Renovation & Design
Renovation & Design
Frequent flying aircraft unlikely cause of static electricity
Question:
I own a home in St. James close to the airport and in line with the flight paths. For the nine years I have lived here we have had a problem with static in the house, despite constantly running a humidifier. Also, when I stand in the middle of my backyard I can feel the static against my skin. When we purchased the home there was a five foot rod sunk in the ground, next to the house, and another one in the back area of the yard. I did not know what these rods were for and have since removed them. I am wondering if they were meant to be grounding rods? Why am I experiencing so much static in my home and outside in the yard? Does the constant aircraft traffic over my home result in built up static? What can I do to reduce the static problem?
Shawna
Answer:
Some things that occur in and around our homes have causes that are hard to pinpoint, and beyond the knowledge of even an experienced home inspector. Static electricity can be annoying, but is rarely caused by a significant issue, unless in extreme cases. There may be some things you can do inside to minimize this concern, but outside may be more your imagination than reality. Determining whether there is anything seriously wrong with your home, inside or out, may require testing and evaluation by an experienced environmental engineer.
Static electricity is often experienced within a building due to certain materials rubbing against each other or other related causes. You are right that this may be worse in the dry winter, but could occur at other times, as well. The first thing I have to enquire about is the type of floor coverings in your home. Certain types of flooring, particularly carpets, can cause static electricity when walked on with socks, stockings, or certain types of footwear. I'm not sure which regular carpet materials may be the worst, but often the fabrics are composed of nylon, polyester, wool, or blends of these. If you mainly experience this phenomenon in rooms with carpets only, removal and replacement with hard surface flooring may help.
It is doubtful aircraft frequently flying over your home has anything to do with electrical charges or electromagnetic forces in the environment. Even in your area, there is a great deal of open space between your home and any planes, which should negate any effects they may be cause. I would think noise or vibrations may be an issue, but not anything that would cause excessive static electricity in your yard. A better place to look would be any equipment located nearby.
Do you have any hydro poles immediately adjacent to your yard? If so, are there any large transformers suspended from the top of these? Are there any substations or large overhead power lines near your home? Any of these could produce a higher than normal amount of electromagnetic radiation in the vicinity of your yard. Whether this would be noticeable when you're outside would be questionable, but there has been lots of chatter in recent years about possible negative effects of this equipment on people. It is conceivable your home is located in an area where Hydro infrastructure is inadvertently affecting the environment. Whether this would be causing the high static electricity forces you are noticing would be a question for someone more qualified than I. Further investigation by an environmental specialist may be warranted to determine if there are any more serious concerns, if this is the case.
You may be correct that the metal rods you removed from your yard were originally installed as ground rods, but they're probably not needed anymore. They were either rendered unnecessary many years ago, or may have been installed for something such as an old television antenna or other exterior fixture. To rule this out as an issue, locate your current ground wire where it connects to the water supply pipe near the meter. This bare copper wire should be continuous from this pipe to the electrical panel, or bypass the meter and continue right to the panel. If it is not in this location, look for a clamp on a metal water supply pipe where the wire may terminate. If you see it in this location, or can't find the termination of this wire, call an electrician to properly ground the panel to the water line. This may not eliminate the static issue, but will certainly improve the overall safety of the electrical system.
Dryness in your home may make static electricity issues worse, but should not be the underlying cause, nor should airplanes flying low over your home. It is more likely various materials in your flooring, furniture, or clothing are responsible for this nuisance problem. The true cause of this issue may not be within the knowledge of most home inspectors, myself included, but common sense tells me your sensing of this outside the home is an overreaction. Regardless, if changes in your interior floor coverings or furnishings don't solve the problem, and you still feel the effects of the static charges outside your home, evaluation by an experienced environmental engineer should be the next step.
Ari Marantz is the owner of Trained Eye Home Inspection Ltd.
trainedeye@iname.com
Renovation & Design
Why is the poplar tree so unpopular?
