Renovation & Design
Renovation & Design
Take Christmas lights down to avoid fires
NOT only will you annoy your neighbours by keeping up your Christmas lights until July, you may be putting your home in danger.
CSA International, a leader in product testing and certification services, commissioned a survey that found 25 per cent of Canadians leave their lights up for months after the holidays, potentially leading to residential fires.
So get off your duff, grab a ladder and follow these tips, courtesy of CSA International:
-- Take them down: remove outdoor lights promptly after the holidays (e.g. this weekend) to avoid damage caused by prolonged exposure to harsh weather conditions.
-- Check and re-check: inspect holiday light strings every year.
-- Out with the old: discard light strings with frayed cords, cracked lamp holders or loose connections.
-- Safe storage: wrap and store lights and decorations in their original packaging, as they likely contain manufacturer's instructions on replacement bulbs and details for proper product use.
-- If you already tossed the box, coil them up, place them in a different box, label it and store it with the rest of your seasonal decor.
-- Postmedia News
Renovation & Design
ASK THE INSPECTOR: There's a solution for a leaky stack
QUESTION: I appreciate your articles and as a senior with minimal building skills, I read with intent to monitor potential problems. Your previous article about leaking in the attic helped because I experienced something similar. However, a neighbour assisted me by going into our attic and noted a few things.
There was a water stain on the inside of the boards where the stack meets the underside of the roof. The stack is a metal pipe. At the stack and ceiling intersection, the stack is connected by a ribbed connector, which is where there is a small gap of air escaping. It seems the ribbed connector is to accommodate the stack join at the ceiling, because the stack is at a slight angle from the bathroom. While running the bathroom fan with moisture from the hot shower running, it revealed that at this area there was a bit of air leakage.
Should the stack be replaced with PVC pipe or is there a sealing solution that can be applied to the metal pipe?
Thanks for your consideration in this matter. -- Tom Breen
ANSWER: Unless there is a problem with excessive corrosion, cracks or leakage from an older metal stack, it is normally unnecessary to replace it with a newer ABS drain pipe. It is true that poorly insulated and sealed cast iron or copper stacks can create a moisture issue in the attic, but it is not the fault of the pipe. You should be able to fix this problem and the difficulty or ease will depend on the accessibility through your attic.
It appears you have a good grasp on the cause of the moisture intrusion into your bathroom ceiling. I am unsure of the nature of the ribbed connector at this area, but any leakage at this critical junction can cause the problems you are experiencing.
You are correct that warm, moist air leaking into the attic or insulation above the ceiling can condense on the cold metal stack. This condensation will likely freeze in the winter and can build up to produce a thick layer of frost or ice over the entire heating season. When the frost melts it wets the insulation below and often causes damage to the ceiling or leaks into the bathroom. This type of problem will normally become worse every year. While the metal pipe may be contributing to the condensation, this issue can also happen on ABS plastic vents. The real culprit is the gap at the bathroom ceiling.
Sealing the junction between the living space and the attic around protrusions like your plumbing stack can often be a challenge. While it may seem simple to plug this gap to prevent excessive air leakage, access can often be difficult. If you have a low-pitch roof or the plumbing stack is located near the eaves it may be next to impossible to crawl far enough into the attic above this area to address the problem.
In your case, this does not appear to be too difficult, otherwise your helpful neighbour would not have been able to easily remove the insulation and locate the "ribbed connector" you have noted. Small gaps may be sealed with quality caulking before covering with a sufficient amount of insulation. Better yet, any gaps can be filled with blown-in insulation available at home centres in small cans. This same insulation can be used to coat the outside of the metal stack to prevent further condensation, but may be hard to gauge when enough is applied.
This repair will only be possible if the bathroom ceiling is not badly damaged or mouldy, which would require a larger area to be fixed. If that is your situation, cutting out the area of damaged drywall or plaster is necessary.
After replacement with new, water-resistant drywall and taping, the air sealing repairs can begin. This should include blown-in foam installation at any openings around the pipes and sealing directly to the existing polyethylene air/vapour barrier if present. Covering the pipe with a box made from rigid extruded polystyrene insulation may be a more economical method than coating it with several cans of foam. If that is done, all seams and any small gaps in the foam sheathing can be coated with blown foam to form a tight air seal. This should be done as close to the underside of the roof sheathing as possible to provide the maximum protection from condensation.
