Barrie Home Inspector

Home Maintenance and Tips for Home Owners

Month: July 2011

Canadian home sales pick up in June

Real Estate

Canadian home sales pick up in June.  OTTAWA – July 15, 2011 – According to statistics released today by The Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA), home sales activity over MLS® Systems of Canadian real estate Boards climbed in June 2011 compared to May.

Highlights:

  • Sales activity climbed from May to June, with a big year-over-year gain reflecting falling demand in June 2010.
  • Year-to-date sales remain in line with the ten-year average.
  • The number of newly listed homes also rose from May to June.
  • National housing market remains firmly entrenched in balanced territory.
  • National average price still being skewed upward by the value of sales in expensive Vancouver neighbourhoods, with price gains in other markets providing additional loft.

Seasonally adjusted national home sales activity rose 2.6 per cent in June 2011 compared to the previous month. Two-thirds of local markets posted month-over-month gains in June.

Activity remained stable in Toronto while declining slightly in Vancouver and the Fraser Valley. Major markets that saw gains compared to May included Calgary, Montreal, Ottawa, London, Hamilton, and Victoria.

“Canadian housing demand remains resilient, thanks to low interest rates, job growth, and home buyer confidence in the economy,” said Gary Morse, CREA’s President. “That said, local housing market trends often differ from national trends, so buyers and sellers should consult their local REALTOR® to understand how the housing market is shaping up where they live.”

Actual (not seasonally adjusted) activity came in 10.8 per cent above June 2010 levels, but this largely reflects falling sales activity last June. This was also the case for the year-over-year increase in activity in May. Year-over-year comparisons in July may also be stretched by falling activity one year ago, since July 2010 marked the low point for activity last year.

“The Canadian housing sector remains on a solid footing,” said Gregory Klump, CREA’s Chief Economist. “The rise in monthly home sales activity at the end of the second quarter, upbeat business sentiment and hiring intentions, and signs that the Bank of Canada is in no rush to raise interest rates bode well for home sales activity and prices going into the second half of 2011.”

National sales activity was down 4.7 per cent in the second quarter compared to levels in the first quarter. This in part reflects how new mortgage rules announced in January and implemented at the end of March pulled sales forward into the first quarter at the expense of sales activity in April and May. Mortgage interest rates also rose in April and May, which may have moved some home buyers to the sidelines.

A total of 245,170 homes have traded hands via Canadian MLS® Systems in the first half of 2011. Year-to-date sales activity is running in line with the ten-year average, with monthly sales activity having come close to the ten-year average from January to June this year (Chart A). This highlights the relative stability of demand this year compared to the past three years, when activity swung significantly above and below average monthly levels.

The number of newly listed homes also rose nationally by 1.8 per cent from May to June. Gains in Toronto, Vancouver, and Ottawa contributed most to the national increase. The rise in new listings will be especially welcome news for home buyers in Toronto, where listings have been in short supply relative to demand this year.

The national housing market remains firmly planted in balanced territory. The national sales-to-new listings ratio, a measure of market balance, stood at 52.6 per cent in June, little changed from 52.2 per cent in May.

About 60 per cent of local housing markets in Canada were balanced in June. Almost half of the remainder can be classified as sellers’ markets, based on a sales-to-new listings ratio above 60 per cent.

The seasonally adjusted number of months of inventory stood at six months at the end of June on a national basis, holding steady compared to May. The number of months of inventory represents the number of months it would take to sell current inventories at the current rate of sales activity, and is another measure of the balance between housing supply and demand.

The national average price for homes sold in June 2011 was $372,700, up 8.7 per cent from the same month last year. The national average price is becoming less affected by the overall number of sales in some expensive Vancouver neighbourhoods, but is still being pitched higher by the value of those sales. Activity in these neighbourhoods has eased from levels reported in February and March, while sales elsewhere across Canada have risen in line with normal seasonal trends. As a result, property sales above $1 million in Vancouver West, West Vancouver, and Richmond now account for a smaller but still elevated share of national activity.

