- Accredited Representativea person or entity with designated authority to act for matters specified by the Warranty Provider on behalf of the Warranty Provider, and may include the Residential Builder;
- Actthe New Home Buyer Protection Act;
- Air BarrierSometimes called housewrap, these impermeable materials go on the exterior of a building under wood, vinyl siding or other finishing materials to prevent air and water infiltration.
- AirtightnessThe ability of a homes building envelope to resist air leakage and therefore an indication of energy efficiency.
- BackfillMaterial used for filling a trench or the excavation around a foundation wall.
- Below GradeThat part of a building that is below the ground surface outside; for example, the majority of a basement.
- Blower Door TestA Blower Door Test is a procedure to measure a home's airtightness using a fan and a pressure measurement instrument. It helps find air leaks and assess energy efficiency.
- Building Envelopethe collection of components that separate conditioned space from unconditioned space, the exterior air or the ground, or that separate conditioned spaces intended to be conditioned to temperatures differing by more than 10ºC at design conditions;
- Claims Assessment Reportthat written document issued by the Warranty Provider and setting out the Warranty Providers assessment decision with respect to the Claim;
- Common Facilitiesproperty managed by a condominium corporation pursuant to its bylaws; and a unit in a building described in a condominium plan, or any portion of the unit, that includes all or part of one or more of: the Building Envelope;a Delivery and Distribution System that serves two or more units;a load-bearing part;any Common Property as defined in section 14(1)(a) of the Condominium Property Act; andany area subject to an easement in favour of another unit;whether or not that unit or portion of a unit is intended for residential occupancy;
- Common Propertyso much of the parcel as is not comprised in a unit shown in a condominium plan, but does not include land shown on the condominium plan that has been provided for the purposes of roads, public utilities and reserve land under Part 17 of the Municipal Government Act;
- CondominiumA multi-family building in which the suites in the building are individually owned and the owners pay a monthly fee to cover the operating costs of the building.
- Defect or Defectsany design, construction, or material used in the construction of, Reconstruction of, or the components of the New Home discovered after the commencement of the warranty coverage and are captured under this Policy that:
- Defects in the Building EnvelopeDefects that result in the failure of the Building Envelope to perform its intended function;
- Delivery and Distribution Systemsinclude electrical, gas, plumbing, heating, ventilation and air?conditioning systems to which the Safety Codes Act (Alberta) applies and any other systems prescribed as Delivery and Distribution Systems including: private sewage disposal systems that: serve a single property;are designed to receive no more than 25 m3 of sewage each day; andare designed to dispose of sewage either on the property that the system serves or in a holding tank; and¥ all components of a Delivery and Distribution System in the New Home that are:present on the Commencement Date of this Policy; andinstalled during construction by the Residential Builder of the New Home;but excluding any fixtures and appliances that are attached to a Delivery and Distribution System and that are subject to a manufacturers warranty;
- DrywallGypsum board that is used as a finish material on interior walls and ceilings.
- EavestroughA trough fixed to an eave to collect and carry away the runoff from the roof. Also called gutter.
- Electrical PanelA metal cabinet containing switches or fuses to control the electrical circuits in a home. Also referred to as a fuse box.
- Engineered Wood ProductA manufactured product like plywood that consists of many layers of wood fibres or other products mixed with adhesive and stacked crosswise with natural wood often used for the top and bottom layer. The crisscross layers provide extra stability compared to solid wood and can be used in place of lumber in construction.
- EnsuiteA private room attached to a room. In residential homes it normally refers to a bathroom attached to a bedroom.
- Expansion JointA joint in a concrete or masonry structure that is designed to expand without damaging the structure.
- Extended Building Envelope Coverageoptional additional warranty insurance coverage for Defects in the Building Envelope for an additional 2 year period;
- Exterior TrimExterior mouldings and other pieces used to cover unprotected edges or joints or to connect elements like the roof and the wall.
- Finish GradingFinal adjustments to the ground surrounding a new building or buildings, which should slope away from the foundation to ensure proper drainage. Often includes manual application and raking of topsoil.
- Fire BarrierA fire-resistant wall, door or similar barrier that prevents the spread of fire within a building. Canadas building code specifies certain types of fire barriers in new-built homes.
- FlashingWater-proof material designed to prevent penetration by water or direct water off the building; for example, a thin sheet metal used at the top of the foundation, around windows, doors, chimneys and at roof intersections.
- Floor PlanA 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.
- FoundationThe lower portion of a structure that transfers the weight of the structure to the ground and generally forms the exterior walls of a basement. Usually made of concrete or masonry.
- FramingThe basic skeleton of a house constructed out of lumber. This includes flooring, roofing, exterior walls and interior partitions.
