Windsor Housing Fall Report – CMHC
http://www.cmhc-schl.gc.ca/odpub/esub/64251/64251_2011_Q04.pdf?lang=en
Mortgage Loan Insurance Windsor Real Estate
What is CMHC Mortgage Loan Insurance?
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Mortgage loan insurance is typically required by lenders when homebuyers make a down payment of less than 20% of the purchase price. Mortgage loan insurance helps protect lenders against mortgage default, and enables consumers to purchase homes with a minimum down payment of 5% — with interest rates comparable to those with a 20% down payment.
To obtain mortgage loan insurance, lenders pay an insurance premium. Typically, your lender will pass this cost on to you. The premium payable is based on a percentage of the home’s purchase price that is financed by a mortgage. The premium can be paid in a single lump sum or it can be added to your mortgage and included in your monthly payments.
Mortgage loan insurance is not to be confused with mortgage life insurance which guarantees that your remaining mortgage at the time of your death will not be a burden to your estate.
Removing Ice on Roofs
Removing Ice on Roofs
The 1998 Ice Storm
The ice storm that hit eastern Canada in January, 1998 was a laboratory for concentrated research into severe ice accumulation on roofs.
Removing ice on roofs describes some of the techniques developed from the research for dealing with extensive roof icing and ice dam problems.
Please note: Some of these techniques are for skilled tradespeople only. No ice problem on your roof is serious enough to risk broken bones — or worse.
The balance between removing ice and damaging the roof
Thick ice is hard to remove.You must decide if trying to remove it will cause more damage than leaving it on the roof. Tools, such as hammers, shovels, scrapers, chain saws, and devices such as shoes with ice spikes can damage roofing materials or the structure below. Chemical de-icers can discolor shingles, break down membranes and corrode flashings and drains. De-icers can also damage plants on the ground.
What to do in an ice storm emergency
First: Observe and evaluate the situation every day. Is the ice causing a structural problem? Is there water damage? Do you have to do anything?
Second: Evaluate your capabilities and limits. Do you have the equipment, the agility and the help to work safely and efficiently? If you don’t, get professional help before the situation becomes urgent.
Third: To prevent damage, do as little as possible.Total clearing has the greatest potential for damage to the roof and to people and property below. Often, clearing dangerous overhangs and icicles and making drainage paths is enough.
Recommended Procedures for Sloped Roofs
When is there a problem?
The lower the slope, the greater the weight problem. During the ‘98 ice storm many flat roofs had 15 cm (6 in.) of solid ice, while most sloped roofs had little more than 5 cm (2 in.). Most of the ice collected at roof junctions, behind obstructions such as chimneys or skylights, and at roof edges. Drainage, not removal, solved the problem in most cases.
The information in Signs of Stress will help you decide if weight is causing problems on your roof. If your house doesn’t show signs of stress, then there is no need to remove all the ice.
Drainage
On a sloped roof, your goal is to make drainage paths through the ice on the lower edge of the roof. That’s where most ice dam and water back-up problems occur. Always shovel off loose snow to expose the ice.
If you have power and electric heating cables, making drainage paths is fairly easy. Attach loops of electrical roof de-icing cables to one or more long boards. With ropes tied to the board and thrown over the roof, pull the board up beyond the ice dam, letting the electrical loops hang slightly off the edge of the roof (see Figure 1).
Figure 1: Cables secured to roof
If you want drainage paths higher on the roof, use bundled loops of electrical de-icing cables. They can be drawn high on the roof. Make sure that they hang off the edge of the roof so you get complete water drainage.
You can use chemical de-icers on the edge of the roof. Clear the snow. At about every three feet along the edge of the roof, break the ice crust just above the ice block on the edge of the roof. Put de-icer in each hole above the ice dam and in a vertical line down to the edge of the roof. Use noncorrosive de-icers (see De-icers) and use as little de-icer as possible. Repeat as necessary rather than overdoing it the first time.
Removal
Removing ice mechanically from a sloped roof is always dangerous — both for the person doing it and for the roof. Removing ice will probably invalidate your shingle warranty. If ice must be removed, have it done by a professional with proper equipment and training.
