Renovation & Design

Renovation & Design

SOLUTIONS: Steam way to fluffier potatoes

QUESTION: Julia Child once said, "The lid should always be left "ajar" if potatoes are left in the pot after cooking." Also, someone said that cabbage should be cooked without a lid on. Would you know why? Here are some tips: Leftover cheese sauce is good in mashed potatoes, and grated cheese perks up potatoes. Bon appetite! Doris, Binscarth

ANSWER: While there is no one right way to cook potatoes or cabbage, here are a few hints that you may want to consider. For fluffier boil potatoes, pour off all the water after they are boiled and cover the pot with a double thickness of paper towels, then cover with the saucepan lid. In 10 minutes, steam will be absorbed by the towels and your potatoes will be dry and fluffy. The idea behind cooking potatoes with the lid left "ajar" is to cook the potatoes in less time (instead of no lid) without allowing the water to boil over. To cook cabbage, plunge the cabbage into a pot of boiling water, cover the pan only until the water returns to the boil. Remove the lid and let the cabbage cook gently until tender and still a vibrant colour.

QUESTION: Hope you can reply as soon as possible. I had company over last night and served teriyaki salmon which I cooked in the oven. I have one fillet left over and wondered whether I can freeze it. Much thanks. Love your column and read it regularly. Pearl, Winnipeg

ANSWER: You can freeze the fillet as long as it was not previously frozen but not for longer than six months. After that, you will notice a serious decline in quality. Fatty fish, such as salmon or trout, are best frozen for less than three months. All types of fish must be wrapped or packaged in airtight and moisture-vapour proof packaging such as freezable bags. Remove all air from packaging before sealing and over wrap with plastic wrap. Ensure that all packages are labelled with the date, weight and contents. When you thaw your frozen fish, do it gradually. Never in the microwave or room temperature! Let fish thaw in the fridge.

QUESTION: My tenant put a ballpoint pen in my dryer and it has left blue skid marks all over the drum. We have tried a variety of solutions to no avail. Please tell me what to do. Thank you. Gwen, Winnipeg

ANSWER: It may take time to completely remove the stain but it will lessen over the next few months (especially if you use your dryer often). Soak one or two large rags with bleach and water. Run the dryer and allow the towels to dry inside. Clean with dish soap and water. Use nail polish remover to zap remaining ink. Clean dryer out again with dish soap and water before using.

QUESTION: I need your help. I have a pair of expensive leather sandals and the straps close with Velcro. Unfortunately, the Velcro does not stay connected anymore and when I walk, there is a ripping sound, the strap becomes loose and flaps around. I can no longer wear them because of this. Any help you can give me would be appreciated. Thank you. Nancy, Winnipeg

ANSWER: Here are a few options: Bring the sandals to a shoe repair store or comb the Velcro with a pet brush to rejuvenate and clean, or stitch a new piece of Velcro on top of the current Velcro. Some people recommend gluing a new piece of Velcro onto the sandal but in my experience this does not hold.

QUESTION: I just bought a house and it smells like cigarette smoke. We took out the carpet, washed the walls and the smell is still there. Do you have any quick solutions to solve this problem? Thanks! Love your articles in the newspaper. Dominique, Winnipeg

ANSWER: Wash and paint the walls and rent (or purchase) an ozone machine. Use it according to the directions when you are not home. This little machine is what they use in smoke damaged buildings and hospitals. It is not a good idea to use often but you should only need it once.

I enjoy your questions and tips. Keep them coming.

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.

Reena Nerbas
September 25

Renovation & Design

Be a man! Guy space will impress friends

DEAR Marc:

I'm working long hours at the office, and when I come home I am tired. This part of my life is all about my career, so I don't spend lots of time at home. But when I am there, I'd like to have a place where I can relax and unwind. I am basically living like a bachelor right now. My walls are white; I have minimal furniture, and a large, flat-screen TV and sound system. I don't want to compromise the comfort of my furniture just so my house looks good, but I would like for it not to look so ugly. Help! -- Zach

Dear Zach:

Having a designer space is like having a sports car. All your friends will want one. In our fathers' and grandfathers' time, guys were not expected to live in designer spaces. Nowadays, guys are expected to develop their own taste and style for their homes. Many men will buy and design a home before moving in with their wives. Who says we can't live in rock-star spaces before we get married?

