Forcing energy audits on sellers is both inefficient and problematic

  By Vince Brescia

To many people, the Ontario government’s recent announcement that all homes must have an energy audit before being sold must sound like a good idea. In fact, the legislation states that an energy audit is required prior to all real property transactions, including leases. So much the better, some may say.

The legislation does not actually specify that an independent audit is required. That intention was announced by the government, and would have to be spelled out in regulations. The legislation actually specifies that sellers must provide “information, reports or ratings” on “energy consumption and efficiency.” The government says the audits should cost about $300. However, a province-wide audit infrastructure does not yet exist so the market price for audits once they are in demand is yet to be determined.

There are certainly positive aspects to mandatory audits. Everyone who buys a home will get some information on the energy efficiency of the home (property) they are buying. It will increase consumers’ awareness about this aspect of real estate. And it will incent some potential sellers to take steps to improve the energy efficiency of their properties.

However, forcing energy audits on sellers is both inefficient and problematic.

Firstly, not all purchasers will want or make us of this service, regardless of whether or not some think they should have it. The intent of the legislation is to provide value to purchasers. However, energy efficiency may not be a priority for the purchaser, because they are interested in the property for other reasons. Therefore, the expense will be wasted in many circumstances, making it inefficient.

A second problem is that the scheme will create a considerable amount of energy consumption. There are about 460,000 real estate transactions in Ontario every year. Most audits will require a return truck or van trip by auditors to each property, consuming energy. The infrastructure of a bourgeoning home audit industry will also generate significant energy consumption.

A third problem is that many homes (properties) do not really need an audit. If they are relatively new homes, they will have had to meet building code standards for energy efficiency, making the information provided of little use to the buyer. Another example is condominiums, where neither buyer nor seller has much control over the energy efficiency of the condominium unit. In condominiums, the main parts of the infrastructure that determine energy efficiency are controlled by the condominium corporation, not the unit owner.

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Ontario building code regulates the type of construction, whether combustible or non-combustible, and fire resistant ratings of their assemblies and supports. This is to provide a degree of life safety and reduce chances of building collapse while building is still occupied.

This protection is achieved through use of non-combustible construction materials, fire separation between floors, compartmentation of floor areas, sprinkler systems, fire department access and higher fire resistant ratings as size and height increase.

These requirements are based on many building characteristics which include type of major occupancy, multiple occupancies, number of streets for access and building height and area.

Firewalls are usually used to separate a building to achieve the ability to use less restrictive life safety and building protection features which can provide a considerable saving to owner. Fire separations on the other hand are mainly used to provide protection to the occupants of the building, either when exiting or from other occupants.

Spatial separation is the distance between buildings that is used to provide protection from fire spread through heat radiation.   This involves calculating un-protected openings, such as windows and doors, and the type of cladding on the exposed building face.

The required separation is identified as the “Limiting Distance” and is taken from the middle line of road or from property lines between two or more buildings. When two building faces form and angle of less than 135 degrees the walls must also meet EBF requirements of the building code unless building is sprinklered.

Fire Alarm and Detections systems are based on occupancy, building size and height of buildings. Fire alarms are used to alert occupants and notify fire departments by signal or monitoring station.   Fire alarms are also used to monitor sprinkler systems, standpipes, fire pump power supply and fire alarm circuits.   Some addressable fire alarm panels are used to monitor heat and other building systems via trouble alarms to monitoring stations.

Fire alarms come in two types, single and two stage.   Most buildings have single stage fire alarms but hospitals and jails usually have a two stage system where an alert signal is generated and activation of the main fire alarm is activated by a key or similar device.  Hotels, for instance, would have an alarm sound immediately in the activated zone and an alert signal throughout rest of building to notify staff.

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Have you ever walked into a room and felt like something was wrong? Perhaps you felt the air was thick, as if you could almost feel an argument that occurred there many hours earlier? Do you sometimes walk into a house that feels “off?” It’s a place where you start to feel anxious and can’t wait to leave. Maybe you’ve somehow sensed a room in your own home just doesn’t feel the same as the rest of the house, causing you to avoid it.

These are signs indicating that a home may need to be cleared and blessed. House blessings are widely accepted and offered through many religious and spiritual groups today. In fact, there seems to be an upsurge of people buying St. Joseph statues; people have recognized the need for blessing, and have bought the plastic statue (over the internet or otherwise), then buried it upside down in their front garden before entering the house. Even though prayer, meditation and intent can assist greatly in the blessing and clearing of a home, if you don’t know what to do, or how to do it, the effects will be greatly diminished. A professional house-clearer and blesser knows what to do, and can assist in preparing your house to be sold –even during tough economical times.

Dr. Masaru Emoto provides scientific proof of how what we think manifests in the physical world through an experiment that uses molecules of water. His book, “The Hidden Messages of Water,” continues to receive critical acclaim and much acknowledgment around the world, and his work was used in the film What the Bleep do we Know?.