While the effect of Vancouver activity on the national average price has begun to wane, broadly based price gains in other housing markets are holding the national average price aloft. Close to 80 per cent of local markets posted year-over-year average price gains in June. This includes Toronto, where price gains reflect a tight balance between supply and demand.

PLEASE NOTE: The information contained in this news release combines both major market and national MLS® sales information from the previous month.

CREA cautions that average price information can be useful in establishing trends over time, but does not indicate actual prices in centres comprised of widely divergent neighborhoods or account for price differential between geographic areas. Statistical information contained in this report includes all housing types.

MLS® is a co-operative marketing system used only by Canada’s real estate Boards to ensure maximum exposure of properties listed for sale.

The Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) is one of Canada’s largest single-industry trade associations, representing more than 100,000 REALTORS® working through more than 100 real estate Boards and Associations.

Further information can be found at :
http://www.crea.ca/public/news_stats/media.htm.

– 30 –

For more information, please contact:
Linda Kristal, Director of Communications
The Canadian Real Estate Association|
Tel.: 613-237-7111 or 613-447-4532
E-mail: [email protected]

Barrie Home Inspector

Home Inspection

Barrie Home InspectorThe Barrie Home Inspector has been inspecting Commercial and Residential properties for over 15 years. As a Certified Building Code Official registered with the Ontario Building Officials Association his qualifications far exceed most Home Inspectors basic requirements.

Although many Home Inspection Companies advertise as the Barrie Home Inspector, only Roger Frost has the licensed name Barrie Home Inspector. The advantage of having experience in the business and the knowledge to make informed decisions.

The Barrie Home Inspector is a former home builder who was registered with HUDAC, which has now been replace with Tarion home building warranty program. Seven years as Project Review of all Renovations and New Construction with DND provided an unequaled opportunity to be involved with Project Design and Inspection on projects ranging from ,000′s of dollars to millions of dollar accommodation buildings.

Through out his career, Roger Frost has taken many specialized and building related courses that all are applicable to Commercial and Home inspections. Roger has inspected over 3,000 residential buildings and performed Commercial Building inspections from as far south as Simcoe Ontario to Huntville in the North.

Providing his client with the information they need to make an informed decision is the basis of the Barrie Home Inspector’s business. Having the knowledge to observe the deficiencies or possible failures of systems in not enough, being able to convey that to the client is of paramount importance. The Barrie Home Inspector’s report is precise and detailed, being broken down into individual building systems and areas. All deficiencies are photographed and included in a computerized report for the customers review.

We do not provide concrete financial replacement or repair costs because the nature of the contracting business is such that there are so many variables involved that a accurate price structure really does depend on the individual. We do make note and take pictures of every deficiency so that you will be able to discern the condition of the proposed purchase property.

Experience does matter and when you are making your next real estate investment, whether Commercial or Residential, ensure your Inspector has the qualifications and experience to make you an informed buyer.

Always remember Caveat Emptor – Buyer Beware

Home Renovation: From A Mother’s Point Of View

Real Estate

Originally posted 2010-04-29 02:24:26. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Every nook and cranny of your home was alright when all of a sudden, an offer of a new beginning came knocking on your door. Instantly, you saw your tainted curtains, your dull furniture, and your boring lay-out. You remembered one quotation, “Do not do for tomorrow what you can do for today.” Weird as it may seem, this quote turned more realistic to you than at any time that you have been a mother to three beautiful kids. Being the mother, you figured out that you are the only one who can do it; the one who has got the eye of the tiger for details. You wavered; but were innervated when you have remembered seeing demos in the television and reading much about it on magazines. In a brief moment you said to yourself: My cognizance is enough! What you desire to do at long last came out, encapsulated in one word: renovation!