One last area to address in this repair is in the basement of your home. Check the area where the main stack penetrates the main floor below the sheathing. If there is a gap around this area, which is typical, shine a flashlight up to see how extensive the space around the pipe is. You may be surprised at this large gap, which can allow considerable warm air leakage into the attic around the pipe due to the "stack effect." Sealing the bottom of this area with blown foam, between the floor joists and wall studs, will substantially restrict air leakage and condensation. Closing up all of these gaps to prevent warm, moist air leakage into the attic, and properly insulating the metal stack, will prevent the need for replacement.
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
ASK THE INSPECTOR: Furnace new, but outside-air intake useful
Question: I have a question about cold-air intakes on gas furnaces. I recently had my old 80 per cent efficient gas furnace replaced with a high-efficiency unit that obviously has its own cold-air intake and exhaust pipes. Do I still require my old six-inch outside air intake on the return duct that was used for the old furnace? To me, I shouldn't, because of the new setup on the 95 per cent furnace. As I see it, this is now just an entry for cold air. Could you advise? Thank you.
G. Taylor
Answer: Fresh-air intakes for basement and natural gas heating appliances can be a confusing subject, partially because the requirements are constantly changing with upgrades to heating equipment and our homes. Many homeowners are unsure of the true function of these systems and often block or close these ducts, to the detriment of the indoor air quality in the home. Having a fresh-air intake duct in your basement is rarely a bad thing, but often it can cause a cool draft or frost issues that need to be dealt with.
There are two main functions for most fresh-air intakes in homes. The first is to bring in sufficient combustion air for natural gas-burning appliances such as furnaces and water heaters. This is a more critical item if the units are enclosed in a small area with limited air available. Often, these appliances can be cut off from sufficient combustion air by the walls and doors in finished basements. These items and insulation around the furnace and water heater can severely restrict the amount of air available. If this is the situation with your old furnace, bringing in a source of exterior combustion air was necessary for proper and safe operation of the furnace.
A modern combustion-air intake will normally be installed with pre-insulated flexible plastic ducting and run horizontally under the main floor joists to the area near the heating appliances. Once it is near the desired termination location, the duct is dropped down until it nearly touches the floor, then returns up to eye level. This configuration will create a loop at the bottom that acts as a "trap" to prevent excessive cold air from pouring into the home when not needed. Once the burners of the heating appliances come on and a draft is started up the vent, cold fresh air is automatically drawn in through the duct due to the reduction in air pressure in that area. This fresh air is then available to provide adequate supply for the heating devices. Starving these units of air can cause incomplete combustion, backdrafting or other issues that may cause safety issues in the home.
Unfortunately, the fresh-air intake you have described is the second type and does not provide direct combustion air to the furnace room, as it is directly connected to the return-air plenum for the furnace. This fresh air will enter the air circulation system of the heating system, which is separate from the combustion chamber on your furnace. Fortunately, you are correct that your new high-efficiency furnace should have an integral combustion-air intake duct that supplies air directly to the combustion chamber. Regardless, you should not be blocking or disconnecting this old duct just because you have upgraded your furnace. In fact, you should be doing the exact opposite.
Bringing in fresh air for the entire house through the return-air ducting on the furnace may help prevent a common problem when people upgrade their old heating appliances to high-efficiency units. Higher indoor relative humidity and window condensation often increase after upgrades to furnaces and installation of new windows. I get numerous calls and emails every year with this complaint. Tightening up the building envelope by replacing old, leaky windows and closing an old chimney flue after installation of a direct-vent furnace will trap warm air that used to leak out these two areas. This warm air can hold a significant amount of moisture, which will now remain in the home. Bringing in cold, dry, fresh air from outside is one way to prevent this issue from occurring. For that reason, leaving your old intake ducting in place is a very good idea.
You may find some modifications to the old duct are necessary to prevent a problem. Because of the changes in your home and the more powerful fan on your furnace, there is a chance that the fresh-air intake ducting may become frosted up, especially if it is poorly insulated. If that occurs, insulating the duct farther away from the entry through the foundation may solve this problem. Otherwise, replacement of the old metal ducting with pre-insulated flexible plastic ducting should also work. The flexible, corrugated ducting will also reduce the intake volume of air somewhat, which may satisfy your concern about a high volume of air intake reducing the efficiency of the overall heating system.
While not absolutely necessary, a properly insulated fresh-air intake duct attached to the return-air ducting for the heating system is a good idea to maintain healthy indoor air quality in your home. If you find too much cold air coming in or the return-air ducting frosting up, installation of a mechanical damper on the intake duct connected to the furnace fan control will help limit the air intake until it is needed.
