MIKE HOLMES: What's hiding in your attic?

Hidden problems can lead to mould, fire

Have you looked in your attic lately? Any idea what's up there? It always surprises me when I meet homeowners who never inspect their attics -- and that is something you need to do regularly. Recently I even met a couple . . .

Posted: 2013-05-25

ASK THE INSPECTOR: Metal roofing bad idea if pitch is too low

QUESTION: I read your column weekly, and have really learned a lot. I have a low-slope residential tar-and-gravel roof. I'm thinking of replacing it with a metal roof with spray-on foam in the cavity. My question is this: Right now I . . .

Posted: 2012-04-07

ASK THE INSPECTOR: Knee wall attic poses moisture problem

QUESTION: We moved into a 1922 River Heights home at the end of May 2009. We had an Energy Audit done on our home about a year later and are interested in upgrading our attic and knee wall spaces. The home . . .

Posted: 2012-12-01

ASK THE INSPECTOR: Open up crawlspace to fight moisture

QUESTION: Our house is a 700-square-foot bungalow built in 1973 in St. Vital on a number of concrete pillars. A crawlspace surrounds an approximately 7x7-foot "partial basement" with concrete block walls that rise about four to five feet high. The . . .

Posted: 2012-08-25

Asbestos complicates insulation project

Question — We have an early 1960s bungalow that was moved to our farm near Winnipeg in 1991. At the time, it had only three inches of insulation between the attic rafters, so we had a local company blow in . . .

Posted: 2019-12-14

Condo board lacks common sense on furnace vent blockages

Question: I’m hoping you can help me figure out if it’s safe to plant vegetation in front of new intake and exhaust high-efficiency furnace vents. I would rather not put any potential obstructions near the vents, terminating through the side . . .

Posted: 2018-07-28

Adding more insulation to attic a simple process

Question: We have a bungalow built in the early 1960s that was moved to our farm location near Winnipeg in 1991. At the time it had only three inches of insulation between the attic rafters, so we had a local . . .

Posted: 2019-12-21

Attic ventilation key to avoiding damage

VENTILATION plays a key role in controlling attic moisture in the winter and hot air in the summer. Care should be taken to seal around all the openings in the attic floor, such as ceiling light fixtures, plumbing stacks, exhaust fans . . .

Posted: 2013-09-21

Eliminating cold room could go one of two ways

No real reason for a root cellar in the 21st century anyway

Question: I just read an excellent older article of yours online about eliminating a cold room. We purchased our home four years ago. It has a 6x18 cold room we have no intention of using. There are two round vents to the outside. After . . .

Posted: 2019-08-24

Tips to help remove moisture from a crawlspace

Dehumidifier and vapour barrier will help keep your home comfortable

Question: I have a year-round home at Victoria Beach. We raised our cottage nine years ago and it is now on a concrete foundation with spray foamed pony wall. I wanted to minimize moisture in the crawlspace during the . . .

Posted: 2023-04-08