Renovation & Design
Renovation & Design
SOLUTIONS: Smells in sink, freezer can be simple to fix
QUESTION: I am trying to eliminate an unwanted and stubborn sink odour. It is not obnoxious, but it is annoying. It smells very musty and stale. I have tried baking soda, vinegar, organic sink un-clogger and bleach without much enduring success. Can you help please?
-- Jay, Plumas, MB
ANSWER: This problem is annoying especially when company is coming over. The sink dilemma may involve the drain and vent. Begin by pouring vinegar into the drain hole; scrub with an old toothbrush. Also, the trap under the basin may not be holding enough water thus allowing sewer fumes into the room. Make sure that the trap holds water; it could be that the overflow on the basin needs cleaning. If possible, remove the trap and clean it well with vinegar, water and dish soap.
Clean the drain: Pour 1 cup vinegar into drain, chase with 1 cup baking soda. Plug the drain and fill the sink with hot water. Leave overnight and in the morning let drain. It takes a couple of treatments to effectively remedy the odour. Do this once a month to keep the bathroom smelling fresh. If you are only noticing the smell during winter months, chances are that the stack on top of your house is frozen over. If this is the case you may want to pour boiling water into the stack to get rid of ice blocks.
Most bathroom drain slowdowns and blockages start at the popup assembly, not at the trap or in the other drain lines. The culprits are the pivot rod and the stopper, which collect bits of hair and "stuff" over time. This mass grows large until it eventually slows down sink drainage or causes a full-blown blockage. Either remove the stopper or hire a professional to do the task. Clean out all of the mess on the stoppers and the metal rod. While holding a sponge over the hole where the pivot rod was removed, flush the drain with hot water.
QUESTION: I look forward to your column in the newspaper each week. Your solutions are great! Here is my question: How do I get "freezer smell" out of ice cube trays?
-- Liz, Winnipeg
ANSWER: When making ice cubes let's begin with the water supply. If you have hard water, with lots of minerals in it, you're best off to use distilled water. Whether starting with tap water or distilled water, boil the water to get some of the air out of it. If you're pouring the water into plastic trays, let the water cool somewhat before making ice cubes. Chances are that the odour is coming from food that has gotten into the insulation system of your freezer. Put 1 tbsp. vanilla extract on a small plate and set in the freezer, repeat three times. Or purchase activated charcoal from a pet store. Place in freezer to remove smell. Lastly, clean the ice cube trays periodically with a mixture of baking soda and water.
QUESTION: Please tell me what you mean by "HE" detergents for front-end loader washing machines. Thank you.
-- Glyn, St. Andrews
ANSWER: HE stands for high efficiency detergent which is specially made for front-end loading washing machines. HE detergent produces fewer suds and makes good use of water inside the machine. HE detergent is not suited for older washing machines and may become a problem over time. Since HE detergent produces less sudsing, excess detergent residue is less likely to remain in fabrics from one cycle to the next. Typically, HE detergents do not cost more than normal detergents and they are becoming readily available.
Using proper HE detergent for your high-efficiency low water washer will enable your laundry appliance to perform as it should.
QUESTION: I read in your column last year about controlling weeds. I think you mixed vinegar, dish soap, and salt but I misplaced the formula. Also, can I buy your book on your website?
-- Parker, Winnipeg
ANSWER: You are right about the ingredients for controlling weeds. Here are the amounts: 4 cups white vinegar, half cup salt and 2 tbsp. dish soap. Combine in a spray bottle and spray on weeds. Be careful, however, because this recipe will kill anything green. The solution will take effect after a few days, reapply as necessary.
Fabulous Tips of the Week:
* When buying a skillet, even if it has non-stick coating make sure it has a thick bottom. The thicker the bottom, the more control you will have over the pan. A thin pan can't handle high heat and can get hot spots or warp, making it easier for food burn.
