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

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

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

Room to unwind

Two-storey offers flex space galore

While large families need ample space to function properly, that space must be well-ordered. The reason is simple: a logical layout allows a family to live in a more organized and orderly fashion and to have different zones that allow . . .

Posted: 2025-09-27

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

See your way clear to determining need for new windows

Question: Do I need new windows? I have window inserts in old frames that are framed into the existing frames in two of the windows. In a third, a complete window installation, a drip is still occurring. Is it because . . .

Posted: 2022-08-20

Leaky foundations best fixed from outside

May not be necessary for minor seepage

Today we have two questions I have selected from the many I regularly get on everyone's favourite topic, especially this time of year, basement seepage. I read your column on a regular basis, and I was hoping you'd be able . . .

Posted: 2008-04-27

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