If you have a workshop and a job or hobbies performed outside during the winter, you may find it challenging to stay warm sometimes. A space heater working alone will not do much to keep you and your tools warm. Here are a few tips for heating your garage to a comfortable temperature in winter and keeping it there.

Add Insulation Where Possible

No matter how much power any of your heat sources have, it won’t be easy to maintain any warmth without proper insulation. Many garage walls consist of just the studs, covered on the outside with sheathing and siding. Fibreglass insulation will go a long way in allowing your garage to retain heat and is an easy enough project for most homeowners to do themselves.

Garage doors are another culprit for lost heat. Since they are often manufactured from thin metal, it is not unusual to find frost on the inside during winter. You can keep the cold outside by insulating the garage door and making your garage space an average of 5 to 6 degrees warmer without additional heating. Thanks to garage door insulation kits, it is very manageable for homeowners to insulate their garage doors themselves.

Eliminate Any Drafts

Investing in proper insulation will go a long way in keeping your garage warm in winter, but you should also seal any gaps that let cold drafts blow through. There are three very likely sources of drafts in your garage:

The garage door frame – Garage doors don’t fit tightly in their frames and have small gaps running all around the door. Integrated weather strips will help to close the gaps so that the cold air stays outside.

The bottom of the door – If your garage door is more than a couple of years old, replacing the seal or garage door threshold where the door meets the floor might be a good idea. It is designed to block drafts but can become brittle and crack over time and start to let cold air in.

Windows – Like in your house, windows can be a significant source of cold air in your home. Apply shrink-type film wrap to the inside of the windows, tape it to the frame, and then use a hair dryer to heat the film until it fits snugly, sealing out drafts.

Use One or Two Appropriately Sized Space Heaters

For those who only use their garage periodically throughout the winter, one or two portable space heaters (like the ones used to heat any cold rooms in your home) strategically placed in the garage will do the trick. Space heaters are readily available at any home improvement store, making them an easy solution for your garage heating, but make sure that they are adequately sized for the square footage of your garage.

Consider More Permanent Heating Options

There are plenty of heating options beyond space heaters if you know you will spend winters in the garage each year. A forced air system is among the most popular permanent heating options. They work by blasting hot air into the room; however, if you do work that regularly involves dust and debris, it will be blown around the garage. Ductless heating systems are gaining popularity for garage heating since they are efficient and cheap to run; plus, they often include cooling for when your garage gets hot and stuffy in the summer. A wall-mounted heater is a similar option that is typically easier to install than a ductless heating system, so you may not need to call in a professional.

Install In-Floor Heating

If you spend a lot of time on the floor in your garage, such as when working under a car, you might find the concrete floor rather frigid during the winter. A radiant floor heating system is a solution that is viable only for those who are building a new garage or planning to tear out and replace the concrete floor because it is installed before the concrete is poured. A radiant floor heating system is connected to the boiler, which circulates hot water through the pipes to radiate heat to the floor and any objects placed on it. Remember that in-floor heating is not a DIY project, and you will need to hire a professional experienced in installing radiant floor heating systems.

There are plenty of options to make your garage a comfortably warm space to work in winter. With a bit of ingenuity, you can be out in your workshop through the cold

Whether you’re looking at a condo in the city or a brick home in the suburbs, the search for your dream home is an exciting time. For many prospective buyers, the period between the decision to buy and the day you get the keys to your new home takes a back seat to your dreams of the exciting times ahead. As a buyer, you need to be informed and educated through every step of the process. It can be challenging to set aside your search for the perfect window treatments when your agent is asking you to sign a document you don’t understand: the Buyer Representation Agreement (BRA). To help you tackle this, we are going to give you the short and sweet explanation of what a Buyer Representation Agreement is, so you can get back to the decisions you’re excited about making!

What is a Buyer Representation Agreement?

This document is a written contract that defines the relationship between you and the brokerage, and how the agent will represent your best interests. It outlines the services your real estate agent provides and what they expect from you, including:

• The agent’s duties and obligations to the buyer
• Agency relationships
• The scope of the agent’s duties
• Buyer obligations

Homebuyers will sign a BRA when they’re working with a real estate agent and are ready to make an offer on a home.

What are the benefits and drawbacks of a BRA?

By signing a BRA, you enter into an agreement in which your real estate agent will represent you in the home buying process. Advantages include:

• Representation – A BRA ensures that your real estate agent works in your best interests and abides by the services listed in your contract. They can handle much of the home-buying process on your behalf, including negotiating, inspecting, and paperwork.
• Clarification – A BRA formalizes your professional relationship by clearly laying out what your real estate agent expects from you and what you can expect from them.
• Negotiable – Most of the terms in a BRA can be negotiated with your real estate agent.

Disadvantages of a BRA include:

• Locked term – By designating a real estate agent as your representative, your real estate agent will always receive a commission if you purchase property during the contract term.
• Exclusivity – With an exclusive BRA, you will not be able to use another real estate agent. If you are unhappy with your current agent, there are steps you can take to break your agreement and engage another agent.

How is a BRA presented?

While the agreement can be written, oral, or implied, it will ultimately be required by law to be reduced to writing with your signature in order to protect everyone involved.

When should you sign a BRA?

Like anything else you place your signature on, it’s important to fully discuss and understand the services provided, the cost related to the services, and that the written agreement is clear. Typically, a BRA is signed before you begin working with the real estate agent.

What will happen if you don’t sign?

According to the Code of Ethics, the broker and salesperson must protect and promote your best interest as their client on top of being fair, and honest. While you can choose to be a customer rather than a client, be aware that there could be some differences in how you are represented.

What is multiple representation?

Multiple representation means that a brokerage represents both the buyer and the seller of a property. There are no standard terms of service for multiple representation, so you need to consult the representation agreement before any offer is submitted. Multiple representation must be consented to in writing, so make sure you ask questions and are comfortable with how it may affect the services provided to you.

What is a holdover clause?

A holdover clause is an optional clause in your BRA. It means that once your BRA expires if you purchase a home after a certain number of days (usually 30 to 90 days) that came to your attention during the BRA, you must still go through the agent to purchase the home, and they will still receive a commission on the home purchase or lease.

For more information or clarification, feel free to get in touch with me at 905-878-7777 or Susana@homematterswithsusana.ca