ASK THE INSPECTOR: There's a solution for a leaky stack

QUESTION: I appreciate your articles and as a senior with minimal building skills, I read with intent to monitor potential problems. Your previous article about leaking in the attic helped because I experienced something similar. However, a neighbour assisted me . . .

Posted: 2011-02-12

Fit and function

Savvy floor plan makes A&S design feel ample

These days, a 1, 600-square-foot home is often perceived to be on the small side. Granted, when compared to the 2, 000-plus-sq.-ft behemoths that seem to be popping up all over the city's new-home landscape, a home measuring in at under . . .

Posted: 2014-02-08

Gurgling noises just won't leave us alone

Question: We live on the second floor of a new two-storey condominium building. When it is windy, which is a lot out in the country, we get a gurgling sound in our kitchen sink. Yesterday was windy all day and . . .

Posted: 2018-05-26

Compact fluorescent lights not hazardous

Check brand to be sure it can be used in cold climate

NEWS about the federal government mandating the use of compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) generated a number of questions about the safety and cost of these products. With a planned government ban on the sale of inefficient light bulbs by 2012 . . .

Posted: 2008-02-17

ASK THE INSPECTOR: Does home need a good strapping? Maybe

QUESTION: I have a 26-year-old home in Winnipeg. I am going to be putting on a new roof, along with new soffits, fascia and eavestroughing. I also have a small portion at the front of my house that currently has . . .

Posted: 2010-05-22

River Heights classic updated to perfection

Modern amenities meet charming elegance

As much as folks love River Heights for its character-filled homes, there’s one thing some don’t love — the fact many of these classics lack modern function. In many instances, kitchens tend to be tiny, or separated from the dining room, . . .

Posted: 2021-05-01

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

How will your garden grow?

Roof and community plantings among 2011's green-thumb trends

Trends in gardening for 2011? It often comes down to whom you talk; everyone has an opinion. The Garden Media Group in Philadelphia, which puts out its list of trends annually, thinks "gardening with a purpose, " as it is manifested . . .

Posted: 2011-02-12

Repairing cracked vent pipe an easy fix

Question: I am wondering if you could explain an unusual pipe I have seen in my attic. My house is a bungalow, built in 1986. This was in the attic and I found a small area, three square inches, of . . .

Posted: 2021-11-20

Freezing condensation a concern for homeowners

Question: After a previous winter’s two weeks of sub-zero temperatures here in Calgary, what I believe to be the cold air return piping started to drip water through some tears in the insulation covering the pipe. I understand that this . . .

Posted: 2020-10-31