Category Archives: Improving your home

EV – Electric Vehicle and your home

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The US just announced a $1 billion dollar clean energy program!

Low emission vehicles are here to stay.  With electric vehicles(EV) hitting the market, consumers have to educate themselves when it comes to EVs and their home.  What does it really mean if you purchase an EV?  Can you just plug it in and you’re on your way to savings?  Well it’s not that simple, not yet anyway.  In fact you can plug into a regular receptacle but it could 24 hours or more to charge the vehicle.  Therefore a visit from your local electrician is in order to set up your home to receive your new addition to the family.   With the right setup you could be on the road in no time.   Below you will find the more efficient circuits your electricians would have to install:

What does this mean?

For most homes this means a 50 amp circuit will have to be installed.  A typical stove in a home is a 40Amp circuit, so you could equate this to having an extra stove in your home.  With this the vehicle would be fully charged in about 6 hours (overnight).  Your average home might not support anything higher, and anything lower will take an awfully long time to charge.

The process is simple as doing any other electrical work in your home.  You will need to have an assessment of your home done, followed by permitting (submitting for all proper permits), installation by a qualified electrician, and inspection by your municipal regulator.

On a different note, what happens when you have a party and all your friends show up with their EV and charge up on your meter?   There are systems in development that will be able charge the usage to the vehicle itself, but these are still in the works.

Inspecting Your New Home – Part 2

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This is the second part of our series on what items a new home buyer should look for once they decide to purchase their dream home.  In this part we will focus on inspecting the home’s interior.

Plumbing Fixtures
  • Check for chips in bathtubs, toilets and sinks.
  • Ensure that all faucets work properly.
  • Check that cabinets are securely fixed to the wall.
  • Examine caulking around tub and shower enclosures and at countertop backsplashes.
Basement

  • Check for signs of water penetration in the basement walls.
  • Ensure that the basement floor slopes toward the floor drain.
  • See that floor joists are made from sound lumber. Joists spanning more than 2.1 metres should have bridging and/or strapping installed unless an engineered flooring system has been used.
  • Check for insulation and vapour barrier in the joist spaces.
Doors
  • See that doors are well-fitted and operate as intended.
  • Check that locks are well installed and do not rattle when the door is closed.
  • Check that the exterior doors have been sealed with weather-stripping.
Windows
  • Operate windows to ensure they open and close properly.
  • Make sure there are no cracked panes and that all appropriate screens are in place.
Kitchen
  • Check for damage to countertops, cupboard doors, sinks and appliances.
  • Ensure that cabinet doors are properly aligned.
  • Check spaces for standard appliances unless specific measurements were given to your builder. The space allotted for your appliances should be correct.
  • Test the range hood fan and light.
  • Make sure there are electrical outlets above the counter.
Interior Finishes
  • Inspect the wall finishes for uneven paint coverage.
  • Check handrails on stairs to ensure they are securely fastened and smooth to the touch with no rough edges, chips or gouges.
Closets
  • Make sure that doors are secure and that they open and close easily.
Floors
  • Walk across all floors. You should hear only a minimum of squeaks and notice a minimum of spring when walking on the floor. Due to the nature of wood, a wood floor system will have a certain amount of unevenness.
  • See that floor coverings have a relatively flat surface.
  • Examine seams in carpets and vinyl to ensure they are tight.
  • Inspect ceramic tiles for surface cracks. Joints between ceramic tiles should be well-filled with grout.
  • Inspect flooring for damage.
  • Examine carpeting for stains or shade variations.
Upgrades and options
  • Make sure that all pre-selected upgrades and options have been installed.

Tank less hot water heater

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With cost of utilities set to increase this year again, being efficient with energy use is always top of mind.   One of the ways you could save on your energy bills is by going the tank less hot water heater route.  Just to clarify, the traditional way to supply hot water is by using a tank type system, where the water (40 gallons and up) is heated in a reserve tank that is available anytime.  A tank less system on the other hand heats up water on demand (there are some hybrid models as well).

There are multiple factors to look at when deciding on this upgrade.  We will discuss the two crucial ones below:

  • Flow GPM(gallons per minute)

What is this? This is the amount of water that is being used.  To calculate how much water a fixture is using, take a measuring cup and measure how much water you have filled up in one minute.  This will translate in the desired GPM (Gallons per minute).  The following is typical usage per application:

Typical shower:  1.5 to 2.0 GPM
Typical bath faucet:  2.0 to 3.0 GPM
Bathroom vanity sink faucet:  0.5 to 1.5 GPM
Kitchen sink faucet;  1.0 to 2.2 GPM
Clothes washer:  1.5 to 3.0 GPM

For a comparison basis, a with a typical shower of 2.0 GPM, a 40 gallon tank from a tank type system will have water available for 20 minutes ( a very long shower). Given that most households have dishwashers, laundry, and multiple bathrooms, at least a 3.5 GPM or higher heater would be recommended.

  • Temperature Rise (TR)

What is this? This is the difference between the temperature of the water coming into the house (supplied by the city) and the temperature of the hot water required.

Why is this important? The flow rate of tank less water heater systems depend on temperature rise.  All manufacturers will supply this information.

For example (and the eyes are starting to glaze over) :  Given the desired temperature is 110 degrees Fahrenheit in a case where the water temperature from the city is 75 degrees, the temperature rise is 35 degrees.  Let’s say at this temperature rise a given tank less system delivers 7 GPM.  If the water temperature from the city is 35 degrees Fahrenheit, the temperature rise will be 75.  At this rise, the same system might only deliver 4 GPM.  This is a very important concept when choosing a system.

As with anything that will save money, the upfront costs are higher (why should the homeowner pocket the savings instead of the manufacturer).  But the fact remains, energy prices are going to increase over time and investing in an energy efficient system should reduce the operating cost of the home.

There are multiple factors to look at when deciding on this upgrade. We will discuss the two crucial ones below:

Happy Valentine’s Day

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Make this special day one that she will never forget.  Yes flowers and chocolate will win her heart, but how original is that.   We here at Greenfield came up with the ultimate Valentine’s Day gift.  We think you should get her the ultimate walk in closet instead.

Yes you heard us right, a walk in closet.  She will be speechless when she sees her very own purse display cabinet and her shoe organizer.  You will not have to do anymore “honey do” lists…EVER!  She will absolutely love it.

In all seriousness enjoy the day and have fun with it,

from all of us at Greenfield, Happy Valentine’s Day.

Not an everyday kitchen

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We designed this incredible kitchen.  This is a really great space to utilize.  If features awesome appliances from Sub-Zero, Miele, and Thermador.  We installed three really nice blue pearl granite slabs.

We used an amazing industrial kitchen faucet with suspended industrial spray.  The wonderful pot filler will provide a really easy way for fast meal preparation.  This remarkable modern kitchen has over 50 square feet of counter space to work on.

The eat-in island’s incredible size will allow for family and friends to enjoy an intimate gathering. We are really proud of this really great kitchen.

Welcome to Greenfield Quality Builders!

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