Renovation & Design
Renovation & Design
ASK THE INSPECTOR: Light-coloured shingles way to go for your home
QUESTION: Do darker shingles have any effect on heat retention in the winter compared to those of a lighter colour?
T. Stubbington, Oakville, MB
ANSWER: I am surprised your very interesting question is rarely ever posed to me during regular inspections. It is one that has been debated by home inspectors and others at various seminars I have attended, over the years. I will provide some insight about roofs in relation to shingle colour and hopefully clear up some misconceptions about attic function and purpose at the same time.
The first item to address is your question about energy conservation in relation to shingle colour. The simple answer is there is little relationship between the two, but that is not completely true. The interesting thing is that energy conservation relates more to summer use, rather than winter heat retention by darker shingles, as you have opined.
That is because light-coloured shingles have a tendency to reflect more sunlight and heat away from the roof than darker ones, which absorb more heat and energy from the sun. For this reason, in the summer months, darker shingles can increase the temperature of the attic and may slightly add to air conditioning costs, especially in a poorly insulated attic.
Before going further, we must clear up one common misconception many homeowners have about their attics. An ideal attic is one that is as cool as possible, not warm. This is particularly true in the winter, but also in the summer, for the reason mentioned in the previous paragraph. The reason we install more insulation in our attic floor than anywhere else in the home is to prevent the loss of heat and warm air from the living space. Normally, warm air rises in buildings and can cause an attic to become too warm if insulation is minimal and the ceilings are poorly sealed. If this happens, condensation and moisture problems will develop. Also, shingles will be subject to premature deterioration if they are substantially warmer on the underside than on the surface.
If you have a well-insulated, sealed, and vented attic, it will remain fairly cool to cold even on the days when the home heating system is used to the maximum. That is critical to prevent excessive condensation and frost build-up from any warm air that does leak though. It also will ensure the temperature differential between the top and bottom of shingles on the roof is not excessive. When that occurs, often due to low amounts of insulation combined with poor ventilation, the shingles will curl.
Excessive curling will cause the shingles to wear out very quickly, often in half the time of normal life expectancy. In relation to your question, it means you don't want shingles to increase heat retention, you want them to limit that feature. That is the true disadvantage of darker coloured shingles, because they will absorb more solar energy and ultraviolet rays than light ones, increasing the wear.
In the winter, heat retention from the sun by darker-coloured shingles will be subject to many variables. The most important of these is snow cover. In years with substantial snow cover, the colour of the shingles may have little effect because the white snow may reflect a large enough portion of the sun's radiant heat to prevent absorption by dark shingles. This will also depend on the pitch of the roof, with low-pitch roofs and those with numerous valleys able to retain more snow than steep roofs. In years with minimal snow, dark roofs may be completely exposed to the strong winter sun, with little shade from leafless trees. This may substantially reduce the life expectancy of the roofing, as well as heat up the attic. It is also possible a warmer attic in the winter may increase the chance of "stack effect," or warm air convection within the home, but that is open to debate.
The bottom line -- darker shingles should be avoided if the option for light-coloured ones is available. Many subdivisions have specific restrictions on the colour of shingles that can be used when building new homes. There may be an aesthetic advantage to darker-coloured asphalt shingles and many developers insist they be used to ensure relative conformity with surrounding homes.
Unfortunately, this is contrary to good building practice, which should promote the use of light-coloured roofing that will be more reflective, rather than absorptive of the sun's rays.
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 or sent to: Ask The Inspector, P. O. Box 69021, #110-2025 Corydon Ave., Winnipeg, MB. R3P 2G9. Ari can be reached at (204) 291-5358 or check out his website at www.trainedeye.ca.
