Going green? Don't be colour-blind

If you've been sold on something "green" for your home renovation, be careful of the hype. There's a lot of conflicting information about what's good for the environment and what's not -- and there are plenty of big claims, says Metropolitan . . .

Posted: 2008-04-20

Fresh air intake paramount to comfort of your home

Question: With so many appliances such as clothes dryer, central vac, bathroom fans, and range hood ejecting air from my house, and my high efficiency furnace having intake and exhaust vents separate from ventilated air, what is the solution . . .

Posted: 2023-05-13

Using the right parts for sink will keep you safe from sewer gas

QUESTION: I have a sink drain that includes a vertical pop-up vent after the trap, and just before the one-and-a-half-inch pipe connects into the two-inch drain. It’s been in place about six years. Do these devices wear out? I thought . . .

Posted: 2019-02-02

Let it rain

Precipitation not a problem with proper planning

The recent rainfall had me drifting back to the time when the main second-storey addition was being framed above my triple attached garage. Because the roofline was completely dismantled to prep the new joists and sub-floor and erect the . . .

Posted: 2023-08-12

ASK THE INSPECTOR: Don't cheap out on flat-roof replacement

QUESTION: I would greatly appreciate your advice on replacing our 20-year-old tar and gravel roof. It has been inspected and maintained for the last 20 years, but with a couple of leaks. Because of the difficulty in finding future leaks . . .

Posted: 2014-04-26

Fix small gaps in counters and cabinets with silicone sealant

Seasonal movement can also loosen mounting screws and brackets

Question: Our kitchen peninsula tile countertop has been pulling away from an exterior wall progressively for the 20 years since we’ve owned the home. I need to find out why. We have a two-story home built in 1989. It’s on a . . .

Posted: 2020-08-08

MIKE HOLMES: Choose the right subfloor system

Protect your flooring from moisture and mould

Last week, I talked about engineered hardwood floors, and how one of the big benefits is you can install them over concrete and below grade, like in a basement. That's according to some flooring experts, but I think you need . . .

Posted: 2014-01-04

Discarding chimney a common dilemma

High-efficiency furnaces eliminate venting from basement through roof

QUESTION: I read your column every weekend and am usually quite pleased with the thoroughness of your responses. My question is about closing off or removing my chimney. In the past few years, I have had my water heater replaced . . .

Posted: 2015-05-02

Sprucing up the old caboose

New roof and a little 'Mustard' yellow will seal the deal

I actually may have smartened up a bit. I made an executive decision and decided to work at re-roofing my 1905 CNR railway caboose in summer instead of winter. I’m finding it’s a lot warmer. The caboose has needed a new skin . . .

Posted: 2020-09-26

MIKE HOLMES: Rain, rain go away

Preventing flooding a year-round job

Everybody thinks we only have to worry about flooding in the spring and summer, but a flood can happen any season. A water main can burst in the street, sewers can back up into your basement or a pipe can . . .

Posted: 2014-03-15