The masthead, or gooseneck, as it is sometimes called, is at the top of the mast itself. Its purpose is twofold: first, to act as a rain cap to stop moisture from entering the conduit; and, second, to provide the bushings to prevent the individual conductors from being damaged by rubbing against the metal components. The masthead should be undamaged and securely fastened to the service mast.

Type-UF cable is rated for direct burial, and has outer sheathing that is resistant to moisture and damage from soil. This type of cable must be buried to a depth of 18 to 24 inches (depending on the location, as described in section/table 300.5 of the NEC) and, if embedded in rocky ground, must be installed in a manner that will not damage the cable. This cable still needs to rise in a conduit to prevent mechanical damage before it enters the building. The visible conduit should be made of either galvanized steel or gray plastic, rated for the purpose.

Electric charge is a property of certain subatomic particles, which gives rise to and interacts with the electromagnetic force, one of the four fundamental forces of nature. Charge originates in the atom, in which its most familiar carriers are the electron and proton. It is a conserved quantity, that is, the net charge within an isolated system will always remain constant regardless of any changes taking place within that system. Within the system, charge may be transferred between bodies, either by direct contact, or by passing along a conducting material, such as a wire. The informal term static electricity refers to the net presence (or ‘imbalance’) of charge on a body, usually caused when dissimilar materials are rubbed together, transferring charge from one to the other.

The main circuit breaker, usually located inside the main panel at the top, shuts off all of the electricity to the house. In a dire emergency, this is the one to turn off. Otherwise, shut off only the breaker that serves the problem circuit-that way, other parts of your house will continue to have lights and power. The main circuit breaker does not shut off the wires that run from the main panel breakers to the electric meter-these are always hot.

A typical home has several circuits to deliver electricity to different areas of the property, as shown in the illustration below. All of these so-called branch circuits originate at a service distribution panel, which has two hot bus bars and one neutral bus bar. Depending on the amount of electricity a given circuit needs to deliver, it may attach to only one hot bus bar and the neutral bus bar or to both hot bus bars. For example, a circuit that delivers 120 volts connects to one hot bus bar and the neutral bus bar, while a circuit that delivers 240 volts connects to both hot bus bars.

Many people use the term “Romex” when referring to type-NM cable. Romex is a trademark name that has come into common usage for plastic-covered wires, but type-NM just means “non-metallic,” and also applies to other cable styles. The earliest NM cables were, in fact, rubber-insulated copper conductors bound together as an assembly, with a woven-cloth sheathing. Originally approved by the NEC in 1928 as replacement for knob-and-tube wiring, it became the most common residential wiring used from the late 1940s, up to the introduction of modern thermoplastic (Romex) type wiring of the early 1960s. Prior to 1985, standard NM was rated for 60-degree applications, which was increased to 90 degrees and is now marked NM-B.

The Barrie Home Inspector checks your electrical panel and home circuits during your home inspection. He can identify illegal connections or poorly installed wiring. With all the Do-It-Yourself work being done in homes today, it is a good investment to have your home inspected by a professional prior to purchasing. Some sellers hide defective workmanship and the fact that work was done without a permit and hope that the buyer does not ask or notice the deficiencies. Be a smart consumer protect yourself with a Professional Home Inspection.

Darren has been actively Listing and Selling Residential Real Estate in Orillia for over 6 years. His passion for Real Estate and his ability to work with people have allowed him to successfully close transactions effeciently and as smoothly as possible, with integrity and honesty always being the forefront of every deal . Being a full-time REALTOR gives him the ability to be there through all stages of the process from start to successful finish! Bringing new methods of advertising and using today’s latest technology to complete full market analysis for pricing and professional photographs, your home will be marketed with maximize exposure and priced to maximize your investment, while keeping competitive in today’s slowing market!

Birgit Hoesterey is a fanatic about rural and cottage properties. Birgit specializes in properties in the Washago area and thinks that the Historic Village of Washago and the surrounding area is just beautiful with all our lakes and rivers. Great area for your Retirement Home. It is an ideal place to start a family and to raise children. Get a family cottage away from Home – just 1 1/2 hrs. from Toronto. Birgit Hoesterey is A FULLY LICENCED AND INSURED REALTOR……working full time. Since 1987 Birgit has been selling Real Estate in Orillia/Washago/Severn Bridge area.
She personally just loves this Cottage-Country with all the lakes and rivers. Birgit’s customers and clients satisfaction are her top priority!

