Renovation & Design
Renovation & Design
ASK THE INSPECTOR: High-voltage toaster nothing but trouble
QUESTION: There are 240-volt toasters on the market that run at 12 amps. Modern kitchen wiring has split plugs with 14-gauge wiring and two 15-amp circuits with ganged breakers, which means there would really be available a single plug for 240 volts and 15 amps to run this toaster. Does this respect code in Manitoba? Rolland Gaudet
ANSWER: There are several flaws in your logic for using a 240-volt appliance in a typical Manitoba kitchen. While you may be correct about the split outlets in some kitchen counter outlets, these cannot support a 240-volt appliance without major modifications.
I'm assuming you have been looking at toasters manufactured for use in Europe or other international locations. Despite the possible higher quality of these kitchen appliances, there is little other benefit in attempting to modify your current electrical system. It's true you may realize a small energy savings in using a higher-voltage appliance, but the costs to modify your current outlets and breakers will easily outweigh any monetary gains.
If you're set on acquiring one of these appliances, it would make more sense to buy a low-cost adapter (familiar to those that have travelled abroad). This simple device would not only convert the voltage of your current receptacle, but allow you to connect the different plug common to foreign appliances.
Your question about code compliance is irrelevant unless you hire an electrician to convert your current outlet for the higher-voltage toaster. Also, you may have misinterpreted previous codes in regards to the wiring of the outlets in your kitchen, depending on the age of the work. Truly modern kitchen outlets -- those in homes built in the last five years or so -- do not have split counter outlets. They will have GFCI outlets at the kitchen counters, which will be powered by 20-amp circuits rather than the conventional 15-amp. These normally have only wiring at each box for one circuit and will not be adaptable for a higher-voltage receptacle.
If you have a home built or renovated in the 1980s or '90s, you may indeed have split outlets at the kitchen counters, but there may still be a problem with retrofitting these for a foreign appliance. Even if the outlets are split, meaning the bottom and top of the duplex receptacles are on different circuits, these may also be connected to other receptacles in the kitchen. It was acceptable to have more than half of one receptacle on the same circuit as another kitchen outlet, as long as they were not adjacent. This means you would have to disconnect these other receptacles if you were to use the existing wiring for your higher-voltage receptacle.
Alternatively, you could disconnect both circuits from a single counter outlet in your kitchen, run a new three-wire and install the proper receptacle, but there may not be enough room in the existing box for all these wires and connections.
The other issue to address is your reason for wanting to use a simple kitchen appliance like a toaster that does not use typical North American voltage. If your desire is to save energy, I applaud your environmental sensitivity, but for the reason stated above it is misguided. If you want the higher-voltage appliance to burn your morning bagel faster, that may also be flawed thinking. It would make more sense to search out a higher-quality 110/120-volt unit that would allow you to use it in your existing kitchen.
If you firmly believe the other appliance is truly better, I can't find fault in your logic, but there still may be better alternatives designed for North American kitchens.
Messing with electrical wiring and fixtures by home handymen/women with limited knowledge is something I would strongly advise against. Some of the most potentially serious safety issues I see in homes are attributable to "weekend warriors." Improper wiring, over-fusing and other serious issues are a common site in electrical panels during my daily inspections. This may also be combined with improper securing of wires, outlets or light fixtures, and the most common of mistakes -- reversed polarity at receptacles. Any of these defects is dangerous as they may be life-threatening if the result is an electrical fire or electrocution.
Finding a licenced electrician who is willing to remove a properly wired and installed kitchen-counter outlet and replace it with a high-voltage one designed for a foreign system may prove to be difficult. If you're able to locate a higher-voltage toaster that has a plug designed for a typical CSA-approved receptacle, similar to those for dryers and ranges, then it may be practical. This will still require the outlet to have a proper amperage rating for the size of wiring required for the appliance. You will also need additional circuit-breakers in the panel and that means fishing wires through walls and floor joists or ceilings for the new receptacle.