* Throw out non-stick pans or baking sheets if the coating begins to come off. Also, cooking with lemon-based foods in non-stick ware may reduce durability and the coating is more likely to peel.
* You don't need to buy "a set" of pots. Collect a 2-quart saucepan, a 4-quart saucepan, 8-quart stockpot and perhaps a non-stick fry pan (that way you can reduce fat quantity).
Reena Nerbas is the author of the national best sellers, Household Solutions 1 with Substitutions, Household Solutions 2 with Kitchen Secrets and the soon-to-be released book Household Solutions 3 with Green Alternatives available online and in stores across Canada.
www.householdsolutions.org
Renovation & Design
ASK THE INSPECTOR: What is the best way to insulate stone basements?
QUESTION: I am hoping you can give me some advice. We recently purchased a century home in New Brunswick and there is some form of spray foam on the basement interior walls for the purpose of insulation. We are unable to ask the homeowners about it -- unfortunately they are deceased. There is no sign of water damage and no water in the basement. It is a stone foundation on the ends of the house but the side foundation walls are concrete. My question is, should we be concerned that this will jeopardize the foundation? Everything I am reading is saying to never insulate a stone foundation from the inside.
Leslie Sullivan, e-mail
D. Schon, e-mail
ANSWER: Both of these questions address the difficult question about insulating older stone foundations with spray-on foam insulation, even though the locations and climate differ. They will be answered together, due to their similar nature.
Older stone foundations, typically constructed of limestone in our area, will all have some deterioration due to their age and composition. These foundations are created by securing the large stones together with mortar. Over time, moisture from the ground will erode the mortar and cause this deterioration. In most cases, some seepage will be seen during heavy rains and in the spring thaw. In the worst cases, the worn mortar will allow the stones to move, causing structural issues.
The thing both of you should realize is that the basements in your homes were designed to be cellars, not living space. These areas may have low ceilings, poor access, and were primarily used for storage and to provide an area for the mechanical systems in your homes. The foundations were not designed to be insulated, partially to allow easy access to the mortar joints should they wear out and leak. In the case of the New Brunswick home, I will assume that rainfall and ground moisture levels may be quite high all year round and moisture intrusion through the foundation may be a big concern. Since you have not seen any signs of leakage, the previous homeowners may have done extensive repairs to the foundation before covering it with foam insulation on the interior.
Pay particular attention to eavestrough and downspout drainage and grading around the home. If this is well-maintained and the mortar in the foundation is not deteriorated above grade, you may be fine. If these areas have been neglected and gaps are seen between the stones in the foundation, particularly near grade, then exterior excavation and repairs may be required.
For the Winnipeg home, removal of the older insulation from the interior will give you an indication of the proper course of action. If the mortar is primarily intact between the stones or they are completely covered with solid parging, then little action may be needed prior to re-insulating. If the mortar is crumbling and a large amount of sand is seen on the floor slab at the base of the foundation then extensive repairs are a must.
This may require simply scraping out and removing all of the old, loose mortar before re-pointing and parging the interior. If the damage is major and stones appear to have shifted, then exterior repairs by a reputable foundation contractor will be warranted.
It is true that using blown-in polyurethane foam insulation on the interior of a wet, deteriorated stone foundation is not the proper method to prevent further leakage and damage. But if the foundation and mortar is in good condition and not leaking, that type of insulation may provide a superior job to the traditional fibreglass batt and wood framing method.
While both polyurethane and fibreglass are resistant to moisture damage, fibreglass batts can easily absorb and hold significant amounts of water, while poly foam will not. For this reason, foam insulation is a better choice for the interior of a stone foundation.
For both of your similar concerns I would not worry about properly installed foam insulation on the foundation walls, as long as the condition of those walls was good. This should not be mistaken for an endorsement of using polyurethane foam to repair a wet foundation, just to properly insulate and air seal a dry one.