Before we jump on getting giddy painting and purchasing things that we need, let us first be wise and make a checklist for our project: Are our sofas not as colorful as before? Do they have a pigment that is becoming an magnet for germs and other microorganisms? Are our once cream-colored soothing bed turned into a gray-colored cushion with deep depressions? Does everything just seem imperfect to our eyes? If we answered yes to any of these queries, then our wandering view about our family’s future is just right. And we know for certain that our being perfectionist will not let this moribundity continue.

With all the careful scrutiny and budgeting, the process of renovation may really seem abstruse. It will integrate a knowledge of reinventing things which may need the powers of an engineer; a plan of a new theme which may need the powers of an architect; and of course, a basket of pixie dust (that will make your new home a picturesque of beauty) which may need the magic of a fairy. But who says we cannot be an interior designer? Who says mothers are just a crowd of weaklings that cannot even lift a nail? Well, for the information of non-home makers, we are also capable of doing novel things; specially if it is for our dear families. With this vindication, we can now “borrow” our hubby’s bandoleer and arm it with our necessary weapons for house reinvention.

After our home check-up and budget calculation, let us now at last begin with our project. The things that we may do are the following: Change Colors – Color is everything; it touches our moods. We should find the perfect color that will fit onto the different personalities in our home; Get Over: Space is valuable; it is the key to lay-out. We should get over with the old, unaccommodating and cumbersome things we still keep in the house that makes it packed; Add- The balance lies in addition and subtraction. If we take aside old things, the remedy is to replace them with new and definitely helpful ones. These additions should not only be cozy to our family but also to the size of our home; and lastly, Creativity- Creativity is the cherry on top of our ice-cream. It is the component that gives vibrancy.

Restlessness and Muscle Aches, these are the sure symptoms that we will get after this project. At the end of our gallant and wearing pursuit, we may be even labeled as offbeat for our brave venture into something we are not really familiar with. But do not fret and regret, success or not, we surely gained something out of it. Just like what one quotation said, “Experience is what you get when you do not get what you want.” With a “new” home, we can now be rest assured that every nook and cranny is alright. We may not be experts on house renovation but fortunately, we are moms; we know best.

Learn more about Home Renovation Tips and the best Renovation Contractors from our list of most recommended renovation and interior designing companies.

Large Buildings and Fire Protection

Home Inspection

The importance of fire protection has been proven over and over again when lives have been lost in large buildings whose fire protection equipment has been either compromised or disabled for various reasons. One large fire in a high rise, which started in café on first floor, which contributed to lost lives, was blamed on missing fire-stopping. Such a small failure can have disastrous consequences

Average February for Canadian home sales

Real Estate

Average February for Canadian home sales.  Ottawa – March 15th, 2011 – According to statistics released today by The Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA), national resale housing activity in February 2011 ran close to the five-year average for the month, continuing a theme that has characterized the past four months.

Actual (not seasonally adjusted) national sales activity via the Multiple Listing Service® (MLS®) Systems of Canadian real estate Boards came in 5.9 per cent below levels reported last February. This marks the smallest year-over-year decline in nine months, and the fourth consecutive month in which sales activity was on par with the five-year average for that month.

Seasonally adjusted home sales activity edged down 1.6 per cent in February 2011 compared to the previous month on a national basis. Sales activity eased in almost two-thirds of all local markets from the previous month, offsetting monthly increases in activity among other markets including Vancouver and Calgary.

Nationally, new listings in February edged up 1.5 per cent from the previous month on a seasonally adjusted basis, which builds on the 4.3 per cent monthly increase in January. The rise in new listings is consistent with CREA’s expectation that many sellers, who shied away from listing their home last summer when the national housing market softened, would list their home in early 2011, having by now observed improved demand and stable prices.

With both sales activity and new supply little changed in February, the housing market remained firmly in balanced territory. The national sales-to-new listings ratio, a measure of market balance, stood at 53.5 per cent in February. This is little changed from the previous four months.

“Most local housing markets in Canada are well balanced, but there are still a number of buyers’ and sellers’ markets,” said Georges Pahud, CREA’s President. “Housing market trends often evolve and diverge from national trends due to local factors, so buyers and sellers should consult their local REALTOR® to understand how the housing market is shaping up where they live.”