I have written a great deal about the problems with poplar trees, especially the Swedish aspen and Tower poplar -- two of the most commonly planted trees in the poplar tree family. There are larger poplar trees than these two which also can be of great concern for people who own these trees.
I devote much space about poplar tree problems in my book Dr. Tree's Guide to the Common Diseases of Urban Prairie Diseases. There are numerous illustrations of the problems poplars can experience. The poplars I am referring to are the very tall and massive hybrid poplars. These trees have been around for more than 50 years, but are usually hybrids between the native giant cottonwoods growing near river banks and the native balsam poplars that thrive in slightly seasonal low lying areas. Tree breeders have also combined these trees with European poplars to form even more variety of poplars for use as shelter belts in prairie fields.
There is no question some people admire the imposing size of mature hybrid poplars, especially the northwest poplar hybrid. A mature native plains cottonwood can live more than 200 years. Hybrid poplars are lucky to reach 60 years. Although these poplars were destined to be planted as shelter belts and for shade around home and farm buildings, a very large number of them have been planted in urban yards. The hazards of falling dead branches from a giant hybrid poplar in a populated area are obvious. These trees were simply not meant to be planted in city yards. Some people are concerned with the height of these giant trees and have them 'topped' by someone in the tree business. Topped trees will usually produce new shoots at the cut locations. The thickness of the new shoots (referred to as "suckering shoots") is smaller than the stem or branch they originated from. The new shoots in these circumstances may or may not be strong enough to grow very large and long branches. Invariably, the branch falls away from the tree at the former cut location.
A few weeks ago I wrote about hazardous trees. When you see the condition of these structurally unsound trees it is easy to see they are no longer an amenity for the yard. Untreatable poplar diseases easily enter all poplar trees as they have very little natural resistance to these disease. A typical common poplar disease is called Hypoxylon. This disease spreads quickly though the tree resulting in the death of branches at first followed by the whole tree. My advice; be very wary about planting these trees in small residential lots.
Michael Allen M.Sc.F., RPF (ret'd) is a consulting urban forester, tree diagnostician and certified arborist.
viburnumtrees@shaw.ca
Renovation & Design
Filling voids part of maintenance
Question: I was moving some plants in a front flower bed recently and while digging next to my concrete steps I realized there was about an eight-inch (20-centimetre) void between the base of my steps and the soil beneath. The steps have been re-capped recently but retain what I think is the original base. I know we had some red squirrel issues a few years ago, but haven't seen any recent activity, so I'm not sure they're the reason for the void or if it's just a natural occurrence with settling over a number of years.
Should I be concerned about the steps being unsupported? I don't want to lose the investment of recently repaired stairs. Would it be of any use to try and backfill under the stairs with crushed limestone? And, if the squirrels are the root of the problem, how best to keep them out from under the steps?
Thanks for your time.
Regards, Perry Favoni
Answer:
Filling in voids under steps, overhangs, or other areas around homes is part of typical maintenance. There are a few reasons to keep these areas from becoming problematic, not the least of which is prevention of pests nesting in these areas.
Trying to determine the cause of the void under your front steps may be fruitless, but successfully filling it in will likely leave you pest-free. It would be unusual for red squirrels, which normally make their homes in trees, to build a nest under your steps but other ground squirrels, chipmunks, and rabbits may find the area ideal. Also, bees, wasps, hornets, and other stinging insects like protected, damp locations like that for their hives. Keeping the area filled in, especially with sharp edged stone, will prevent these critters from getting too comfortable under your stairs. While that may seem like the primary reason for your efforts, other considerations may be just as important.
When soil settles or erodes near your foundation, especially under steps, additions, or other overhangs, there is much more chance of water pooling from rain and snow melt. When water pools against a foundation wall, it is only a matter of time before it will find a small crack, hole or defect in the damp proofing to leak through. Because the soil in the void is below the level of the surrounding earth it will tend to collect more than in other areas.