The functionality of a given space in your home will change depending on your needs. You might want to easily change your dining room table to a poker table for poker night. Or your living room may not be a sitting area, but rather a room filled with electronics. The most important function of the room may be to have adequate seating for friends and reachable tables to set down a cold beer.

To design your space, you'll need to select an appropriate colour scheme. Great colours for a guy's space may include greys, blues, army greens, taupes, and reds. My personal favourite is shades of grey as the primary wall colour, paired with a deep dusty blue as an accent colour. Think of a navy blue with a dab of grey and that's the colour we're looking for.

Now for furniture. As we're trying to create a strong design with a consistent look, we'll want to stick to a dark grey fabric or black leather for the sofa. The key to buying a great sofa for your guy space is to steer away from the overstuffed sectionals. Rather, look for clean lines and a more modern look and feel. Quality sofas are built to be comfortable without looking like a bean bag with legs, therefore, invest in one and you won't regret it. I know this will come as a shock to most guys, but designer furniture has all of the same functions as regular furniture. If you want a reclining chair, designer chairs that recline are also available!

As for manly accessories, stick to natural elements such as chrome or wood. If it comes down to light or dark-stained wood, choose dark. Cowhide rugs make great area rugs in these spaces. The successful formula is to have touches of rustic design, but not have your home look like it should be part of a ski lodge.

As for your flat-screen television, don't fret. If it isn't wider than your fireplace, you can hang it above the mantel. This way, your focal point is still the fireplace, and you won't have to change your seating around when the guys are over to watch the game. Also, instead of having the speakers sitting on the floor around the room, invest in in-wall speakers. These are wired into your walls between your studs (vertical 2 X 4s in the wall) so that neither the wires nor the speakers are visible. And voila, your pile of electronics that was sitting in the corner of the room is now transformed into a state-of-the-art entertainment system. All the great functions, with none of the ugly!

Who says guys can't have a designer space? Once you've completed your guy space, you'll be the envy of all your friends.

Marc Atiyolil is the editor-in-chief of Canadian Home Trends -- Canada's Home Decor & Lifestyle Magazine. To submit a question for Marc Atiyolil, visit CanadianHomeTrends.ca.

Marc Atiyolil
September 25

Renovation & Design

ASK THE INSPECTOR: Here's a concrete solution to patching wall

QUESTION: Since my home does not meet the clearances required by the insurance industry, I have disconnected my wood stove fireplace insert in my rec-room. I am planning to take down the remains of the chimney this year. Since the stove-to-chimney connection goes through the concrete basement wall, and is below ground level, I would like to know what material I can use to plug this hole securely so that no water leaks incur.

William J. Balacko

ANSWER: Many homeowners discover that older wood stoves installed in basements do not have the required clearances to be safely operated. While your insurance provider many demand you not use your unit or require its removal, it is the National Building Code and fire safety codes that determine the requirements for all solid-fuel burning appliances in homes.

Hopefully, this did not come as a major surprise after purchasing your home, which would likely have been identified by a competent home inspector or WETT-certified inspector.

There is also another major consideration for anyone planning to use a wood stove or fireplace in a basement. All wood-burning appliances require a large amount of air for combustion of the fuel. On the main floor of a large open home or cabin there may be sufficient combustion air to operate a wood stove without causing any issues. In basements, however, fresh air supplies may be limited and wood burning can often cause air to be drawn from the upper levels of the home. Dryers and naturally aspirated furnaces and water heaters can also vent a large amount of air from the basement when in operation.

In some cases, this large draw of air from the basement will cause a significant depressurization, which can lead to serious indoor air-quality issues. The largest potential problem in this regard is backdrafting of the wood stove or furnace, which allows products of combustion to spill into the living area. Dangerous levels of carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide, as well as other toxins, can build up in the home, with major health and safety consequences.

The solution to the negative-pressure problem is to install a fresh-air intake duct near the unit to equalize the air pressure and provide adequate combustion air. An even simpler solution is to stop using the wood stove, or to remove it completely. The only drawback is the problem you've identified -- plugging the hole that the old chimney occupied in the building envelope.