The number of months of inventory represents the number of months it takes to sell current inventory at the current rate of sales activity, and is another measure of the balance between housing supply and demand. The seasonally adjusted number of months of inventory stood at 5.7 months at the end of February on a national basis. This is little changed from the 5.5 months reported in January, when it reached the lowest level since last April.

The national average price for homes sold in February 2011 rose 8.8 per cent year-over-year to 5,192. “The average price has been skewed higher nationally and in British Columbia recently by a record number of multi-million dollar sales in a couple of areas in Greater Vancouver,” said Gregory Klump, CREA’s Chief Economist.

“When you take Vancouver out of the equation, the year-over-year increase in the national average price drops to 3.4 per cent,” added Klump. “While that’s still stronger than in the past six months or so, national average price gains may recede after tighter mortgage regulations take effect in March.”

PLEASE NOTE: The information contained in this news release combines both major market and national MLS® sales information from the previous month.

 

CREA cautions that average price information can be useful in establishing trends over time, but does not indicate actual prices in centres comprised of widely divergent neighborhoods or account for price differential between geographic areas. Statistical information contained in this report includes all housing types.

 

MLS® is a co-operative marketing system used only by Canada’s real estate Boards to ensure maximum exposure of properties listed for sale.

The Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) is one of Canada’s largest single-industry trade associations, representing more than 100,000 REALTORS® working through more than 100 real estate Boards and Associations.

Further information can be found at :
http://www.crea.ca/public/news_stats/media.htm

For more information, please contact:

Pierre Leduc, Media relations
The Canadian Real Estate Association
P: 613-237-7111 or 613-447-4532
E: [email protected]

Bank of Canada raises interest rates further

Real Estate

Bank of Canada raises interest rates further.  Notes slowing global economic growth.

The Bank of Canada increased the target for its trend-setting overnight lending rate on July 20, 2010, raising it by a quarter of a percentage point to 0.75 per cent. The increase follows on the heels of an equal interest rate increase in June 2010, when it was raised for the first time since 2007. The Bank rate now stands at one per cent.

In its most recent interest rate announcement, the Bank marked down its outlook for economic growth globally, emphasizing the uneven economic recovery in the U.S., and weakening prospects for European economic growth.

In the Bank’s view, Canada’s domestic economy is evolving largely as expected in recent months, but trimmed its forecast for economic growth this year and next by 0.2 per cent to 3.5 per cent in 2010 and 2.9 per cent in 2011. While the Bank raised its forecast for Canadian economic to 2.2 per cent in 2012, it nonetheless left the easing trend for growth intact.

The Bank indicated, “[this] revision reflects a slightly weaker profile for global economic growth and more modest consumption growth in Canada. The Bank anticipates that business investment and net exports will make a relatively larger contribution to growth.
Where the domestic recovery had previously been led by housing and consumer spending it is now guided more by government stimulus.”

The Bank also reaffirmed its view that housing activity and household expenditures were pulled forward into the first half of 2010, which is expected to cause them to soften in the second half. It also recognized that business investment has been weaker than it previously expected, “held back by global uncertainties.” The Bank anticipates “that business investment and net exports will make a relatively larger contribution to growth” over its forecast horizon.

As of July 20th, the advertised five-year conventional mortgage rate of 5.79 per cent was down 0.06 per cent from one year earlier, and 0.2 per cent below where it stood when Bank made its previous interest rate announcement on June 1, 2010. However, it is 0.3 percentage points higher than it was at the beginning of the year.

The Bank has signaled to financial markets that it is leaving its options wide open as to whether it will raise interest rates further when it makes its next rate announcement on September 8th.

“As it did with its previous announcement in June, the Bank messaged financial markets that further interest rate increases are not pre-ordained,” said CREA Chief Economist Gregory Klump. “The strength of recent economic indicators have prompted the Bank to raise interest rates, but the Bank has signaled that it may keep rates on hold should the economic recovery begin to show signs of loosing steam.”