Orillia Real Estate agents are governed by the Orillia and District Real Estate Board Inc. who states, “Living in the Orillia Area is a ray of sunshine” Some Real Estate agents may belong to different Real Estate Boards or even belong to multiple boards.

PROVIDING PROFESSIONAL CARE AND SERVICE SINCE 1954, INCORPORATED IN 1966. By enforcing a strict code of business ethics and standards of practice among its members, both brokers and salespersons. By endeavouring to establish a uniform character in all Real Estate transactions by such methods as standardized use of readily acceptable forms such as purchase and sales agreement and listing forms.

The Orillia Board also requires that each member acquire a minimum standard education in REAL ESTATE. It is compulsory for each sales person to take a course in Real Estate. They also offer its members the most advanced medium of selling REAL ESTATE, by supplying to them, the most efficient MULTIPLE LISTING SERVICE system available

For many, the rent-to-own home may be the best option. Also called a lease-to-own house, the process works similarly to a car lease : Renters pay a certain amount each month to live in the house, and at the end of a set period — generally within three years — they have the option to buy the house. Each month of rent they pay is income for the seller, while a portion of it goes toward a down payment to eventually buy the home.

In most agreements the renters have to pay an option fee and then a rent premium. The option fee is a set amount that the renter pays the seller. If, at the end of the lease period, the renter buys the house, the option fee becomes part of the down payment. If the renter doesn’t buy the house, the option fee becomes income for the seller. Rent premiums are an amount slightly above the typical rent, with a portion of that money going toward a down payment.

The Rent to Own program is typcially set up as the model here explains; The average house is worth $300,000, and typical rent would be $1,500 a month. Someone who’s renting to own might pay $1,700 a month in rent and then receive a $200 rent credit each month. Add the option fee, in this case $5,000. On a three-year lease, the renter would earn $7,200 in rent credits. Adding the earned rental credits to the option fee, the renter has accumulated $12,200 for a down payment.

As a Rent to Own buyer you will still be required to have a deposit for the property, which is usually a percentage of the purchase price or a lump sum. The monthly payment for a rent-to-own agreement will depend on your budget. The larger your payments, and the longer you make them for, the larger the accumulated downpayment will be when you exercise your purchase option and get a mortgage in your own name.

After your Rent to Own agreement expires you will have improved your credit rating enough to obtain your own mortgage. The sum of your initial deposit and your monthly payments will count as a downpayment for your own mortgage. To know exactly how much of a downpayment you will need to consult with a mortgage broker to discuss getting the best possible rate.

Your local Orillia Real Estate agent can help you find a property that will fit your budget. Choosing a Professional agent with local knowledge and experience will greatly enhance your real estate shopping experience. Choose from our Best Orillia Real Estate Agents to ensure your receive the best possible advice when making your next property investment.

The baby boomers are famous for proclaiming that they’ll work past retirement age; an AARP study last year found 79% predicted they would continue working at least part of the time during their retirement years. How they’ll actually feel once they’re in their 60s and 70s, though, is an open question. Right now, the typical retirement age is 62, according to the Employee Benefit Research Institute, and 40% of retirees say they left the workplace earlier than they’d planned, often because of illness, disability or layoffs.

Older workers typically begin to get serious about their retirement exit strategy during their final few years on the job. But the sooner you start, the more time you’ll have to explore your options and, if necessary, get your plans on track. Think of it as planning a long, expensive vacation for which every detail matters, rather than deciding at the last minute to take a weekend trip. “Deciding to retire without having substantially completed specific tasks can put a successful transition and a satisfying retirement at risk.”

Immediate annuities offer a similar pitfall. They’re great in concept — a way to lock in a lifetime stream of income in return for a lump-sum payment to an insurance company. The problem is that the payments you get typically reflect the prevailing interest rates at the time you purchase the annuity. If you buy an immediate annuity now, you could be locking in rates that are still near record lows.

