Renovation & Design
Renovation & Design
Don't shoot: scare woodpecker away with plastic owl
Question: A banging sound woke me up at 5 a.m. every day this week; I now realize that a woodpecker is pecking my satellite dish. What can I do to stop him? I can’t sleep (the words BB gun come to mind). Thanks, Alfred
Answer: Although I understand you need your sleep and the sound is annoying (for not only you, but your neighbors as well), please don’t shoot the bird. Yes, he loves hearing the tapping sound he creates, but he will eventually go away on his own. Here are a few suggestions to speed up the result: mount a plastic owl as close as possible to the dish or cover the dish with cloth, mesh or wire in a way that won’t hinder the signal. Or mount a pole near the dish with strips of garbage bags so the strips move with the wind.
Question: Our golden chenille type couch had a stain on the inside of the arm. My husband wiped it off with a damp cloth. Now we can’t get rid of the water stain circle where the old stain was. Help, this is a gorgeous and very expensive couch. What can we do? Elaine
Answer: Take an old rag and dampen it with white vinegar. Wipe the entire couch with the cloth so that it blends together. Air dry, and the stain will soon be a distant memory.
Question: Do you have a solution to stop my carpet from sliding on top of another carpet? Rubber rings just don’t do it. Thanks, A.
Answer: Here are a few options beginning with my least favorite to my favorite: 1) Apply Velcro strips or double sided tape to both the carpet and the area rug to hold it in place. 2) There is an online product called Ruggies (quite inexpensive), these little rubber shapes are designed to suction grip carpet on top of carpet, while preventing corners from curling. 3) Under-rug mats are made for carpets and are available at flooring and home hardware stores (somewhat expensive). 4) Purchase a roll of rubber shelf liner. Cut the liner to fit and place it underneath the rug (cheap).
Question: Even though I always add two or three eggs, whenever I make hamburger patties for barbequing, they fall apart. What am I doing wrong? Kurt
Answer: Is it possible that you are purchasing lean meat such as ground sirloin? If this is the case, try something a little fattier to bind the meat together. Also, eggs are not a necessary ingredient in making hamburger patties, in fact it sounds as though the liquid in the eggs might be another factor in your hamburger horrors.
Added Note: For best patty flavor, grill on medium heat and avoid flipping the burgers often and don’t press them down with the spatula, you will lose the flavor of the juices.
Note: Every user assumes all risks of injury or damage resulting from the implementation of any suggestions in this column. Test all products on an inconspicuous area first.
I enjoy your questions and tips, keep them coming. Need a presenter on the topic: Effective Speaking or The Power of Words? Check out: Reena.ca
Renovation & Design
Coconut oil is a household superstar
Question: On impulse I purchased a huge jar of coconut oil. I used it in my ginger cookie recipe and it was very difficult to mix with the dry ingredients. The cookies turned out well. Are there any hints to follow when using coconut oil as a shortening? Thanks, Pat
Answer: When substituting coconut oil for butter in recipes, the main issue is butter is made up of butterfat, milk proteins and water. Conversely coconut oil has much less water. In order for coconut oil to replicate the consistency of butter add a half-teaspoon of water for every half-cup of coconut oil in recipes.
Although the jar of coconut oil you purchased likely cost you a pretty penny, coconut oil is a household superstar and offers oodles of uses.
Keep insects away by smearing coconut oil onto skin. Add coconut oil when making popcorn, homemade pie crusts, cookies or brownies for a delicious flavor. Condition hair, moisturize lips, remove make-up, soften and condition leather and season cast iron frying pans with coconut oil.
Question: I want to know if there is an easier way to maintain a 100-year-old wooden floor. It has been oiled yearly with linseed oil and mopped with Murphy’s Oil Soap every couple of weeks and swept in between. The trouble is it is a large area (1,800 square feet) and is in a rural general store/coffee shop setting so it is constantly walked on with dirty and muddy boots. Cleaning is a big job to try to keep it in good shape. Over the years, the oil and dirt have accumulated around the edges. Basically I’m exhausted trying to keep it up. What, if anything, can make it easier to care for? Thanks, Maxine
Answer: Be cautious and use minimal water on the floor, the mop should be damp and not wet; 50/50 water and vinegar is also an option. Murphy’s Oil tends to leave an oily residue and is therefore not always suitable for beautiful old wooden floors. Bona is a popular product sold in large hardware stores and leaves no residual oil on the floor. Mist the floor and apply the product with a microfibre mop. If this is unsuccessful, perhaps it is time for a coating of urethane.