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: Removing glue-gun remains
QUESTION: How can I remove glue-gun glue from my car without damaging the paint on the car? Thank you, Reena. Elizabeth, Winnipeg
ANSWER: The enemy to regular glue-gun glue is water. Pour hot water onto glued area and wipe. Repeat as necessary.
QUESTION: I hope you can help me. We have two almond-coloured toilets in our 20-year-old home. One toilet has had a dark-blue ring around the waterline for a long time. Now the other toilet is developing the same ring. I have used everything I can think of and I can't get rid of the ring:
I have drained the tank and filled it with Coke;
I have put sugar-free Kool-Aid in it;
I have used CLR, and bathroom CLR;
I have used Javex, baking soda, vinegar, Comet and Vim, and nothing works. I wonder if you have any suggestions. Thank you. Maureen, Winnipeg
ANSWER: My theory: The blue colour you see is caused by the protective coating on your copper piping corroding and seeping into your toilet. Since the blue water is actually staining the toilet bowl it may be impossible to remove because it is not sitting on the surface but in fact dyeing your bowl.
QUESTION: I have a 10-year-old Miele dishwasher that has worked well, but over the last couple months it has left a chalky white film over areas of some (not all) dishes, especially the periphery of larger dinner plates and bowls. This rinses off easily, although on some less expensive dinnerware it needs to be rubbed off. I've cleaned the dishwasher, put vinegar through it, and altered the volume of rinse solution and amount of detergent, but with no effect. The operations manual suggests using phosphate-free detergent may do this, but it seems that's the only kind available now. Any explanations or recommendations? Thank you, Sharon, Winnipeg
ANSWER: I can tell you when this happened in my household, I switched from liquid to powder detergent and the problem immediately corrected itself. If your challenge continues, run a small amount of Iron Out through the dishwasher for an intense cleaning. If the problem still remains, call for professional repair service.
QUESTION: I have purchased a memory foam mattress topper for my bed and I am really pleased with it. Unfortunately, since it is made of foam, the topper is off-gassing, resulting in a terrible odour. Since you cannot wash this product, I have been airing it outside and hanging it up inside with a fan blowing on it. The smell has decreased somewhat, but it is still there. Any suggestions? Pat, Winnipeg
ANSWER: Memory foam has a fascinating history. NASA initially developed it for the space program to help shield astronauts from high G-forces. It wasn't until the 1980s that memory foam began to hit the consumer market in the form of medical cushions, disabled seating cushions and eventually as mattresses and pillows.
But I digress. Memory foam does smell at first and needs to air out, in fact, few people are able to sleep with their new memory foam immediately after they open it. Most people find they need to leave the foam to air for a couple of weeks, but the smell does eventually dissipate. For faster results, spray the mattress with vodka to remove the odour or sprinkle the topper with baby powder or baking soda, leave for a few hours and vacuum.
QUESTION: I heard a presentation you recently gave and was amazed by your vast knowledge, so I thought I would throw this question out to you. I have a young daughter named Jesse who was recently diagnosed with strep throat. With our busy home life, I continuously forget to give her the medicine prescribed to her three times a day. I can't leave the medicine on the counter because it requires refrigeration. Do you have any tricks as to how I can make myself remember her doses? Amy (Forrest, Man.)
ANSWER: Here is an easy trick to help you remember all of her doses. Set three empty medicine-measuring cups on the counter or at her place setting each day. When you see the empty cups, you will not only remember to give her the medicine, but you will be able to keep track of how many doses Jesse still needs for that day.
Fabulous tip of the week:
To avoid dropping eggshell into food while cooking, crack the shell onto a flat surface such as a table or counter instead of the side of the bowl.
Reena Nerbas is a Manitoba-based professional speaker and author of the national bestselling series, Household Solutions 1 with Substitutions, Household Solutions 2 with Kitchen Secrets and Household Solutions 3 with Green Alternatives. I enjoy your questions and tips. Keep them coming! Check out my website: www.householdsolutions.org
Renovation & Design
Peaceful mood key to creating bedroom comfort
DEAR Marc:
I want a new look for my bedroom. It doesn't look like much right now. The previous homeowner had painted it bright red with a white trim. It reminds me of Christmas every time I walk into the room. I don't have a lot of money to spend on new furniture so I am trying to work with what I have. The room has hardwood floors, a bed with no headboard, two side tables, no dressers, but ample space in the walk-in closet. Any suggestions?
