- DO-IT-YOURSELF PR JJECT 19 - Friday, June 9, 1989 - North Shore News Renovate wih energy efficiency in mind RENOVATIONS HAVE become a multi-million dollar industry in Canada as homeowners regularly upgrade the appezrance and value of their dwellings. At little extra cost, many home- owners are building energy effi- ciency into their renovation plans, content in the knowledge that thee measures will soon pay tcr themselves in reduced heating bi''- and increased home comfort. One of the mest pop ~ renovation activities, especially fu. do-it-yourselfers, is to turn an unused basement into comfortabie living space. Since the basement can account for up to 30 per cent of a home’s heat loss, it presents many basic and simple oppor- tunities for energy improvements. Your first step should be to carefully draftproof exterior walls. Caulk along the sil! {ate, header joist and around sei :e entrances, pipes and ducts tha pass through the walls. Then frame your walls and have an electrician install outlets, swit- ches and lighting fixtures. Once the wiring is in place, basement walls should be insulated from floor to ceiling. You can in- sulate from the inside unless the wall has a history of moisture problems (look for mold stains or a white or yellow powder on the wall) or poor drainage. A moisture barrier is usually applied to the basement walls, up to grade level, before insulating. Be sure to install a generous and avoid the main electrical panel altogether. Before you apply your wall board, it is important that you in- stall an air-vapor barrier on the warm side of the insulation. This will help prevent household air from moving into the walls, where water vapor in the air can con- dense and cause moisture prob- lems. The air-vapor barrier should ex- tend into the header area. The basement ceiling area also provides opportunities for low-cost energy improvements. Special tape is available for sealing all joints in the hot-air ducts, and long runs of duct work should be insulated to prevent heat less. These measures will get more of the heat from thc furnace to its destination. Kitchens are another popular target for renovations. Homeown- ers often spend several tho..:and dollars making these areas more attractive and functional, so a few extra dollars on energy-saving measures will hardly be noticed. When you undertake kitchen renovations, planning and timing are paramount. For example, if you are replacing your kitchen cabinets there will be a brief inter- val between the removal of old cabinets and the installation of new ones. . Take advantage of this to seal air leaks around >lumbing pipes and other wall openings that are normally hidden from view. Sev- eral caulking products have been amount of insulation between—~especiaily--designed for areas sub- joists in the header area. Consult your building supply dealer for information on the types of insulation available and their uses. _~..No matter what material you use, never insulate directly around heat-producing obstructions such as flue pipes (you can insulate around water pipes). You should also turn off the power before working around electrical outlets, LIQUID DIAZINON litre. Our reg. 11.99 ae wa NN Green Cross helps you get rid of those troublesome garden pests. Shop now and save on pest products at the Bay Garden Centres. A multi purpose insecticide. One Park Royal —- Loughheed — Richmond — Champlain Got a gardening problem? Van Dusen's garden experts will be at the Bay Garden Centres to help you in any way they can. Saturday, June 10-10 am to 4 pm Sunday, June 11 — 12 noon to 4 pm GARDEN C 2 Park Royal © Lougheed ° Richmond ° Cham ject to high levels of moisture. No matter what room in the home you are renovating, you should caulk around the edges of windows, baseboards and electrical outlets on exterior walls. Weatherstripping should be used to seal air leaks at the movable joints of exterior doors and win- dows. If your plans call for repairs to an exterior wall, consider DIAL-A-SPRAY Hose end sprayer Our reg. 13,99 ENTRES . plain § upgrading the insulation. Energy efficiency can even be a consideration in exterior renova- tion work. If you have excavated to repair leaky foundation walls, you may want to take this oppor- tunity to insulate unfinished base- ment walls from the outside before filling in the hole. Similarly, if you are installing new siding you can incorporate FOR EVEN GREATER SAVINGS ASK ” ABOUT THE 20 LITRE SIZE % ANNUAL SUMMER INSTALL SALE 20% OFF LABOUR additional insulation in the job. Energy, Mines & Resources Canada can provide helpful in- formation on performing many of the projects discussed in this arti- cle, as well as other energy-saving Measures. Mail your request for information to Home Energy Publications, Energy, Mines & Resources Canada, 586 Booth St., Ottawa, Ontario KIA OE4. 1293 Marine Dr. North Vancouver 987-1293 Windsong Gift Studios High Quality _ 18/8 stainiess steel 40 piece set ($999 ) © not scnctty 00 Muatrated Windsong Gift Studios 220 W. Esplanade N. Vancouver 980-1293 PRODUCTS AND COLOURS.