Considering renovating your home to make it more energy efficient and less cost consuming?

It may be helpful to know that there are both federal and provincial programs which offer rebates and grants to help you out when doing your renovations- there are, however, regulations and procedures needed to be followed in order to get your money.  Being on top of the facts and requirements will help you make your renovations as smooth as possible.

Green Renovation Grants – 6 Important Tips

1. First and foremost, each province offers their own energy efficiency upgrade programs specific for their residents. Reading up on incentive programs for your area is the first step towards receiving your grants.
2. Most programs demand that you have an energy assessment for your home undertaken by a licensed service organization before commencing any renovation to be eligible for their program.
3. Renovations may be required to meet detailed specifications. If you are planning on insulating your attic for example, there might be a minimum amount of square feet that needs to be insulated and this amount can differ according to what part of your home you are insulating.
4. The average amount of coverage received by a household may vary from province to province. Be realistic about how much money you expect to get back. Remember that this is money that you wouldn't have received before these government programs came along. Plan what you're going to do with that money - family vacation? Investing for your children's future?
5. Make sure your house or apartment meets the requirements specified by the program before commencing your renovations. Some programs only provide rebates to houses of a certain age, or if it is your primary residence. Knowing what the requirements are will save you a lot of trouble.
6. Often incentive programs require that you fill out numerous forms and send in all your original receipts in order for you to receive your rebate. Try to keep all of the receipts related to your renovation in one place for when you apply for rebates (e.g. take a folder and label it "Renovation receipts". Whenever you get a new receipt, put it in the folder immediately)

Improving your home’s energy efficiency through green renovations like adding new insulation to your basement, or sealing your air leaks and caulking around your doors and windows not only saves you energy and money, it is a great help to the environment as well.

For those of you already planning on doing some home renovations, incentives and rebates are an extra push to send you along your greener way!

To get started visit the ShowMeTheGreen homepage, select your province from the map, and choose the type of renovation you're interested in!

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