To summarize, it may not be practical or possible to adapt your current kitchen wiring to accommodate your desired new toaster. Unless you can provide an undisputable reason for needing this high-voltage appliance in your kitchen, I would abandon your plan and look for a better-quality unit that you can easily plug into your current kitchen outlets.
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
SOLUTIONS: Measuring rice need not be wild disaster
QUESTION: The other day I cooked wild rice and was embarrassed when I ran out before everyone at the table had a helping. What is the best measuring tool for wild rice? In other words, how much rice will one cup make? Mata, Garson
ANSWER: Wild rice is a great choice for cooking because it's loaded with Vitamins B and E, calcium and iron. It has about twice the amount of fiber and protein as brown rice. One cup of uncooked wild rice makes about three cups of rice.
Did you know wild rice is actually not rice? It's the seed of an aquatic grass found in North America.
QUESTION: Please help! We have just moved into an apartment. They put down new carpet and the smell of the new carpet is very strong. We have had patio doors and windows open and we still have the smell. Please send me any suggestions. Thank you. Carol, Winnipeg
ANSWER: The mass number of chemicals often used in carpet manufacturing can leave your home with an unpleasant odour and you with buyer's remorse. But the good news is, this odour will fade with time and the more you vacuum the quicker the smell disappears. Reach for your baking soda and sprinkle a very generous amount over the entire carpet. Leave for an hour and vacuum. Or steam clean your new carpet with vinegar and water. This challenge will soon become a distant memory.
QUESTION: I have a build-up on the outside of the metal trim around my shower stall. I think it is mineral deposits from water. It is along the bottom where the caulking is. What will take it off? I would like to remove the old caulking and clean it up to get ready to re-caulk. Murray, Winnipeg
ANSWER: Make a paste by combining; baking soda together with vinegar. Apply the paste and scrub. Next into a spray bottle; combine one part bleach to four parts water and spray the mildew. Scrub gently. If the mildew remains, you will need to acquire a special tool to remove the caulk (available at hardware stores). After the caulk is gone, clean the area once again. Dry and re-caulk. Wipe the area once a week with the baking soda and vinegar paste to avoid ever having to deal with mould growth around your shower.
Drying your shower is also another easy tip for deterring mildew growth because mildew/mould needs moisture to grow.
QUESTION: At your 'Home Sweet Home Workshop' that I attended in Winnipeg, you demonstrated how to remove scratches from wood. I tried it at home and was very pleased with the results. Can you now tell me how to remove watermarks from wood? Rita, Winnipeg
ANSWER: The first and easiest solution is to apply mayonnaise or non-gel, non-bleach toothpaste to the wood. Leave for 30 minutes and wipe. If the stain remains, cover the mark with a white cloth. Using the steam setting on your fabric iron, heat the wood using steam and wave the iron overtop of the cloth making sure that you do not set the iron on one area. With a little patience, the mark will disappear.
Wonderful Feedback from Caring Manitoban:
Dear Reena,
I just read your column in Saturday's Winnipeg Free Press from a lady who was having trouble cleaning her grater after grating lemon and orange peel. I keep a toothbrush in the kitchen for the express purpose of cleaning my grater. It is easy and efficient and seems to get all the little holes clean. Janet, Winnipeg
Fabulous Tips of the Week:
-- When pets are 'free-fed' and their canned foods are left out for periods of time, they can dry out a bit and become less appealing. Try placing an ice cube in the dish. As it melts, it will keep the food moisturized. If you're wanting to 'entice' a pet who's not eating enough, you can use a tuna cube: freeze some of the liquid from a can of tuna in an ice cube tray. But be careful as they may get addicted and 'tuna water' too frequently will be unhealthy. Rekha, Winnipeg
-- Dogs digging in the garden. Bury a balloon underneath the soil where dogs like to dig. When the dog's paw catches the balloon, it will pop and surprise the dog. I did this once and my dog never dug again. Beverly, Brandon
Reena Nerbas is the author of the national bestselling Household Solutions series. Her website is www.householdsolutions.org You can contact her at Box 429, Blumenort, Man., ROA 0C0.