The Bank will make its next scheduled rate announcement on September 8th.

http://creastats.crea.ca/natl/interest_rate_trends.htm

(CREA 07/22/2010)

Flooding in the Home

Plumbing

Flooding in the Home.  We had an unusually cold winter this year with lots of ice. Previous winter seasons were generally calm to chilly, but this recent winter, it was a catastrophe! The storm was raining ice, accumulating up to two inches of ice on trees and damaging our electrical lines causing a blackout for four days. Well, we were fortunate unlike the others who had to suffer without electricity for two months. We had fire to keep us warm through the night, and enough to cook our food. Still, we had no hot water for cleansing. At one point, it was 42 degrees in the rooms we had closed off. After the ice melted, the kitchen and laundry sections of the house started to have this smell of fungi. We realized there was a leak in the house yet we had no idea where it was. We searched the source of the leak for days, until we came upon a pipe connecting to the washing machine. It broke down because it got brittle after the freezing. Yet, it already made a huge mess. We paid a lot to have it repaired and today, all is back to normal.

Flooding and <a href=”http://www.napoleon.cc/cottage/”target=”_blank”rel=”external”title=”Midland Cottage Inspections” >waters leaking inside the house has many causes, however the chief perpetrator is the washing machine. It is a no-brainer that this is a serious and health threatening situation, not to mention the expense. A substantial loss may be incurred from unattended leaks in faucets, toilets, hoses, hot water heaters, washing machines, roof pipes or pipes connecting from the meter to the house.

Imagine, 20 gallons of water each day wasted because of a faucet that was not closed tightly! If in a year, 7,300 gallons of water is washed away for nothing, you won’t find me laughing. It’s a tremendous quantity, don’t you think? What’s worse than that is a toilet with water seeping out. In a day, it can waste 100 gallons of water. If you total that in a year, that’s 36,500 gallons, imagine that!

One way to determine if there is a water leak in the house is to examine your water bill. If the amount does not correspond to your normal consumption, which is too high, then it is better to doubt that you have a leak. To know if there really is a leak in the house, simply shut off all the faucets and sources of running water in the house. Write down the reading on your water meter, this will serve as your basis. After almost an hour, come back and record the reading on the meter again. If the reading is higher, then you have a leak somewhere in the house.

It’s not hard to notice if the leak is big, but it can be difficult if the leak is small and nonstop. You’ll be able to know only if the floors are starting to come off or if it is starting to have a mold and mildew smell.

Examining your pipes under the sinks and tubs, dishwashers, and washing machines for indications of fractures and deterioration are just a few of what you can do with regards to locating leaks in the house. Blocked pipes are usually caused by hair and debris stuck on shower drains, trash trapped in toilet bowls, and hardened grease or food remains jammed in the kitchen drain, and these can be the reasons for leaks in the house. Check all pipes and hoses running from appliances and outdoor faucets, and install water alarms, automatic water valve shut off units, automatic shut off for washers (wish we had installed that one!), and replace washer hoses with flood check hoses.

Water related damages cause millions of dollars a year in losses. Generally, most insurance claims submitted are for damages caused by poor plumbing systems and almost 2,000,000 households have that. Don’t let your home be one of these statistics.

Do you want to ensure that you never find a drip repeatedly when you get home? Acquire Floodchek hoses at Safe Home Products.

Home sales continue to cool in June

Real Estate

Home sales continue to cool in June.  Statistics released by The Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) show that the number of newly listed homes and sales activity declined in June 2010.

Seasonally adjusted national home sales activity via the Multiple Listing Service® (MLS®) Systems of Canadian real estate Boards receded 8.2 per cent in June from the previous month. Led by lower activity in Toronto and Calgary, sales declined in almost 70 per cent of local markets.

