Renovation & Design

Renovation & Design

Higher office

Having a home office is a must these days. Even if you don't work from home you still need a place to keep your computer and paperwork in order to pay bills, do your banking online and so on. Finding space for a home office can be difficult if you're in a small space. If you don't have a spare bedroom or den to use, you have to be creative in order to seek out an area that will address your home office needs. That's not always an easy task but it can be done.

A simple plan

Keeping the office design simple and streamlined will be helpful if you're tight on space. Plain and simple furniture is a good start. In our sample office pictured here a minimalist desk is functional but keeps the office area visually clean. The rolling file cabinet is painted the same colour as the wall so that it blends into the background. The modern desk lamp is sleek yet practical. In a small space, less is more both literally and visually. No ornate decorative elements or elaborate items; just plain and simple.

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Nooks and crannies

You don't need an entire room devoted to a home office. A small home office can be tucked into a nook under a stairwell or set up along a wide hallway for example. The home office pictured here, for instance, could be set up in the corner of a bedroom, along a wide hallway or even on one wall in the living room. If you choose a more open space like in the living room, then adorn the office area with a punch of colour but keep the mechanical stuff uncluttered and low key. By mechanical stuff I don't just mean printers and fax machines but also the paperwork, discs, supplies and such. Keep these items in closed storage if possible so that they are not in plain view all of the time. Purchasing a laptop versus a personal computer would be a good option in an open setting.

If you can find a space in a less open area, like under a stairwell or in a large closet, you have the option to hide or close off your office area. In this case you don't have to worry as much about the aesthetics because you can either close the door or disguise the area with a decorative screen when not in use. The space will be tighter in a more hidden area like this but if you have good lighting and can comfortably fit a proper chair and desk in the space then you're well on your way. If, say, you use a space in the basement, under a stairwell or in a closet, use bright colours to keep the space from feeling gloomy. A punch of bright yellow or orange will stimulate your creative juices and keep you energized for the task at hand. Be sure that the space is properly ventilated and heated. Spaces that are tucked away, especially in older homes, tend not to be the warmest areas in the home. A piece of thick carpeting for your tootsies and a small space heater will keep you toasty while you work.

Call a professional

Out of the way areas like an attic, for instance, can be a great space for a home office but might not have the necessary electrical supply needed to suit the modern home office. If this is the case for you, don't pass on the area just because it doesn't have a sufficient power supply. Hire a professional electrician to review the situation to see if proper outlets can be installed in the space. If so, have the professionals do the work to ensure that everything is done correctly and safely. It might cost you up front but it outweighs what it would cost you to rent a space for an office outside of the home. It might be worth it to pay a little up front to get a space that suits your needs in your very own home. Having a useable home office is always a good selling feature as well so the investment will pay off down the road.

Keep it simple. Small spaces are not conducive to oversized, ornate antique desks. Small modular pieces, like the ones in our photo, can be rearranged easily and meet the general home office needs. A comfy chair is paramount if you spend a lot of time at the computer so splurge on this item if you can. The ergonomic design in office chairs has come a long way so you can get a pretty comfy chair for a reasonable price these days. If you do purchase a good chair you're going to need a smooth, durable surface on which to place it so it can roll easily. Our display photo shows durable flooring from Tarkett Residential Flooring that is both attractive and functional. If you are considering new flooring for your office area, make sure it can withstand the wear and tear of your chair.

You don't have to spend a lot of money to decorate your home office successfully. A punch of colour is sometimes all you need to define the area. Our home office here has a large canvas frame hanging above the desk which is covered in a deep red fabric. Simple but effective; inexpensive but rich looking. With a similar result, you could also simply paint the entire wall (or a large area of it) in a vibrant colour to add a little drama. No doubt the canvas in the photograph could also be used as a note board, giving it a dual purpose. Items that serve a dual purpose like that will make your small home office more functional. If this were my home office, for example, I'd probably paint the facing side of the bookshelf with blackboard paint so I could make quick notes on the side of it as I worked. This would give the bookcase two valuable purposes without it taking up any more space (like a chalkboard would).

connieoliver@shaw.ca

Connie Oliver
September 21

Renovation & Design

Sewer nightmare in newly bought home

11They told me that the problem was less than three metres from the cleanout and marked a spot on the inside of the foundation wall where they said the damage was. They also told me that it is quite common to have the drainpipe become damaged in this area and it was an easy repair that they could do from inside my unfinished basement. I received a quote of around $2,000 for the complete repair and agreed to let them start right away.

