ASK THE INSPECTOR: Get professional opinion on roofing job

QUESTION: A friend noticed that the people doing her neighbour's roof had laid down felt paper this morning, before it poured for about 15 minutes. She was sort of expecting them to remove it and re-apply dry, but they shingled . . .

Posted: 2014-05-24

Removing old furnace chimney easy job, but requires roof patch

Question: Several years ago, we had a tankless water heater and very high efficiency furnace installed and the installers tape-sealed off the old metal furnace chimney in the basement, as the new furnace and water heater vented out the side . . .

Posted: 2020-06-20

Heating cables only treat symptom, not disease

Improve insulation and air sealing to prevent icy buildups

Question: I just read a previous article you wrote in response to a question about using roof-heating cables. Ice damming has not been a problem for us and I have no interest in putting these cables on the shingles. I . . .

Posted: 2016-11-12

Peak value for your home

New roof well worth the effort

Re-roofing a house can be a major investment for any homeowner, but the government's Home Renovation Tax Credit of up to 15 per cent for every $10, 000 spent on home repair can soften the blow. Installing a new roof on . . .

Posted: 2009-09-06

Is your roof tough enough for the white stuff?

Your home's hat is hit hardest in a winter storm

One area of the house that gets hit the hardest during a winter storm is the roof. It should be strong enough to take the brunt of bad weather, and you need to make sure it can. To start, take a . . .

Posted: 2015-02-07

Old brick chimney needs sweeping change

QUESTION: I have a house in the country that’s about 75 years old with a brick chimney above the roof and square cinder blocks below the roof. The house used to be heated by a wood furnace, but about 30 . . .

Posted: 2016-10-15

Fixing an icy, leaking roof certainly not a snow job

IT'S -10 outside, your floor's covered in water but you didn't let the bathtub overflow, and there's a new stain on the ceiling. Yup, you really should have done something about that ice on the roof a little sooner. Ice occurs . . .

Posted: 2009-02-14

MIKE HOLMES: Make it right, make it watertight

Membranes minimize the danger of water damamge to your home

One of the most important systems protecting your home are waterproof membranes. When they don't work or get compromised, fixing the problem and repairing the damage can be very extensive, not to mention expensive. On a recent job, one eight-centimetre tear . . .

Posted: 2013-12-07

MIKE HOLMES: Renovating doesn't have to be wasteful

Renovating is a form of recycling: It's about finding new purpose for old rooms and buildings, and extending their usefulness. But, of course, every renovation also involves a lot of waste. It also involves choices about what you can do . . .

Posted: 2010-07-10

MIKE HOLMES: Slow gutters, no glory

Water is the arch-enemy of any home

The kids are back in school and that means summer's over. Autumn is coming and soon we'll be climbing up our roofs and cleaning out the gutters before the fall leaves begin their damage. But how much damage can some . . .

Posted: 2011-09-24