-- Joyce
Dear Joyce:
Imagine walking into a room where you instantly feel peace, serenity and relief of your everyday stress. As you step into the room, your feet caress a soft surface and you are greeted by a peaceful colour scheme that reminds you of your favourite place in the world. That is what a bedroom should be. Too many adults today concentrate on designing their entire homes and leave out the most important room, the bedroom.
While designing a bedroom, the first thing to keep in mind is the colour scheme. Bedroom colour schemes are much different than any other room in a house. Many designer bedrooms will use neutral colours on the walls and punch up the design with an accent colour so that the overall space is easy on the eyes. In some cases, some homeowners will even use white as their neutral colour.
As an overpowering red colour is found on the walls of this particular space, if you choose to cover the current colour with white paint, it will require many coats. The trick to avoiding having to apply many coats of paint and still have residue of the original red paint appear through the white surface is to first paint the walls with the use of a light grey undercoat. This will neutralize and cover up the red paint, thus making your painting process easier.
As you don't have any dressers in your current bedroom, the use of your walk-in closet will be of utmost importance. I suggest using an organizational system to maximize the storage area. The key is to avoid clutter in the bedroom in order to create a designer space.
Once the colour scheme has been chosen and the walls have been painted, the accessories in the room can be chosen. When working on a tight budget, creativity in designing this space is important. The bed will be the most prominent and largest piece in the room. The eye will be instantly drawn to it; therefore the use of an accent colour on the headboard will help accentuate the piece. As the current bed doesn't have a headboard, I suggest creating your own with the use of a pencil, measuring tape, painter's tape and colourful accent paint.
-- Postmedia News
Marc Atiyolil, celebrity designer and home trend expert, is editor-in-chief of Canadian Home Trends magazine.
Renovation & Design
How long is required to straighten a telepost?
Question: I'm hoping you can help me out. Last year I purchased a house that was built in 1957. It is a standard bungalow. I knew the teleposts required adjustment but once I put a string across the steel I-beam in the basement I discovered it needs to come down almost an inch at some points. I've been adjusting the teleposts on a weekly basis for the last eight months or so and it still has a long way to go. There is a short wall under the beam in the basement, about eight feet long, but it's floated. Is this a normal time span for the beam to straighten or am I missing something?
Any help is appreciated.
Thanks.
Cathy
Answer: Telepost adjustment is one of those issues that is not an exact science. There are many variables involved but you are taking the proper approach in doing it slowly, which should avoid any major structural issues. It may be difficult to determine when you are finished with your adjustment, but use of more specialized measuring tools may be required.
The most basic method of measurement of a main beam, to determine if telepost adjustment is required, is a tight string or twine. This should be secured to the bottom at both ends of the beam, as close to the foundation as possible. Small blocks of the same thickness should also be used to provide a small gap between the string and the beam, to prevent small inconsistencies in the beam from skewing the straight run of the line. While reasonably accurate, this method does have some inherent flaws, due to the nature of the string, which may have a tendency to sag. Pulling this line as tight as possible will minimize the sag, but it may increase over time as it stretches. For this reason, more accurate methods of measurement may be required.
Another concern with crude measurements from the string to your beam is in the beam itself. It has taken several decades for the main beam in your home to reach the location it currently occupies, which may have permanently warped the beam, somewhat. This can happen with a more common wooden beam, due to crushing or shrinking of the lumber, but may also be a problem with your steel beam. While steel beams are not subject to these same issues, warping is even more likely. As the small points of load-bearing from the teleposts force the beam up, they can cause it to warp in these locations. Lowering the teleposts will help straighten the beam, but may take years to bend back near the original configuration in these areas. Measurements taken in these spots, which is typical, may make the beam appear higher than it really is.
The way to avoid this pitfall is to take measurements using one or more additional measuring devices. A laser level or electronic water level may be required to get a more accurate and precise reading on the beam location. There are many low-cost laser levels available that should provide good value and a reasonable result. Simply holding up the laser device beside the bottom of the beam at one end and directing it to the foundation wall at the bottom of the other end will provide a truly straight line. Once in place, holding up a paper or other item beside the beam at various points should provide a good idea of how much it has moved. If there are only inconsistencies directly at the telepost locations, then you may have gone far enough. If you find inconsistency at other points, then additional adjustments may be required at the corresponding posts. Unfortunately, this method will only work in simple situations where there are no obstructions in the way of a straight laser line. If this is not the case, alternatives will have to be explored.
The next-simplest measurement device to explore would be a water level or electronic water level. While either of these would give a very accurate reading of a consistent level, the results may be more difficult to apply for your job. Over time, the beam may have settled at one end more than the other, and is no longer level. Because of this, both ends of the beam will have to be measured relative to the water level and calculations made to determine where the beam should be at specific points of reference. This may require transferring these measurements to a simple drawing, or graph paper, for easier evaluation. Once this is complete, the level can again be used to see how much further you need to go with your adjustments.
