Renovation & Design
Renovation & Design
ASK THE INSPECTOR: Water leakage main worry for homeowner
QUESTION: We have a wood basement, foundation walls, and a concrete floor. There are eight-foot-high ceilings and there is approximately two feet above ground for the small windows. Recently we had a clean water backup in our basement. I have had the renovation team in to take out two feet of Gyproc around the bottom of most of the walls and have fans and dehumidifiers running to dry it all up. I would like to install treated plywood from the floor to meet with the Gyproc, in case we have any more water backup. It has happened before so I do not trust my basement. When the Gyproc was taken off, there was no insulation behind the walls for those two feet, and the plastic moisture barrier was about five inches from the floor.
Is there supposed to be insulation on the outside walls and a vapour barrier? I would like to know before I get the work done in the basement. We do not use the basement that much anymore, but I would like it dry and fixed. We only have a painted floor as I said we have had water backups before. Some of the cement on the floor is breaking up, it may have been when the water softener backed up and left salt on the floor. How can I repair this? Also, we have a crack from one end of the cement floor to the other end, a very fine hairline crack. Pat Spraggs, Shoal Lake
ANSWER: It is quite common for basements to be renovated by removing a portion of the drywall and insulation from the bottom of the walls inside the foundation after a flood or sewer backup. While this repair is often sufficient to remove wet or badly damaged material, preventing mould growth, it does not address the cause of the damage. Before you try and repair the damage and replace the missing insulation you must attempt to determine what is causing the repeated problems and fix them before going any further.
While you say that you had a "clean water backup," I am confused due to the rural location of your home where you obviously have a private water and waste system. Most of these systems are a combination of a holding tank and field and if there is a backup it is normally not clean water. Unless you have a sump pump that is continually failing and rainwater is overfilling the pit, I don't see how the water can be "clean" if it is caused by drains backing up. What it sounds like you are experiencing is water leakage through your foundation, which is a different scenario entirely. If that is the situation, it would make sense that fibreglass insulation has been removed from the bottom sections of the wood foundation. Even periodic seepage would create a situation where the insulation could remain wet and mould growth would be a certainty. It appears to me that you have a problem with the pressure treated wood foundation in your home and you must address that issue before wasting any time and money on insulating and finishing the basement walls.
While there is no theoretical reason why preserved wood foundations can't work in our climate and geographic region, too often they are not properly installed. Common defects include inward bowing, buckling, and of course leakage. Wood foundation walls can often be waterproofed on the exterior in a similar manner to concrete foundations, but I suspect that many are poorly damp-proofed with bitumen only and not a proper foundation membrane. While this coating may be protected by some rigid foam insulation on the exterior, it may not prevent deterioration. Over time, especially if there is some movement or deflection in the foundation walls, small gaps may appear in or between the PWF plywood sheathing that may allow water penetration. If you are seeing the "backup" after a heavy rain or during the spring melt, this is what is probably happening. Exterior repairs on the foundation may be the only way to stop this from reoccurring.
Before attempting any interior repairs, you should dig down in a small area outside the foundation walls to see how the wood foundation has been constructed and covered. If there is no foam insulation or rigid membrane covering the outside of the sheathing you may have to investigate further. Calling in a reputable foundation contractor to excavate further and check for deterioration to the walls, damp-proofing, and weeping tiles will be required. It is highly likely that you may have to dig all the way around the home for a proper repair, but that may only be ascertained by a professional inspection. I would suspect that this is where the water is coming from, so you should budget for a major repair of this type.
Once you have determined where the water is coming from, and made arrangements to fix it, then you can decide how to insulate and finish the inside. I think it is a good idea to use moisture resistant plywood, rather than highly absorbent drywall, on the bottom of the interior walls, even if you don't have a leaky foundation. You should also consider using foam insulation of some type, which will also prevent moisture damage and mould growth in this area. But the main issue to consider is the water leakage itself. If you don't find and fix the cause of the repeated water intrusion, it doesn't really matter what materials you use to insulate the foundation, because a chronically wet basement may cause other health and damage issues in your home.
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
SOLUTIONS: Seeing the light with answers on bulbs
QUESTION: Is it my imagination, or are an awful lot of the light bulbs in my house burning out at the same time? Is it possible that I have a wiring problem? Betina, Winnipeg
ANSWER: The fact that several bulbs are burning out around the same time may be attributed to the following: coincidence, cheap bulbs, or the circuit that the lights are on. There may be a loose electrical connection somewhere between the circuit breaker in the main panel and the light bulbs themselves. Either call a professional or, if you're handy, turn off breakers, tighten all connections and clean the fixtures well.
NOTE: This challenge may stem from cheap, off-brand bulbs. Name-brand bulbs are a bit more expensive, but they usually give you substantially better and longer service life.
