Renovation & Design
Renovation & Design
SOLUTIONS: Easy to test baking staples for viability after winter
QUESTION: My question pertains to baking supplies and other staples. I leave staples such as rice, dry pasta, lentils etc. at our unheated cottage over the winter. Do products such as baking soda, baking powder, flours and Bisquick lose their viability after six months of freezing temperatures? Each of these is stored in closed containers or jars, but how can I check to see if they are still as potent as they need to be. Thanks in advance. Greg, Winnipeg
ANSWER: This is a great question! Baking soda and baking powder are not subject to spoiling, although they will eventually fail to rise to the occasion as leavening agents for baked goods.
To put baking powder's effectiveness to the test measure 1 tsp. baking powder with a half-cup of water. The mixture should bubble immediately and if it does it will still act as a leavening agent. To test baking soda, mix one-quarter tsp. baking soda with 2 tsp. vinegar, the mixture should bubble.
As for flour and Bisquick, you will know if they are rancid by the smell (or any sign of bugs). I always keep my whole wheat flour in the fridge but any of the four products are freezable.
QUESTION: My son plays team soccer and wears a black jersey with white numbers. I washed the jersey and the white came off of the number on the back of his jersey. Now he is the only player on the team with numbers that are black instead of white. I have tried to remove the black but it looks as though the white numbering actually peeled off, now what can I do? Lesley, Arborg
ANSWER: Your son will look as wonderful as all of the other players on the team with this easy and inexpensive tip. Purchase white fabric paint and simply paint the numbers. His shirt will look great!
Feedback from Outstanding Reader:
Dear Reena,
I read a recent item in your column about dandelion control, and it reminded me to pass this information along.
For years I had been frustrated that controlling dandelions with pesticides didn't seem to be effective because all it seemed to do was give the plants a huge growth spurt, and cause them to go to seed earlier than they normally would have, before the pesticide killed the main plant and root. As a result I wasn't so certain that spraying them was doing any good.
So, I called a farm extension specialist in the Department of Agriculture, and he explained that after the dandelion has been sprayed with weed killer, any seeds it produces afterwards will not grow.
Now, I may be a slow learner, or maybe I just wasn't paying attention, but I was raised on a farm and I had never heard or been told that before! On our acreage we have so many dandelions growing uncontrolled on surrounding land that it is a losing battle to try to control them. So, we just enjoy the color and try to keep our lawn grass in the best possible condition, which seems in itself to somewhat control the number of dandelions that grow in the lawn.
Dave
Fabulous Tip of the Week:
*To remove sticky price tag residue from books, wrap masking tape around your fingers and press tape over the sticky area. The tape will lift gummy leftovers.
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
ASK THE INSPECTOR: Debris-catching products can be trouble
QUESTION: I would appreciate your comments on a product named Gutter Stuff, which is available at Home Depot in Winnipeg. A friend of mine had suggested a product called "rain filter" which appears to be very similar to the above product and which he installed about four years ago without problem. Gutter Stuff is a foam-like substance and comes in four-foot lengths which are quite easy to install into the eavestroughs.
My concern is in the late fall when things start to freeze. Will any leftover moisture in the foam freeze and expand, splitting the eavestrough? The roof line is a cottage-style with eavestrough around the complete structure.
Your comments and suggestions would be most appreciated.
Don Olafson. Gimli
ANSWER: There have been numerous types of products developed over the years to help ease the difficult maintenance task of cleaning debris from eavestroughs. Many have failed miserably, either due to our difficult climatic conditions or poor design features.
I have similar reservations to yours about any product that goes inside the troughs, and some other concerns about reducing the effectiveness of roof drainage.
There are two basic types of products to prevent leaves and debris from entering and blocking proper eavestrough drainage. The style you cite is typically constructed of woven plastic mesh or foam, which compresses slightly and fits inside the trough by a combination of gravity and friction. The idea is that the gaps between the mesh or foam can allow water to drain through to the bottom of the gutter, while keeping debris on top.
While this may be quite effective in keeping large items like leaves and twigs from filling up the troughs, smaller debris can actually get caught in the mesh and plug up the drainage function.
It's true individual sections should be easily removable for cleaning with a garden hose, and then replaced, but this product also limits the amount of water that can enter the trough, possibly leading to overflowing during heavy rains or excess ice buildup in the shoulder seasons.
The second and more prevalent type of gutter guard installs over top of the gutters and is perforated. Some of these are plastic composites, but the better-quality ones are metallic.
