Renovation & Design
Renovation & Design
SOLUTIONS: Get the scoop on peanut butter oil
QUESTION: Can you please tell me why some peanut butter labels state that they contain "no trans fats" but the jar label lists partially hydrogenated vegetable oil as an ingredient? Cheers! Bill, Winnipeg
ANSWER: All peanut butter, by law, must contain a minimum of 90 per cent peanuts. Both natural and regular peanut butters may contain some sugar and salt for flavouring. Some brands also contain a small amount of stabilizer (hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated vegetable oil), of which about 60 per cent is stearic acid, a saturated fat that has a neutral effect on blood cholesterol levels. Stabilizer is added to peanut butter to keep the oil from separating and to help maintain peanut butter freshness.
Here are the results from a 2001 study called, Non-detectable levels of trans-fatty acids in peanut butter by Dr. Tim Sanders, food scientist with the USDA, ARS. According to his findings, "Peanut butter is made with very little hydrogenated oil resulting in no detectable amounts of trans fat in the finished product."
"All hydrogenated oil is not the same and the amount added to specific products is not the same. So you can't generalize about all products that contain hydrogenated oil," Sanders explained. "In our study, we used the best science and technology available to try to detect trans fats in peanut butter and couldn't."
QUESTION: My daughter (a heavy smoker) has lent her guitar to my son (a non-smoker). Any hints about how to get rid of the smoke smell on the guitar? Thanks in advance for any help on this problem. Gail, Winnipeg
ANSWER: The majority of the smell is most likely in the strings of the guitar, not necessarily the body. Begin by wiping the guitar strings with rubbing alcohol. The smell of rubbing alcohol will quickly dissipate. If the smell remains, place the guitar inside a large garbage bag with a container of coffee grounds. Close the bag around the guitar so that no air can flow inside. Leave for a day or two, the smell should be gone.
QUESTION: Can you please give me a recipe for making my own ketchup? My freezer is full of tomatoes from my garden and I want to use them. Larry Lockport,
ANSWER: No problem Larry, what a great way to use up garden tomatoes, fresh, fresh, fresh! Ketchup-like sauces originated in eastern Asia as a fish sauce long before many people in other parts of the world had ever seen a tomato. Ketchup is a very acidic substance and therefore, is not prone to spoiling easily or quickly. Homemade ketchup on the other hand can be refrigerated for up to three weeks. Here is a wonderful recipe for those who like to can food.
In a saucepan, mix together 1 cup white vinegar, 1 cinnamon stick, 2 whole cloves and 1 tsp. celery seeds. Cover and boil. Remove from heat and let stand. Wash, core and cut 24 medium tomatoes into quarters, drain juices. In a large pot combine tomatoes, 1 chopped, medium onion and half tsp. cayenne pepper. Boil and cook for 15 minutes. Stir often. Remove seeds and skin. Add 1 cup sugar to tomato mixture. Boil and simmer for 2 hours. When tomato mixture has been reduced to half, add vinegar mixture into tomatoes and remove spices. Add one-half tsp. salt. Stir and simmer 30 mins. Process into jars.
QUESTION: How do I remove stains and pitting from our everyday silverware? It seems that when I left the silverware in the dishwasher for a period of time the soap stained my silverware.
Aline, Winnipeg
ANSWER: Place a sheet of slightly crumpled aluminum foil in the bottom of a pan; add 4 quarts (1- L) water, one-quarter cup baking soda (washing soda is even better). Add silver pieces, let stand for a few seconds until tarnish is gone (make sure the water covers the silver pieces). Remove silverware and polish. Remove silver, rinse, dry, and buff with a soft cloth. Taken from Household Solutions 1 with Substitutions, page 152).
Fabulous Tip of the Week!
Hi Reena,
I'm writing today with something that I've stumbled upon that is really working. For many years, I've been a fan of aromatherapy and essential oils, lavender is by far my favourite as it is the only one that you can apply directly to the skin (it's great for bug bits, sore muscles, sore throats, and aiding with insomnia), but I digress. We have two sons and a dog and the washroom they use gets very smelly. I mixed about 2 cups of water (distilled is best) with 25 to 30 drops of peppermint essential oil in a spray bottle. When the smell gets overwhelming (or after some "business"), we shake the bottle and spray the mixture a few times in the room. Within seconds (it's rather amazing actually), the smell is gone! And best of all, no chemicals! (Peppermint is a non-toxic antiseptic, but it is also antispasmodic and should not be used during pregnancy or by anyone who has serious illnesses. Consult an aroma therapist before using.) I've tried lavender for this, but it's not as effective. Just thought I'd pass it on. Joanne
Reena Nerbas is a Manitoba based professional speaker and author of the national best selling series, "Household Solutions 1 with Substitutions", Household Solutions 2 with Kitchen Secrets and Household Solutions 3 with Green Alternatives. Corporate and Christmas Workshops Available by calling: 204-320-2757. I enjoy your questions and tips, keep them coming! Check out my website!
www.householdsolutions.org
Renovation & Design
Long-term testing finds radon problem
Question:
I like your column because I learn much new stuff from it.