Tightened mortgage regulations and anticipated interest rate increases cooled sales activity throughout the second quarter, resulting in a decline of 13.3 per cent from near-record levels in the first quarter. As expected, these two national factors contributed to a widespread decline in activity, with transactions down in all but a dozen or so smaller markets.

Actual (not seasonally adjusted) national sales activity was 19.7 per cent lower in June 2010 compared to last year, when activity almost reached a new record for the month. Actual sales activity in the second quarter stood 2.8 per cent below levels reported in the second quarter of 2009. For the year-to-date, transactions are up 13.6 per cent compared to the first-six months of last year. This gap is expected to shrink as the year progresses, since activity trended upward over the second half of last year and is forecast to continue easing over the second half of 2010.

The number of newly listed homes on Canadian MLS® Systems in June 2010 declined by 6.8 per cent from the previous month, following a monthly decline of 4.8 per cent in May. A declining trend in new listings will help maintain the balance between supply and demand, and temper home price volatility.

The national average price of homes sold via Canadian MLS® Systems rose 4.9 per cent on a year-over-year basis in June to $342,662.

The national average price can be skewed by changes in provincial sales activity. The national weighted average price compensates for this by taking into account provincial proportions of privately owned housing stock. It climbed 6.3 per cent on a year-over-year basis in June 2010. Similarly, the residential average price in Canada’s major markets was up 5.7 per cent year-over-year in June, while the weighted major market average price rose 8.7 per cent.

The number of months of inventory represents the number of months it would take to sell current inventories at the current rate of sales activity, and measures the balance between housing supply and demand. It stood at 5.7 months at the end of June 2010 on a national basis. This is up from 4.2 months one year ago, when it fell to its lowest level since the economic recovery began. The rise in the number of months of inventory was widespread, with increases from year-ago levels in all provinces, except Manitoba and Prince Edward Island.

The seasonally adjusted number of months of inventory stood at 6.9 months at the end of June on a national basis, the highest level since March 2009. It may rise further as sales activity trends lower over the second half of 2010, but an expected decline in the number of new listings should stabilize the balance between supply and demand.

“The housing market is becoming more challenging for sellers,” said CREA President Georges Pahud. “Buyers are in less of a hurry, so sellers should consult with their local REALTOR® on how to best price and present their home to attract purchase offers.”

“National home sales activity is easing due to fewer and more cautious first-time home buyers,” said Chief Economist Gregory Klump. “With interest rates on the rise, housing affordability and home sales activity are expected to continue to erode over the second half of 2010. While the pricing environment is becoming more challenging, a recovering economy and job market will provide support for housing activity and prices.”

PLEASE NOTE: The information contained in this news release combines both major market and national MLS® sales information from the previous month.

CREA cautions that average price information can be useful in establishing trends over time, but does not indicate actual prices in centres comprised of widely divergent neighborhoods or account for price differential between geographic areas. Statistical information contained in this report includes all housing types.

MLS® is a co-operative marketing system used only by Canada’s real estate Boards to ensure maximum exposure of properties listed for sale.

The Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) is one of Canada’s largest single-industry trade associations, representing more than 99,000 REALTORS® working through more than 100 real estate Boards and Associations.

Further information can be found at http://www.crea.ca/public/news_stats/pdfs/media_july15rpt_e.pdf

For more information, please contact:

Spencer Callaghan, Communications Officer
The Canadian Real Estate Association
P: 613-237-7111
E: [email protected]

Maintaining Your Furnace Filter

Heating

Maintaining Your Furnace Filter

The first step in checking furnace filter is to check and make sure your filter is properly sized for your furnace. Ensure that the filter completely fills the holding area, with no gaps at top, bottom or sides. Also the filter should be thick enough to seal off any avenues for air to bypass the filter. You can typically look at the filter in place by removing bottom panel of furnace. This should only be done once power is shut off. Newer furnaces have a safety switch on their fan compartments but turning power off is always advised.