Unfortunately, the amateur that installed your unit incorrectly also made a bad decision about where to punch a hole though the outside of the house for the chimney. This opening is much better located above grade, often between the floor joists of the main floor, which eliminates a couple of issues. The higher location prevents damage to the metal chimney from moisture and also makes it easier to seal around the opening to prevent heat loss and moisture intrusion. Your opening is through the foundation below grade, making sealing the area difficult.

In your situation, the only proper way to fill a hole that size in any concrete below grade is with more concrete. This can be accomplished by digging down around the exterior opening and removing any wall coverings or insulation from the inside of the foundation wall. Once the area is exposed, temporary plywood forms should be made to close the opening and hold the wet concrete in place until cured. Hopefully, the original installer made the opening right to the top of the foundation wall, as is normally the case, which will allow you to pour wet concrete into the form. The patching material can be mixed from scratch, or done more easily by purchasing a few bags of dry redi-mix concrete and adding water according to the instructions.

You also may want to consider drilling a couple of holes in the existing foundation for installation of short sections of reinforcing steel rods. This may only be necessary if you feel the original opening compromises the strength of the concrete walls, or of there are any significant cracks emanating from the hole.

Once the concrete patch has sufficiently set and the forms are removed, there is one final step to ensure a successful repair. Concrete is porous and must be damp-proofed or sealed at the exterior to prevent leakage. This can be done with a bitumen-based foundation coating or membrane. Your original foundation likely had a bitumen coating, which should look like black tar on the concrete in the excavated area. This inexpensive coating can be purchased in small quantities and trowelled over the patched area to damp-proof it. Alternatively, self-adhesive rubberized foundation membranes can also be found in small rolls and easily applied over the opening, sometimes after painting the area with a primer, depending on the manufacturer's recommendation.

No matter which method you chose, proper installation of damp-proofing is as critical to leak prevention as a good concrete mix.

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

Ari Marantz
September 18

Renovation & Design

If you can't beat it, camouflage it!

Dear Marc:

I bought an older home I plan to fix up myself. I have a door in my kitchen that leads to my basement. This door is in the dead centre of my kitchen, so it looks kind of funny. I have cabinetry that starts and ends on both sides of the door. Any suggestions on how I can get rid of my eyesore? -- Marla

Dear Marla:

Eliminating or changing the location of these doors would be a big and very expensive endeavour. Therefore, why not trick the eye instead? If we can't get rid of something on our tight budgets, let's face it and camouflage it! The best way to camouflage those pesky doors is to paint them the same colour as the wall. The trick is to paint the casing the same colour, as well, so as not to draw attention to our unpleasant design feature.

To start your design project, you will need the following: old newspaper, sandpaper, a metal scraper, primer, paint (same colour as your wall paint), and a paint brush. All these supplies are available at your local paint or hardware store.

First, you'll want to sand the door. Each paint project starts with proper prepping. Why are you wasting time sanding? you ask. The answer is simple: If the area isn't properly sanded, the new paint will not stick, and will peel. If the door has paint that's peeling, while sanding the door, use the metal scraper to remove the excess dry paint.

Once you have completely sanded the door, door frame and casing, take out the old newspaper. Lay it under the door you are about to paint so that paint will not drip on the floor during the painting process. Include multiple layers of newspaper as paint will seep through the paper. Be sure not to lay down the newspaper where you are reading these instructions as the next part could get complicated. Once the newspaper has been set in place, now comes the fun part. Pry open your paint can of primer. Using your paint brush, brush the primer up and down, being sure to cover every crevice and crack.

Make sure the primer has dried completely before you apply the first coat of paint. Be sure to also paint the door casing and frame the same colour. Everything has to be the same colour for this camouflaging effect to work. Once the first coat of paint is finished and dry, apply a second coat of paint to finalize your design project.

In design, it's not always what is present in the room, but rather, what the eye sees.

Marc Atiyolil is the editor-in-chief of Canadian Home Trends -- Canada's Home Decor & Lifestyle Magazine. To submit a question for Marc Atiyolil, visit CanadianHomeTrends.ca.

Marc Atiyolil
September 18