Renovation & Design
SOLUTIONS: Pesky glue? Peanut butter to the rescue
QUESTION: We recently installed new hardwood flooring in the dining room. The protective felt pads on the dining room chairs occasionally slide off and smear sticky glue backing onto the hardwood floor. What process or product would best remove the glue without damaging the finish on the hardwood? Duane, Winnipeg
ANSWER: To tackle this problem, use smooth peanut butter. Smear it onto the wood, leave it for a few minutes and wipe the adhesion away with a plastic putty knife.
QUESTION: My son always begs me to put non-permanent tattoos on his arm. After awhile they look like blobs of dirt. Can you suggest an easy and safe way to clean his arm? Donalda (Emerson, Man.)
ANSWER: Wipe your son's arm with rubbing alcohol, it cleans up in a snap!
QUESTION: My car is old and carries a stale odour. Can you give me an idea of how I can make a non-toxic air freshener that will last a long time and smell great? Wesley (Otterburne, Man.)
ANSWER: Cut a sponge to fit inside of a plastic container. Into the container pour 4 tbsp. cooking oil plus the following essential oils: 8 drops rosewood, 8 drops grapefruit, 8 drops peppermint and 5 drops cinnamon. Essential oils are about $10 per bottle but they last for years and years. You can purchase essential oils at health food stores as well as some grocery stores. Next, puncture holes into the lid and secure it tightly so that no oil spills. As months go by and the smell begins to fade make the holes of the lid larger so that additional fragrance is expelled.
QUESTION: On a recent cruise to Alaska, my friend and I both purchased black jackets. Upon wearing them, our husbands proclaimed "You smell like diesel fuel"! We have both washed the jackets (three times) and kept them out in the fresh air but to no avail. They are made of polyester (Chinese polyester). Needless to say, we cannot take them back to Skagway! Any ideas on reducing the smell? Thanks, Sheila, Winnipeg
ANSWER: Sounds like the smell is coming from the dye of the jacket, in which case not much can be done. Soak the jackets for a few hours in vinegar and water and then borax and water. Wash the jackets as usual and hang them outside to dry. If the smell persists, your best bet is to wait and hope that the odour fades over time.
QUESTION: My daughter-in-law's cat peed on my son's hockey bag while on the basement floor. He has washed all the equipment but the smell still lingers in that room. We have washed the concrete three times now with a bleach/water mixture. Any suggestions on getting rid of the odour? It certainly isn't as bad as it was but definitely is still there. Thank you so much. Billee, Winnipeg
ANSWER: Purchase several bottles of lemon juice and soak the entire area, and add to that an entire box of baking soda. Let the concoction foam up and sit for at least one hour. Wipe and rinse. Or saturate the concrete with an enzymatic cleaner, such as Nature's Miracle. Enzyme cleaners are effective because they break down molecules and eliminate odours.
Fabulous tips to flush down the drain:
* Use empty toilet paper rolls to store appliance cords. It keeps them neat and you can write on the roll which appliance it belongs to.
* If your cat enjoys unravelling toilet paper, use a long rubber band and wrap it around the ends of the holder. The cat will soon lose interest.
* The next time you buy toilet rolls, slip a few over the handle of your toilet brush. That way you will always have a roll nearby.
* Before you take your RV on the road, squish the toilet paper roll so that it does not unravel while you drive. Or hang the roll so that the toilet paper is under the roll instead of over (stays on the roll better).
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.
Renovation & Design
ASK THE INSPECTOR: Condensation in crawl space requires proper vapour barrier
QUESTION: Last year we added an addition to our cottage, which is now our year-round residence. Below the addition is a storage area. We completely skirted the cottage and, where the new room is, there is a wooden floor placed over the dirt. We have a very uneven area under there that is a sloping area of dirt, rocks and old tree stumps, which means we can't put the floor everywhere. The walls were completely insulated. This was done last year, in the early fall.
Early this summer, we discovered major condensation between the plastic and the insulation. We ripped off the plastic and exposed the insulation, as well as pulling most of it from the bottom of the room, and installed a dehumidifier. This has helped in reducing the moisture. Also, this area is heated in the winter with its own ductwork and we also have central air conditioning for the summer. But obviously, we still have major humidity from the exposed soil area.