Researchers learned a great deal about removing ice from sloped roofs by mechanical means in the winter of 1998. The most important lesson: always start at the top and work down. Starting on the bottom can release ice above you that can slide down and hit you. Small bumps of ice that remain on shingles are caught by ice blocks sliding down. As they slide, they catch and rip off the shingles.
Working from the top down allows you to use the ice on the roof as a slide for the ice that is being freed. Use a sledge hammer rather than an ax.The flexibility of the roof deck will cause the ice to fracture and you will not cut into the shingles.
Freezing Rain
Freezing rain is caused when there is a particular atmospheric “sandwich” of cold and warm air. Precipitation, usually snow, is formed in cold air high up in the atmosphere. As it falls, it travels through a layer of warm air that thaws it into light rain. Just before it hits ground level, it moves into another layer of cold air that brings its temperature to below freezing, but it doesn’t have time or the conditions necessary to crystallize yet. When it hits an object, it immediately freezes.
Snow will collect and then fall off wires and tree branches, and remain relatively light as it accumulates on roofs. Freezing rain compacts into tenacious ice that can weigh almost as much as water. The ice storm of 1998 was in fact a continuous series of small storms, one right after the other, that deposited up to 15 cm (6 in.) of ice on tree twigs, telephone wires, electrical lines and roofs. There is no way to stop freezing rain and it is not generally considered a hazard unless it becomes unusually thick.
The 1998 ice storm created two problems: direct weight and blockage of the natural flow of rain and melting ice. The freezing rain stuck all over the roof, not just on the bottom edge, and created ice dams. The dams backed up run-off water just about anywhere on the roof. Flat roofs suffered serious weight problems, while sloped roofs tended to suffer more water-penetration damage.
Common Winter Ice Dams
Under normal winter conditions, many houses in Canada form ice on the edge of sloped roofs or over part of flat roofs.
This is very different from freezing rain. It is caused by heat from the attic melting the bottom of the snow on the roof. When outside temperatures are just below freezing (0 to – 10°C), water flows down the roof under the snow and freezes when it reaches an unheated portion of the roof. This can create an ice dam on the lower edge of a pitched roof. Water can then back up under the shingles and into the roof space.
The first line of defence against ice dams is to reduce the attic temperature by stopping air leaks from the house below and adding sufficient insulation to the attic floor. Heating cables and other de-icing techniques are a last resort to minimize ice build-up and prevent water damage. For full details on dealing with common ice dams, see the CMHC’s Attic Venting, Attic Moisture, and Ice Dams.
Water leaks showing up inside the house are troublesome and expensive to repair, but don’t necessarily mean that there is a structural problem requiring total clearing of the roof. Opening drainage paths may stop or minimize the leaks and avoid the expense and danger of clearing the roof. Structural stress shows up first at internal doors. They begin to jam.
New cracks show up in drywall and plaster. Jammed doors and cracks in drywall and plaster are usually near the centre of the house, not on outside walls.Watch carefully for these signs of stress. If there is significant change as an ice storm continues, take action. If signs of stress appear but do not change from day to day, the structure is holding solid.
On sloped roofs, another indicator is excessive sagging of the ridge line. If in doubt, arrange for an inspection by a professional, although during a crisis, that is easier said than done.
Recommended Procedures — Flat roofs with central drains
When is it a problem?
In most areas, flat roofs are built to safely hold a maximum of 17 to 20 cm (7 to 8 in.) of solid ice, or 38 to 43 cm (15 to 17 in.) of hardened snow, or 70 to 80 cm (about 30 in.) of fresh snow.
If there is more than 15 cm (6 in. ) of hard ice on your roof, you will have to lighten the load. Freezing rain accumulation can often resemble a hard snow more than a solid block of ice. Testing and judgment is useful. Pour hot water from a thermos in one spot. If it melts a small bowl and holds water, it is probably hard ice. If it cuts through to the roof, the accumulation is more likely hardened snow.
There may have been significant renovations below the roof to many older dwellings with flat or basin roofs. If walls have been removed or modified without full structural compensation, the roof may not even support 15 cm (6 in.) of ice. If signs of stress (see above) are significant, reduce the weight on the roof no matter how much ice is on the roof. You may also have to build temporary bracing inside the house.
Under certain freeze-thaw-freeze conditions, ice can exert strong lateral pressure on the parapet and other roof flashings.The pressure can cause roof leaks. It is a good idea to use one of the drainage techniques described below to separate the ice field from all flashings, leaving room for expansion of the ice field.
