Has anyone used the goverment rebate program after their house was audited for energy efficiency? My understanding (reading from the gov. site) is that after the audit, you have 18 months to complete the suggested repairs before a second audit is done. Then depending on what you have done and what the second audit report lists as improvements (example a new furnace), the goverment will rebate accordingly. OR do the listed repairs must be done before February 1 of this year? My parents had the audit done just before Christamas of last year ('09) but for some reason my father thinks the improvements must be done before February 1st.

 

I thought they cancelled this program? We paid to have the audit done, then they told us the program was scrapped.

 

That's news to me. The website says nothing of it. http://www.mei.gov.on.ca/en/energy/c...y-FAQ#ref61_en


After some more digging, I think the renovation program for '09 has a deadline of Feb.1. and nto the energy retrofit program.

 

I think a few years ago it was scrapped and then a few years later revived. I had it done 6 yrs ago and the guy told me it wasn't worth having a second test as my house was pretty efficient.
trick is to open up a few things like weatherstrip etc before the first audit then it is easier to improve on...sorta like the running test in phys ed in grade 7, don't try at the beginning of the year and at the end when you try you have improved lots and you get an A.
Feb 1 is the cutoff for home renovation credit, maybe that is what he is thinking of and maybe he can use the furnace for that credit?

 

Program is still in affect - I had my 2nd audit recently for a tank less water heater. The program was mainly for older homes to bring them up to a more modern standard. Every house can be improved but newer homes (last 5 years) with higher R values and better windows and doors won't get much out of the program.

 

I'm having my furnace installed today. The vendor told me that the Ontario portion of the tax credit, some $500 for a furnace, is payable only if the install is done before Feb 1. Perhaps this is what your dad was referring to. The other federal credits, including the home renovation tax credit of $1,300 for a $10,000 expenditure are not affected - yet.
Paul

 

This does not make sense if you go by the federal rules in the second quote below.


So then the fed's say...

I would phone the 800 # and check anyway.

FYI: The time line for reno work tax deductions is up 12 days from now so hit your fav supplier NOW - you can always do the work later in the spring or summer. I was in Home Depot the other day - they are running out of stuff they never run out of. Dry wall is a big seller as are toilets, tile, kitchen sinks and carpeting.

 

OK, I get it. We had the audit done a few years ago - he told us our house was as drafty as a typical victorian home, but our house was built in 1983! ouch. So we looked into stuff like new windows, doors, or just new weatherstripping etc. and before we knew it the rebate program was cancelled so we said screw it.

We've completely maximized our home reno tax credit with the bathroom reno we did this year, and our furnace just got a complete overhaul. We moved our mortgage over last March and they enrolled us in one of those homeowner protection programs - basically insurance for your appliances - free for the first year. So just a few weeks before our coverage ends (we won't renew, it's $16/month, not worth it) our furnace gave up the ghost. The ins. people decided to fix rather than replace, so 3 days later we've got all brand new guts in our furnace, and it's running better than ever! Woohoo!

 

Now all you gotta do is run a heater vent and return out to the garage and you'll be golden.

 

That's very dangerous. CO will easily creep into the basemebnt from the garage through the heating duct. And that's why it's against code too.

 

Thanks for all the info.