Replace old bathroom fan with HRV unit

Q uestion: We purchased a home, built in 1987, and have a bathroom fan that exhausts through a central motorized fan near the furnace. The vents that are used by the fan to pipe out the side of the house . . .

Posted: 2016-12-03

SOLUTIONS: Bring in ammonia for tough cleaning Solutions

QUESTION: I read with interest your hints in the Winnipeg Free Press. I need your help because I washed walls this week with my usual cleaner, Lysol Liquid; now there are terrible streaks over everything I've washed. This has never . . .

Posted: 2010-02-27

Proper exhaust an absolute must

The introduction of a basement bathroom always presents a few challenges. If the rough plumb for the sink, toilet, tub and/or shower is already present within the concrete floor, most of the cumbersome hurdles simply vanish. However, another aspect . . .

Posted: 2024-10-26

Removal and replacement of rusty ceiling grids required

Question: I made a big mistake, after finishing our basement, with not hooking up the bathroom ceiling fan. Now we have rust on most of the metal ceiling grids. Short of replacing all the grids, is there anything than can . . .

Posted: 2021-05-01

One door closes, another opens

Serendipitous circuitry smooths way for speedier project

When the health circumstances and mobility of a homeowner changed dramatically, the urgency to address certain aspects within their home compelled me to make the necessary time despite an already hectic work calendar. Having already remodelled the kitchen and introduced . . .

Posted: 2025-11-08

ASK THE INSPECTOR: Sometimes, beauty should only be skin deep

QUESTION: I live in a 92-unit bungalow condominium complex in Winnipeg. I have a heated garage with a concrete floor. Also, there is a concrete grade beam across the front where the garage door is located. When the garage door . . .

Posted: 2011-04-30

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