What puts Dr. Emoto at the forefront in the study of water is his scientific proof that thoughts and feelings affect physical reality. By producing different focused intentions through written and spoken words, and literally presenting these to the same water samples, the water changes its appearance. He took microscopic photos of frozen water molecules after taping the words “You make me sick”, compared to the phrase “love and gratitude” (among many others). What the frozen molecules showed was that our negative thoughts and feelings do not create a crystal snowflake-like pattern as positive thoughts produce, but rather show incomplete, asymmetrical patterns with dull colors.  If our thoughts and emotions can impact water so dramatically, what do you think they do to our bodies? 

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Firestopping is installed mainly in large building but may be found in small residential multi-family units etc. Firestopping is installed in strategic locations to resist the passage of fire from one area to another.  One use of firestopping is to maintain the integrity of fires separations such as penetrations by pipes, wires or other building services.  The second purpose is to limit the size of concealed spaces as found in stud walls, attics, crawl spaces, and spaces in between the superstructure and exterior building envelope.

Firestop systems are rated based on tests in accordance with CAN4-S115-M, “Standard Method of Fire Tests of Firestop Systems. Four ratings ( F, FT, FH and FTH) are assigned based on test results.

Firewalls are a special type of masonry or concrete fire separation that subdivide a building into two or more entities with a fire-resistance rating from between 2 to 4 hours. Firewalls are usually used by designers to limit size of individual areas to allow for cheaper construction costs by eliminating need for expensive fire-protection equipment such as sprinklers etc. This procedure does not apply to fire alarm or detection system however as this is based on entire buildings “gross area.”

Flame Spread and Interior Finishes is the measurement of the surface characteristics of materials used in finishing buildings. Buildings are broken down into three categories which are combustible construction, non-combustible construction and high rise buildings. This is broken down into a further sub-category of whether building is sprinklered or not. The Ontario Building Code provides tables which provides the rules that govern finishes on walls, ceilings, surface – rating applies to surface only and cut test – which applies to any surface that can be exposed by cutting.

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.

This is our second article on large buildings based on requirements of the Ontario Building Code.  We will be endeavouring to provide basic information which we use on inspecting large buildings. Municipal inspectors are not permitted to inspect buildings that they do not hold qualifications for but there is no such restriction in place for commercial building inspectors.  Caveat Emptor – Buyer Beware

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Most home inspectors take a couple of basic Part 9 Ontario Building Code courses as part of their education. The two courses taught by Georgian College as part of their evening home inspection course covers the basics of the building envelope and structural requirements of buildings under 600 m2, of residential or mercantile occupancies or being three stories or less in building height. Part 3 building inspections require a whole new skill set and qualifications beyond the scope of these part-time evening courses. These courses are typically only available in larger centers such as OBOA teaching facility in Toronto.

The Construction Type of buildings is very important when inspecting large buildings. There are two principle types of construction, combustible and non-combustible. Non-combustible construction must meet the criteria set forth in CAN4-S114 “Standard Method of test for Determination of Noncombustibility in Building materials.

Combustible construction has a higher flame spread rating and is usually limited to smaller buildings where fires can be more easily controlled by firefighters.

There are combustibles that are permitted in combustible construction and they are items like paper covering on gypsum, caulking, window sashes, wood trim and some fixtures.

Insulation is an example of a combustible product that must have a thermal barrier installed in order to be used in a building of non-combustible construction. The type of insulation thermal barrier is based on many items such as height of building, sprinklered, location (interior or exterior) and occupancy classification.

Fire separations refer to an assembly that acts as a barrier against the spread of fire or smoke and fire resistance rating refers to the amount of time it withstand before failing. Know what they are and being able to determine the FRR that is required is a very important part of inspecting commercial buildings. Any penetration of a required fire separation must be fire stopped or protected by a rated closure. Every occupancy has different requirements and may or may not require a fire résistance rating. Some fire separations require no FRR and are designed to hold back smoke.

Many vertical fire separations are penetrated by horizontal services such as plumbing, heating and electrical. This services must be constructed of approved material, fire stopped, enclosed in FRR shafts, protected by closures or fire stopped if constructed of an approved material.

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Air Conditioner – Spring Maintenance

The most important step is beginning maintenance is shutting down the power to both air conditioner and furnace. Most new air conditioner installations are required to have power shut off in line of sight of air conditioner. This is to prevent some one inadvertently turning power back on while unit is being worked on.

Now we are going to pull the covers of the furnace and clean and vacuum the fan housing out. Also check your filter as this is a very important part of your air quality control. If you can see through your filter check the filter link for more information.

Blower compartment

If your blower fan is noisy now is the time to add some non-detergent oil or call a qualified service technician for maintenance. After cleaning your furnace we then go outside to your air conditioner unit.

