Fix small gaps in counters and cabinets with silicone sealant

Seasonal movement can also loosen mounting screws and brackets

Question: Our kitchen peninsula tile countertop has been pulling away from an exterior wall progressively for the 20 years since we’ve owned the home. I need to find out why. We have a two-story home built in 1989. It’s on a . . .

Posted: 2020-08-08

Expert assembly may be required for HRV change

QUESTION: I am in the process of replacing a very old Venmar heat-recovery ventilator (HRV) with a Venmar EVO5-700. My house is a 1, 200-square-foot bungalow with a single-car garage at the front of the house. The basement is not . . .

Posted: 2017-10-21

Tips for cleaning your hardwood floors

Water and dish soap often enough to get job done

Question: The oak flooring in my post-and-beam house was installed in 1988 and has not been properly cleaned in at least 15 years. Otherwise, though, it is in great condition. The flooring is 3½-inch, tongue-and-groove solid oak planks stained golden . . .

Posted: 2018-10-06

Living (not so) large

Decorator's tips, tricks for furnishing small spaces

New York interior decorator Nick Olsen, who designed the Salon du Beau Monde room in this year’s Kips Bay Decorator Show House, joined staff writer Jura Koncius last week on the Washington Post’s Home Front online chat. Here is an . . .

Posted: 2017-06-17

Creating drama in the home is fun and easy

Creating drama in your decor is easier than you think. It doesn't have to involve spending tons of money on expensive furnishings, high-end light fixtures nor high-priced accessories. Tricking the eye is the key to creating a stunning space on . . .

Posted: 2015-10-17

There is more than one way to insulate between joists

QUESTION: I know the use of extruded foam insulation on interior basement walls must be covered, but what about the header areas? If you seal them with extruded foam, too, must those areas be covered? Doug ANSWER: You have identified an . . .

Posted: 2013-06-22

Beating the winter blues

For the cost of a vacation, you can enjoy a Manitoba winter in your backyard

The traditional way to escape a Manitoba winter is to book a one-week family trip to Florida or Mexico that can cost anywhere from $4, 000 to $30, 000-plus, depending on the number of people and the exclusivity of . . .

Posted: 2014-09-27

118 years young

Crescentwood gem breaks the mould on what 1890s-era houses look like

Think of a two-and-a-half storey home built in 1897, and several images form in your mind.Foremost among them would be the image of a traditional-looking home, perhaps with a pillared/covered front entrance, a front porch and triangular, peaked roof. And . . .

Posted: 2015-06-20

Be sure to keep your sump pumps maintained Secondary, battery-powered pump is good safety measure

Q: I recently purchased a property, which is a side-by-side condo. The property is three years old. We have a sump pump that is automatic. A previous article of yours raises some questions for my pump. Is there . . .

Posted: 2008-11-23

Leave all furnace repairs to the professionals

Question: We have a seven-year-old Rheem modulating furnace. Twice now we have had failure of the manifold gas valve because water from the air intake line dripped on the valve and corroded the contacts. The air intake line is right . . .

Posted: 2018-01-06