Renovation & Design
Renovation & Design
Enjoy the fruits of labour
Fruit trees are always a favourite with people living on the prairies. Over the past 10 years I have seen an increased incidence of diseases on various fruit trees.
Earlier this year I discussed the many issues apple trees are having with fire blight and apple scab diseases. Apple trees are also infected with black rot disease, which I want to discuss in this article with reference to plum and cherry trees. Black rot is a fungal disease responsible for splitting the trunk (especially) longitudinally and forming a canker disease in that opening. Invariably this results in the death of the fruit tree. Formally the disease is called Botryosphaeria -- a broad class of fungal diseases that damage and kill many other trees in addition to those that bear fruit.
There may also be a grafting problem between the cherry/plum root stock and the main shoot where the union occurs. For example Evans is a common cultivated variety of cherry. The Evans shoot or scion is often attached to the root stock. Problems can happen as the tree gets larger, as the scion and root stock become incompatible. One of them may grow larger than the other. If a poor graft union occurs, then it is very likely that the trunk tissues will split, opening up the interior of the tree.
People often call me concerned about splits on their fruit trees and whether or not there is cause for alarm. The disease almost always enters the tree through wounds in the roots, or in the trunk and branch bark. People are the main culprit, but animals can also be the damaging agent as well. During the present year I have encountered a great deal of this disease in plum and cherry trees. As the disease progresses internally the bark can open right up revealing a large area of damaged wood. The action of the disease may cause an incompatibility issue with the now older scion and the root stock. The black rot fungus encounters the conducting cell tissues in the wood referred to as the phloem (living bark tissue) and the living xylem tissues. In advanced infections, droplets of diseased sap seeps from the wound where it appears to congeal in the air, leaving a gum deposit. Often this deposit has an amber colour. The physical manifestation of this disease is often when homeowners call me concerned about their fruit tree. The disease at this stage is referred to as gummosis. The gummosis part of the disease is illustrated for a cherry and plum tree.
During 2015 I have come across at least 15 cherry trees (all Evans variety) with the black rot disease; however, on the plum trees the disease can also show up with significant feeding of the fruit by the plum curculio insect. I could not find any references to connect the disease with the feeding by the insect, but transmission of diseases by insects to fruit trees is well known. Plum brown rot disease used to be common in the city; however, I have not seen this disease for over 10 years, although it used to be the most common disease of plum fruits.
There is a growing trend for homeowners to plant trees at home bearing edible fruit in Canada. Always be on the lookout for unusual minor bark splitting patterns in fruit trees. Early detection can encourage the property owner to seal up the splitting opening with tree wound paste or tar. Enjoy the fruits of your labour.
viburnumtrees@shaw.ca
Renovation & Design
Location of attic insulation critical
Question: I am preparing to add more blown-in insulation to my attic. I have added baffles for air flow from my soffits where possible, but, in some areas, there is no opening down to the soffit between trusses. In these areas, I questioned myself on allowing the insulation to touch the underside of the roof deck. After much searching on the Internet, one of your articles provided me with a very clear answer; thanks!
However, I have another question that I hope you will be able to help me with. I am topping up my insulation to 16 inches. Is it OK for it to be touching the gable ends of my roof? Or, should I create a gap with some baffles? I do have a vapour barrier under the insulation.
Greg Hill
Answer: Yes, it is that time of year again to address attic-insulation issues, and you have asked a very straightforward question on a rarely addressed issue.
Location of insulation in an attic is critical to maintaining a dry and well-ventilated space and ensuring the insulation covers the entire attic floor, even along the gable ends, is an important feature of a well-done attic.
As the leaves turn colour and begin to descend from the trees, many homeowners are reminded of their high heating bills from the previous winter, and thoughts move to improving energy efficiency in their home. Other than caulking or sealing old windows and doors, increasing attic insulation is often the quickest and least expensive option for reducing these costs. It also comes with the added benefit of making the home more comfortable and may be eligible for government-sponsored grants. So, increasing attic insulation in a home that has not been upgraded for a long time makes good sense, but like any home upgrade, care must be taken to do it correctly.
You have reminded readers of one of the many columns I have written on this subject but I cannot recall anyone inquiring with such a specific request. For those readers who don't fully understand the question, the gable ends of an attic are the triangular sections at the ends of that style of home, which are above two walls perpendicular to the sloped portions of the roof. A home where the roof slopes down to all the walls, or a hip roof, will not have gable ends. In the attic, the inside of these gable ends is seen as the backside of the wall sheathing behind the siding. At the bottom of these gables are the tops of the exterior walls of the home. The question relates to this area and whether it should be insulated or not.
The answer to your question is a simple yes. The easy way to explain this is any vertical wall or area that is insulated in the home should be covered with insulation in the attic. Since the gable ends are on top of the exterior house walls, which should be fully insulated, continuing the thermal barrier in this location is a must. This does differ from the soffits on the adjacent sides of the attic, as these are not insulated beyond the top plate of the exterior walls. That is why soffit areas should not, be insulated. In those locations, we should try to avoid over-insulating to allow maximum airflow through the vented soffits. We normally do this by installation of baffles, or air chutes, as mentioned in your inquiry.
