The Home Improvement Thread

[CroFlames]

Originally Posted by DoubleF

Like the Green Energy program? I used mine on windows for the credit and interest free loan, so I can't use it for solar. If it popped up again/can use more than once, I'd consider doing it again for Solar.

The only incentive (that I know of) in Canada is an interest free loan.

Which is nice, but I'd like to see the federal gov't start covering 50% or more of the costs of solar. Like I said, I know some EU countries do this already.

[Sr. Mints]

New furnace/AC installed on Aug 8ish, and I still haven't received a permit number so I can book an inspection. When I called the installer, they said three weeks.

Is that normal? I'm not concerned, or even annoyed,, just curious. I would have thought the company (Arpi's) would have gotten the permits lined up before work began.

[Wormius]

Originally Posted by Sr. Mints

New furnace/AC installed on Aug 8ish, and I still haven't received a permit number so I can book an inspection. When I called the installer, they said three weeks.

Is that normal? I'm not concerned, or even annoyed,, just curious. I would have thought the company (Arpi's) would have gotten the permits lined up before work began.

Seems odd. I think they can do the electrical for the AC part via video call.

[Sr. Mints]

Originally Posted by Wormius

Seems odd. I think they can do the electrical for the AC part via video call.

No idea. That's how the city did it for a fireplace inspection, but that was during the pandemic and I assumed it was a covid-related exception.

This time around my phone call with the city didn't get past me not having a permit number.

[Wormius]

Originally Posted by Sr. Mints

No idea. That's how the city did it for a fireplace inspection, but that was during the pandemic and I assumed it was a covid-related exception.

This time around my phone call with the city didn't get past me not having a permit number.

Yeah, they’re still doing video for most things. Maybe concerning that you don’t have a permit number and the work is done?

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by CroFlames

The only incentive (that I know of) in Canada is an interest free loan.

Which is nice, but I'd like to see the federal gov't start covering 50% or more of the costs of solar. Like I said, I know some EU countries do this already.

Why? It only helps wealthy people save money. It's not a very good use of taxpayer dollars. Solar farms are far more efficient. It would be better for the environment to subsidize solar on warehouse rooftops than individual homes.

[Wormius]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

Why? It only helps wealthy people save money. It's not a very good use of taxpayer dollars. Solar farms are far more efficient. It would be better for the environment to subsidize solar on warehouse rooftops than individual homes.

Wealthy people? You don’t have to be wealthy to afford a modest number of solar panels on your home. I am not saying it’s cheap, but it ranges between the cost of a used Toyota Yaris and a few used Toyota Yaris’s.

[Fuzz]

Most average people don't have 20 grand to drop on a nice to have item. It's not a great use of tax dollars.

[Wormius]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

Most average people don't have 20 grand to drop on a nice to have item. It's not a great use of tax dollars.

Decentralizing the grid to avoid brownouts when we are inevitably at 40 deg summers and everyone is running their A/C and charging their cars seems like not a bad thing. Every house that does is helping mitigate this to some degree, whether it’s an agreeable use of tax dollars or not it is likely cheaper than upgrading the entire grid for this.

[DoubleF]

Originally Posted by CroFlames

The only incentive (that I know of) in Canada is an interest free loan.

Which is nice, but I'd like to see the federal gov't start covering 50% or more of the costs of solar. Like I said, I know some EU countries do this already.

You also got a few thousand dollars of free money after you completed the work as a grant. The interest free loan was something separate, but also an incentive.

Not bad for something someone might have needed to do anyways and also incentivizes doing it earlier vs later.

[CroFlames]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

Why? It only helps wealthy people save money. It's not a very good use of taxpayer dollars. Solar farms are far more efficient. It would be better for the environment to subsidize solar on warehouse rooftops than individual homes.

Why? Because I want solar and I don't want to pay for it. I don't make decision for the federal government, and I think they will heavily incentivize individuals in the medium future to install solar and that's when I'll jump in. If the federal government thinks solar farms are better, well they should pursue that then.

Originally Posted by DoubleF

You also got a few thousand dollars of free money after you completed the work as a grant. The interest free loan was something separate, but also an incentive.

Not bad for something someone might have needed to do anyways and also incentivizes doing it earlier vs later.

Are you sure? The Zeno guy I met with said the zero-interest loan is currently the ONLY incentive.

[DoubleF]

Originally Posted by CroFlames

Why? Because I want solar and I don't want to pay for it. I don't make decision for the federal government, and I think they will heavily incentivize individuals in the medium future to install solar and that's when I'll jump in. If the federal government thinks solar farms are better, well they should pursue that then.

Are you sure? The Zeno guy I met with said the zero-interest loan is currently the ONLY incentive.

Oh I misunderstood. I meant the old green energy grant had the incentive. I think that program is over, so you are probably correct that the interest free loan is the only current incentive.

[Fuzz]

OK, I thought maybe you had a policy reason for it, not just "I want free solar".

[DoubleF]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

OK, I thought maybe you had a policy reason for it, not just "I want free solar".

I assumed that the interest free loan for the green energy program was due to the government wanting to do something, but also wanting to avoid the politics/logistics of doing something. They can say, "Hey, $1 billion towards green/solar energy farm" and then different provinces with fight and get angry about who gets that large contract. By doing individuals applying for grants/loans, it takes that argument/headache/red tape out of the equation. It also forces people to front the money, so the government can claim hundreds of millions or whatever the cost of the program, but also spread over many more years than the alternative?

[CorsiHockeyLeague]

Here's something I need some advice on... my hood fan is being installed and I can't figure out the best way to finish the chimney on it.




First of all, yes, in that photo it's hung a bit too low, and it's going to get moved up 4 or 5 inches so that there's more room between it and the stove.

As should be obvious from the photo, it's vented through the wall, but the actual chimney extension obviously is intended to make it look like it's going up to the ceiling. I can just stop it at the top of the cabinets like this one but it looks weird to me, like a vent to nowhere:

Spoiler!

The issue is that the ceiling is so high that a chimney extension (which I have) will only make it about 3/4 of the way up, so there will be about a foot or so of space. I still have some material from the ceiling so I was thinking about just having the finishing carpenter make a box from that material and then having that join up with the ceiling to make it look like it vents up that way.

Thoughts?

[TopChed]

I would lean towards finishing it similar to your example, with the vent cover topping out in line with your cabinets.

Going all the way up to your ceiling will draw attention to it and I think it would look more out of place.

[Ashasx]

I think it would look best in the photo as well.

Is that a big dent in your fridge?

[woob]

And is that one cabinet actually a different shade of green, or just a lighting effect?

[puffnstuff]

The different colored one is the dishwasher I think, assume it will be painted match still.

As to the question, i wouldnt go the ceiling with it. Can go a little past the cabinet tops if at all.

[CorsiHockeyLeague]

Yep, big dent in fridge, will have to put a magnet over it or something, made the fridge half price.

No, that cabinet (actually just a cover panel over the dishwasher) isn't a different shade, it just doesn't have the protective plastic taken off it yet (same with the plastic covering on the fridge, the dent is actually smaller than it looks once you get that off).

Here's an example of one that goes past the cabinets to the ceiling.