Renovation & Design
Renovation & Design
MIKE HOLMES: Engineered hardwood can be as good as the real stuff
When it comes to hardwood flooring, there's solid hardwood and engineered hardwood. People are always asking me which one is better, but both have their pros and cons.
Solid hardwood floors are just that -- they're made from solid wood. Each board of solid hardwood flooring is made from a single piece of hardwood that's about 3/4 inch thick. Because it's so thick, it can be sanded down and refinished for however long the flooring is in the house.
But the main problem with solid hardwood is it shrinks and expands depending on the humidity in your home. In the winter when it's drier, hardwood floors will shrink. When there's more moisture in the air, like in the spring or summer, hardwood expands.
Whoever installs solid hardwood floors must have enough experience to leave the right amount of space for hardwood's natural expansion and contraction. The individual boards can't be too tight or too loose. If they're too tight, your floor will buckle. If they're too loose, the gaps between the boards will get too wide in the winter.
Then there's engineered hardwood flooring. It's made of layers of wood, bonded together with adhesives under intense heat and pressure.
Because of this process, engineered hardwood flooring isn't affected by humidity as much as hardwood. It doesn't shrink or expand, which makes it resistant to warping and cupping. And for that same reason, it's considered very strong and stable.
It can also be sanded and refinished -- not as much as hardwood, but a few times over a couple decades is fine, depending on the quality. But another reason why people love engineered hardwood is its application.
Unlike solid hardwood, engineered hardwood can go over concrete under the right conditions, like in a condo. And some people say it can also be installed below grade too, like in a basement. But there is some debate about that.
Hardwood and water don't mix. If they do, there is the potential for mould and water damage. What does that mean for you? Possibly ripping up your new floors and replacing them. That's why we never put hardwood in areas where the potential for moisture is high, such as in bathrooms, laundry rooms, kitchens and even basements.
Should we follow the same guidelines for engineered hardwood? It depends on how much you're willing to risk. I would never install it in a bathroom or laundry room, but when we talk about kitchens and basements things aren't so black and white.
I've spoken to a lot of professionals and many of them say engineered hardwood in the kitchen is fine. As far as wear and tear goes, it can get scratched or dented by falling objects or utensils. But if we're talking about potential water damage and mould, as long as you wipe up any spills quickly you don't need to worry.
They also say engineered hardwood can handle moisture levels found on most basement concrete floors, usually no more than four per cent. Some engineered hardwood boards allow for air movement between the flooring and the foundation, so if there is any moisture it can dry out. But the basement must be watertight.
Bottom line, if enough water gets into the boards you will run into the same issues you have with solid hardwood. That's why you never wet mop engineered hardwood floors -- or any hardwood floor for that matter.
Can engineered hardwood be installed in kitchens and basements? Yes. Many pros do this. But for most people, engineered hardwood flooring is expensive -- it can be more expensive than hardwood.
Then there's the issue of off-gassing.
All engineered and manufactured wood products are made with adhesives and resins, and most of those will off-gas, including plywood, OSB (oriented strand board), laminated beams, MDF (medium-density fibreboard) and particleboard.
But when it comes to off-gassing and engineered hardwood floors, the issue isn't the adhesives mixed into the wood -- it's the toxins in the stains and topcoat.
Some manufacturers do a really good job of making sure their engineered hardwood does not off-gas, including the topcoat and finish. But homeowners should make sure for themselves. Contact the manufacturer and ask about their green policies.
I love engineered hardwood, but as with everything else, you need to do your homework. Talk to the pros, ask the right questions and always follow manufacturers' instructions on proper installation and maintenance.
-- Postmedia Network Inc. 2013
Catch Mike Holmes on Holmes Makes It Right, Tuesdays at 9 p.m. on HGTV. For more information, visit hgtv.ca. For more information on home renovations, visit makeitright.ca.
Renovation & Design
SOLUTIONS: Make turkey stock like grandma's
QUESTION: I have leftover turkey and I don't want to waste it. Please tell me how to make homemade turkey stock like my grandma used to make. Thanks, Melinda (Warren)
ANSWER: Great question! There are hundreds of variations for making homemade stock. Here is one recipe that will yield about two quarts of stock. Into a large stock pot drop two onions, two celery sticks and two carrots, all of which have been cut in half. Add one tsp. of each seasoning such as pepper, garlic, basil, oregano, salt and 1 bay leaf.