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 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
Decorate your kids' rooms, keep your sanity, too
It's tempting to give in to the whining. Your kids say they are sick of "Cinderella" or "Dora the Explorer" and HAVE to have their bedroom redecorated in "High School Musical" or "Hannah Montana."
Don't give in, says Florida designer Giselle Loor,a mother of two sons.
Decorating children's rooms that last is particularly important these days when many of us are worried about losing our homes, our jobs and our sanity. One of the biggest mistakes you can make is designing everything -- wallpaper, bedspreads and accents -- in a theme your kids may tire of in a year.
Loor decorated her boys' shared bedroom with painted walls, striped bedspreads and themed pillows to match their tastes ("Batman" and "Spider-Man"). They are embroidered with their first names.
"Sit down and talk with your child, whether they are 3, 4 or 15," she said. "Find out what their favorite colors are. They usually won't change that much over the years.
"Paint the walls as a neutral background. You can change accents. It's not that much money to change the pillows if they change their mind or taste."
Here are more of her suggestions:
Draw a floor plan before you shop
It sounds simple, but you waste money if you don't know how the furniture will fit. Measure the room, the existing furniture and lay it out on graph paper. Before you buy, make sure the new furniture fits in the plan.
"If you have a smaller child, you need floor space for them to do puzzles," she said. "I find a lot of parents allow the children to play games in the living room and before you know it the whole house is cluttered. If you don't have a separate playroom, you need to make the bedroom the playroom."
Skip the twin bed
As soon as they outgrow the crib, get your children full- or queen-size beds that will last until they grow up and leave the nest. When Loor and her family moved into a loft, she ordered two sets of custom-made, queen-size bunk beds with a desk for each child underneath.
No matter how young, every child needs a desk.
"Kids are getting on computers before they are even able to read," Loor said. "Whether they are using Leapfrog or a laptop for college, they still need desk space so they can have a quiet place to do homework without distraction."
Provide an organizational system to keep the room in order
The bedroom should be peaceful and that translates into uncluttered. She suggests buying a label maker and bins. Mark each bin with the toy names. If your child is too young to read, take a picture of the toy and put the name under it so he or she can learn the words.
Add a fun accent
Loor's children are afraid of the dark so she turned falling asleep into a pleasant experience with a light show. She bought a projector for about $100 and displays the solar system and shooting stars on the ceiling.
Provide shelves for personalization
Loor decorated a feminine room for a seven-year-old girl that featured a chandelier, an abstract floral rug and shelves surrounding the bed. The display on the shelves can change with her interests -- from dolls to photos of her boyfriends.
-- McClatchy-Tribune Information Services
Renovation & Design
Don't rush to replace wooden windows on heritage home
The federal government's new budget offers homeowners a tax break of as much as $1,350, if they spend up to $10,000 on renovations.
Owners of older homes can take advantage of the Home Renovation Tax Credit to improve their homes, but they should be careful about initiating upgrades that might destroy the visual appeal of their property.
Lowering energy consumption by improving a home's thermal efficiency is a priority high on every homeowner's to-do list these days. But not all typical renovation upgrades are sympathetic to the style of older homes.
In the rush toward optimum energy efficiency, many owners of older homes are replacing their wood windows with inexpensive thermal vinyl windows. While there is no doubt double-pane thermal units perform better than single-pane windows, heritage buffs are sounding the alarm, stressing that the change can alter or destroy the character of the home.
Energy upgrades such as added insulation and the purchase of Energy Star furnaces and appliances do no harm to the character of older buildings. But heritage experts say there is no need to replace period wood windows with modern vinyl windows to achieve thermal efficiency. They point out wood is a natural insulator and is made from a renewable source.
The visual differences between wood and vinyl are usually apparent, even to a casual observer. Vintage windows have a distinct depth and thickness of the frames and sills. There is also the visual weight of the sash that is absent in a modern vinyl window.
While some vinyl windows can be coloured by the manufacturer to soften the stark whiteness of the material, they cannot be painted to co-ordinate with a house's colour scheme.
