by Lynn Lefevre
The cost of electricity, natural gas and gasoline has been rising steadily and will likely continue to rise over the coming decades. The impact of our consumption, especially the things that require us to burn fossil fuel, is becoming clear as we are now seeing significant changes to our weather patterns and much more severe impacts including floods, tornadoes, droughts, forest fires, a derecho and so much more. As a result of this, I have been steadily working towards the goal of reducing my reliance on fossil fuels and reducing my overall energy consumption since 2010.
The first few projects took advantage of home renovations that provided the opportunity to replace the existing insulation and add proper vapour barrier on the exterior walls. It was also a good time to increase the attic insulation. The kitchen and laundry remodel also included the installation of an induction stove and an energy efficient washer, dryer, fridge and dishwasher. In 2016, it was time to replace the exterior siding, and add a 1” Styrofoam thermal break on the outside. In 2018, the front and back doors were replaced, eliminating the last source of drafts in the house and sealing it up tight. These projects resulted in a 25% reduction in electricity use and a 30% reduction in natural gas consumption!
With renovations to the house complete it was now time to replace my aging car. At this point you should not be surprised that I was looking for an electric vehicle. There wasn’t a lot of choice of models available at the end of 2019, so I picked the only one that was available in a reasonable amount of time and fit my needs – a Tesla Model 3. I loved the car from the day I picked it up and still love it today!
The introduction of the Canada Greener Homes Grant in 2021 kicked off the next series of projects. The energy audit was completed in early 2022 and the result was a rating of 98GJ/year and 3.25 air changes/hour for my 46-year-old carriage home. As a result of the audit, and in consultation with Building Science Trust, a plan was assembled to cover the next series of upgrades based on the age of each component. This included the purchase of an Air Things Plus air quality monitor, new ER40 rated windows, installation of a Vanee energy recovery ventilator to improve indoor air quality, replacement of the gas hot water tank with a Rheem Proterra hybrid heat pump hot water tank and replacement of the roof with a standing seam metal roof with ice and water shield underlay and ridge vents.
This year the focus will be installation of Solar panels and may include some form of backup battery system (which will depend on the cost and what is available under current Ontario rules). Once this is complete, a follow-up energy audit will be completed in order submit the results for my Canada Greener Homes Grant.
After all that, I still have some additional work to complete. Sometime before 2030 I plan to undertake a total replacement of the attic insulation and soffit baffles in order to bring the insulation up to a full R60 with proper attic air flow, along with the installation of a vapour barrier between the attic and the second-floor ceiling to further reduce any air leakage. One of the last projects will be to replace the furnace and air conditioner with a high-quality cold climate air source heat pump, once my furnace reaches replacement age.
Any steps toward reducing our impact on the environment is a good one. I started with simple goals that grew and changed over time. While I have made some mistakes over the past 14 years, I am very happy with the end results. My key recommendations to others who are looking to take on some of these improvements would be:
• Do not hesitate to ask for advice from experts and those who are willing to share their experiences and help others understand the options available.
• Hire trusted professionals to help you plan the optimal solutions for your needs. An extra $1,000 at the start for a good plan and good advice can save you much more in the long run.
• Scrutinize everything you receive from sales people and ask lots of questions.
If you have questions about my experiences, feel free to reach out to me at secretary@blackburnhamlet.ca.
Update April 2024: The Solar project is on hold until I can find a new insurance company. There are still some insurance companies that claim there is insufficient data for them to classify the risk of solar panels and as a result, they will not renew your insurance policy once the panels have been installed! Always check with your insurance company before signing a Solar contract.
Update June 2024: After 2 months of searching, I not only resolved by insurance dilemma but the new policy was significantly cheaper. Lesson learned – Insurance Brokers may not have access to the best option for you so shop around. Site inspection and Structural Engineering inspections have been completed. Before I proceed I now need to get someone to correct some deficiencies with the roof truss gussets (some of the truss pieces have shifted/twisted a little over the past 50 years). I’m glad I chose a Solar company that insists on a proper structural engineering inspection so this issue can be dealt with before it becomes a bigger issue.
Additional Resources
• Electrify613 Slack Channel
• EnviroCentre
• EnviroCentre Youtube Channel
• Green Drinks Ottawa
• EV Council of Ottawa
• Smartnet Sustainability Showcase
• Building Science Trust