Drainage
Electrical Cables
If electrical power and wires are available, this is the easiest and most effective method of creating and maintaining drainage paths on flat roofs.
Shovel off loose snow. Clear about 60 cm (2 ft.) all around the drain. The safest way to do this is to use non-corrosive de-icers or hot water — a hammer or shovel may cause the drain to leak.
Lay electrical de-icing cables from near the drain to each corner of the roof. (Do not put the electrical cables inside the drain — the drain pipe may contain inflammable gases). Run a loop around obstructions, such as skylights and ventilation hoods. If you can work safely near the edge of the roof, run a cable around the inside perimeter (Figure 2).
Figure 2 : ‘X’ Formation on Flat Roof
The cable will melt its way to the roof surface and keep drainage paths open. It will not penetrate the ice until it is warmer than -10°C and, of course, will not work if there is no electricity.
De-icers for cutting into ice
Pour a 6-mm thick by 75-mm wide (1/4 in.-deep by 3-in. wide) path of de-icer from the drain to each corner of the roof and circle obstacles such as ventilators and skylights. Use the same drainage pattern as you would for electrical cables. See Chemical De-icers for details on products. You may need to use a de-icer more than once to melt through to the roof and to keep drainage paths open.
Ice removal is not a good do-it-yourself project. But homeowners can shovel heavy snow off the top of the ice, which might keep the weight load under control.
Ice thickness and weight of ice can be reduced with de-icers such as urea or even wood ashes. Both are slow and work only in relatively mild weather. To ensure water run-off, create drainage paths as described above. Ashes must be directly on the ice, with no snow over or under the ashes, so they can trap the sun’s heat.
Chemical De-icers
Many de-icers don’t show their ingredients on the packaging. Others list ingredients without showing the relative importance of each.This is no help in deciding which de-icer is safe for a roof or better at cutting drainage paths or reducing ice weight.
In general, the least expensive, most effective de-icers are highly corrosive and should not be used on a roof. Urea, the least corrosive, is also the least effective. In between are several products that are a bit more expensive, still effective and reasonably low in corrosive action.
In general, larger rock-like products tend to cut through ice quickly. Finer, powder-like products tend to perforate the ice. This creates a honeycomb effect that makes the ice lighter. Liquid products are the most effective for detaching blocks of ice from the surface.
Avoid
Salts containing oxidizing agents (these accelerate corrosion and rust and can deteriorate other roofing materials) such as:
NaCl (Sodium Chloride)
CaCl2 (Calcium Chloride)
Safer materials
CMA (calcium magnesium acetate)
The following are normally used as fertilizers:
Urea
KCl (Potassium chloride)
(NH4)2 SO4 (Ammonium Sulfate)
Life Safety
Ice is slippery and in emergency conditions medical help may not even be able to get to you. Not only can you slip, but ladders can slip. Removing ice from the edge of a sloped roof can release large fields of ice higher up that can slide down on top of you. During the 1998 ice storm, more than one person died from icicles falling from above when they were simply standing in the driveway below.
Double and triple your safety precautions, or stay away from the roof. Rope off areas and access doors where overhead ice is heavy or slides made occur (Figure 3). Never work alone. Always have someone on the ground to ensure that what you throw off the roof is landing safely.
Figure 3 : Rope off areas where overhead ice is heavy or slides may occcur.
On a sloped roof, always tie the ladder down and have a safety rope over the top of the roof secured on the other side.The safety rope should be attached to a full safety harness, like mountain climbers use — it is not there just in case you slip — it is there because you will slip and more than once.
Special ice cleats are available in shoe repair and hardware stores for attaching to shoes and boots, making them much like golf shoes. These are good for not slipping, but are not good for shingles. Walking on icecovered sloped roofs is best left to professionals with professional equipment.
Detaching ice blocks from surface
Liquid de-icers (e.g. Clear Away) were efficient at melting the bond between blocks of ice and roof membranes.
Methyl alcohol worked as well.
Techniques with moderate success
Cutting drainage paths with hot water
This is actually rather effective if you can get hot water very close to the ice (50 to 100 cm — about 2 ft.) and prevent the hose and nozzle from freezing (Figure 4).
Figure 4 : Hot water being sprayed from dormer window.
