The Guy With The Dog

Nothing is nicer on a cold winter night than curling up beside a warm fire. Gas fireplaces can offer a clean burning option with a convenient click of a button. A recent survey of household energy use found that 23% of Canadian single- and semi-detached and row housing reported having a gas fireplace and of those, 22% reported using them every day once the temperatures dip. Depending on the size and location of your fireplace, the added warmth can help ease the heating burden on your furnace, causing it to turn on less frequently. But will that save you money? Not necessarily, according to research undertaken at the Canadian Centre for Housing Technology.
The study tested gas fireplace use and its impact on both furnace use and total gas energy consumption in a controlled certified research house. Researchers wanted to find out if operating a gas fireplace would reduce total gas consumption. It also looked at whether running the furnace fan continuously had any benefits on heat distribution to rooms away from the fireplace compared to having the fan automatically turn on only when the furnace was required to provide heating for the house.

The results showed that, while the furnace came on less frequently during fireplace use, total gas gas energy consumption overall actually increased by approximately 10 to 16%. This is because the gas fireplace, which had a measured efficiency of only 76%, was offsetting the operation of the furnace with an efficiency of 94%. The study also found that even when the fireplace was not in use, overall gas energy use was 6% higher compared to the control house because of the gas consumed by the small, but continuously running, pilot light.

While running the furnace fan continuously was expected to distribute heat from the fireplace to the other rooms more effectively that when run intermittently, the researchers found that operation of the fan had very little influence on the temperatures in other rooms in either mode. In fact, not only was there no  difference in heat distribution, continuously running the furnace fan actually increased daily electrical energy use from 6kWh to 11kWh, which can be significant given that typical Canadian homes use a total of 15 to 30 kWh per day.
Gas fireplaces are a wonderful way to enhance the beauty of your home, providing warm ambience during our cold Canadian winters. However, using your high efficiency furnace as the main method of heating your home will save you energy and money in the long run.

While it looks like interest rates will remain low for some time, there has been a large swing from variable to fixed-rate mortgages over the past year, says a new report by the Canadian Association of Accredited Mortgage Professionals.
CAAMP’s annual report on the state of the residential mortgage market, released last month, suggests that 79 percent of the new mortgages taken out this year have been fixed-rate, 10 percent have been variable, and 11 percent are a combination.

That’s a significant shift from prior years, during which fixed-rate mortgages generally accounted for about two-thirds of the total, while variable or adjustable-rate mortgages were about one-quarter.

Canadians are likely locking in because of the very small difference between interest rates for variable-rate mortgages (which are in the neighbourhood of three percent) and five-year fixed-rate mortgages (which are closer to 3.2 or 3.3 percent, after discounts that the banks typically offer), the report says.

“The current spread of about one-quarter of a point is negligible compared to the average of 1.7 points during 2010 and 2011,” it says. Meanwhile, the average mortgage interest rate for homeowners has fallen to 3.55 percent, from 3.94 percent a year ago. For homes bought this year, the average rate is 3.26 percent.

The report, which is based in large part on an online survey of 2,018 Canadians by Maritz, also found that about six percent of homeowners took equity out of their home in the past year. The average amount is estimated at $49,000, implying that $30-billion of equity has been taken out during the year.

But 87 percent of Canadians have at least 25 percent equity in their homes. Sixteen percent of mortgage holders have increased their payments, 15 percent have made lump sum payments, and 6 percent have increased their payment frequency.

To all our family, friends and supporters, The McCann Team has set a lofty goal for ourselves this year and time is flying! We thought we would have a little fun as we stretch for the finish line. For every referral we receive between now and December 31st your name will be entered into a draw for a dinner for 2 at Stephen Beckta’s latest creation THE GEZELLIG RESTAURANT in Westboro.

In addition to the ballot offering above, for every referral that translates into a transaction, your name will go into the bonus round that we affectionately call “the sure thing” – resulting in dinner for two at Gezellig every time.

Don’t know about GEZELLIG? Well known Ottawa sommelier and restauranteur (Beckta’s and Play Food + Wine) is opening his third culinary playground on the corner of Richmond Rd. and Churchill Avenue in the heart of Westboro. It promises to be a new fave spot for Ottawa foodies! It is due to open in just a couple of weeks now!

Events in November in Westboro and all of Ottawa worth barking about.

2 restaurants are opening in Westboro – Gezellig and Fratelli Fish House

Tricks for Treats | October 1 – 29 @ Masters ‘n Dogs (Westboro)

Wickedly Westboro | October 27 | www.westborovillage.com

Ottawa Wine + Food Festival | November 9 – 11 | www.ottawawineandfoodshow.com/

Ottawa Pet Expo @ the CE Centre | November 10 + 11 | www.ottawapetexpo.ca/

This spring, my associate, Jeremy Irving, asked if I would bike to Kingston with him on the Rideau Lakes Cycle Tour. After a full complement of excuses and posturing I agreed to go with him.

What you focus on and who you surround yourself with can be powerful influences. I keep playing this thought in my head as a I look at my boys, Aidan and Emmett. I encourage you to take a look at your surroundings and see if your focus and influences are your personal best.

A Feng Shui bedroom, a retro bathroom, a cottage kitchen; there are so many creative ways to perk up the look of your home. But if the costs of your next home reno just aren’t adding up for you, it’s time to get equally creative with ways to save, and it starts with supplies. Here are seven tips to help you save on building supplies for your next big project:

1. Time it Right | Upgrading your kitchen or bathroom? The new year is your best time to buy. Building a deck or a gazebo for your garden? Aim to buy in late summer or fall. Time your project after the season is over, because that’s when stores discount their supplies to make room for the next season’s materials.

2. Don’t Underestimate Estimates | Get at least three estimates for your project to ensure you’re getting the best value. Ask each contractor to break their quote down between labour and materials. Make sure you’re not charged for any materials that go unused or can be returned.

3. Think Outside of the Box-store | When shopping for supplies, get creative. Think liquidation stores that often have low-prices on overstocked materials, classified ads where people may have leftover supplies, and second hand building supply stores.

4. Don’t Pay for the Load | Having a store transport your building supplies can be very expensive. If possible, transport the supplies yourself or rent a discount truck or trailer to save on costs.

5. Save on the Small Things | If a contractor’s quote exceeds your budget, negotiate a better price by offering to take care of some of the smaller tasks that you have the skill set to take on. Perhaps you can help with the clean up, the painting, the picking up of supplies, or even the light demolition duties if you’re willing to get a little dirty.

6. Use the Internet for Hard-to-Find Fixtures | Can’t find the perfect pot lights, retro curtain rods, or the most fitting faucet? The Internet puts a huge selection of hard to find products at your fingertips. Look for specials with daily deal sites, seek out coupon and promotional codes that can give you deep discounts during checkout, and ensure you’re comfortable with the company’s return policy and shipping costs before you buy.

7. Ask and You May Receive! | Never be afraid to ask for a discount, especially when making large or bulk purchases. If working with a contractor, ask for a better price if you offer to give them a testimonial, or write a blog for their website with before and after photos of your project.

Article source: Real Estate News, October 2012