Don’t expect a big inheritance from your boomer parents – even if they are rich. Less than half of millionaire boomers say that leaving money for their kids is a priority for them, according to a 2011 U.S. Trust study. But 64% of boomers say they plan to use their money to travel and more than one in three say they want to use it to “have fun.”

Boomers are expected to live longer than any other generation. At the same time, it’s no secret they haven’t saved nearly enough for retirement. Overall, the average retirement savings shortfall for married baby boomers is about $30,000, according to the Employee Benefit Research Institute. Nearly half of early boomers, born between 1948 and 1954, and 44% of late boomers, born between 1955 and 1964, may not be able to afford even basic living expenses in retirement, according to EBRI. The result? Kids could be supporting mom and dad well into their eighties and nineties.

The notion that a failure to plan is nothing more than a plan to fail is one of the more heavily trafficked pieces of common sense, but it appears that the baby boomers are exempt from its wisdom. Instead, it will be their children who will be forced to cover the costs associated with their failure to prepare for retirement.

The Town of Orillia is ideal for retirement. There is a beautiful waterfront and a downtown which still has the quaintness of a small town atmosphere. There are plenty of malls on the outskirts of town and lots of new housing developments. Whether you are looking for a nice retirement community or an opportunity for investment, Orillia is the town for you.

Known as the “Sunshine City”, the city’s large waterfront attracts many tourists to the area every year, as do a good number of annual festivals and other cultural attractions. While the area’s largest employer is Casino Rama, overall economic activity in Orillia is a mixture of many different industries including manufacturing, government services, customer service and tourism.

The site of an Ojibwa reserve from 1830 to 1838, Orillia subsequently prospered as an agricultural and lumbering community. Transportation links with Toronto and Georgian Bay stimulated Orillia’s development as a commercial centre and summer resort. The village of Orillia was incorporated in 1867 (sharing the same birthyear as Canada), became a town in 1875, and was designated a city in 1969. The city of Orillia is located on the shores of two connected lakes: Lake Simcoe and Lake Couchiching. Both lakes are part of the Trent-Severn Waterway. Travel north on Lake Couchiching, then through three locks and the only marine railway in North America leads to Georgian Bay on Lake Huron. Travel south-east across Lake Simcoe, through many locks (including two of the highest hydraulic lift locks in the world) eventually leads to Lake Ontario. From either of these Great Lakes one can connect to the St. Lawrence and thence to the Atlantic Ocean.

The human history of the region extends back several thousand years: in the “Narrows”, a small waterway that connects Lake Couchiching and Lake Simcoe, there is marine archaeological evidence of ancient fishing weirs used by Huron and Iroquois people to trap fish over 4,000 years ago. Also, there are several archaeological sites in the surrounding area that provide evidence of trading, fishing, and hunting camps that were visited for hundreds of years by Native Americans.
Also of historical note, the famed French explorer Samuel de Champlain visited the area that would later become Orillia in the early 17th century. Ecole Samuel de Champlain, a local francophone elementary school, is named in his honour. A monument to Samuel de Champlain can also be found in Couchiching Beach Park, and is a National Historic Site of Canada.

In Stephen Leacock’s 1912 book Sunshine Sketches of a Little Town, Orillia was used as the basis for the fictional town known as “Mariposa”, although Leacock stated that the fictional town could really be any town. The book was based on Leacock’s experiences in the town and the city has since the book’s release attempted to mimic the fictional location in as many ways as possible. The Stephen Leacock Museum, located in Orillia, is a National Historic Site.
William E. Bell’s 1989 novel Five Days of the Ghost was also set in Orillia, with many readers recognizing popular local spots, including the Guardian Angels Catholic Church, the Samuel de Champlain statue in Couchiching Beach Park as well as Big Chief Island in the middle of Lake Couchiching.
Orillia was the first municipality in North America to introduce daylight saving time and had the first municipal hydro electric transmission plant in North America.