The drain must first be freed of ice, so that the water can drain away. However, this means you will be undercutting the mass of ice above you, and this ice may come down.
The only safe way to do this job is to cut thin slices off the ice — about 30 cm (1 ft.) — all the way from the gutter up the roof. Keep your ladder off to the side, so it won’t be hit by ice coming off the roof.
Hot water jets from regular garden hoses proved very effective on metal sheds and glass sunrooms when directed from dormer windows above. Do not walk on metal or glass roofs. Cut the ice into sections with the jet, then flood the glass to unhook and slide the ice off. Windows below may need protection from rebounding ice.
Steam
In the research conducted in 1998, no suitable contractors were found to be using steam.
Subsequently, CMHC has heard from contractors who have had success with this method. If you can find an experienced contractor, this method may work for you.
Experiments that did not work
Solar Collectors
Both clear and black polyethylene and solar swimming pool covers were tested for melting ice.Wind problems (how do you keep the cover in place?), lack of evaporation, as well as snow cover rendered them all just about useless.
Liquid De-icers
Although they did work to liberate the ice blocks cut by chain saws off flat roofs, they were not effective in cutting drainage paths on the edge of sloped roofs.
BUCKINGHAM REALTY (WINDSOR) LTD. MARKET WATCH
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BUCKINGHAM REALTY (WINDSOR) LTD. MARKET WATCH
Windsor-Essex County Residential Market
For the Period Ending December 31, 2011
- During the period ending December 31, 2011 there were 4,786 residential sales in the market place this compares to 4,806 residential sales for the same period in 2010.
As of December 31, 2011 there were 9,364 residential listings received this compares to 9,779 in the same period for 2010 and is a decrease of 4%.
- The sales to listings ratio (listings sold expressed as a percent of listings received) for the period was 51% in 2010 it was 49%.
- The inventory of the active residential listings as of December 31, 2011 was 2,450, this compares to 2,629 in 2010. This is a decrease of 7% in active residential listings.
- The average residential selling price was $169,972 for the period ending December 31, 2011. This is an increase of almost 4% from 2010.
- The average listing during the period took 76 days to sell (75 in 2010) and sold for 95% of the list price.
For a similar report of statistics about condominiums sales, contact one of our sales representatives.
Statistics are provided courtesy of the Windsor Esssex County Real Estate Board.
Replacing Your Furnace Windsor Real Estate
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Replacing Your Furnace
There are usually two major reasons why you are choosing another forced-air furnace. The first is that your furnace does not function. It has just broken down, irrevocably, or it has been “red-tagged” or condemned by gas inspectors. If it is winter, and your house is getting colder quickly, you may not have the luxury of making a reasoned choice on what to buy next. The other situation is that your furnace is getting old, or your fuel bills are becoming too excessive to tolerate. In this case, you have the time to shop around and get the best furnace and fuel for your situation.
This About Your House is written to address both situations. If you have a dead furnace and a chilly house, you will probably take some shortcuts in your selection process.
Choice of Fuels
For many years, CMHC and others could offer sound advice on what fuel choice would be the most economical. During that period, heating systems based on electricity or propane cost the most to operate. Heating oil was somewhat more economical, and natural gas (if available in your community) was the least expensive choice.
Since 2000, the prices of these commodities have been fluctuating, and it is difficult to offer reliable advice on pricing. At one point in 2001 – 2002, heating with electricity in Manitoba was as economical as heating with natural gas. Predicting these prices over the next two decades (a common life span for a furnace) is nearly impossible. The best advice is to make a calculation based on the current prices quoted to you in your locality. See the text box entitled “Calculating fuel costs.”
Calculating Fuel Costs
Here is a rough comparison of the relative costs of heating an older house in Ottawa. You can put in your own fuel prices and the efficiencies of the appliance that you are choosing to compare relative costs.
Note: It is often difficult to isolate the cost per unit of fuel, be it gas or electricity. Include all the costs that relate to the m³ of consumption forgas (for example, gas supply charge, gas delivery charges, gas surcharges). Electric utilities often also have a bewildering range of charges. Apply all the charges except fixed charges (for example, $10/month connection charge).
For oil appliances, use an energy content of 38.2 MJ/litre of oil. For electricity, use 3.6 MJ/kWh and 100-per-cent efficiency.
