Renovation & Design
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.
Renovation & Design
Ice damming issues building up
QUESTION: I'm hoping you'll be able to help us resolve our dilemma. We have a 1 1/2-storey older home with two dormers and during the winter we had ice build up on the roof along the dormers, resulting in water damage to our kitchen and bathroom ceilings.
The upstairs has knee walls and the cubby holes are used as closet and storage space. These spaces have been insulated with two-inch-thick tongue-and-groove Styrofoam boards along the sloped ceiling and the outside wall. We believe that the actual roof line only has wood shavings for insulation, which have settled over time.
We put a new roof on the house seven years ago and, at that time, an ice and water shield was installed on the lower section of the roof and in the valleys. The roof has no overhang or soffits.
We have had various opinions as to the cause of this damage, from not enough insulation to not enough air flow and ventilation. We have been given several options to remedy the problem, but we don't know which is the best solution and the most economical. The first suggestion is to take the whole roof off, take out all the insulation, reinsulate with blown-in foam or batting, build up the roof with 2 X 4's, extend the eaves and re-sheet and shingle the roof.
A second suggestion is to remove all the shingles and apply ice- and weather-guard over the entire roof and reshingle. The final suggestion is to install vents in the lower part of the roof into the knee-wall cavity and keep this area as a cold space.
As I'm sure you can appreciate, the first option is very expensive. Do you have any suggestions whether any or all or a combination of these suggestions would solve our problem? I would appreciate your thought and expertise on this matter.
Thank you, Chris Beckwith
ANSWER: Ice damming and moisture issues in 1 1/2- and 2 1/2-storey homes is one of the most common issues I deal during my inspections. I get more inquiries, emails, and calls about this issue than almost any other. With the recently returned winter-like weather this should be an ideal time to address your dilemma as I have begun to see the typical ice damming you describe on many homes.
While you have been given three different options, I cannot dismiss all of them or recommend one single approach. There are portions of each of options one and three that may be possible, but may not be practical due to cost and difficulty. The second option is a very bad idea proposed by someone who has no concept of the causes of your issues and will probably make the problem worse and accentuate moisture damage in the roof system.
While there may be varying opinions on different practical approaches to fixing your ice damming issues and stopping the moisture intrusion, the cause should not be in dispute. The cause of the ice damming is warm air intrusion into the knee-wall attics and roof system in your home. Warm air is able to gain entry into the attics and ceiling cavities in your home through various areas by a process known as the "Stack Effect." That is simply a fancy name given to the natural forces that allow warm, moist air to rise into these areas.
In most homes this air contains a significant amount of dissolved moisture, which can condense when cooled. If cold enough, this condensation may freeze and create a fair amount of frost inside the cavities. When the winter weather warms, this frost will melt and run back down into the living space. Also, the heat from the air leaking into these cavities will warm the underside of the roof sheathing, melting the snow on the roof and creating the ice dams. These dams can also melt when the weather warms and run back into the building, especially in homes like yours with no overhanging eaves.
The two approaches to solving this common dilemma are either stop the air leakage into these areas or provide enough fresh air ventilation to remove this warm air to the exterior before it warms the roof or condenses. My recommendations are normally to work on ways of doing a bit of both of these items, while reducing the relative humidity in the home.
The first approach you have been presented with ignores the ventilation aspect of the situation and addresses only the air leakage. While this is the more modern approach, only if blown-in foam insulation is used and not batts, it may be a very costly solution. It also should not be necessary to build up the thickness of the rafters, as has been suggested, because the focus is on stopping air leakage not heat loss. The theory is that if you stop any air leakage into the space below the roof sheathing, you will prevent any mechanism for condensation. Also, adding that thickness of high density polyurethane foam will provide adequate protection from heat loss to minimize the ice damming.
In many ways, this one-stop solution addresses both causes of the moisture damage, but will require removal of significant sections of the roof decking and complete replacement of the roofing.
The next, more common, approach is to significantly improve the insulation and ventilation level in the attic floors and knee-walls and air seal or install air/vapour barriers where possible. This can be achieved by use of a combination of insulation such as blown-in polyurethane, extruded polystyrene sheets, and cellulose fibre.
This method will require you to give up your closet space and return the knee-wall areas back into attics, but can be quite effective if done properly. The foam insulation installed on the underside of your rafters and gable ends is an improper method of achieving this and should be removed because it is installed in the wrong locations.