Question: Why do I constantly have ants coming into my home? None of my neighbours have this issue. I am very frustrated. Thanks, Shauna
Answer: Ants come into homes because they are looking for shelter and food. Caulk and seal any openings around doors and windows, even if you can’t see openings, old frames may have areas that need to be sealed. Get rid of food sources — always put dishes in the dishwasher right after use. Wipe counters and floors being careful to remove any potential food sources. Here is a solution that I received from a person who had hundreds of ants in their home. He mixed this recipe and said it was the most effective solution he ever tried. In a spray bottle mix: 1/4 cup maple syrup, 2 tablespoons water, 1 tbsp. sugar, 1 tsp. dishwasher detergent and 1 tsp. Comet powder. Spray wherever ants collect (keep away from children and pets).
Feedback from reader
Re: Cleaning ceiling fan blades
Dear Reena,
A few weeks ago someone wrote in asking how to dust a ceiling fan. I have a ceiling fan in my bedroom and I dust it regularly with my Swiffer extendable that has a 360-degree disposable duster on the head. Standing on my bedroom floor I am able to dust my ceiling fan with no problem. The handle can be made long or short — where the duster attaches to the head it is flexible. My Swiffer extendable is useful for dusting my paintings and pictures on my walls, also for dusting the top of my kitchen cupboards. I really appreciate my extendable because I do not need to climb on a ladder. I can stand on the floor to dust high objects.
— Lynne, Winnipeg
Note: Every user assumes all risks of injury or damage resulting from the implementation of any suggestions in this column. Test all products on an inconspicuous area first.
I enjoy your questions and tips, keep them coming. Need a presenter on the topic: Effective Speaking or The Power of Words? Check out: Reena.ca
Renovation & Design
Rite of spring
Quick — name an annual spring tradition that’s been a fixture on Winnipeg calendars for 42 years? If you guessed The Winnipeg Home & Garden Show, you are correct, although if you guessed the Home Expressions Show, you still get a point, since that’s what it used to be known as. The renamed event takes place this year from April 1 to 3 at the RBC Convention Centre.
It figures to be the biggest, best show yet, said Jenn Tait of Marketplace Events.
"It’s still the same great show people have come to know and love, but it’s going to be even better than it was before," she said. "With over 175 local businesses, features and experts, there’s something for everyone, and every type of homeowner. There will be so much to see and do."
As has been the case in years past, the heart of the show will be its main stage. Tait said the Urban Barn Main Stage — presented by the Winnipeg Free Press — will be occupied by big names throughout the weekend.
"Show-goers will be able to catch presentations by stars such as Carson Arthur, host of HGTV’s Home to Win (which premières April 24), as well as Jillian Harris and Todd Talbot, from W Network’s hit series, Love It or List It, who will be making their Winnipeg debut." said Tait. "After Carson and Jillian and Todd end their presentations, they’ll each do a Q and A session."
Arthur — the author of the best-selling book, Garden Designs for Outdoor Living — said he’s excited about the prospect of returning to Winnipeg to connect with home and garden enthusiasts at the show.
"I’ve been to Winnipeg before — I actually hung out at Portage and Main, and spent time soaking up the atmosphere in and around the area," he said. "I’m looking forward to coming back to talk about how outdoor renovations can impact the value of a home and provide home owners with a great return on their investment. People are welcome to bring their projects to me — I’m always happy to help."
Tait added the event will have much more to offer in the form of perennially popular features such as Ask a Renovator.
"Visitors can pop by the Ask a Renovator booth for free, one-on-one consultations with (RenoMark certified) renovators from the Manitoba Home Builders’ Association, and we’ve also tapped much-loved local craft market Scattered Seeds to do special pop-up editions at the show," she said. "And we’ve also added two new charitable initiatives designed to benefit the surrounding community: Barkitecthure, and Better Gnomes and Gardens."
In short, the show will be the place to be for home and garden enthusiasts looking for ideas on how to freshen up their home during the spring and summer months. With the 175 local businesses, features and experts, there’s bound to be something for everyone, Tait said. "We’ll have exhibitors who specialize in indoor renovations (kitchens, baths, floors), outdoor renovations (patios, landscapes, garages), indoor home decor, cleaning products, home entertainment and so much more. Show-goers will leave ready and inspired to tackle any and every home-improvement project."
Based on the enthusiastic response to the Winnipeg Renovation Show — which Marketplace Events ran in January — expectations are high for the Home & Garden Show.
"We were thrilled with the turnout for the Winnipeg Renovation Show and are looking forward to even bigger crowds at the Home & Garden Show," Tait said. "We’re expecting more than 15,000 visitors over the course of three days. It’s going to be a wonderful event, and will be a great way to kick off spring."
The Winnipeg Home & Garden Show will run April 1 to 3: Friday, from noon to 9 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.. Tickets for adults (ages 13-plus) will be $9 online, or $12 at the door; seniors can get tickets online for $7, or $10 at the door. There is a special $5 admission on Friday before 5 p.m. Children 12 and under get in free.