Note: 80 GJ (or 80 gigajoules) is the energy required for heating the example house over the winter (heat load). Your own house will likely be different. However, the relative costs calculated for alternative fuels and furnaces in the example house should help you make a selection for your house.
Furnace Sizing
You probably do not need a furnace with the output of your current furnace. Most furnaces in Canadian houses can provide far more heat than the house requires. A properly sized furnace will be running almost continuously during the coldest day of the winter. Having a furnace of a correct size will result in efficient operation during the whole heating season. A grossly oversized furnace will run only for a short period, never coming up to peak efficiency. Note, however, that sizing may not be a big issue with high-efficiency, condensing gas furnaces. Due to the design of condensing appliances, they are efficient even when oversized.
So, how do you size your furnace? You can have the contractor use a home heat loss calculation that is available from Canadian Standards Association (CAN/CSA F280) or a sizing procedure from the Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Institute of Canada (HRAI). Having a proper sizing will cost you $150 – $300 from a qualified contractor.
Those who keep their heating bills, and who are mathematically inclined, can try the calculation in the text box entitled “Calculating house heat loss from utility bills.”
Calculating House Heat Loss from Utility Bills
Here is a sample calculation, using a three-month meter reading for a typical house. You can use any period (but at least two weeks of winter weather is necessary). You can read the meter yourself for the information, look at your furnace bills or phone your utility to see if they have appropriate records. The natural gas usage of other gas-fired appliances in the house is estimated from gas utility data and subtracted from the total for the period in question, so that the gas requirement for heating can be isolated. (Oil furnaces are harder to size using this method, but it may be possible using oil fill-up intervals and the number of litres delivered.)
The goal is to find a relationship between the gas consumed and the heating degree days (HDD). A heating degree day is essentially the number of degrees of heating required over the course of 24 hours, compared to a reference temperature of 18°C. For example, if the average daily outside temperature is 10°C, then the number of heating degree days for that day is 18°C – 10°C = 8 HDD. You can get the approximate HDD for your calculation period from the Environment Canada website. Use the data from the “Degree Days: Below 18°C” row.
Once the relationship of the HDD and gas consumption is established, then you can calculate gas consumption for the design temperature in your area. This temperature is usually available from a mechanical contractor or your local building officials. It is not the extreme minimum temperature; it can be estimated from the average temperature over 24 hours on the coldest day of the winter. To approximate the design temperature: go to the historical weather data for your community on the Environment Canada website; find the coldest January over the last several years; then pick out the lowest daily average temperature in that month; and use that as the design temperature. Being a degree or two out will not make a huge difference in the calculation.
The example below uses a design temperature of -35°C. At that temperature, the maximum HDD per day is equal to 53, which is the difference between 18°C and -35°C. Calculating the size of the furnace necessary on the coldest day of the year will mean that the furnace has the capacity to handle any expected local temperature. You can find a furnace’s efficiency rating on its EnerGuide label or in the product documentation.
Example
Total gas consumption from December to March = 1,320 m3
Estimated consumption for other gas appliances (data from utility) = 306 m3
Therefore, gas consumption during the period for heating = 1,320 – 306 = 1,014 m3
Heating degree days for that period (from Environment Canada data) = 2,840 HDD
Heating consumption by degree day = 1,014 m3/ 2,840 HDD = 0.3570 m3/HDD
Heating consumption at 53 HDD/day = (53 HDD/day)(0.3570 m3/HDD) = 18.9 m3/day
Where gas has an energy content of 37.5 MJ/m3, and the existing furnace has an efficiency of 72 per cent, then:
Heat loss at 53 HDD/day = (18.9 m3/day) (37.5 MJ/m3)(0.72) = 510 MJ/day or 21.3 MJ/h*
According to the energy content of electricity, 3.6 MJ/h = 1 kW, then 21.3 MJ/h = 5.9 kW
This heat loss would require a furnace that produces an output of 5.9 kW or about 20,100 Btu/h (1 kW is approximately 3,412 Btu/h).
If we allow the CAN/CSA F280 permissible oversizing of 40 per cent, then the proper furnace sizing would be (1.4)(20,100 Btu/h) = approximately 28,100 Btu/h.
If you are calculating for an oil furnace, heating oil has an energy content of 38.2 MJ/litre.
