Home Renovation Tax Credit (HRTC)
The Home Renovation Tax Credit is a non-refundable tax credit based on eligible expenses for improvements to your house, condo or cottage. It can be claimed on your 2009 income tax return. It applies to eligible purchases made after January 27, 2009, and before February 1, 2010. The HRTC applies to eligible expenses of more than $1,000, but not more than $10,000, resulting in a maximum non-refundable tax credit of $1,350 [($10,000 − $1,000) × 15%].
Guide to Reduce Mold in Bathrooms
Mold can be a dangerous thing to have in your bathroom. Because of the conditions, bathrooms can easily become a problem area.
We take these steps to reduce future mold growth in baths:
Install a high capacity low sone (quiet) bath vent fan, making sure that the fan is properly vented to outdoors and that fan duct condensation will drain outside and not into the ceiling space.
Install sliding glass tub doors in baths where users are careless with shower curtains (that also grow mold, especially cloth shower curtains) and for people who splash water onto the bath floor
Seal the un-coated hidden sides of new vanity cabinets, such as the vanity bottom edges, back and under-side before installing the new vanity. We use a spray shellac but any water resistant coating will do. Coating these surfaces reduces their moisture uptake and thus increases mold resistance.
Caulk the sink vanity to the floor to be sure that spilled water from a shower or tub does not run below the vanity we use clear caulk at the exposed vanity edges where they contact the floor, extending caulk up the vanity sides as well. Against a white drywall bathroom wall use white polyurethane caulk for better appearance and easy cleanup.
Caulk the floor trim at floor level - if installing new trim, run a small bead of caulk along the bottom edge of the trim boards before they are nailed in place - you won't see the caulk but you'll keep water out of the wall cavities when it spills onto the floor.
Clean the tile surfaces after showering - use a squeegee to clean water and soap scum off of tile walls and shower doors - they will look better and you'll be reducing the organic debris on those surfaces, thus reducing mold growth.
Do not leave very wet towels hung from hooks anywhere; spread them out on towel racks to dry, or put wet towels into the laundry. One of the moldiest closets we found in a home without other leaks was caused by an owner who daily hung his very wet towel on the back of the door to a tiny, clothes-filled closet, closing the door trapping moisture there.