As far as structural concerns with the disappearing soil, that may not be as much of a problem as you might suspect. Most concrete stairs may appear to be solid, but in reality are hollow and relatively thin. If they were constructed of solid concrete they would be so heavy that movement would be a more likely outcome. Also, many stairs appear to be supported by the soil alone, but may have more stable supports at the front and rear. Sometimes, deep concrete piers, or piles will be installed at the front corners of the stair landing to support the entire assembly. Other times, larger concrete footings are poured for the same purpose. Alternatively, many other sets are attached or connected to the foundation of the home to prevent movement. Losing some soil to normal forces of nature should not cause the steps to become unstable.
The next of your questions to address is the proper material to use for filling in the space in question. I often get this question during the course of regular inspections and my reply is that any type of fill that can be easily shovelled or poured into this tight area is acceptable. Soil, sand or smooth stone will fit in this category, but crushed limestone may be the best choice for a couple of reasons. The sharp edges of the stone may make excavation by invading animals more difficult, while it will be relatively easy to shovel into this tight area. It also compacts well, especially if it is quarter or three-quarter down material, which contains stones of various sizes combined with sand and other particles smaller than the screen size it is named after. Those properties, as well as the fact that it will become fairly solid if wetted down, make it an ideal substrate for your purpose.
Preventing moisture from permeating into the foundation of a house should be a primary goal of any homeowner. Filling in any large voids, like that under your front stairs, will go a long way in achieving that goal. An additional bonus will be preventing pests such as rabbits, wasps, or squirrels from taking residence in the protected space. Ensuring that this is taken care of, on a regular basis, will help alleviate these concerns even if structural considerations are not much of an issue.
Ari Marantz is the owner of Trained Eye Home Inspection Ltd. He can be reached at 204-291-5358 or check out his website at trainedeye.ca.
trainedeye@iname.com
Renovation & Design
Remembering Winnipeg's Pan American Games
We're at the mid-point of the 2015 Pan American Games and by all accounts the games are proceeding successfully and Canada is performing very well. There has been a lot of preparation for these games both in terms of athletes and facilities and the end results could lead to something much bigger.
It was only 16 years ago when Winnipeg hosted the 1999 Pan Am Games; up until now we are the only Canadian city to host these games twice (we also hosted the games in 1967.) There was tremendous excitement and energy throughout Winnipeg in 1999 and this town was alive with Pan Am fever. I have no doubt that Toronto is experiencing their share of excitement too; however, there is no way that this event takes over such a large metropolitan area like it did here in 1999. For Winnipeg, the Pan Am Games were our Olympics. We hosted more athletes and sports than any other event outside the summer Olympics, more than the winter and games and considerably more than the Commonwealth Games. Toronto, I suspect, is going through the same exercise that Rio de Janeiro did in 2007; prove yourself by hosting the Pan Ams before we can consider you for the Olympics. It worked for Rio who won the 2016 bid. I have no doubt it will work for Toronto too.
This year's games in Toronto have an operating cost approximately 20 times the cost for the Winnipeg games. There will no doubt be a tremendous sport legacy, however this column is typically about housing. How did the 1999 Pan American Games impact housing in Winnipeg and the surrounding area?
For one, we were a bit of an unknown commodity in Central and South America. Our games kick-started the Provincial Nominee Program, provided an impetus for north-south trade corridors and encouraged people to move here, thereby requiring more housing.
Neighbourhoods improved via new athletic facilities. The new baseball stadium invigorated downtown Winnipeg and brought thousands of people to the area in the evenings and weekends, not only then but for years afterwards for Goldeyes games.
The easiest move would have been to put artificial turf for a hockey field at the University of Manitoba. However, by locating it by Kildonan East Collegiate, minor football and myriad of other activities rejuvenated the area.
An expanded pool in River Heights, archery in Tuxedo, water-skiing in Transcona, cycling in Bird's Hill, rowing in Minnedosa, sailing in Gimli, cycling and equestrian at the Red River Ex, five sports in Fort Richmond and five more in the heart of downtown all brought heightened attention to where we live.