* Note: This calculation is correct, although many people think the efficiency factor is in the wrong place. It is not. We are calculating the house heat loss based on fuel used and furnace efficiency. A more efficient furnace will have delivered more heat to the house, and the heat loss will be higher.
Furnace Efficiency
There is a wide range of furnace efficiencies, although only high-efficiency gas furnaces are sold in Canada as of 2010. The range of efficiency will vary by fuel.
Electric furnaces work on electric resistance. The full 100 per cent of the energy consumed goes towards the heating of the house. The inefficiencies with electric heating happen before the electricity reaches your house. If the electricity is created by burning fuels, there are inefficiencies in that process plus losses as the electricity moves through the lines.
Oil furnaces have become far more efficient since the height of their popularity in the mid-twentieth century. Efficiencies have risen from roughly 60 per cent to well over 80 per cent as a result of advanced technologies — first to flame retention head burners and then to high static pressure burners. The more efficient oil furnaces require a better chimney than their conventional counterparts, so you will probably need to upgrade the chimney with a stainless steel liner inside the old clay tile. Make sure this is included in the quote.
Failure to have a properly sized chimney will result in excessive chimney condensation and eventual destruction in the case of masonry chimneys. There are high-efficiency, condensing oil furnaces as well. Earlier versions had reliability problems. The new generation, launched in 2003, may have resolved these difficulties.
New gas furnaces in Canada are high-efficiency (89 – 96 per cent) condensing furnaces. The high-efficiency furnaces use a plastic vent and are most often vented out the side wall. Propane furnaces are usually modified natural gas equipment.
So… What Do I Buy?
Here are the most common questions about furnace replacements to CMHC staff from Canadians, and our usual answers:
Should I switch my heating fuel?
In most parts of Canada, it will be more expensive to heat with an electric furnace than one using oil or gas. An exception would be if you heat primarily with a wood stove and use the furnace only infrequently as backup. In this case, the low cost and low maintenance requirements of an electric furnace may be a major advantage. Deciding between oil and gas furnaces is a matter of choice. Make the calculation to see if it is significantly cheaper to use one fuel or another based on current prices in your area. Oil furnaces require a tank and usually a chimney. There may be additional costs for chimney modification or oil storage tanks when purchasing an oil furnace. Some home insurance companies require periodic oil tank replacements. Check if a new gas furnace would also require relining the chimney. Consult with your contractor and make sure that these costs are included in your estimates.
Some dealers recommend a furnace of 100,000 Btu/h, and some say 80,000 Btu/h will be fine. How do I choose?
See the previous discussion on sizing. If you are buying an oil furnace, proper sizing will affect the durability and efficient operation of your appliance. Your choices are either to pay for a proper heat loss analysis, to calculate house heat loss or to accept the dealer’s estimate. Sometimes government or utility programs subsidize house testing. If such a program is in effect in your vicinity, this can be an economical way to have your house heating load established.
Are there any advantages to multi-stage, multi-speed furnaces?
Multi-stage furnaces have become more popular lately, although they are more expensive than the single stage furnaces that have been sold for decades. Multi-stage furnaces have two or three levels of burner function, and an efficient, modulating circulation fan to move the heat into the house. They can provide additional heat when a quick temperature rise is required, such as in the morning when a house with a setback thermostat is being heated from 15°C to 21°C (59°F to 70°F). A traditional single speed furnace would take longer to get up to temperature. The multi-stage furnaces are no more efficient than single-stage furnaces; they offer more flexibility and perhaps more comfort.
Is Furnace “A” better than Furnace “B”? How can I find that out?
There is little or no available data to show that one manufacturer’s furnace will operate longer and with less trouble than a furnace from another manufacturer. This is frustrating for consumers. We are used to being able to read ratings of one product versus another product and to make a choice based on those ratings. However, a good furnace will last 25 years. A poor one may break down prematurely at 15 years. With lifetimes of this length, and with furnace design and model changes, it is hard to predict which furnace will provide the best service.
There are two factors to help you in your choice. Pick a furnace with a long heat exchanger warranty, 20 years or more. If manufacturers are willing to back the most expensive part of their appliance for a long time, this should inspire some confidence. Also, pick a furnace manufacturer and a dealer that have been in business for a significant period of time. A furnace with a lifetime warranty offered by a company that has been in operation for only three years may not be the best deal. One would expect to pay less for this level of uncertainty. Look for contractors with memberships in trade organizations such as HRAI, which would indicate an interest in professional qualifications.
