Replacing windows, Furnance and Hot water tank

[Buddhist_fist]

Hi Guys,

I have a 50 year old house in great shape structurally wise. However, the old aluminum windows, furnance, and hot water tank will need to be replaced.

We have an appointment for an auditor to come in and assess our home for heat loss, etc.

So my question is, do any of you know or recommend a company that is able to replace all 3 items listed above?

We received a flyer in the mail from The company House Smart Home Improvements where you dont pay the HST for a limited time only.

Anybody have any feedback or personal experience with this particular company.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks guys!!!

[ruthless]

A side note, don't forget about certain rebates available from BC Hydro and the city in which you live in. You can get money back for replacing your furnace, windows and old water tank

[Buddhist_fist]

Interesting to know. This is not the same as the grants from the province and federal grants?

[MindBomber]

I also strongly suggest you upgrade the insulation in your attic, it is one of the most significant sources of heat loss in an older home and very affordable and quick to have updated to current standards.

If you'd like a referral to the best attic blowing company in the province PM me, multiple competing companies actually sub-contact work out to them the quality is so high.
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[Doubl3_H]

Would be quite a bit of $$$ to replace all the three item listed.

Send me a pm if you want

[sleepywheel]

I used Shell Busey's House Smart to do our doors and windows. The guys that came and did the job were fast but did some damage which they conveniently ignored. Called the House Smart people and they sent another person out that spent all day fixing everything and billed the original installer for his time. At least they stand behind their contractors work. Watch out for the House Smart Home Improvements company though, I think they copied the name from Shell Busey and are trying to ride on his coat tails.

I used a private guy to do my hot water boiler (heating system) and he left me high and dry when I had problems with a couple of clogged pipes. Guess I don't have any warranty on it anymore.

As for the hot water tank, I just replaced it myself with a bigger 40 gallon tank.

Someone mentioned attic insulation. That makes a big, big difference in the warmth of the house. Well worth the time and money spent on that. Stays warmer during the winter and cooler during the summer. When I did that, I installed all the venting from the soffits and my neighbour blew the insulation in for me. Make sure you do everything that you want to do in the attic like running wires for your internet, security cameras, etc first.

[GLOW]

Originally Posted by MindBomber

I also strongly suggest you upgrade the insulation in your attic, it is one of the most significant sources of heat loss in an older home and very affordable and quick to have updated to current standards.

If you'd like a referral to the best attic blowing company in the province PM me, multiple competing companies actually sub-contact work out to them the quality is so high.
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is pink block insulation laid out horizontally efficient or is it even acceptable back then?

[MindBomber]

Originally Posted by GLOW

is pink block insulation laid out horizontally efficient or is it even acceptable back then?

Paper back batt insulation was the standard method of insulating an attic space up until the late eighties; blown in cellulose and asbestos were also used, but they are and were more expensive to install and therefore are not as common. The original batt insulation found in homes ranges is most often R-20, that is half the current minimum code requirement of R-40 and most homeowners choose to move to R-50 when upgrading with blown cellulose or fiberglass. Having blown in insulation installed not only improves R-value, but he quality of the air seal and that is of the utmost importance when discussing insulation. Blown insulation is completely seamless, filling every space and void perfectly unlike batts and that is how it improves the seal.

Please, do not attempt to save money by going with a low bid contractor if you upgrade your attic insulation. I have on multiple occasions come in to fix the work of these companies, they often spray below the prescribed amount in non-visible areas or on the edges and put to much air into the material increasing the volume to cheat you out of material. Also, do not rent the machines available at DIY stores, there is a very specific way the insulation needs to be laid down and improper or poor technique will also decrease effectiveness dramatically.

If anyone has any questions regarding upgrading insulation feel free to ask, I worked in the industry for years and was one of the best, but have since moved on to further my education. I have worked with many of the blowers within B.C. and can give you the inside line on who you want in your home.

[blkgsr]

another BIG thing to make sure you check on is your attic ventilation....the attic needs to be able to breath or it will cause big problems

High Performance Windows, 604-526-7620

they did mine and did a great job, also way cheaper than Pella, Centra etc

the only other one close was Allied

[Buddhist_fist]

Thanks blkgsr, I will give them a call and get an estimate. I have 3 window companies coming in this week to give us quotes.

Now for the furnace. Anybody recently replaced their furnace able to give me feedback on the company they used and what was the cost?

Thanks again guys, all great tips and insight.

[MindBomber]

Originally Posted by blkgsr

another BIG thing to make sure you check on is your attic ventilation....the attic needs to be able to breath or it will cause big problems

High Performance Windows, 604-526-7620

they did mine and did a great job, also way cheaper than Pella, Centra etc

the only other one close was Allied

If you poke your head up in an attic on a day with a mild breeze the air should smell fresh and there should be noticeable air movement both felt and heard. If the air smells stale or there's black mold on the underside of the roof decking then the attic does not have sufficient ventilation. Current code requirements are for a sofit vent every 48".

Today is a great day to be discussing attic insulation, I have a simple way for anyone to evaluate whether they should consider upgrading. Go outside, look at the roof, if it has no snow on it the heat from the home escaping into the attic has melted it off.

[GLOW]

Originally Posted by MindBomber

Paper back batt insulation was the standard method of insulating an attic space up until the late eighties; blown in cellulose and asbestos were also used, but they are and were more expensive to install and therefore are not as common. The original batt insulation found in homes ranges is most often R-20, that is half the current minimum code requirement of R-40 and most homeowners choose to move to R-50 when upgrading with blown cellulose or fiberglass.

Thanks. It's per code for that age of house I guess.
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