Remove exterior cover and remove any leafs or debris that may have accumulated over the fall and winter. Use soap and water or commercial grade cleaner to clean coils and clean off using garden hose when completed.

Check your insulation for cracks or missing pieces and replace as required. Also check your penetrations into your house to ensure caulking is still in place and sealing all gaps.

A/C Unit

  Most air conditioner technicians now recommend you do not cover your air conditioner for the winter. This keeps moisture trapped under cover and can lead to rusting and early failure of components. I recommend placing cover on top of unit only which will then allow moisture to evaporate.

Spin the blade of the air conditioner unit and listen for any noise, also good time to check fan blade for any accumulated dirt, gummy leafs or cracks which could affect balance or performance.

After replacing all covers on air conditioner and furnace, we will now fire up the air conditioner system. Go outside and listen for any strange noises from unit.  You can check your two lines, small line should be slightly warm and large line should be cool to the touch.

  Take a temperature reading at the return air grill and then do the same thing a at the supply air grill. The difference in readings should be about 15˚ (9.5 °C)

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Protect your investment in recreation properties by having a Building Code Qualified inspector assess your property. We offer the experience, training and latest equipment to ensure your property does not have any hidden surprises. We have over 6 years of experience in cottage and chalet inspections and we even do "boat access" inspections. (you supply boat)

Cottage Inspections

Our inspections include Free Wett inspection for wood burning appliances and a Free Thermal Scan which will find heat loss, hidden moisture problems, over-heating of wiring and mould. With over 27 years of combined construction and inspection experience and over 2,000 residential home inspections we offer a 100% Money-Back guarantee if not completely satisfied.

Feel free to call and ask us about problems with your cottage or chalet at no charge. We provide assistance to many home owners who call in with problems, some even call us to explain their home inspection report that our competitors provide, we are always happy to help. We have written many articles on the different systems of cottages, homes and commercial buidings and we welcome you to browse through and look for items of interest. Visit our Home Owners Tips and Advice site and benefit from our expertise and training.

We are available 7 days a week for inspections and even work weekends. We actualy prefer to inspect cottage properties on weekends as it allows us to visit new areas and enjoy the local parks and scenery. No matter what your location our service are probably available to you, we are just a phone call away. Call Roger at 705-795-8255 or Toll Free at 1-888-818-8608

What We Bring to Your Cottage or Chalet Inspection

3 Ladders – 30 ft, 24 ft and 12 ft
Thermal Imaging Camera – Infrared detection of moisture, heat loss or overheating conditions
Moisture Meter – Up to 1 inch penetration of most building materials
2 Levels – 6 ft and 4 ft
Complete tool set – wrenches, screwdrivers, pry bars, shovels
Combustible Gas Detector
LED Snake and Colour Monitor (inspecting holes and other areas without damage)
Electric circuit checker and measuring device
Building Code Qualified Inspector – Certified by Ontario Building Officials Association

When Only the Best Will Do ! Call Roger at 1-888-818-8608 or 705-795-8255

Structural Concerns

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As technology advances new tools are being adapted to the home inspection industry. The Barrie Home Inspector is a leader in bringing this new technology to Simcoe County. First to introduce his Fair Pricing Policy , First to introduce Thermal Imaging , First to introduce a 30 day Money-Back guarantee with No Questions asked and the only Home Inspector in Simcoe County to include Free Wett inspections with all our regular priced inspections.

To meet the need for specialized building inspections, which include, roofs, attics, leaking basements, foundations, and other building system issues, we have created our $129.00 inspection . We will look at a specific items for you or perform a Thermal Scan of your home or do a complete detailed “walk through inspection”. No report is given for this special priced inspection and you pick what service you require. We have created this inspection due to the sheer volume of requests for re-inspections, problem solving and moisture and leak detection. This particular inspection would be of great value to individuals who are selling their home and don’t want any expensive surprises after they have negotiated a price.

The Barrie Home inspector has been providing Free Thermal Imaging scans with all regular priced home inspections for the past year. This amazing technology can aid in the detection of heat loss, moisture, water leaks, over-heating conditions and even mould detection. We also perform moisture checks with our up-graded digital moisture detector which allows us to detect moisture up to an inch behind most building products.

We carry 3 ladders to access even the most difficult roofs, no looking from the road with our company . The Barrie Home Inspector carries 12 ft, 24 ft and 30 ft ladders and a multitude of tools to aid in our inspections. Our latest tool is a flexible video camera with built in LED lighting for inspecting hard or nearly impossible locations without damaging your home. A more complete inspection of furnaces, duct work, plumbing and penetrations of your walls are now fully visible to our trained professionals.

Commercial building inspections are an area where our training and experience enable us to provide the best possible inspection available. All inspectors are Building Code Qualified and I am personally Ontario Building Code Certified. We believe if you don’t know how it was supposed to be built, how can you inspect it? With over 27 years of combined building and inspection experience knowledge does make a difference.

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