The Hot Water Heater Conundrum
There are very few high-efficiency hot water heaters available. Changing your furnace may lead to having to think about your hot water heater. Existing hot water heaters are often located vertically below the kitchen and bathrooms, where the water is used. If you are changing from an electric to a conventional gas hot water tank, and the new gas appliance has to be installed across the basement to be near the chimney, you will be waiting longer for the hot water at the tap. Consider a gas hot water tank that has side-wall venting and does not require a chimney. This way, it can stay close to the plumbing appliances that use it.
Another hot water tank issue can occur when you switch from a conventional gas furnace and hot water tank to a new, high-efficiency side-wall vented furnace. Now the hot water tank has to heat up that big chimney all by itself, and you probably will have to pay for chimney relining. It is often better, when choosing a chimneyless furnace, to switch your hot water tank to side-wall venting at the same time and seal the old chimney closed. However, side-wall vented hot water heaters are more expensive than conventional hot water heaters and can be noisier.
Instantaneous hot water heaters, which do not use a storage tank, are becoming more common. They may be more economical to operate.
Furnace Circulating Fan Choices
Most furnace circulating fans consume high amounts of electricity (300 – 700 watts). If you will be using your furnace circulating fan to move ventilation air around the house (for instance, if you have a heat recovery ventilator connected to it, or a high-efficiency air cleaner on the furnace), then look at upgrading the circulating fan to a high-efficiency DC motor. The best furnace fans now will use less than 100 W on low speed. This will result in considerable electrical savings over the life of the furnace.
Other Choices
When replacing the furnace, you may want to look at integrated systems that heat your house and your water and also provide ventilation. Devices known as “combo” units provide house and water heating. New appliances with advanced, integrated systems will provide ventilation as well as space and water heating. For some replacements, these integrated appliances will be your best choice.
Additional Resources
For further detailed information on all heating appliances, there are excellent booklets published by Natural Resources Canada in the Heating and Cooling Series.
Your Furnace Filter Windsor Real Estate
Your Furnace Filter
Compliments of www.cameronpaine.com
What a Furnace Filter Can do for You
Traditionally, furnace filters were designed to protect the furnace and fans. With increased air quality awareness, some filters are now being installed to reduce exposure to particles which can affect your health.
There is a wide variety of furnace filters available. However, you may find it confusing to select one which is suitable. This purpose of this document is to provide you with guidance when selecting your furnace filter.
What Airborne Particles are Found in Your Home?
The particles you breathe in your home come from a variety of sources including:
- dust on floors or other surfaces that is disturbed by activity in the house
- dust generated by smoking, burning candles, cooking, doing laundry, etc.
- hair and skin flakes from humans or pets
- particles from the outside air which come into your home with infiltrating air
Some particles are so small that they are inhaled and then exhaled without being trapped in your lungs. Some larger particles are trapped in your nose and throat and never reach your lungs. Still other particles are too large to be inhaled.The particles most dangerous to you are those that enter your lungs and lodge there.
You can see the particles of dust which accumulate on your television screen, shelves, and furniture. But you can’t see the respirable particles. Respirable particles can be easily inhaled into your lungs and provoke respiratory illness. Although you would probably like to keep visible dust out of your home, the main health risk comes from respirable particles, which include tobacco smoke, spores, bacteria, and viruses.
The activity levels of the people in your home can affect the air you breathe. Activity such as vacuuming and cooking can create or stir up particles. On the other hand, during periods of inactivity such as the middle of the night, particle concentrations tend to be much lower.
Filter Research
CMHC conducted a study to verify filter manufacturer claims and to determine whether good filters will significantly reduce your exposure to airborne particles. All results are compiled and discussed in the research report: Evaluation of Residential Furnace Filters (1999). You can obtain a copy of this report by calling the Canadian Housing Information Centre (CHIC) at 1 800 668-2642. A summary of the results of this study follows.