The main item that may be causing your confusion is why we are allowing the insulation to touch the wall sheathing at the gable end when we don't want it to touch the underside of the roof sheathing at the other sides of the attic.
The discrepancy is that it is not the contact of the insulation with the sheathing that is the problem at the other sides, but what that shows us. If the insulation is touching the roof sheathing inside the soffits, it may partially or completely block airflow through soffit vents, which is very important to prevent frost and moisture buildup in the attic. Contact between attic insulation and sheathing is not a problem, but at the sloped edges of an attic it may cause serious moisture issues.
Warm air that does sneak into the insulation in that area from the home may not be able to escape and can condense. When it get really cold outside, this will cause frost to form inside the insulation, which will melt and cause damage in the spring. At the gable ends, there is nothing on top of the insulation, so any trapped air should be able to escape to the wide-open attic above.
In fact, poorly insulated or sealed attics and exterior walls can often have significant frost forming on the inside of the gable ends above the insulation. Adding more high-quality insulation in this area should help prevent that from occurring.
Maintaining continuity of the insulated walls in the home up through the attic floor, and beyond, should guide your insulation upgrades. Air chutes will not be required at the gable ends, unlike the areas inside the soffits, because there is no risk of blocking cold exterior air intrusion, which is critical for maintaining good airflow through the attic.
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.
Renovation & Design
Homeowners and contractors require adequate insurance when renovating
A homeowner considering a renovation should hold a comprehensive insurance policy, as should the contractor who will undertake the work.
Reno companies that quote lowball prices are able to do so because they are generally fly-by-night operations with no insurance of their own.
Since all renovations are subject to glitches -- some much more serious than others -- it is mandatory for homeowners and renovators alike to cover their backsides with adequate insurance.
For example, Mother Nature can be capricious.
In mid-August, the province experienced a cheek-cracking windstorm followed by a biblical downpour that wreaked widespread destruction.
One example of the devastation caused by the storm was a Charleswood home without a roof, removed in preparation for the addition of a new second storey.
The tarps covering the open area were blown off by the powerful wind, and the main floor was deluged by over 20 millimetres of rainfall.
"We were suddenly confronted by a home that required not just a home addition but a complete renovation. The original plan called only for the addition of a second storey and an extension to the back of the house," said Cory Kloos of Macanta Design Build Inc.
Fortunately, the homeowners are fully insured as are Kloos and his partner, Desmond Sweeney. As well, all subcontractors used by the company are required to carry their own insurance policies.
"We're proceeding as far as we can through the project's original plan; however, everyone involved is waiting to hear from the insurance company," Kloos said.
On the bright side, homeowners Mark and Karen Stuart will now be the beneficiaries of a completely renovated home that will include new floors and finished interior walls on the main floor and basement, gutted after the storm.
"It's also a good opportunity to add extra insulation because the old R12 fibreglass batts have been removed from between the studs. Building up the studs to accept R20 batts would not be difficult at this time," Kloos said, adding that largely due to rain damage, the existing basement will be renovated as well.
Meanwhile, a planned main-floor extension with a crawl space has been roughed in to house a larger kitchen with an island and more cabinet space.
The kitchen will have patio doors leading to an outdoor deck and a big picture window to allow the homeowners a view of a glorious backyard, replete with oak, birch, conifers and not-so-wild deer wandering here and there.
On the second floor above the kitchen, an ensuite bedroom with generous windows will also overlook the sublime backyard.
"The owners were considering selling their home but decided against it when they looked at the alternatives -- characterless new homes in sterile suburbs," Kloos said.
Though the Stuart's Charleswood home was built in the early 1950s, it remains a solid Douglas fir-framed structure, which sits on a well-constructed basement with very little of the cracking and settling problems evident in older buildings in other parts of the city.
Their love of the rural-like neighbourhood and its abundant flora and fauna persuaded them to invest in an upgrade from 1,100 square feet to a two-storey structure with about double the living area.
The new upstairs will include an extra bedroom with a dormer as well as a separate sitting area with its own dormer so the couple can look out on the front yard, which also includes tall deciduous and coniferous trees.
All the technical specs have not been clarified to this point; however, Kloos said the basement may contain two separate furnaces and HRVs to ensure the better-insulated renovated upstairs and addition maintain similar temperatures in all seasons.
"It's disconcerting to walk through a house that has hot and cold areas. You don't know whether to wear a T-shirt or a sweater," said Kloos.
In keeping with other houses in the area, the renovation will have a Hardie board exterior on the front elevation and stucco on the sides and back elevations.
Highly moisture-resistant Hardie fibre-cement board comes in many pre-finished colours and is available in designs such as lap siding, shingle or vertical boards and panels.
The material has a traditional look that fits the decor of older parts of the city such as Charleswood.
All of the home's windows will be upgraded to be more energy-efficient with argon gas and a low-e coating.
"We're still awaiting the decision from the insurance company before we begin work on the original main floor and basement," said Kloos. "I think this is a good example of why people should make sure their policy is valid and offers them the requisite coverage before they embark on a major renovation. Also, they should hire a reputable renovator with full coverage for unforeseen damage."
Macanta Design Build Ltd. can be reached at 204-977-6604 and can be found online at www.macantadesignbuild.com.
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