QUESTION: Can I spray paint a light bulb with exterior paint and not worry about it catching on fire when heated? Pat, Flin Flon
ANSWER: No Pat, please do not use exterior paint! There are special paints that you can use to decorate and/or draw designs on light bulbs; these are paints that you can purchase at craft supply stores.
QUESTION: After our bathroom renovation, we left single light bulbs above the vanity mirrors where eventually light fixtures would go. We did not notice that the light bulb was leaning on the wood-framed mirror and left a black circle. The vanity is made of maple (chestnut brown stain) but I'm not sure if the mirror frame is of the same wood or something else. Is there anything we can do to remove or fade that perfect circle on our brand new mirror frame? Thank you, Natalie, Winnipeg
ANSWER: You can either apply gentle wood bleach or a mixture of powdered pumice and vegetable oil; massage it in along the grain. Wipe it off and polish the area to remove the mark. However, if the mark remains, you will need to sand and refinish.
QUESTION: How can I remove a light bulb that has broken in a lamp socket? Henry, Brandon
ANSWER: To remove broken bulbs, begin by unplugging the lamp. Put on heavy gloves and safety goggles and press a potato firmly into the metal socket and twist. If it won't budge, use needle nose pliers. When you put in the new bulb, put petroleum jelly on the threads to make it easier to remove next time.
Brighten your holidays:
Get a jump-start on holiday decorating with the following project ideas.
-- Recycle light bulbs by transforming them into Christmas ornaments. Take unusable light bulbs and drape a thin one-ply beautiful paper dinner napkin around the bulb. Paint the paper with watered down white glue while pressing the napkin directly onto the bulb. Let dry and fasten ribbon and Christmas greenery to the silver end. Hang on your tree.
-- Using red paint, paint a swirl all the way down the bulb as if you were making a candy cane and decorate the top part (the screw part), with a cute wired ribbon use any colour of paint and get creative.
Did you know? Thomas Edison, light bulb inventor, was afraid of the dark.
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 website: reena.ca
Renovation & Design
SOLUTIONS: Getting rid of troublesome dandelions
QUESTION: I heard you on the radio today, loved the interview and information, wanted to call in but lines were full. Do you know of a solution for controlling dandelions in my lawn? Ronan (Richer, MB)
ANSWER: Years ago, dandelions were actually planted on purpose for their many uses. People would eat the crowns, make wine from the flowers, and coffee from the roots. Ask any four-year-old child what to do about dandelions and without hesitation they will answer, 'Give them to Mommy!' When I asked an 89-year-old lady about controlling dandelions she laughed and said, "Well, we just eat them. We add them to salads. Make sure that you eat a few bugs with the plants and then you will really have a healthy lunch." In fact, untreated dandelions are high in vitamins C and A and also contain magnesium, iron and calcium. But whenever I ask a busy middle-age homeowner about dandelions, the answer is almost always the same, 'Kill them!'
You can't get rid of dandelions by pulling off the tops, but you can dig them out. A dandelion digger is a specialized tool that removes a wide variety of individual weeds and their roots, causing little soil disturbance. The tool looks like a large screwdriver with a fish-tail end. Move it in the soil parallel to the tap root. With a small pivot, you can lift the entire plant, root and all. Of course there is also the option of a Weed and Feed method to control lawn weeds. Or, make your own dandelion killer: Pour boiling water or acetic acid (pickling vinegar) on weeds. Or in a pot, combine and stir together one gallon vinegar, one pound salt and one tablespoon dish soap. Pour over weeds. Repeat as needed. (Caution: These methods will kill all treated plants).
QUESTION: I thoroughly enjoy your columns and have a collection of clippings. I took the advice of putting vinegar into my loads of laundry. I put it in the machine along with the detergent while the machine is filling. Should I be waiting until the rinse cycle begins? I do find my clothes softer since using vinegar and no longer use softeners or dryer sheets. Thanks for the hint.
Irene (Victoria Beach, MB)
ANSWER: When I add vinegar to my machine, I do so right at the beginning of the cycle otherwise I get busy with other chores and forget to add it. The results are wonderful!
Feedback from Manitoban who cares:
Hello Reena:
Just read your answer to Kenton regarding making gravy in the last-minute rush before company arrives.
I always keep "one gravy ahead" in my freezer by either making an extra-big batch of turkey, chicken, pork or beef gravy. Then if I am really caught in a rush with too many other things to do before the meal, a few minutes of microwaving can produce hot gravy. Don't forget to replace it and label it when you are cleaning up. You can vary the seasonings and add mushrooms, mustard or horseradish if you wish. Eliza
Fabulous tip of the week: If you find that your fridge smells, clean out the entire unit, shelves, crisper, sides etc. Set an open bowl of coffee grounds onto the shelf. After a few days the unpleasant odour will disappear.
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 website: reena.ca