The plastic styles often do not perform well over time, due to deterioration of the plastic from ultraviolet light and expansion and contraction. They also do not have enough strength to avoid bowing or buckling from the weight of debris or from eavestrough movement. While they can be installed quite easily by compression inside the top of the gutter and are easily removed for cleaning, they often require replacement every few years due to deterioration.
The metallic style of perforated "gutter guards" are often more durable than vinyl, but require more effort for installation and removal. These mostly flat devices are usually secured to the lip of the gutters with small sheet metal screws. The other end is designed to tuck under the overhanging sections of the roof and may have an integral soft plastic fin that helps to seal against water backing up under the shingles.
The benefit of these metal products are both the durability and strength. They will not only last for many years, but may actually help reinforce the eavestroughs, which can easily bend or warp if fasteners come loose. They may help prevent damage to thin, aluminium eavestroughs from hailstorms or ice buildup. The only drawback is the potential for easy blockage of the small surface holes by debris.
The interesting thing about any of these products is the idea that they are designed to minimize the chore of cleaning debris from eavestroughs. While they may all help to some degree, they do not eliminate the requirement for frequent cleaning. They may simply make the cleaning job easier than pulling out 10 centimetres of wet, soggy leaves and roofing granules with a wet glove or bare hand. They still require elimination of surface debris, but it may be possible to complete the job with a stiff broom or garden-hose nozzle.
To test the effectiveness of the metallic style of gutter guard, I graciously accepted an offer from local roofing specialists Dr. Roof, who have done previous installations and repairs on my home, for a partial installation. They installed their preferred brand on one side of my home, where I have excessive debris issues from nearby pine trees. The idea was to compare that side of my eavestroughs relative to the rest, in relation to cleaning and maintenance.
After a recent deluge caused many areas of my gutters to overflow, I inspected and cleaned the entire system. I discovered that part of the reason for the overburdened troughs was excessive pine needles, cones and shingle granules blocking the gutter openings, above the tops of several downspouts.
The storm did not appear to have the same overflowing effect on the protected side, but a large amount of debris still required to be cleaned off to the top of the leaf protection afterward. I suspect that drainage was also worse in the non-protected side due to blockage where debris prevented proper water flow under the metal cover on that side, which would not occur if I had a complete installation.
To summarize, and answer your question more directly, the effectiveness of any product designed to prevent excessive debris from filling up your eavestroughs may only be determined after prolonged use. I would avoid anything that reduces the water-carrying capacity of the system, like the "Gutter Stuff" you have mentioned, but rigid metal systems that install over top of the existing eavestroughs may be relatively effective.
Regardless, even with a quality product installed, regular cleaning and maintenance is necessary to allow proper roof drainage.
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 e-mailed 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
Gardening: raise it up!
FOR all the romantic notions about gardening, it can be a strenuous effort. Digging, planting and weeding can burn plenty of calories depending on how vigorously you work. Gardeners whose movements are restricted either due to a recent injury, advancing years or disability, may conclude that it's time to hang up their trowel.
Raised beds, though, can be built at a height and width that allows plants to be easily and comfortably tended either from a seated or standing position to make gardening more accessible.
Darlene McPherson, an avid St. James gardener who was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis several years ago, has never forgotten the advice of her occupational therapist, May Chan: "Don't stop doing the things you love to do -- just change the way you do them".
Raised beds in McPherson's butterfly garden help to minimize the stress on her joints and muscles.
"Raised beds cut down on the distance that you have to bend. If you are in a wheelchair, you can still garden", she says.
Raised beds are also utilized in areas with minimal space and can be found in almost every community garden in Manitoba. A strong design element in the home landscape, raised beds provide different levels in a garden and can be constructed from many types of materials that range from very affordable to custom designed.
Railroad ties are useful for low beds, but another affordable option is to create a bed using natural stone that is laid dry (without mortar). Also called drystone walls, each stone should slope inward slightly for stability.
Do-it-yourselfers may want to make a trip to the U-Pick rubble pile at Gillis Quarries in Garson for a selection of limestone (production offcuts with at least one side sawn). A load can range in price from $20 to $65, depending on the size of your vehicle.
Today's contributor is Laura Rawluk, a West Broadway area gardener who decided last year to change her approach to gardening. After consulting with Urban Eatin Gardener Workers Co-op, her traditional perennial borders and square vegetable garden neatly planted in rows were handily replaced with spacious triangle shaped raised beds.
"Give it a try -- start small, and ask an expert if you don't know where to start", recommends Rawluk.
Colleen.Zacharias@gardensmanitoba.com
