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Glossary

Net Zero Ready home

A Net Zero Ready home is built to the same energy efficiency standards as a Net Zero home but doesn't yet have the solar panels installed.

Glossary

Hydronic heating

A hydronic system heats a home by circulating hot water or other liquid through floor pipes, radiators or hydronic baseboard heaters. It distributes heat evenly and can be more comfortable than forced air systems, especially for allergy sufferers.

Glossary

Weeping tile

Also called perimeter tile or French drain, weeping tile is a porous pipe buried around the perimeter of a home’s foundation. Ground water seeps into it and is carried away to reduce the possibility of water getting into the foundation and basement.

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Glossary

Floor plan

A floor plan is a drawing that shows the layout of a home from above. It typically identifies each space and shows the location of walls, doors, windows, fireplaces and the like.

Glossary

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs)

Volatile organic compounds or VOCs are chemicals found in everyday products that have the potential to change into a gas form and contaminate indoor air. This is known as off-gassing. VOCs can be found in many household products such as paints, vinyl, adhesives, cleaning products, computers and more.

Glossary

Geothermal heating

Geothermal heating is a system of heating (or cooling) your home by utilizing pipes buried underground and a heat pump to transfer heat from the earth. It takes advantage of the fact that the soil temperature below about five feet doesn’t change much (it’s about 10 C), no matter what time of year it is. Pipes circulate a liquid (often water) below the frost line either horizontally or vertically. In winter, the water warms to the ambient soil temperature by the time it re-enters the house, then a heat pump extracts the energy and heats water that flows in pipes under the floors or heats air blown through the air ducts.

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Glossary

R value

R value is the most common yardstick for measuring thermal insulation performance. It measures how well building insulation can prevent the flow of heat into and out of the home. The higher the R value the better the insulation.

Glossary

OSB (oriented strand board)

Oriented strand board is an engineered wood formed by adding adhesives and then compressing layers of strategically placed strips of wood. OSB uses the wood from trees that grow quickly and sustainably.

Glossary

Passive House

A German standard for energy efficiency. It uses efficient building shape, solar exposure, superior insulation, advanced windows, leading-edge ventilation and other technical features to create structures that require little or no energy input from conventional heating or cooling systems.

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Glossary

ERV (energy recovery ventilator)

See HRV/ERV (heat/energy recovery ventilator)

Glossary

Shaker cabinet

A simple cabinet door consisting of a recessed flat panel, four rails and usually plain hardware; the name references the simple designs favoured by the Shaker religious sect.

Glossary

Mortgage stress test

A federal government requirement introduced in 2018 that requires everyone to prove they can afford payments if interest rates increase by a set amount. The policy is meant to encourage Canadians to borrow within their means for a house purchase. It applies to anyone getting a mortgage or changing mortgage lenders.

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Glossary

Reverse mortgage

A type of home equity loan that does not require repayment until the loan is due. It is promoted to older people. Some financial experts advise against reverse mortgages because a large, unpaid principal can remain at death.

Glossary

P.I.T.

This stands for Principal, Interest and Taxes, the components of every mortgage payment.

Glossary

Open and closed mortgages

An open mortgage can be re-negotiated, refinanced or paid off early with no penalty but tends to have higher interest. A closed mortgage has a set term with a lower rate but cannot be re-negotiated, refinanced or paid off early without a penalty.

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Glossary

Closing costs

The additional expenses to close a home purchase. They may include land transfer taxes, lawyers' fees and home insurance. Closing costs can range from 1.5 to 4 per cent of the home's selling price.

Glossary

Prairie style

One of the few housing design styles created in North America, it was popularized by Frank Lloyd Wright. The Prairie School dates from 1900-1940 and includes features like strong horizontal lines, projecting eaves and flat or hipped roofs.

Glossary

Victory housing

Small, single-family homes mass produced between 1940 and 1960 for soldiers or people who worked in defence industries. Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation hired architects, engineers and builders to create floor plans and kits for affordable one-and-a-half-storey homes that could be built from locally sourced materials.

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