Our thoughts are to rip out all the insulation and have someone insulate it with the foam insulation. We realize that the cheapest way would be to just reinstall the existing insulation and close it up again with plastic. But will it not happen again? We would appreciate your thoughts on using the foam insulation.
-- L. Lee, email
ANSWER: Condensation is a common problem with walls inside crawl spaces insulated using conventional fibreglass batts and polyethylene air vapour barriers. It is very difficult to seal the poly well enough to prevent moist air from the crawl space getting into the wall cavity. You have proposed one possible solution to the problem, but have not addressed all the issues involved.
Removing the polyethylene sheathing and insulation to allow the skirting wall to dry from the moisture is the right approach, but will only be a temporary solution. Once the crawl space is closed again for the heating season, moisture will again penetrate the wall cavity.
The problem is that the majority of the moisture is likely coming from the open soil in the crawl space. As the temperature drops outside and the crawl space is closed and heated, water trapped in the soil will evaporate and enter the area above. If there is limited air movement, some of that moisture will penetrate the vapour barrier on the inside of the skirting and will condense as it cools. Frost will form in the cavity and may remain until the weather warms enough to melt it, wetting the insulation and wood inside. What you discovered in the early summer is the result of this phenomenon.
To prevent this from happening again this year, you must strive to accomplish two separate but related goals.
The first of these goals is to reduce the humidity and moisture in the crawl space. If you are successful, there will be a limited amount of moisture that can get into the wall cavity. As previously stated, much of this moisture comes directly from the soil, so preventing this is important. The wooden floor that has been installed in this area will not help and will prevent easy installation of a proper solution. Installation of a completely sealed poly air/vapour barrier over the crawl space floor is the best solution. This should be sealed to the air/vapour barrier over the inside of the skirting wall, thus preventing this moisture from entering the living space above.
Part of this initial goal is to install insulation in the skirting wall that will not only prevent absorption of moisture, but will help stop any moisture that does enter from damaging the wood in the wall. Extruded polystyrene or blown-in polyurethane will both achieve this, but have different costs and installation challenges.
Blown-in foam will require hiring a contractor who can install this material in large quantities and is not a do-it-yourself project. Rigid foam insulation, on the other hand, may be within your capabilities. The only issue is that it may be difficult to cut it to fit exactly in the skirting wall with the limited work area in the crawl space.
Once the wall has dried sufficiently over the summer with the insulation removed, installation of the moisture-resistant insulation can be done. This is also the time to install the polyethylene sheathing over the dirt floor and the insulated skirting walls. This area should now be ready for closing up and heating during the winter.
The next step will come next spring when the weather warms above the freezing mark once again. There may still be a significant amount of trapped water or vapour underneath the poly, especially above the soil. However, this moisture should not pose a significant problem, as the insulation will not become damaged from a little dampness and the moisture under the floor poly should not create much more than wet soil.
The next goal is to dry out any moisture trapped in the crawl space area over the heating season after the weather warms. This can be accomplished by increasing the ventilation in the crawl space by opening summer vents in the skirting. There should be enough of the vents installed at various locations to allow good airflow and wind to all areas of the crawl space. As you have surmised, changing the insulation and improving the air/vapour barrier will help prevent moisture in the wall cavity for the heating season and increasing ventilation will help dry out any residual moisture in the warm months.
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 or sent to: Ask The Inspector, P.O. Box 69021, #110-2025 Corydon Ave., Winnipeg, MB. R3P 2G9. Ari can be reached at (204) 291-5358 or check out his website at www.trainedeye.ca.
trainedeye@iname.com
Renovation & Design
Restored gardens of Aberglasney commemorated
What could be luckier than having a cousin with a 500-year-old, award-winning bed-and-breakfast in Wales?
