a government retrofit rebate when insulating your attic. Home Renovation Tax Credit (HRTC) The temporary tax credit enables homeowners to claim a 15 per cent non-refundable tax credit up to a maximum of $1,350 on eligible expenses when renovating the home. For an attic re-insulation project, this means insulation materials, equipment rentals and hired contractor services in respect to eligible expenses can qualify. For example, if an attic insulation project costs an estimated total of $3,500? in contractor and material expenses, a 15 per cent tax credit is available on $2,500 of the total amount - a credit of $375 - considering the $1,000 minimum threshold. That's added flexibility and money available for home renovations down the road! Visit www.insulationtaxcredit.ca and www.budget.gc.ca for information on how to claim your credit for the 2009 taxation year. With great incentives offered by the federal government, there's no need to delay those planned home improvement projects. Get going on your attic re-insulation project today and take advantage of all the benefits available now. * Savings vary depending on the original amount of insulation in your home, climate, house size, air leaks, and personal energy use and living habits. ** Based on an average attic size of 1700 SF with existing R19 insulation, averaged over seven cities in Canada. Costs will vary based on the size of the home. The colour PINK is a registered trademark of Owens Corning © 2009 Owens Corning. All Rights Reserved. Security systems protect against burglary, fire and…floods? (NC) -   Over the years most homeowners can expect to experience at least one form of water damage to their home. It could be their washing machine hose that splits, their pipes that freeze and burst, the dishwasher that leaks, toilet that overflows, or water heater that fails. Any one of these conditions can lead to expensive property damage, and destruction of personal belongings such as photographs, furniture or computer data – items that are often irreplaceable. According to the Insurance Information Institute, more than seven times as many insurance claims are caused by water damage and freezing (17 per cent) than by theft (2 per cent). Of those water related claims, 60 per cent were caused by faulty indoor appliances or plumbing leaks, 25 per cent were caused by heavy rain or flooding and 11 per cent caused by sewers or sump-pumps that overflowed. Preventing a water leak from causing extensive damage is even more crucial now with the trend towards homeowners investing thousands of dollars in their basements creating home theatres, play rooms, guest rooms and laundry rooms. These flooding events can lead to several inconveniences and unexpected costs such as having to relocate while the problem is cleaned up (in severe cases), having to replace damaged items and most importantly dealing with the health problems from the mold and mildew caused by the water damage. “Flooding events often go undetected for hours causing extensive damage to your home and personal belongings,” said Patrice De Luca, vice president of marketing and business development for Reliance Protectron Security Services, a leader in home security services who offer, among their suite of products and services, affordable solutions to help thwart the threat of water damage. According to De Luca today's security systems are capable of monitoring much more than just intrusion detection devices like motion detectors, door/window contacts and glassbreaks. Flood sensors, water flow switches, temperature sensors and many other devices can be installed and linked to a remote monitoring centre that protects homes 24 hours a day to help minimize and, if detected early enough (like for a sump pump with a high water level sensor), prevent losses due to environmental factors with specially trained professional operators standing by and dispatching appropriate emergency services if required. De Luca says “the latest technology in security systems (when monitored by a professional monitoring centre) can even allow for the monitoring and detection of water damage in your home from a distance by wireless transmission (TeleGARD) on your cell phone or PC at work for example.” More information on protecting your home while you're away is available online at www.protectron.com . |
