Renovation & Design
Renovation & Design
A lingering stink in the sink
QUESTION: You helped me before with removal of odor from spilt milk in my car. I am currently trying to remove a constant odor arising from our kitchen drain. I have "scoured" the pages of your book, Household Solutions 2 with Kitchen Secrets but was unable to find what I need. We tried baking soda and hot water but were not successful. We do not have a garburator but try to collect debris in the drain strainers. However, I know bits and pieces slip through. Suggestions please. Thank you so much. Beverley, Winnipeg
ANSWER: The overnight baking soda, hot water and vinegar solution is a powerful way to freshen drains and using this method once a month has no disadvantages. However, if your sink continues to smell, you may have a clog in your pipes which will need to be cleaned out. Other causes of smelly drains are old grease sitting in pipes for a long period and becoming rancid or, poor ventilation. Instead of vinegar, pour 1 cup household non-sudsing ammonia down the drain and chase with 1 cup baking soda. Plug drain and leave overnight. In the morning remove drain and pour boiling water down the drain. If smell remains call in a licensed plumber to check out the system, and vent lines. The plumber should also check valves, and controls needed to bring the job up to code.
Extra tip for people who do own a garbage disposal: Regularly drop ice cubes, lemon and orange peels through the garbage disposal to freshen.
QUESTION: Can you tell me if there is a special name to describe deer meat? Thanks, Penny, Winnipeg
ANSWER: Never worry about asking me a question, smart people ask questions. Deer meat is most commonly known as Venison.
Did you know? The term 'venison' originally referred to the edible flesh of any wild animal.
Dandruff is the shedding of the skin on the scalp, and a little dandruff is normal for everyone. If you have an oily scalp, the Mayo Clinic recommends shampooing often to prevent dandruff. Another solution is to clean hair with shampoos containing tea tree oil, use only a few drops and stop use if scalp becomes irritated. If you are desperate, visit a dermatologist and he/she can prescribe medicated shampoo.
Fabulous Tips of the Week
*An effective way to remove bird poop off of an outside deck is to scrub it with red cider vinegar. Works great! Submitted by: Jan
* Clean windows, glass and mirrors by collecting tea leaves in a bucket. Cover with rainwater and leave overnight. Strain and use with a squeegee. Dry with 3 day old or older newspaper.
*After raking the yard, do not throw away the leaves. Spread them over the garden and wet down. Till in the spring, this adds nutrients for the plants, as the leaves decompose.
*If your bathtub has a yellow or brown stain around the drain hole. Lay a dishcloth over the drain hole and soak the cloth with 3% hydrogen peroxide. Next sprinkle a liberal amount of baking soda onto the cloth. Flip the cloth (baking soda side down) over the drain hole and leave for a few hours. Scrub with a nylon pad to remove the stain.
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!
Renovation & Design
Heard of cola for cooking?
QUESTION: I was asking a clerk in our local store about cola for cooking and he had never heard of it. Where can I find it? Secondly, what I have found most excellent for mosquito bites is to put a teeny dab of toothpaste on the bite and you can forget all about it. It works like a charm, believe me. And, when I burn a finger working around the kitchen, I always put it under cold water for a minute, then dab it with a towel to get most of the water off. Then I put on some lavender oil (available in health stores). Years ago, two men were working in a lab when one of them burnt his hand. He automatically pulled his hand away and inadvertently put it into a bowl of lavender oil. It healed right away, with no scarring or anything. I am loving your books! Sincerely, Gordon (Winnipeg)
ANSWER: Thank you for the great solutions. With regards to cola, this refers to cola products such as Pepsi, Coca Cola, etc. The combination of carbonic, citric and phosphoric acids can be used for making chili, BBQ sauce and brownies, and cooking/marinating meat.
QUESTION: I heard you on the radio but I could not get through before the show ended. Root weevil (strawberry I think) have gotten worse inside our house over the years. I kill about 50 to 100 a day. We are trying to reduce outside foliage and plan to replace flooring (mostly carpet) in future. We have kids and the weevils are in all rooms. I would like some suggestions if possible. The house is well-sealed; the attached garage not too bad. I am looking for a solution for inside if possible as now that they (weevils) are inside, it seems they are here to stay. Thanks in advance. David (West St. Paul)
ANSWER: Strawberry root weevils look like large wood ticks. A single female can lay up to 400 eggs, and this challenge needs immediate attention as they sometimes wander into houses by mistake as accidental invaders. Household aerosol insecticides are not very effective for controlling weevils. Your best bet is to vacuum them up as soon as you see them. Secure a plastic bag over the vacuum nozzle when not in use so the weevils do not escape. If the problem persists, contact an exterminator.