If you're Anne Clark-Stewart, an active member of a local horticultural society, the family connection likely helped convince one of Britain's newest horticultural stars, Graham Rankin, to stage a Canadian tour on the restoration of Aberglasney, including nine spectacular gardens in central Wales that were developed during the Elizabethan era.
Although Rankin is not known to many North American gardeners, he's a horticultural force in England and the energy behind the restoration of Aberglasney and its historic gardens. The structures date back to at least the 16th century, with much of the essential garden design undertaken during the Elizabethan age.
Aberglasney prospered for more than 300 years and then was tragically neglected for much of the 20th century. In 1907, the property was abandoned by its widowed owner and the only residents during the Second World War were troops. In 1955, the property was split up, sold and remained essentially uninhabited. It was sold again in 1977, followed by further decay, vandalism and theft.
In 1995, the mansion's portico was illegally removed and offered up for sale by a venerable auction house. That was the turning point, prompting supporters and an American benefactor to rally, funding the Aberglasney Restoration Trust to purchase the entire property.
This was the start of a wonderful renewal and the grounds buzzed with the sounds of digging, levelling, excavating and rebuilding until 1999. Around this time, the BBC featured the property in a televised series called, Aberglasney: A Garden Lost in Time, which struck a nerve, generating nationwide interest.
The BBC program followed the magical excavation process and a second episode highlighted the disagreement over the origins of the cloister garden. Was it a retreat for the gentry or simply a cow enclosure?
In the months leading to the 1999 opening, Rankin was recruited to the project, largely based on the recommendation of the renowned U.S. horticulturist Frank Cabot. Cabot is known for his garden, Stonecrop, in Cold Spring, New York, and a second garden in Quebec: Les Quatres Vents.
Cabot knew Rankin had the tenacity and drive, not to mention the plant know-how, to tackle this huge, long-term project. With horticultural training that included seven years at Windsor Castle's Great Park where he developed a love for magnolias and then worked on restoration projects, including a Surrey garden, Rankin was signed on as Aberglasney's first director of operations.
Clark-Stewart was an early visitor to Aberglasney in 1999, a time when it was still more an architectural ruin than a horticultural tour-de-force. As a matter of fact, many early visitors to the site wanted their money back because the property was still very much a work in progress, remembers Rankin.
A decade later, the grounds and house are dynamic, with nine strikingly different gardens bursting with plantings.
In celebration of the 10th anniversary, Rankin has written The Flowering of Aberglasney. It describes the development of the gardens and structures -- from the two formal walled gardens, an ancient cloister garden that is bounded by a unique parapet walk, to a pool and stream garden, an exotic Ninfarium, a yew walk and several wooded areas.
Aberglasney is a joy to see in person, but Rankin's words and photographs are spectacular.
-- Canwest News Service
Renovation & Design
Get with the times: Top trends for 2010
FROM the modern farmhouse look to reinvented 1980s pastels -- these are just some of the hottest decor trends for 2010. The good news for recessionistas out there: it's easy to apply most of the trends without breaking the bank.
What's in vogue for interiors? A look Rosalyn Lazaruk, the Edmonton-based designer of Wicket Blue Interiors, calls "modern farmhouse," that sees a subtle softening of the clean-lined modern style that's been popular for the past several years. To create modern farmhouse in a white-walled, angular space, simply bring in an antique or vintage piece. It could be a rustic round table picked up at a flea market, or a worn set of dining chairs that have been upcycled courtesy of new upholstery. A distressed trestle table really can work in an all-white, modern kitchen.
"I like to think of it as being a whole lot of eclectic; using your own personality in your space," she says.
Another big trend is the reintroduction of certain design elements from the '80s and late '70s. But fear not soft pastel paints and orange and yellow floral wallpaper. Teal and peach are out, replaced by lilac and soft blue tones, which pair well with grey, a hot or cool colour for walls and upholstery.
-- Canwest News Service
