Cash for Efficient Choices

As a parent, I never quite glommed on to the "make good choices" line. I preferred my father's more direct: "Use your head!" There was only one time when that line wasn't better.  My brother was throwing a ball at the living room window. My father said, and I quote: "Come on, use your head."  My brother did, and broke the window with his scalp. Apart from that rather memorable exception, I think the direct line is better.

Apparently, the Canadian government agrees. The Toronto Star today acknowledged that we are all a bit hesitant to invest in energy efficient appliances, during an uncertain economic period. Like a good parent (too much like a good parent?) the government has explained why a higher efficiency furnace is better - (it uses up to 97% of the fuel to produce heat rather than 60%) and provided incentives. Direct ones. Cold hard cash.

According to the Star, these are the big furnace-related incentives right now:

Up to $1,250 in federal and provincial rebates under the ecoEnergy retrofit program. You have to get a home energy audit and do the work within 18 months, followed by a second energy audit.

A $125 rebate on a mid-efficiency or high-efficiency furnace with an electronically commutated motor, installed by Dec. 31, from the Ontario Power Authority's Every Kilowatt Counts program.

A $100 rebate from Enbridge Gas for a high-efficiency natural gas furnace, installed by Nov. 30, which carries the Energy Star mark.

A 15 per cent tax credit on home renovation spending from $1,000 to $10,000, incurred by Feb. 1, 2010.

Furnaces last a pretty long time (about 20 years). Encouraging good choices - especially when they're hard ones - has a significant pay off.  If it works, I might pick up a new line as my daughter walks out the door for her first middle school dance.