Acorn

To give you peace of mind, your new home is warranted by Acorn and Tarion, according to the terms of the Ontario New Home Warranties Plan Act.
Please refer to Tarion’s Homeowner Information Package, which you received during your New Home Orientation email confirmation. Information is also available at tarion.com.

Register Tarion “My Home”

To access and manage all your warranty information and submit warranty forms online, you can register at Tarion’s “My Home” section (myhome.tarion.com). You will need your Certificate of Completion and Possession that you received during your home orientation. It is your opportunity to inform Tarion of items listed on your PDI form and any new items that have not been addressed by Acorn.

30D

30-Day Form and Warranty Protection

Any deficiencies found during the first 30 days of possession of your new home.

You have 30 days, including the day you took possession of your home, to submit your 30-Day Form to Acorn and Tarion. For example, if you took possession of your home on November 9, 2017, submit your 30-Day Form on or before December 8, 2017. It is your opportunity to inform Tarion of items listed on your PDI form and any new items that have not been addressed by Acorn.

1Y

One-Year Form and Warranty Protection

The home is free from defects in workmanship and material, is fit to live in, and meets the Ontario Building Code requirements for one year from the date of possession.

You must submit this form during the last 30 days of the first year of possession and before the first anniversary of the day you took possession of your new home. For example, if you took possession of your home on November 9, 2017, submit your Year-End Form to both your builder and Tarion between October 9, 2018 and November 8, 2018.

2Y

Two-Year Warranty Protection

Water penetration through the basement or foundation walls.

Defects in workmanship and materials that allow water penetration into the building envelope.

Defects in workmanship and materials in the electrical, plumbing and heating delivery and distribution systems.

Defects in workmanship and materials that result in the detachment, displacement or deterioration of exterior cladding (such as brickwork, aluminium, or vinyl siding).

Violations of the Ontario Building Code’s health and safety provisions.

7Y

Seven-Year Warranty Protection

Major structural defects defined as any defect in work or materials in respect of a building that results in the failure of a structural load-bearing element of the building.

Your Role As The Homeowner.

Attend the Home Orientation prior to closing.

This includes the Pre-Delivery Inspection (“PDI”). This is your chance to view your home with Acorn and assess its condition before you take possession. It is essential that you note any deficiencies including incomplete, damaged or missing items on the PDI Form provided by Acorn. This is also an opportunity to learn how to operate your home’s systems, including heating, electrical, plumbing and air conditioning.

Keep track of your warranty deadlines.

Submitting your warranty forms on time will ensure you don’t lose your warranty rights. Take note of your 30-Day, one year, two year and seven year deadlines so you don’t miss any important dates. The most convenient way to stay on top of your coverage is to register for Tarion’s web-based service, MyHome. This is the easiest way to manage important warranty deadlines, submit forms and keep track of all the correspondence between you and Tarion.

Send a copy of your completed Statutory Warranty Form(s) to Acorn.

Remember to always submit a copy of your Warranty Form to Acorn so they can repair or resolve the items.

Stay in touch with Acorn Customer Care to ensure there are no miscommunications.

You may wish to open up a mutually agreed upon e-mail channel with Acorn to allow for ease of communication and to provide a record of communications.

Allow Acorn access to your home to fix any deficiencies.

After you submit a Statutory Warranty Form, Acorn has a specific period of time to repair or resolve warranted items. Be sure to provide Acorn and subcontractors with access to your home during regular business hours to make any necessary repairs. If these items are not resolved within the appropriate time period, you have 30 days to contact Tarion to request a conciliation inspection. If you do not contact Tarion within those 30 days, they will not be able to help resolve the situation.

Read through your Agreement of Purchase and Sale and review it with a lawyer.

The Agreement of Purchase and Sale is a legal contract between you and Acorn setting out the terms of your new home purchase. It is important that you understand what these terms are.

Maintain your home.

Improper maintenance can affect warranty eligibility. A year-round maintenance schedule is shown below.

Homeowner Maintenance Schedule.

Mar

Clean furnace filter and energy recovery ventilator (ERV)
Check attic
Check sump pump (if installed)
Clean humidifier
Remove snow and ice from overhang and vents
Check and reset ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI)
Test smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors

April

Check eavestroughs and downspouts
Clean furnace filter and ERV
Clean humidifier
Inspect basement or crawl spaces
Check roof for loose or cracked shingles
Check driveways and walkways for frost damage
Check water heater for leaks
Turn on exterior water supply
Plan landscaping to avoid soil settlement and water ponding
Check and reset GFCI
Test smoke alarms carbon monoxide detectors

May

Inspects fences
Check caulking for air and water leaks
Lubricate weatherstripping
Check exterior finishes
Check windows and screens are operating properly
Check septic system (if installed)
Check and reset GFCI
Test smoke alarms carbon monoxide detectors

Jun

Inspect air conditioning

Check roof

Check sheds and garages

Check sealing around windows and doors

Check septic system and clean if necessary

Fertilize lawn

Check water heater

Check and reset ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI)

Test smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors

Jul

Air out damp basements on dry, sunny day

Clean air conditioner

Check exhaust fans

Check water heater for leaks

Check and reset GFCI

Test smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors

Aug

Clean air conditioner filter

Air out damp basements on dry, sunny days

Inspect driveways and walks

Inspect doors and locks

Check and reset GFCI

Test smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors

Sep

Check exterior finishes

Check garage door tracks and lubricate bearings

Check caulking for air and water leaks

Plant new lawn (if needed)

Check fireplace and chimney

Check basement or crawl spaces

Have humidifier, furnace and energy recovery ventilator (ERV)serviced

Check clothes dryer vent

Check and reset ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI)

Test smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors

Oct

Check windows and screens

Drain exterior water lines

Check roof including shingles, flashing and vents

Check weatherstripping

Check sealing around windows and doors

Check septic system

Winterize landscaping and remove leaves

Clean furnace filter and ERV

Clean water heater

Shut off exterior water supply

Check eavestroughs and downspouts

Clean humidifier

Check and reset GFCI

Test smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors

Nov

Check attic

Inspect floor drains to ensure trap is filled with water

Clean furnace filter and ERV

Check for condensation and humidity

Check and reset GFCI

Test smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors

Dec

Check air ducts

Check for excessive snow on roof

Clean furnace filter and ERV

Clean humidifier

Check and reset ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI)

Test smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors

Jan

Check furnace fan belt

Check water heater

Check exhaust fans

Clean humidifier

Remove snow and ice from roof overhang/vents

Check and reset GFCI

Test smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors

Feb

Clean furnace filter and ERV

Check inside surfaces

Remove snow and ice from roof overhang/vents

Check and reset GFCI

Test smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors

Voiding Your Warranty.

Owners of a new home often want to make minor changes of one kind or another. Experience tells us that this can sometimes cause not-so-minor problems. So, we’d like to recommend that you don’t make any alterations until the warranty period is over on all Acorn-installed systems and equipment. Before doing any of the following, please discuss your intentions with your Customer Care Coordinator:

  • Changing plugs and switches.
  • Adding lights (e.g. pot lights), electronic thermostat or electronic air cleaner.
  • Installing air conditioning.
  • Any change that requires wiring in the electrical panel for which Acorn has not provided a rough-in.
  • Having anything installed on your furnace by anyone other than our subcontractor.
  • Adding an electric door opener will void the warranty on the garage door.
  • Moving interior walls, finishing the basement (including rough-ins), and other similar renovations.
  • All additions to your home’s water and plumbing system, such as installing garborator or adding a water softening device.

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