Wood window proponents say the old standby -- the storm window -- is all a homeowner really needs, and at a fraction of the cost of new window replacement. "With a wood storm window on a single-pane window, homeowners can get the same thermal efficiency as a double-paned vinyl window," says Keri Briggs, general manager of Vintage Woodworks in Vancouver. "Storm windows are non-invasive and do not detract from the character of the house. Wood windows have a longer life, with some examples over 100 years old. A vinyl window usually needs to be replaced every 25 years or so."
Outside storm windows usually cost between $200 and $300 per window and, with regular maintenance, can last the life of the home.
Another reason to retain wood windows has to do with the quality of air in a home. Older houses have a natural passive fresh-air exchange that allows the building to "breathe." In contrast, newer homes are designed to be tightly sealed, with fresh air drawn in and exhausted mechanically. Homeowners who install new windows in older homes sometimes report condensation problems because moisture cannot escape as easily.
-- Canwest News Service
Renovation & Design
Slow city
The Society for the Deceleration of Time, the World Institute of Slowness, the International Institute for Not Doing Much. Though all of these may sound like farcical organizations, and the last one perhaps is, the global "Slow" Movement is not only quite real, it is picking up momentum.
Rooted in the Slow Food movement that started in Italy, the trend has evolved to encompass everything from Slow Cities and Slow Design to Slow Reading and Slow Sex. In 2005, Carl Honore, a Canadian living in London, brought widespread attention to the movement with a book, In Praise of Slow: How a Worldwide Movement is Challenging the Cult of Speed.
This September, Cowichan Bay on Vancouver Island is hoping to announce it is the first town in North America to be inducted into Cittaslow (or Slow City), an internationally recognized network of towns committed to putting quality of life first.
Cittaslow was founded in 1999 by four towns in Italy -- Bra, Orvieto, Greve-in-Chianti, and Positano -- that believed the principles of Slow Food could be applied to the environment to make towns better places for residents and visitors.
Today, the organization's manifesto sounds very similar to many of the guides on sustainable design and development. Its 55 criteria are grouped into six categories: environmental policy, infrastructure, quality of urban fabric, encouragement of local produce and products, hospitality and community and Cittaslow awareness. While city planners, development specialists and urban residents across North America debate and struggle over how to make cities more sustainable, almost 120 municipalities across Europe have pledged to transform their cities into havens of slowness.
"Slow is just a new word to understand old problems," Honore writes. "It's a refreshening of ideas that have been there since time immemorial. But there's a new appeal about the word slow. It's pithy, it's countercultural."
Although Slow Cities aim to preserve and promote local traditions -- architecture, crafts, cuisine, etc. -- the campaign is far from Luddite in nature. "Being slow does not mean being torpid, backward or technophobic," Honore writes.
Mara Jernigan, of Fairburn Farm in the Cowichan Valley and president of Slow Food Canada, describes the Cittaslow movement as a tool for protecting local communities. "If people moving into brand-new houses are not aware of the history and the biodiversity of a region, they don't value it."
For those looking at adding a slice or two of Slow to their daily sandwich of urban fervour, a growing number of designers, including the founders of SlowLab, in New York, are creating objects to operate like speed bumps for those who may be living life too fast. Thorunn Arnadottir, an Icelandic designer, made a clock using a string of beads draped over a notched metal disc. One bead drops every five minutes, marking time in a way that seems to slow it down.
Closer to home, John Brown, a Calgary architect and University of Calgary professor, is urging people to just say no to cookie-cutter houses in new developments. Likening such design to fast food -- a supersized hamburger and fries -- Brown feels that people are being undernourished by awkward spaces and huge houses.
In 2006, he launched theslowhome.com in an effort to educate people on how to create deeper and more intimate relationships with their homes.