Fabulous tips of the week
-- Secure a button permanently with dental floss; it is much stronger than thread and perfect for repairs to outdoor items. Because dental floss is resilient but fine, it is an ideal replacement for thread when you are repairing an umbrella, tent or rucksack.
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 videos/blog/website: www.reena.ca
Renovation & Design
ASK THE INSPECTOR: Brick foundations pose repair challenges
QUESTION: In a previous column for the Winnipeg Free Press you gave some advice on repairs to leaks for non-stone foundations. In that article you wrote that epoxy injection is not an option for stone foundations.
What options or advice would you recommend for a brick foundation built in 1925? Marg Friesen
ANSWER: The advice I would give to anyone living in a home that was almost 100 years old in our area with a brick foundation would be to move or sell. While I am obviously kidding, this advice is not far off the mark, unless you live outside the Red River Valley where soil conditions may be more favourable to brick foundations. Certain types of repairs to some foundations are not practical. For the same reasons, some types of materials used for foundations in the past may not be worth repairing. Clay brick foundations fall into this category. There are two main reasons why this is the case: structural problems and moisture.
The main problem with brick foundations in our area is the inability to withstand the tremendous forces they face from our expansive clay soil.
Because brick walls are constructed from layer upon layer of small individual units held together with mortar, they have a tendency to have very limited flexibility and lateral strength.
Over time, the forces of the soil outside the foundation will cause the walls to bow inward as the mortar ages and wears.
While this should not initially compromise the vertical strength of the foundation, further deterioration may lead to serious movement in the home. While it may be possible to do repairs similar to other foundation types, by exterior excavation, reapplication of damp-proofing and bracing the interior, complete replacement with new concrete walls may be the only solution in the worst cases. Even in moderately damaged foundations, the second property of brick walls may make standard repairs prohibitive.
Clay bricks are porous and absorb moisture. While this may be a good property for an exterior product used for siding, it is not desirable for any material to be used below grade. Even with a heavy application of a bitumen-based damp-proofing material, clay bricks eventually deteriorate due to ground moisture. As the waterproofing layer and mortar joints wear out, and the foundation walls allow moisture to penetrate the clay bricks, deterioration can accelerate.
Even if the walls are several courses thick, deterioration to the outside course will compromise the strength of the inner layers. This will allow more water to penetrate the foundation during heavy precipitation, creating more inward movement, more mortar damage, and an escalating cycle of deterioration.
The only way a brick foundation on a home your age can be repaired is if you live in an area with highly sandy soil conditions. If the soil is quite sandy, rather than clay-based, then lateral pressure may not be a major consideration.
Also, sandy soils drain much better than other types, minimizing the amount of moisture that can be forced into the bricks from hydrostatic pressure. If that is indeed the case in your home, I could see how this type of foundation has survived for almost a century without collapse. In that situation, any possible repairs would only be attempted from the exterior.
Excavation outside your foundation will be the only practical way to not only prevent leakage and further deterioration, but also assess the condition of the brick walls. Even with sandy soil conditions, there may be considerable deterioration to the bricks hidden below grade. Digging down in a few test areas, where seepage is the worst, may give a rough idea of the current state of the foundation. If there is no serious damage to the surface of the exterior course of bricks, and minimal inward bowing, typical repairs may be possible.
Remove all dirt, debris and loose mortar before repairs begin. After this is done, fill all worn mortar joints, followed by a complete parging coat of mortar over the entire foundation.
If a limited number of bricks are badly damaged, loose, or missing, these can be replaced prior to the parging coat.
Once that is completed and the mortar has cured, covering the foundation with a waterproofing membrane is the next step. Use of a more modern membrane system, such as a blueskin or semi-rigid dimpled sheathing should be superior to a simple bitumen coating.
Following the membrane installation with a thin layer of rigid foam insulation will give added cushion and protection to the brick walls. Replacement of a plugged weeping tile system, if one was even installed, with modern corrugated plastic drainage piping will be the final piece of the repair puzzle.
Because of the nature of brick foundations, simple, inexpensive repairs are not normally possible to stop seepage and movement issues.
Depending on the soil conditions, repairs may vary from exterior excavation and repairs detailed above, to complete removal and replacement with modern reinforced concrete foundation walls.
Ari Marantz is the owner of Trained Eye Home Inspection Ltd. and the 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
