SOLUTIONS: Sediment, funny smell... it all comes out in the wash

QUESTION: Can you help me with a problem? When my dishwasher has gone through its cycle, sediment appears on the glasses, inside cups and the back of saucers. It looks like sand, but isn't gritty. It only shows up in . . .

Posted: 2009-09-13

MIKE HOLMES: To air is human

To caulk and weatherstrip your home, divine

Weatherproofing means keeping the weather -- wet, cold or heat and humidity -- on the outside of your home. That covers water possibly coming in through your roof and flashing or through bad mortar joints in your brickwork, as well . . .

Posted: 2009-04-19

Take down useless old brick chimney

It deteriorates over time; moisture problems can ensue

QUESTION: I just Googled a reply you gave in the Winnipeg Free Press about removing an old chimney. We are going to be doing the same, if possible. We updated to a high-energy-efficient furnace, which goes through the side of the . . .

Posted: 2013-10-26

Large and livable in Linden Woods

Updated home checks off all the boxes

Thirty years ago, the field of home design was in a state of flux. Realizing that traditionally designed homes lacked navigability and light flow, builders began to open up homes to make them more habitable. Then, as the ’90s transitioned in . . .

Posted: 2023-03-18

Existing structure may dictate best siding options

Question: We have a 1940s cottage that is sided with tongue and groove pine with many different coats of paint on it, from over the years. It is also not in the best of shape with some cracking, warping, etc. . . .

Posted: 2018-06-23

Attic airflow critical to reduce condensation

Question: I just read an old article of yours on ridge cap vents. It was very informative and I hope you can help. I have continuous ridge vents on a low sloped roof. I think 4/12 maximum. This venting is . . .

Posted: 2021-12-18

Instrumental inspiration

Ingenious transformation tipples the ivories

Since I’m responsible for this (and darned proud of it), the least I can do is tell the tale, beginning with this email I received last weekend from Dale Wolaniuk: "Hello Laurie. We have never met, but I religiously read your . . .

Posted: 2021-10-23

More than a starter

A family can grow into this vintage St. James home

One of the problems with buying a turn-of-the-century home is the lot is often the size of a postage stamp. As cute as a home might be, that lustre comes off quickly when once you see that it's jammed between two . . .

Posted: 2013-04-06

The many shades of green

Weeding out a homeowner's best eco-options

Google "green home tips" and the engine churns out 60 million results, about 59 million of which contain the same tangle of cliched, overlapping pointers. For that reason, narrowing the choices down when it's time for a carbon-conscious, 21st-century renovation is . . .

Posted: 2009-01-31

Small amounts of asbestos can be contained

Question: We have a wood stove from the 1950s in our living room. When I was about to paint the wall, I noticed a few pieces with loose fibres of paper or paperboard behind the stove. Could this be some . . .

Posted: 2020-11-28