For more information, visit winnipeghomeandgardenshow.com or call 1-800-633-8332.
lewys@mymts.net
Renovation & Design
Solid vinyl flooring best bet for basement laundry room
Question: I want to replace the tiles in a basement room on the north side of my house in south Winnipeg. The house was built in 1963 and the tiles were laid in the early 1980s using some kind of black glue. Some of the tiles are lifting or broken and there are white crystals forming under some. I vacuum up the crystals but they start to reform within a week. The clean-out for the sewer line is also in this room and a lot of crystals form in that area. I read this efflorescence is due to moisture under the floor. I had water coming into the basement on the south and east sides, probably because the weeping tiles were not draining well on those sides of the house. Last summer, I had the foundation repaired on the south and east sides from the outside. The foundation was patched, coated, received new weeping tiles and the space was filled with gravel. The weeping tiles on those two sides work really well now.
I’m wondering if the efflorescence in the room on the north side indicates I should have the same type of foundation work done on that side of the house? Both my neighbour and I have downspouts that drain near my northwest corner, with mine draining seven feet from the house. What type of flooring should I use or should I paint the floor? Should I go with a subfloor? I want a floor that is easy to mop. What kind of preparation should be done in advance?
Thanks, Jo-Anne Tabachek
Answer: Installation of flooring over top of a concrete basement floor normally poses several challenges, especially when there is a history of moisture, like in your home. Repairing the foundation damp-proofing and weeping tiles should ensure the efflorescence is minimized in the future, and give you more choice in the floor covering selection.
You are absolutely correct that the presence of efflorescence on the floor in your basement is an indication of moisture. It may indeed be coming from the soil beneath the concrete floor slab, but also may be due to periodic seepage through the foundation walls or the joint between the two. No matter what the exact location of the excessive moisture intrusion, proper exterior foundation repairs should eliminate the issue. The most important part of the repair may be replacement of older blocked or damaged weeping tiles with a new plastic drainage system. These corrugated pipes have small perforations that collect excessive ground water and channel it to the sewer or a sump. Collecting that water should also prevent seepage and excess moisture in the soil around the home and under the floor slab.
Since you have seen the positive results of the repairs in the other portion of your home, you should definitely have the rest of the foundation repaired if you plan to have a dry surface for your new flooring.
The choice of flooring and subfloor for the north portion of your basement floor should depend on the intended use of the area. Since you have specified you would like the flooring to be easily mopped, I assume you are using this area as a laundry or utility room.
If that is the case, a subfloor is not recommended, as it may be affected by frequent mopping, unless you use solid vinyl sheet flooring. The concern would be water seeping between the joints of any other type of flooring and wetting the surface of the subfloor, which is normally some type of wood-based material. Even if that type of subflooring is treated to make it more moisture resistant, it still may swell or become damaged if frequently wetted.
To allow installation of flooring directly over the concrete slab, you may have some significant preparation to do, ahead of time. Because a fair number of the older vinyl tiles are loose, damaged or missing they would all have to be removed. This may involve prying them off the concrete with a flat shovel or flooring scraper. Care should be taken to minimize damaging or scraping the surface of the old tiles as they may contain asbestos. If they can be removed with minimal effort, excessive efflorescence should then be remove by vacuum, sweeping, and damp mopping. While that job may require considerable elbow grease and will be messy, cleaning the adhesive beneath may be even more difficult. You may find much of the old, black adhesive may come off with the tiles and the white crystalline efflorescence, but there still could be quite a bit remaining after. You may have to remove this remaining layer to allow proper adhesion of new adhesive. Paint thinner or other solvents may be required for that job, which should only be done in a well-ventilated area.
If you are successful in removing most of the older adhesive, it should be sealed with an appropriate primer before painting, but that may be difficult to accomplish. Solid vinyl sheet flooring may be a better option for a surface that will stand up to constant mopping, without the need to completely remove the sticky black residue.
You could also use newer interlocking plank vinyl flooring but it may not stand up to regular wet mopping. Because that style of flooring has interlocking seams, prolonged wetting may cause the seams to lift or separate if water leaks through from the surface.
Professional foundation repairs on the exterior of your home will ensure continued problems with efflorescence and basement moisture are eliminated or minimized before replacing your flooring. Using solid vinyl flooring materials without a wooden subfloor may be your best choice, not because of basement moisture but to allow frequent wet mopping. Other floor coverings may not withstand the continual wetting from the mop and may create a similar situation to what you have now.
Ari Marantz is the owner of Trained Eye Home Inspection Ltd. and the past president of the Canadian Association of Home & Property Inspectors — Manitoba (cahpi.mb.ca). Questions can be emailed to the address below. Ari can be reached at 204-291-5358 or check out his website at trainedeye.ca.
trainedeye@iname.com