Another item to check is your owner’s manual for the furnace and check that you have the right style of filter for your furnace. Some people buy universal re-usable filters that might provide too much resistance for the modern high-efficiency furnaces used today. If no manual is available check on the internet for manufactures site and look up specifications for model of furnace you have. If no specifications are available, send them an email, most companies gladly provide information on requests from customers.

Clean or replace your disposable furnace filter periodically, during the winter, check the filter monthly. Brush and vacuum the heat exchanger surfaces every year, if recommended by your owner’s manual. Before the heating season, clean the blower blades and seal any air leaks in ducts with several wraps of duct tape. (use the metallic duct tape only)

Types of Filters

Pleated – Experts typically recommend this type of filter as a bare minimum requirement. Pleated filters should also include the metal wire to perform electrostatic dust control. The pleat feature allows greater filtration because of greater surface area which creates less air restriction.
Disposable fiberglass filters – These filter are the least expensive – and also the least effective, designed to block only large dust and dirt particles to protect your furnace. Smaller particles, like pollen and mold, pass right through.
Electronic air cleaners Electronic air cleaners are expensive but are the best at removing harmful particles and pollutants from the air. In many cases, the initial cost can be offset with lower medical bills for allergy suffers.

Filter Ratings

What is an efficiency or MERV rating?

Most filters are labeled with a MERV (Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value) rating number, which measures a filter’s ability to trap particles ranging in size from 3.0 microns to 10.0 microns. This number is derived from a test method designed by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) and is intended to help people compare filters.
Residential filters commonly have MERV ratings of 1-11. The higher the MERV rating, the more efficient the filter is, and the more particles it can filter.

A MERV rating of 6 means the filter is 35% to 50% minimum efficient at capturing particles, sized 3.0-10.0 microns.
A MERV rating of 8 means the filter is 70% to 85% minimum efficient at capturing particles, sized 3.0-10.0 microns.
A MERV rating of 11 means the filter is 85% to 95% minimum efficient at capturing particles, sized 3.0-10.0 microns.
MERV is an industry standard rating, so it can be used to compare filters made by different companies.

A little maintenance goes a long way toward keeping your forced-air equipment working properly. Start by cleaning or replacing the filter. With forced-air furnace systems, air returning to the furnace’s blower first passes through an air filter designed to catch dust and debris and help clean the air before it’s recycled to your home.
On new homes, check all your ducts by removing grills and vacuuming any debris that you can reach. If extremely dirty, notify the builder and have him clean the ducts. This is only possible on new construction and ducts should be inspected on your Pre-Delivery Inspection.

When typical filters become clogged with debris, they cut down on a furnace’s efficiency and, over time, can cause parts to wear out faster. Change filters quarterly or sooner if they look dirty. Pleated fabric filters are a good, inexpensive choice for reducing dust and allergens. Most experts recommend a pleated filter with wire for electrostatic performance. If you buy filters that are 3 for .00 then you probably could read a book looking through them, so you can imagine how useful they would be. Also check your manufactures recommendations before installing a washable filter, some type restrict too much air on high-efficiency furnaces and may cause premature failure of fan motor.

Steps to changing your furnace filter:

1) Turn off the power to the unit. Every furnace is required to have shut off switch.
2) Look for the door or panel that conceals the blower; sometimes this is marked “Filter.” Lift this door or panel off of its holding hooks or unscrew its retaining screws to remove it. Some furnaces have a custom sized filter which is held in place by wire screen in bottom compartment of furnace.

3) Standard filters are mounted next to or under the blower motor. Newer furnaces have the filter installed on exterior of furnace on supply side. A good installation will have a metal cover over side of filter to prevent air leakage. Remove cover and slide the filter out along its tracks. Check to see whether it is a disposable filter or intended to be cleaned and replaced–this should be marked on the filter’s edge, along with directions for cleaning if applicable. If it’s a disposable filter, its size will probably be printed on the frame’s edge also. Make a note of its size.

4) Buy a replacement and slide it back into place, noting that arrows stamped on the side indicate the proper direction of airflow; be sure you face these in the proper direction. If your smoke detectors or carbon-monoxide detectors start going off after cleaning your filter, you have installed the filter facing the wrong direction. Remove and reverse filter, this will resolve your detector alarm problem.