As I said earlier, I have no doubt Toronto will do an excellent job with this year's games, but in 1999, Winnipeg was the centre of the universe.
Mike Moore is president of the Manitoba Home Builders' Association
Renovation & Design
Summer tips for your home, lawn and garden
It's finally time for sun and fun so get ready to soak up these easy summer-loving hints!
- Clean up the grill with citrus. Heat up the grill and slice an orange in half. Take the sliced orange and rub on grill racks.
- Brush grill after each use with a stiff brush or steel wool and coat the cooled grill with oil to prevent future rust. Aluminium foil can also be used to keep your grill shiny. Gently rub the grill with a crumpled-up ball of aluminium foil. You will notice the grime and build-up disappear. If you are desperate, clean the grill with half a cup of washing soda and enough hot water to cover the grills. Leave overnight. In the morning rinse and scrub with water and wipe with vinegar, or apply oven cleaner, but be sure to refer to the instructions in the manufacturer's manual.
- To remove rust on bike chrome wet a crumpled-up ball of aluminium foil, then rub it across the frame. Cleans well, without scratching.
- Make your own rain gauge from a flat-bottomed plastic bottle. Cut off the top of a plastic two-litre bottle and place it upside down inside the bottle. Measure the bottle in inches or centimetres. Mark the outside of the bottle with a permanent marker. Fill the bottom of the bottle with water to the point where the measure starts. Set the bottle outside where it can catch the rain when it falls.
- You can't go wrong with the purchase of a sprinkler timer to water your yard. Set the timer to water between midnight and sunrise from May to October to minimize water lost to evaporation. Tip: Adjust your automatic timer to coincide with weather changes. Don't set it once and then leave it for the entire watering season.
- Grass is a fast-growing, high-maintenance ground cover that "browns off" quickly in dry weather. Ground covers such as clover and other spreading plants require less maintenance and are more drought-resistant. Your local garden centre can advise you on alternatives that will thrive in your area. Examples of ground covers include anemone, clematis, hops, lady's mantle, creeping Jenny, Solomon's seal and elephant ears.
- Don't overwater. Excess watering means that fertilizers and pesticides will move out of the root zone of the plant, rendering them ineffective. Those toxins can penetrate into the groundwater, impacting water quality and increasing the environmental burden.
- Mulch It! A good, thick layer of mulch cools flower beds, inhibits weed growth, and slows the evaporation of water from the soil. Place mulch around the bases of trees, shrubs and flowers to reduce evaporation.
- Mulch warning! While mulch does carry many benefits, there are all kinds of fungi that tend to grow in mulches, one in particular is called "shotgun fungus". These tiny little brown specks will fly as high as three metres into the air, and once they stick to the house or windows, they stick like glue. Do your best to prevent this fungus from growing. Keep the mulch loose so air can circulate. Don't add layer after layer of mulch around your house. Skip at least every other year and loosen the mulch you already have. Loosen at least once a year and rake flat to make it look like the yard was recently mulched.
- Nothing says summer like a gorgeous watermelon cavity filled with delicious fresh fruit. To begin, take a sharp knife and slice a small thin piece off the bottom of the watermelon (so that the finished basket sits flat on a plate). Next, take the tip of your knife or garnishing tool and score the watermelon in half, horizontally. Then mark a strip of about one and a half to two inches wide that will form the handle of your basket. Using a small knife, cut around the melon on the lines. The garnishing tool naturally makes V shaped cuts, which makes the job very easy. Separate the cut sides from the body of the watermelon. If you used a marking pen and there are any residual marks left, a handy way to get rid of them is to use a new emery board and gently sand them off. Take a melon baller and hollow out the inside of the watermelon. After removing all the edible parts, take a large spoon and gently scrape out the sides. Be careful not to scrape too thinly on the handle, as you want it to be stable. Mix the watermelon balls with other ripe fresh fruits. To make the handle garnish, use a toothpick to affix it to the watermelon. Tip: To prevent liquid from the fruit from filling the basket, put drainage holes in the bottom of the watermelon after hollowing it.
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.
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