- Frost HeaveAn uplift of soil caused when the moisture inside the soil freezes. Frost heaving can damage foundations, driveways, patios and fences. Proper construction should mitigate the effects of frost heaving.
- Heat PumpA heat pump is a mechanical system that extracts heat out of a cold space into a warmer one, such as out of the air or the ground and into a home. Heat pumps can also be used for cooling and typical examples of this are air conditioning units and refrigerators. The relative energy and cost savings for installing a heat pump depend on your heating system and the current cost of energy. By running a heat pump you will use less natural gas, but you will use more electricity to run the pump.
- Heat Recovery Ventilator (HRV)A fully ducted system that delivers fresh-filtered outside air into the house, while moving stale air out. As the fresh air passes the stale air (in separate chambers), the heat from the hot stale air is passed to the cool fresh air, pre-warming it before it is heated. This action reduces the amount of energy it takes to heat the home.
- Homeowner Portal the internet account held by the Insured with the Warranty Provider at the web address https://homeowners.anhwp.com/;
- HVACHeating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning. Refers to the different mechanical systems, machines and technologies used to maintain indoor air quality and temperature, such as heat pumps, furnaces, boilers, and mechanical ventilators.
- Hydronic HeatingA heating system that transfers heat by circulating a fluid through a closed system of pipes.
- JoistsA series of parallel supporting beams, usually made of wood or wood composite, and used to support ceilings, roofs or floors.
- Master-Planned CommunityA master-planned community is a development or neighbourhood that has been carefully planned from its inception, often on previously undeveloped land. The plan will determine where streets and amenities will go and what type of housing it will include, rather than evolving in an ad hoc manner.
- Multiple Family Dwellinga building containing 2 or more dwelling units;
- Net-Zero HomeA home that generates as much energy from renewable sources, such as solar panels, as it consumes over the course of one year. This means the home produces at least as much energy on-site as it uses annually, resulting in a balance between energy production and consumption.
- On-Demand Hot Water HeaterOn-demand or tankless hot water heaters can be between 19 and 53% more energy-efficient than conventional storage-tank water heaters however they typically cost more to install. The greatest potential improvements are in homes that use the least hot water; typical hot water heaters continually use energy to heat water all day long even when not being used.
- Owner Builderan individual who builds or intends to build a New Home for personal use with a valid authorization issued by the Registrar and includes any builder prescribed as an Owner Builder to which the Act applies;
- Reconstructiona change, addition, alteration or repair to a building that is intended for residential occupancy and that is a building where after a change, alteration or repair to the building, at least 75% of the enclosed square footage of the building above the foundation at the completion of the change, alteration or repair is new. For clarity, a change, addition, alteration or repair to a buildings surfaces, fixtures or decorations is not a Reconstruction for the purposes of this Policy;
- Recorded Maila form of document delivery by mail or courier in which receipt of the document must be acknowledged in writing as specified in Part 11: Service of Documents in the Alberta Rules of Court (AR 124/2010);
- Relative HumidityThe amount of moisture in the air compared to the maximum amount of moisture that the air could retain at the same temperature. Relative humidity is measured as a percentage and depends on the current air temperature. Dehumidistats connected to a ventilation system (often a bathroom fan) can help to keep indoor humidity at a comfortable level.
- Residential Buildera person who engages in, arranges for or manages all or substantially all of the construction or Reconstruction of a New Home, or agrees to do any of those things, and includes a general contractor, but does not include an Owner Builder;
- SecurityA security offers protection that an obligation will be met. A developer may be required to post a security, such as a bond or a letter of credit, as a means of recourse should he or she fail to complete construction as promised.
- Semi-DetachedA set of two dwelling units separated from each other by one vertical division called a party wall.
- Show HomeA home built, usually by a production builder, to show potential buyers what they could expect if they bought a similar home. Generally decorated by a professional and often featuring upgraded finishes.
- Single Family HomeA home where the walls and roofs are independent of any other building (i.e. not attached to any other building).
- SoffitThe soffit is the underside of a building element with an overhang such as a staircase or drain, but it is most commonly associated with roofs.
- Structural Defect or Structural Defectsany Defect in the materials, labour and design that results in the failure of a load-bearing part of the New Home and any Defect that causes structural damage that materially and adversely affects the use of the New Home for residential occupancy;
- UnitHome sweet home. The unit is the area that you actually own and hold title to. Repair and upkeep of the unit are generally your responsibility.
- Warranty ProviderThe New Home Warranty Insurance (Canada) Corporation.
- Weeping TileAlso called perimeter tile or French drain, weeping tile is a porous pipe buried around the perimeter of a homes foundation. Ground water seeps into it and is carried away to reduce the possibility of water getting into the foundation and basement.
GlossaryANHWP2023-06-19T16:32:15-06:00
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