-- CanWest News Service
Renovation & Design
The Home Renovation Tax Credit plan: A primer of consideration
THE Home Renovation Tax Credit plan is part of the federal government's aim to inject $3 billion to stimulate the economy. It has met with a lot of enthusiasm -- but also with a lot of questions.
The plan seems simple enough at first glance: spend up to $10,000 on renovations and construction on the family home, and you get a tax credit of 15 per cent back, up to a maximum of $1,350. It's a credit, so it reduces the amount of federal tax you have to pay; it doesn't mean you get a cheque for $1,350.
The plan will be administered by the Canada Revenue Agency.
The plan encourages homeowners to open their wallets with the promise of a reduction on personal income taxes paid next year.
"It's money in the pocket," says Ian B. Lawson, a certified general accountant who operates a practice that bears his name. "It's a win-win situation for homeowners and legitimate, taxpaying businesses."
He notes that the incentive is also a boon to the Canada Revenue Agency, as homeowners will be keen to use legitimate contractors who can supply invoices for work performed. Operators of unlicensed, non-taxpaying companies or people who ask for payment under the table will likely see their business suffer.
How do I apply?
There are no application forms. There will be a line in the 2009 personal tax return.
Do I need to be pre-approved before work can start?
No.
What is the eligibility period?
The credit is based on work done and materials acquired after Jan. 27, 2009, and up to Feb. 1, 2010.
When will I get the tax credit?
The tax credit will be applied when homeowners file their 2009 tax return next year.
If the tax credit is more than my personal income tax paid for 2009, will I get a refund?
No, it is a non-refundable tax credit.
Can credit be carried forward?
No, it can only be applied for the 2009 tax year.
Who is eligible?
The plan is family based. In the eyes of the CRA that means an individual or an individual and his/her spouse or common-law partner, including children under 18 at the end of 2009.
What if two or more members of a family co-own a property?
Each family member will be eligible to file for their own separate credit.
What is the definition of a family for the purposes of this credit?
A family is generally considered to consist of an individual and spouse or common-law partner if applicable.
Are just houses eligible?
No, the credit also includes work on condominiums and cottages owned for personal use.
Does it include rental units, such as basements or apartments?
No, just property owned for personal use.
Do I have to spend $10,000 to qualify?
No, homeowners can spend a lesser amount and receive a proportionate amount in tax credit.
What if the work is over $10,000?
Homeowners are free to spend more than $10,000 on their renovations but they will not get a credit on any work over the limit.
How is it calculated?
The 15-per-cent credit is based on expenditures of more than $1,000 of work, but not more than $10,000. The maximum credit of $1,350 is based on 15 per cent of $9,000.
Can I do the work myself?
Yes. In such cases, the tax credit will apply to the materials, fixtures, rentals and permits purchased. Keep those receipts as well as delivery receipts to show the goods came to your principal residence.
Can I hire somebody in my family to do the work?
It depends. Usually the work should be done by an individual dealing at arm's length. But if the person doing the work is registered for the GST/HST under the Excise Tax Act, the expenditure will be eligible.
What are eligible expenses?
The cost of labour and professional services, building materials, fixtures, rentals and permits.
Does the work have to be done by a business?
No, an individual can perform the work. But that individual has to be able to produce receipts and invoices for homeowners to apply for the credit.
Is it just on renovations?
No, the credit can be claimed for new construction, such as alterations and additions to a property.
Are roofs covered?
Yes. According to the CRA, the credit applies to any renovation or alterations of an enduring nature and integral to the dwelling.
I want to build a wheelchair ramp. Can I also claim the Medical Expense Tax Credit?
Yes, a homeowner can claim both credits.
Can we piggyback on other grants currently being offered?
Yes. Homeowners are eligible for both.
What documents do I need to submit?
Homeowners need to retain all agreements, invoices and receipts for the work performed available in case the CRA requests them. The documentation must identify the goods purchased and services provided, and must identify the contractor or vendor. The invoices must be dated. They must also provide proof of payment.
-- Canwest News Service