Remove as much fat as possible from bones and place turkey carcass into pot (a little meat on the bones will add to the flavour). Add enough water to cover bones. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and let simmer for one to two hours. Strain contents through a fine colander into a proper container and leave to cool slightly. Refrigerate. Use a large spoon to skim fat off of the surface.
At this point you can either make soup with the broth or freeze the broth. You can freeze the broth in ice-cube trays and add to soups as needed. Note: Taste the broth and add seasonings to your liking. Some people like more flavourings and salt than others.
QUESTION: I am 75 years old and do not have a garage or shed for my vehicle. What can I use on my car windshield to make ice removal easier? David (Letellier)
ANSWER: If the snow is not heavy, your easiest solution is to cover the window of your vehicle with a tarp or a sheet and bungee cords to hold the sheet in position. This technique should only be used when heavy snowfall is not expected or if you are parking for a short time (i.e. while grocery shopping or visiting a friend).
There are products on the market made for spraying onto the windshield to prevent ice from hardening. You will still need to scrape, but the ice will come off with ease. Or make your own ice softener: In a spray bottle, combine 1 part vinegar and one part water. Spray onto windshield at night. Or in a spray bottle mix 1 part 70 per cent rubbing alcohol and 1 part water and spray windshield and scrape.
QUESTION: I have a problem with gum on a pair of travel pants. I put them in the freezer overnight and the next morning any surface gum was easily removed. However, some of the gum seems to be embedded right into the fiber and I don't know what to try next. The pants are black (93 per cent polyester and seven per cent spandex). I would appreciate any advice you can give me. Thanks and kind regards, Barb (St. Andrews)
ANSWER: Spray the area with a little WD-40 (or rubbing alcohol) and wipe the gum away or scrub the spot with non-crunchy peanut butter (test them on an inconspicuous area first). Next apply dish soap and water onto the clothing to avoid a lasting grease stain. Blot and wash as usual.
Recycle Christmas Cards
* Cut up old Christmas cards into gift tags for next year.
* Save cards for scrapbooking pages.
* Make gift holders for next year. Cut up cards and glue them to the outside of an empty and clean coffee can. Purchase a jar of Modge Podge (available at craft stores). Paint the outside of the can with Modge Podge to seal the cards to the can and create a shiny finish. Instead of purchasing gift bags for next year, use the decorated cans. They are also great as candy-cane holders for your front entrance.
Harness the Power of Words!
"It's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years." Abraham Lincoln
I enjoy your questions and tips, keep them coming. Missed a column? Can't remember a solution? Need a speaker for an upcoming event? Check out my new videos/blog/website: reena.ca!
Renovation & Design
Vent blockage a common cold-climate problem
QUESTION: I enjoy reading your column and hope you can make a suggestion that will eliminate a problem I am having. I have two roof vent pipes installed on the north side of my home and they face the prevailing northeast winter winds. One pipe is closer to the edge of the home while the second is close to the peak. I increased the height last year and while it helped -- it only froze once last winter -- the pipes still froze solid during the coldest part of the winter. I increased the height as snow was piling up over the pipes.
I have to climb up on the roof, which is starting to get dangerous as I am 70 years old, and take a screwdriver and hammer to break open the ice and then pour hot water down the pipe. No one else seems to have this problem, or at least I have never seen anyone up on the roof during the winter. When the pipes freeze you get a sewer smell. I paid for a service call from a plumber in Steinbach and the fellow did not know what was causing it, but I still had to pay him for nothing.
Hope you can help,
Gary
ANSWER: Freezing or blockage of plumbing vent terminations above roofs is a fairly common problem in our area. This can be due to a number of factors, the most significant being our extremely cold winter weather. I will explain the reason for the location of these pipes, causes of your problems, and a couple of possible solutions.
The purpose of the rather strange practice of installing an open pipe just above the roof line in our homes is twofold. The first is to provide adequate air into the top of the plumbing drain system in our homes to ensure they don't block up due to air being trapped inside the pipes. While this is a fundamentally critical function, it may not be the most important.
The second reason for venting to the exterior of the house is to prevent sewer gas from leaking into our living space via the plumbing drains. Terminating these pipes above the roof ensures any vapours that potentially come up through the drains from the sewer will harmlessly be released outside rather than penetrate our indoor air.
To provide both of these functions, terminating the drain vent high up, above the roof, is necessary. Unfortunately, this location may be prone to blockage from snow, ice and debris such as leaves and roof litter.
