Heating ducts in concrete may present unique challenge

Question: I am hoping you can tell me how a repair can be made to the heat vents which are laid into the cement slab. I think this winter my house shifted in such a way as to crack a . . .

Posted: 2022-05-14

New-home warranty law a win-win-win

On November 22, Minister Jim Rondeau announced the introduction of a New Home Warranty Act for Manitoba. The purpose of this legislation is to ensure that all new homes built for sale are covered by a warranty against defects in materials . . .

Posted: 2012-12-01

Removal and replacement of rusty ceiling grids required

Question: I made a big mistake, after finishing our basement, with not hooking up the bathroom ceiling fan. Now we have rust on most of the metal ceiling grids. Short of replacing all the grids, is there anything than can . . .

Posted: 2021-05-01

Stop and smell the roses

Recent breeding developments improve disease-resistance and continuous or repeat flowering

Is it time to fall in love with roses again? Today’s gardener can feel more confident than ever about growing roses thanks to breeding developments that emphasize greater disease-resistance and continuous or repeat flowering. New roses developed for the northern garden . . .

Posted: 2018-10-20

Tips for saving some green when building a garden

I once had a friend whose garden stole his wallet and took over his life. Inspired by the great gardens he’d seen in England, he built a reflecting pool surrounded by brick-walled garden rooms. Soon the pool was dotted with . . .

Posted: 2017-06-30

SOLUTIONS: Laundry spray erases more than stains

QUESTION: Recently I hosted a dinner and when the guests left I noticed several red wine stains on my white tablecloth. Because my laundry room is small and dark I decided to use Spray and Wash while the tablecloth was . . .

Posted: 2012-04-14

ASK THE INSPECTOR: Transitional area wasn't planned properly

QUESTION: I have a question in relation to our new log home construction in Grand Beach. The crawl space is a four-foot height, surrounded by pressure-treated plywood. The edge of the untreated plywood floor sheathing is exposed above the treated . . .

Posted: 2010-04-10

CONNIE OLIVER: Mirror -- a window to great decor

The wall of mirrors in our feature photograph shows just how dramatic a simple mirror can be when grouped together in a large display. Affordable mirrors can create a fantastic focal wall in any room. Any one of these mirrors . . .

Posted: 2014-05-24

ASK THE INSPECTOR: Outdoor backwater valves a bad idea here

QUESTION: I live in Winnipeg and have a question about sewer backups. Is it possible and allowed in Canada to have a backwater valve/back-flow preventer installed outside the house? I have seen several websites and videos on the Internet that . . .

Posted: 2012-01-28

Home renovations without permit come with a big risk

As I’ve said many times in this column, Winnipeg is the renovation capital of Canada. More Winnipeggers (a staggering 58 per cent) have indicated they have a renovation project planned for the coming year than any other city in Canada.We . . .

Posted: 2016-12-03