Research Program
The CMHC study first tested ten filter types in a single home and then the following filters in 5 additional homes:
- i) 25 mm (1″) premium media filter
- ii) Charged media type electronic
- iii) 100 mm (4″) pleated media filter
- iv) High efficiency bypass filters, such as a HEPA (high efficiency particle arrestor)
- v) Electronic plate and wire (ESP)
Air in the houses was tested when these higher efficiency filters were in use. The results were compared to when no filter was used.
The electronic plate and wire filter (ESP) produces some ozone during its operation. Exposure to elevated ozone can irritate your lungs. Separate testing was done to verify whether the amount of ozone produced by the ESP could affect the occupants of the home.
Testing Limitations
Each filter was in use in each house only for one or two days. The effects of dust accumulation on filter performance could not be evaluated in these tests. If a filter actually cleaned dust out of a house by cleaning house air, these tests were too brief for such effects to be seen.
Research Results
The research showed that exposure of the house occupants to airborne particles appears to be directly linked to their activities when they are in the home. The furnace filter appears to have only a moderate effect on the exposure of an individual to respirable particles in the home.
Consider each member in your home to be followed by a cloud of dust—like “Pig Pen” in the “Peanuts” comic strip by Charles Schulz. When occupants are moving around, they stir up the dust. The dust in this cloud is usually not affected by the quality of the furnace filter because the filter is far away down a duct.
Table 1 shows the percentage of improvement provided by each filter versus having no filter. The improvements are greater when there is no activity in the home, but particle levels were quite low in the test houses during these periods whether or not the air was being filtered.
Table 1 : Filter Results
| Filter | % improvements during active periods in the home |
% improvements during non-active periods in the home |
| 25 mm premium | 21 | 57 |
| Charged media | 9 | 29 |
| 100 mm pleated | 9 | 13 |
| HEPA bypass | 23 | 38 |
| ESP | 31 | 71 |
The Cost of Clean Air
For a furnace fan filter to be effective, your furnace fan would have to run almost all the time. Unless you already have your furnace fan operating all the time, this additional fan use can add $200 or more per year to your electric bill, unless you have a high efficiency furnace fan motor. Table 2 shows the cost, including maintenance, of each filter over a period of 15 years compared to the cost per unit of clean air they provided.
The table shows that filters which cost the least produced very little clean air. The 25 mm pleated filter actually had the greatest cost per unit of clean air. The ESP filter was the most cost effective because it produced the most amount of clean air, and cost very little to do so.
Table 2 : Cost of clean air
| Filter | Maintenance and capital costs, per year, over 15 years ($) | Amount of clean air produced (litres/second) | Cost of clean air per year ($/litres/second) |
| 25 mm pleated | 48 | 17 | 3.36 |
| 25 mm premium | 100 | 97 | 1.13 |
| Charged media | 43 | 44 | 1.25 |
| 100 mm pleated | 93 | 60 | 1.71 |
| HEPA bypass | 240 | 175 | 2.03 |
| ESP | 67 | 298 | 0.26 |
What About Ozone?
Despite being the most effective filter in the tests, the ESP produces small amounts of ozone during operation. In the research project, a survey of fifteen homes with ESP filters showed that all ESPs created ozone in the air stream of the duct. None of these raised ozone levels in the house air above the safe concentrations recommended by health guidelines. During the test period, ozone levels were always higher in the outside air than in house air, despite the ozone production by the ESP filters.
Conclusions
This research showed that the particles in the duct air can be reduced when an upgraded filter is installed.The results also showed that this reduction will only moderately reduce indoor exposure to respirable particles.
Since the research was undertaken, the filter industry has developed a new testing standard and rating system. Look for the “MERV” rating on the filter; the higher the MERV rating, the better the filtration. Make sure that your furnace technician approves a change to a high efficiency filter. Some of the filters with higher MERV ratings will reduce the amount of air passing through the furnace and affect its performance.
So… How do You Reduce Levels of Respirable Particles?
Our best current guess is to reduce dust entry by:
- removing footwear on entry;
- keeping major dust generators (smoking, pets, etc.) out of the house;
- reducing dust collecting surfaces (open shelves, carpets, upholstered furniture, etc.);
- diligent and frequent vacuuming with an efficient vacuum cleaner;
- reducing the entry of particle-laden outdoor air by closing windows, improving house airtightness, and installing an intake filter on the air supply;
- using a good furnace filter.
Most of these recommendations will also reduce the amount of visible dust in your house.