I've heard about radon a lot lately and know it is a cancer-causing natural radioactive gas that you can't see, smell or taste. We are concerned about our house which is a bungalow built in 1981, and the basement was fully finished. If you have any suggestions as to how to test it and protect from its harmful impact, it would be greatly appreciated.
Sincerely,
Lulu.
ANSWER:
There has been more information about radon in the news the last few years due to changes in government policy regarding safe levels in homes. I recently attended a seminar about radon testing and remediation which reminded me that I have not addressed this issue in my column for some time.
You are correct that radon gas is naturally occurring and can be present in our homes and buildings in small amounts, or dangerous levels, without our knowledge. Radon gas is caused by the breakdown of uranium in soil and is normally so highly diluted by air that it does not create a health concern in the natural environment. Unfortunately, that is not true in enclosed spaces, like our homes, which can accumulate high levels. While information on radon is widely distributed and available from Health Canada, remediation is at the discretion of individual homeowners and recommended only, not enforced.
The highest concentration of radon in most homes will occur on the lowest level of the home, typically the basement. Research has shown that most radon enters the living space through sub-slab soil, beneath the basement floor. This can be through cracks in the concrete slab, openings, sumps, or catch basins for weeping tiles. Homes with exposed soil in crawl spaces may be particularly susceptible to radon intrusion, especially with our local clay soils. There are many recommendations for solutions to minimize radon-gas intrusion, but testing to see if there is a problem should be done before any major remediation is undertaken.
Along with recommendations for maximum indoor levels of radon, Health Canada also provides guidelines for testing procedures. Due to the variability of radon concentrations over time, even within a 24-hour period, long-term testing is recommended. Tests should collect data for a minimum of 30 to 90 days and preferably three to six months. The testing should be done on the lowest level of the home and may be done with several different types of passive or active collection devices. There are active collection devices for radon that can be almost instantaneous, or for a short period of time, but the reliability is questionable. It is too easy to have false negative results with this type of testing, especially if done during the summer months when windows may be open and the living space not enclosed. Active collection equipment used for three months will be very costly, so passive collectors are the most practical.
The two most widely used and reliable types of long-term passive testers are Alpha-Track Detectors and Electret Ion Chambers. Once the testing period has ended, these small devices are sealed and sent to a laboratory for analysis. The lab will analyze the detectors and provide a report to the homeowner with average radon levels and any accompanying recommendations based on the levels found. These detectors may be placed in the home by a radon evaluation specialist or by the homeowners, but should be undisturbed for the duration of the testing period. The testing should be done during the heating season, when exterior doors and windows to the home are normally sealed, and follow Health Canada guidelines for location.
As far as things to do to minimize radon intrusion before you test your home, commonsense items may be the simplest. Any area where there is potential for soil or soil gases to be exposed to the living space in your house should be sealed. Sealing the floor-drain catch basin, in an older home, or the sump pit lid, if present, should be the next step. If you have exposed soil in a crawlspace, it should be well sealed with 6Mil Polyethylene sheathing, caulked at the seams and edges to prevent communication between the soil and the air in the home.
Once you have done the testing to see if you have a problematic radon level in your home, remediation can vary from the minor items above to installation of mechanical ventilators or specialized sub-soil depressurizations systems. These items should only be installed by well trained, qualified radon remediation specialists. More information can be found in an excellent free publication from Health Canada and CMHC entitled Radon, a guide for Canadian Homeowners or at the Canada Mortgage & Housing Corp. website at www.cmhc.ca.
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
We're a nation of worriers about our debt
During the Christmas season, we tend to turn our attention to finances, in particular our credit card debt. When looking at the bigger picture, we then look at our accumulated household debt.
It's not that we have developed some new worries or change in our status, but rather the reassurance that we are still sticking to our game plan and everything is in order.
In the past year, some concern was expressed that Canadians were overextending themselves in terms of credit versus disposable income. The fear was if interest rates were to increase substantially or house prices were to fall significantly, we would be concerned about the adverse effects. What if the banks were to restrict credit? What if unemployment increased dramatically? We are a nation of worriers, aren't we?
Maybe that's what makes Canada's economy among the most stable in the world. We do worry. We don't take chances with our homes. We tend to take the cautious approach.
In actuality, the pace of growth in mortgage debt has slowed considerably since the latter half of 2008 and is expected to moderate further in 2011.
All indications from the Bank of Canada, all major financial institutions and the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation show there will not be any significant increases in interest rates in the foreseeable future.
Remember, banks and credit unions are in the business of supplying capital to their clients. That's how they stay in business. Restricting credit is not only bad for consumers; it's even worse for lenders.
We saw a dip in new house prices in Vancouver, Calgary and Toronto in 2009, but not in Winnipeg. Our market had been so greatly undervalued for decades that even a recession could not stop the correction in home values here.
Prices continued to increase throughout 2010 and are expected to remain strong in 2011 and beyond. Again, due to our conservative nature, we did not overbuild and responded to real demand rather than speculation.
In conclusion, the message here is not to stop paying attention and worrying. However, just as we would not change our pattern by breaking into a spending spree for no reason, we should also not react to every little scare commentary and stop living our lives and enjoying the fruits of our hard-earned labour.
Mike Moore is president of the Manitoba Home Builders' Association.