Economic activity in Orillia is a mix of manufacturing, government services, customer service and tourism. The largest employer in the area is Casino Rama, located in the nearby reserve land of the Chippewas of Rama First Nation. Manufacturing operations in the city include CCI Thermal Technologies (industrial heaters and heating components), [Dorr-Oliver Eimco (industrial equipment), Kubota Metal Corporation (petrochemical industry components), Parker Hannifin (moulded rubber products), Pliant Corporation (components for the packaging industry), Smiths Aerospace Components (aerospace industry machining) and TI Group Automotive Systems (automotive components). Call centre Tele Tech Canada also employs approximately 850 people.
Otaco seating, which operated from the early 20th century, announced it was closing its doors in September 2007. In late July 2009, Parker Hannifin announced that they were shutting down their operations in Orillia at the end of the year.

G.W.B. Rope & Twine, which was one of the foremost North American producers of braided rope from 1973–1985, was also the inventor of the automotive grocery or cargo restraint net. The net was introduced with the launch of the Ford Taurus at Christmas 1985, and shortly thereafter the company was sold and became Polytech Netting Industries, which employed several hundred people until moving to Mexico in 1996-7. “G.W.B. Rope and Twine’s” Founders, Gordon W. Brown and family, launched “G&B Ropes” in 1990. (Their son Sean Brown worked with G&B Ropes until it transferred ownership around 1998. Sean Brown then assisted in the development of Orillia’s newest rope-making business, Redpoint Ropes.)
Large public-sector employers include the headquarters for the Ontario Provincial Police, which is located in Orillia. The Huronia Regional Centre, formerly an asylum that later became an institution to house disabled people, was one of the areas largest employers for many decades, until the de-institutionalization movement of the 1980s and 1990s.

Jennifer Sutton is a Professional Real Estate Agent in Orillia

Jennifer Sutton is a Profession Real Estate Agent with Re/Max in Orillia

Cell Number 705-345-3332

Re/Max
97 Neywash Street at Front
P.O. Box 2118 Orillia, ON
L3V 6R9

Our Historic Village Washago and the surrounding area is just beautiful with all our lakes and rivers.

Great area for your Retirement Home
Ideal place to start a family and to raise children
Get a family cottage away from Home – just 1 1/2 hrs. from Toronto.

I AM A FULLY LICENCED AND INSURED REALTOR……working full time.

Since 1987 I have been selling Real Estate in Orillia/Washago/Severn Bridge area.

I personally just love this Cottage-Country with all the lakes and rivers. My customers and clients satisfaction is my top priority! I will take time to listen to their needs and desires and help them to find their dream home or a family cottage on lake or river, a farm or hobby farm, land, acerage or a business. I care about making the difference.

I will provide you with professional information of the market, keeping you informed and guiding you through the process of Buying and Selling Real Estate.

If you are thinking of SELLING……..I can provide you with a ‘No-Obligation Evaluation’ of your home or cottage.

Please contact me direct to discuss your Real Estate needs.

Phone: 705-345-4411

e-mail: birgit.hoesterey@century21.ca

BIRGIT HOESTEREY, Sales Rep.

CENTURY 21 SPARKLING WATERS REALTY INC., Brokerage

Darren has been actively Listing and Selling Residential Real Estate in Barrie, Innisfil, Essa and Oro/Medonte for over 6 years. His passion for Real Estate and his ability to work with people have allowed him to successfully close transactions effeciently and as smoothly as possible, with integrity and honesty always being the forefront of every deal . Being a full-time REALTOR gives him the ability to be there through all stages of the process from start to successful finish! Bringing new methods of advertising and using today’s latest technology to complete full market analysis for pricing and professional photographs, your home will be marketed with maximize exposure and priced to maximize your investment, while keeping competitive in today’s slowing market!

Darren Johnson Sales Representative

Sutton Group Incentive Realty Inc., Brokerage

tel.: OFFICE: 705-739-1300

cell: 705-791-8153

fax: 705-739-1330

email: darren@djhomesales.com

Roy Micks is a Professional Real Estate agent with Re/MAX Orillia.  Call Roy for all your buying or selling Real Estate requirements.

Roy Micks is a Professional Real Estate agent with Re/MAX Orillia.  Call Roy for all your buying or selling Real Estate requirements.