While I have provided suggestions for improved methods of evaluating the proper location of the beam after adjustments, these may not be necessary. You may only need to tighten or replace your string line to do a better assessment of the state of the beam. Getting a perfectly straight beam after adjustments is not likely. You may find you have substantially straightened the beam over several months, and that may be good enough to minimize the floor bumps to your satisfaction. If not, slow and steady is still the way to proceed. You have indicated you are adjusting the posts every week, but have not detailed the amount of each adjustment. If you are adjusting the post a half-revolution or less each time, which is the proper method, it may take several months to make a difference. If you are adjusting the posts in smaller increments, each movement will almost be invisible, but the cumulative effects of a few more months of careful work should provide you with the desired result.
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
Renovation & Design
Clean maple cabinets with mild soap, water
QUESTION: What can I use to clean my kitchen cabinet doors without damaging the finish? I have maple-finished cabinets from Kitchen Craft. I stir-fry often and I don't know what to use to clean the grease off the cabinet doors. Jessica (Russell, MB)
ANSWER: To remove grease from cupboards, you will want to clean the cabinets with products that cut grease but don't create any additional buildup to make them feel gummy. Mild dish soap and water or mild laundry soap also works on an ongoing basis as does baking soda and water. Once a month wash cupboards with Murphy's Oil or Cabinet Magic. Once every six months, apply a thin coat of car wax, let dry and buff.
QUESTION: Do you have any ideas of how I can keep the cheese in my fridge from going mouldy? Clara, Winnipeg
ANSWER: Cheese is expensive and therefore waste is not an option. Here are three suggestions for storing cheese. Bronze option: Wrap cheese in a paper towel dampened with vinegar and place into a sealed plastic bag or plastic container, refrigerate. Silver option: Wrap cheese tightly with plastic wrap and then again with foil, refrigerate. Gold option: Grate the cheese and put it into a plastic bag with 1 tablespoon of flour. Shake, seal and freeze.
QUESTION: My question is a little out of the ordinary; I can never get my chocolate chip cookies to flatten out so they are crispy on the edges and chewy on the inside. They do not spread out while they are baking. Is it the recipe or me? Take Care. Amanda, Winnipeg
ANSWER: Believe it or not you are not the first person to ask me this question and the answer is quite simple. If you want chocolate chip cookies that are crispy on the outside and chewy in the middle, simply add another egg to your recipe and be sure not to over-bake. Or cut down on the flour called for in the recipe.
QUESTION: Very interested in tips or guidance on household cleaning. In particular, we need direction on safely cleaning tile, tile grout, and silicone sealant without damaging an acrylic tub. Max, (Gillam, MB)
ANSWER: To answer your question, here is a wonderful recipe that is great for cleaning tile and grout. Mix into a spray bottle and use it frequently for removing soap scum, cleaning kitchens and tile counters. Combine one-quarter cup baking soda (or washing soda), one-half cup vinegar and 2 quarts of water. Some people like to add 2 tbsp. ammonia to the recipe (this is optional). No rinsing required. You can also clean grout with a dry white eraser or dampened pumice stone.
QUESTION: How can I clean my oven exterior? There are brown stains on my white stove vents and near the knobs. Do you have any suggestions for removing these stains? Thank you. Judy, Winnipeg
ANSWER: These stains are often permanent and depending on the age and make of the appliance you may want to look at replacing any removable parts. Try scrubbing the areas with the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser or a paste of borax and water.
Fabulous Tips of the Week:
For a temporary fix of a drafty window, purchase plastic sheeting that goes over the outside of the windows.
If you own a naturally filled duvet such as feather, silk or cotton and you find that it makes you feel too hot, you may want to consider purchasing a polyester blend duvet instead. Also, avoid taking a hot bath or having a hot drink before you go to bed and wear breathable cotton bedclothes rather than polyester or nylon. Lastly, if you do find your feather duvet is causing you to sweat, place a blanket between the sheet and the duvet. Although it sounds strange to add yet another layer, you will find yourself more comfortable with an additional barrier between you and the duvet.
Reena Nerbas is a Manitoba-based professional speaker and author of the national bestselling series, Household Solutions 1 with Substitutions, Household Solutions 2 with Kitchen Secrets and Household Solutions 3 with Green Alternatives.
www.householdsolutions.org