A river runs through it

Musician channels creativity to build custom tabletops in downtime

There was a time when a musician in a band could make a good living working all year round, performing at various local venues and even touring the country. Although there are still a few fortunate artists who manage to . . .

Posted: 2019-02-23

City's ancient oaks under stress

Ever since I discovered what was causing our native bur oaks -- many more than a century old -- to die back in 1989, I have noticed more and more of them dying each year. The killer is a small beetle . . .

Posted: 2009-09-06

Country state of mind

Stunning and spacious Charleswood two-storey in perfect tune

Over the past decade or so, an increasing number of people have chosen to build luxury homes in south Charleswood. In particular, many opt to build on Liberty Street due to its close proximity to Kenaston Avenue, its huge lots and . . .

Posted: 2020-12-12

Understanding homes that go BANG in the night

Question:We had vinyl siding installed on our house, approximately five years ago. Since that time, we have experienced a loud banging in a particular area of the back of the house. It seems to become louder during the winter months . . .

Posted: 2021-12-31

Many causes for plumbing odour

Q: We purchased a five-year-old, three bathroom, cab-over home two years ago and noticed an unpleasant odour in one of the bathrooms. This odour appears to be worse in winter. We checked the floor for mildew, etc., when we had . . .

Posted: 2008-07-27

Avoiding mould grief in basement insulation

111I am currently developing my basement. My home was built in 1974. The previous owner had already framed the exterior walls and installed pink R12 fibreglass insulation along with a vapour barrier, probably around seven years ago. The vapour barrier . . .

Posted: 2015-02-21

ASK THE INSPECTOR: Zonolite in the attic? Better to leave it be

QUESTION: Thanks for the column on the Zonolite class-action suit in January. I had read the facts sheet on the website, but did not get from it that only a small portion of the removal/abatement cost would ultimately be covered. Before . . .

Posted: 2009-08-09

Fresh air worth a bit of frost

Older intake ducts have role to play in airtight homes

Question: My house was built in 1984, with a forced-air heating system and a standard efficiency natural gas furnace. The furnace was replaced 15 years ago with a high-efficiency unit. During the recent cold snap, I noticed that one of . . .

Posted: 2022-01-15

On the grow

Two-storey family home in South Pointe even has a bonus room

For many young, growing families, looking to move up from a starter home to more spacious quarters can be a financial stretch. Yet it's a necessary one. Once the child count begins to increase, trying to raise a family of four . . .

Posted: 2009-08-09

ASK THE INSPECTOR: Get rid of cold-storage room in basement

QUESTION: We recently bought a home with a cold-storage room in the basement. There is a vent on one wall near the ceiling. Should this vent be closed in the summer season? If so, any suggestions would be appreciated. . . .

Posted: 2010-07-17