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

Investing in a good night's sleep

I find myself at what I consider to be a milestone in my young adult life. After a year of moving around the country for jobs after college, suffering aches and pains from sleeping on mattresses that weren’t right for . . .

Posted: 2019-04-20

Heating cables only treat symptom, not disease

Improve insulation and air sealing to prevent icy buildups

Question: I just read a previous article you wrote in response to a question about using roof-heating cables. Ice damming has not been a problem for us and I have no interest in putting these cables on the shingles. I . . .

Posted: 2016-11-12

How to make sure your fried chicken is crispy, not soggy

Question: Do you have any ingredients that I can add to chicken batter to make crispy fried chicken, so that it isn’t soggy? — Cassidy Answer: Certainly! For crispy chicken, use half flour and half cornstarch, along with your usual seasonings and . . .

Posted: 2018-09-08

SOLUTIONS: Trash microwave oven over safety concerns

QUESTION: I am hoping you might have a solution for getting rid of a burnt popcorn smell in a microwave oven. I have tried lemon juice, vinegar, baking soda, and even microwaving meat with a barbeque sauce on it, hoping . . .

Posted: 2014-05-24