Use air conditioner to reduce humidity in home and crawlspace

Question: I built a 1, 500 square-foot home at the lake on a rock. I used ICF (insulated concrete forms) blocks for the crawlspace foundation, setting them on the rock and filling with concrete. Even though no leaks occur under . . .

Posted: 2021-05-29

More than one way to warm a floor

Question: I was browsing the Internet looking for good information and recommendation on a particular topic and I ran across an article you had done for the Free Press back in 2003. "Moisture under cottages a common woe" which . . .

Posted: 2013-08-24

Sealing off garage attic aids in fire protection

Current building code requires dividing barrier to extend up to roof

QUESTION: My home was built in 2005 and I just noticed that the attic in the attached garage is open to the attic in the home. Is this a problem in terms of fire protection and heat loss? The attic . . .

Posted: 2019-01-19

Contractor-speak: Learn to decipher it

If you're going through a renovation or planning one, it helps to know the jargon contractors used by trades professionals, such as: 16 off centre, LVLs, HVAC and rough-in. Contractors have their own language, and it's not always easy to pick . . .

Posted: 2013-12-21

Home renovations make great gifts

Sure, socks are nice, but who doesn’t want a fireplace?

So, just to have a little fun a few days ago, I asked the gang I chat with, “If you could have a free home reno for Christmas, what would it be?” I invited them to “be creative” in . . .

Posted: 2022-11-26

Decorate nursery with painted fabrics

One of the most joyous of all decorating projects can be a nursery. This room represents both a starting point and a safe haven for a newborn. My advice about how to furnish and decorate this room is to go . . .

Posted: 2014-08-16

Inexpensive detector can save your life

SNOW tires, weather stripping, parkas: all part of preparing for winter. To that list add prevention of carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning. CO is a byproduct of burning gas, oil and other fuels. Everything from a blocked chimney to an improperly installed . . .

Posted: 2010-12-04

Keep your home feeling brand new

Expert tips and tricks on how to give your house a monthly checkup

Prevention is the best medicine with your house, as well as your body. "We go for our annual checkups to our doctor and dentist, so why not do it for our home?" says Mike Holmes, host of HGTV’s Holmes on . . .

Posted: 2018-01-06

MIKE HOLMES: Check regularly under hood... of your home

We all get our cars serviced on a regular basis -- oil and filter change, tire rotation, tune-up. We know some moving parts in our cars require constant service and some parts will eventually wear out and need replacing. It's . . .

Posted: 2010-02-06

Keep your poinsettia looking its best

Did you get a poinsettia? You’re not alone. Poinsettias are the bestselling potted plant in the United States and Canada, totalling more than US$250 million in sales each holiday season. How do you keep these festive plants looking their best? Here . . .

Posted: 2017-12-30