The only flaw in this traditional method is the sloped sections in the living space of the upper floor, which may be difficult to insulation and seal from inside the home. Ignoring these areas may still allow some ice dams to build up and premature wear to the roofing above.
Before deciding on the proper approach to addressing this issue you should weigh the overall benefits of each method against the costs. While the exterior foam only method will allow you to keep some of your closets and will be the least disruptive, it may be beyond your budget.
The traditional insulation and ventilation method may allow you to do some of the work yourself, but may not be a complete fix without some air sealing by a professional and will require a loss of storage space and ceiling height.
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
Restore glitter to Christmas ornaments
QUESTION: What is the best technique to clean dusty old Christmas ornaments? They are very precious to me because they were collected over the years by my mother and father. Julia, Carberry
ANSWER: Carefully remove any stuck-on debris with a dry, soft, microfibre cloth and then dust it lightly with a feather duster. Avoid water or cleaners under any circumstances or you will wipe away hand paint and colour.
QUESTION: I am a grandmother of 13 grandchildren and I am getting ready to pull my tree out for this season. I don't sew but I would like to finish the bottom of my Christmas tree with a tree skirt. Do you know of anything I can use without spending money on an actual tree skirt? Birdie, Winnipeg
ANSWER: Cut a hole in the centre of an old tablecloth. From the centre hole cut to the outer edge in a straight line. It does not have to be perfectly straight. Leave plain or decorate with paint. You can even have your grandchildren dip their hands in paint and press them onto the skirt to make the tree skirt extra special. Make sure to use fabric paint so you are able to wash the tree skirt.
QUESTION: I recently purchased a black purse that is made of microfibre. I wonder if you could tell me the best way to clean the surface of it, if and when it gets dirty or stains? Thanks so much, Carol, Winnipeg
ANSWER: You should be able to locate a care label on the inside of the bag. This label will tell you if it's safe to use water on your specific microfibre handbag. If it is, wash it by hand in the sink according to the directions. If water is not recommended, pour baking soda onto any dirty areas and swipe it back and forth with a stiff brush dampened in water. Allow purse to air dry.
QUESTION: Every Monday my boss puts a hot coffee on the desk of everyone in the office (she is a wonderful boss). This week we want to surprise her by putting a hot drink on her desk. Can you give me a recipe for Candy Cane Hot Chocolate? Much appreciated, Tess, Winnipeg
ANSWER: In a saucepan, heat 4 cups of milk until hot (divide the recipe in half if desired). Whisk in three ounces of chopped semisweet chocolate squares as well as four crushed candy canes. Stir until melted and smooth. Pour into mugs and top with whipped cream and shaved chocolate. Slide candy cane into mug for a stir stick.
QUESTION: I have a set of stoneware dishes from PTS International Interiors (pattern Fantasia), which are dishwasher and microwave safe. I love the pattern but the dinner plates have a white centre and, unfortunately, over the years, have become unattractive with cutlery marks. I have tried gently using a cleanser but because I don't want to destroy the finish, I have not applied a lot of pressure and this certainly did not remove the marks.
Do you know of any product or action that would remove these unsightly marks? Any help you can provide would be greatly appreciated. Thank you. Marilea, Winnipeg
ANSWER: Begin by trying to "erase" the marks with a pencil eraser when the dishes are dry. As well, there is a product called Zud that has had encouraging results at removing such marks. Or make a paste of baking soda and water and rub the marks out of all dishes. If marks remain, they are likely permanent.
Fabulous tips of the week:
To tell if your holiday fruitcake is done, touch the top of the cake; if done, it should spring back readily.
If time is limited, and if you're on a budget, consider making your gingerbread house using graham crackers. Use a can of white icing, stiffened with confectioner's sugar, to make the mortar for your graham cracker walls and roof, and then as glue for the candy decorations.
Whether you are young, or old or in-between, take the time to make a gingerbread house to use as a table centrepiece. When company arrives, place a round gingerbread cookie on each person's table setting. Use a stencil and icing sugar to monogram everyone's cookie.
Making meatballs can be time-consuming, here is an easy solution. Purchase pre-formed frozen meatballs. Place them in a crock pot. Pour a can of chilli sauce over top of the meatballs. Add a jar of cranberry sauce and cook on low for six to eight hours. Serve.
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., R0A 0C0.