The reason the top of these pipes normally will remain open and free of ice is due to the heat of the rising gasses from the drains. When hot water is run in any of the plumbing fixtures in the home, warm air will rise up through the vent pipes and normally melt any thin layer of snow or ice on top or prevent it from forming altogether.
The first key to preventing blockage with ice and snow is stopping partial blockage with leaves or debris. If the entire area at the top of the stack remains free and open, there is less chance of ice formation.
To prevent this hazard, inspection and cleaning the top of the vents in the late fall, after all the deciduous trees have lost their leaves, is fundamental.
Even with regular maintenance, icing over of low roof vents can occur. One possible solution is to do what you have; extend the vents higher up to prevent coverage with snow. While this may help prevent snow blockage, it may actually hinder the true solution to the issue.
The real cause of ice formation at the top of your vents is the loss of heat inside the pipe as it rises through your cold attic. If the pipe does not remain warm enough, the large amount of moisture in the air rising up toward the roof can condense and then freeze before it exits to the exterior. If you have older cast iron stacks, this is even more likely due to good conduction properties of the metal. An iron pipe will lose heat more rapidly than other ones, but even a more modern ABS plastic pipe can be subject to freezing.
The real key to preventing excessive heat loss and freezing of the wet air inside your stack is better insulation. Insulating the exterior of these pipes, mainly as they progress through your frigid attic space, may prevent this excess heat loss. While there may currently be a thin layer of fibreglass or other pipe wrap material around these stacks, it may provide only minimal help. Covering the stacks with better-quality or thicker layers of insulation may be the only thing required to prevent freezing.
Adding more insulation around the bases, where the vents enter the attic, can also prevent quick cooling. If you succeed in this regard, the ice and blockage problems may disappear.
In some homes, even better insulation inside the attic around the vents does not prevent blockage during the coldest weather. If your home is one of these exceptional units, due to location or other environmental abnormalities, further measures may be required. Installing a specialized heat trace cable outside of the pipe, embedded in the insulation surrounding it inside the attic, may be the final remedy. I would only recommend this as a last resort, as it may be tricky to install and somewhat costly to run.
While you have taken some measures to prevent snow blockage of your vents by extending them upward, that may not be the best solution since it's not effective in the coldest weather. Preventing excessive heat loss inside the attic with better insulation around these stacks should be the proper solution to your problem.
Ari Marantz is the owner of Trained Eye Home Inspection Ltd. and president of the Canadian Association of Home & Property Inspectors -- Manitoba (www.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 www.trainedeye.ca.
trainedeye@iname.com
Renovation & Design
If car mats bunch up, replace them now
QUESTION: My car mats continually bunch up under my feet while I am driving. I push them down to flatten them but before I know it, they creep up into a bunch. Should I tape or glue them in place? If so what kind of tape works best? Helda (Virden)
ANSWER: Absolutely no tape Helda! When car mats are properly positioned they must lie flat. As much as I like to recycle, reduce and reuse; this is not the time. A car mat that bunches up under your brake is an accident waiting to happen. It is simply not safe because the car mat can potentially lock your brake in place preventing you from stopping. Please ask a reputable car dealer for advice on purchasing new car mats. In fact, motorists are wise to check that their mats lay flat every time they head onto the road.
QUESTION: I would like to decorate Christmas cookies without paying the hefty price of purchasing coloured sugar. Is it possible to make my own colored sugar? Andy, Winnipeg
ANSWER: Yes! Into a sealable bag or jar, pour 1 cup white sugar and add two drops food coloring. Shake or blend with a fork until sugar colours evenly, add additional food coloring to darken hue. Extra tip: The courser the sugar, the better it looks on cookies, cupcakes and cakes. Course sugar is available at Bulk Barn.
Feedback from readers:
Hi Reena,
In today's Winnipeg Free Press, Steph was asking how to get soft-centered cookies. I recently heard adding 1 tbsp. cornstarch to 11/2 cups flour works.
Concerning discoloured clothes washed in brown water: Some time ago I had this same problem with brown water coming into my white wash rinse cycle. I had success removing all the stains using Oxi-Clean. I used two scoops to one gallon hot water and soaked the items for six hours, then washed them in warm water. I only had to repeat the procedure for one 100 per cent cotton knit top. This may not work as well if the stained items have already been put through the dryer. Thanks for all your great hints.
Rosemary
I enjoy your questions and tips, keep them coming. Missed a column? Can't remember a solution? Need a speaker for an upcoming event? Check out my brand new videos/blog/website: reena.ca!