If someone in your family has allergies and you move to a new home that had pets living in it, cleaning your ducts might be advisable to remove build up which will then allow your filter to perform to its optimum ability. The most recommended type of duct cleaning is with brushes, which are sized according to the duct they are cleaning. This will allow filter to prevent dust and particles from circulating in your home.

Smoke Detectors Required in RV’s and Trailers in Ontario

Electricity

Smoke Detectors Required in RV’s and Trailers in Ontario.  An excerpt from the Ontario Fire Marshall’s Office identifies the requirement for Smoke Detectors to be installed in RV’s and Trailers in Ontario. This would also apply to tourists that are visiting the Province.

During the past two weeks, two men have died in separate trailer fires in Ontario. It has been confirmed by Office of the Fire Marshal investigators that no working smoke alarms were recovered from either trailer. Fires in these types of seasonal homes can spread incredibly fast.

As a result of these tragic fatal fires, the Fire Marshal of Ontario is reminding everyone that it is the law to have a working smoke alarm in their trailer home, motor home and other recreational vehicle. In addition to smoke alarms, these homes, vehicles or boats used for sleeping should be equipped with a carbon monoxide alarm.

While many new trailer and RV models may already meet a construction standard requiring working smoke alarms, older models may not be equipped with any or they may not have been properly maintained. Smoke alarms should be tested before sleeping in any of these seasonal homes, then monthly and after any absence of more than a few days. Replace any smoke alarms that may be more than 10 years old.

Failure to comply with the applicable Fire Code smoke alarm requirements can result in a ticket for $235 or a fine of up to $100,000.

QUOTES

“The Ontario Fire Code requires every ‘dwelling unit’ in Ontario to have working smoke alarms on every storey and outside all sleeping areas,” explained Ted Wieclawek, Fire Marshal of Ontario. “What many people may not know is that the term ‘dwelling unit’ includes seasonal homes such as park model trailers, cabins and cottages and may include trailer homes, motor homes and other recreational vehicles”.

“Smoke alarms can alert you and give you and your family the precious time needed to safely escape a fire,” said Wieclawek. “Install smoke and carbon monoxide alarms in any structure where people may be sleeping or living.”

There’s no question that working smoke detectors save lives. Statistics from the Ontario Fire Marshall’s office indicate that in about 50% of fatal home fires, the victims had no smoke alarm
warning.

Effective March 1, 2006 every home in Ontario must have working smoke detectors on every storey of their home and outside of sleeping areas. This new law applies to single family homes, semi-detached homes and town homes that are either owner occupied or rented. Additionally, all smoke detectors must be replaced every ten years.

Fines for non-compliance by individuals range from $235.00 up to $50,000.00 and tenants can be fined for intentionally disabling smoke detector units.

The cost of a smoke detector combined with a carbon monoxide detector is about $60.00. At this price, and when you consider your own life and those of your family, it’s money well spent.

For more information about the new smoke detector law in Ontario visit the Ontario Fire Marshall’s website at http://www.ofm.gov.on.ca/.

I am amazed at the amount of homes in Barrie ON that have no smoke detectors or defective smoke detectors. Although there was a big “push” to ensure every home, and every level, has a working smoke detector during the initial implementation of the new law, there is no enforcement or education being conducted at the present time and the results are clearly visible with the amount of homes not having any or adequate protection.

Landlords in particular should ensure their rental units are complying with the smoke detector requirements to protect themselves and their tenants.

Smoke alarms are critical safety devices that have been in existence for at least 30 years, however, Ontarians still continue to die in homes without working smoke alarms. This is why the provincial campaign Working Smoke Alarms: Its the Law was developed. Ensuring homeowners, landlords and tenants of residential occupancies are aware of their responsibilities and comply with the smoke alarm requirements will significantly increase public safety in Ontario.

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