After a few hours of breaking the concrete floor in my basement, near the front of the home, the supervisor arrived and told me that my floor was the thickest one they had ever seen and they would have to come back the next day to finish. He said the job would be a little more costly, due to the thick concrete, but should still be possible from the inside of the basement.

After several hours of breaking and digging the next day, the workers uncovered the sewer pipe, but could not find the damaged area. The supervisor once again arrived to inform me that the damage was not where they suspected and was outside the foundation wall. He said that they would now have to dig up part of my front yard with a backhoe and the cost would now be around $5,000. I have since discovered that this company has several complaints and lawsuits pending against it.

I am extremely upset at this situation and do not want these guys back in my home, but I have a gaping hole in my basement floor full of smelly water. The sewer is open, my basement stinks, I can't use any of the plumbing and I am afraid to stay in the house. What can I do?

-- Mary Paton

ANSWER -- This question came to me via a concerned phone call from Mary's realtor, who asked me to come and look at the situation and offer any advice I could. Knowing this dedicated realtor well, I paid a quick courtesy call to inspect the problem area, as I had just completed a pre-purchase inspection a few blocks away when he called.

The problem of older cast iron drains and sewers becoming damaged and blocked is increasing, as the housing stock ages, trees get larger and the underground pipes exceed their typical life expectancy. While I will answer your question and offer some advice about your problem, there are a couple of other issues that also need further discussion. The first issue is that of proper disclosure by the seller and the second is the lack of a pre-purchase inspection and the conditions surrounding that omission.

It is difficult for me to believe that the seller of your newly acquired home did not have any knowledge of the drain issue. This is based on the fact that you experienced the problem almost immediately after taking possession and the fact that the homeowner had been living in the home for many years. While a partial blockage of the drain from tree roots may not have been noticed or determined during a pre-purchase inspection, a major blockage like yours would have been problematic for the former homeowner. It is therefore the legal responsibility of the seller to tell you, as the prospective purchaser, of a known defect like the blocked sewer. Unfortunately, proving this in court after the fact may be difficult and I recommend you consult a lawyer for advice on pursuing this avenue for damages.

The more important concern I have is that you felt that inclusion of a home inspection in the offer to purchase would jeopardize your chances of buying the home. While I know full well that recent activity in the housing market has led to multiple offers on many homes, I fail to see that as cause to eliminate inclusion of a home inspection as part of the buying process. Many times a home inspection is the only protection buyers have from buying a home with major defects. Even with the help of an experienced realtor, like you had, there is no way that many common problems can be found without a thorough inspection by a CAHPI home inspector. While there may be a small chance that the sewer issue may not have been detected during a pre-purchase inspection, I estimate that it would have been found 90 per cent of the time. The small degree of uncertainty is because the damage to the sewer may be a fair distance from the home, drainage only partially blocked, and not enough water run through the drains to detect a backup during the inspection.

As far as a solution to your immediate dilemma, I would avoid spending any significant amount of time in the house due to the likelihood of dangerous sewer gases in the living space. I would contact a reputable rooter company or licensed plumber to attempt to open the blocked drainpipe, followed by a proper camera inspection. This should determine the exact location and severity of the damage, before digging up your front yard in a fishing expedition. If the damage is on city property, there is a program that may assist you in paying for the repairs. If the damage is indeed on your property, you are responsible for the total cost to excavate and repair the damaged drains. Because excavation of your basement does not appear to have been warranted, I would not pay the previous contractor for any work done. I would put that money toward a proper repair of the drains by a reputable sewer repair contractor and repairs to your basement floor slab after completion. The City of Winnipeg has an extensive list of sewer contractors approved to do repairs on city sewers, which should be available to you for reference.

While I empathize with all the frustrated homebuyers like you who did not feel that including a pre-purchase home inspection was possible in the current real estate climate, I don't understand the reluctance. In other hot real estate markets, like Toronto or Vancouver, inclusion of home inspection conditions are still part of the norm, even when multiple offers are involved. Hopefully, the current downturn in the market and increase in available homes for sale with allow buyers to stop the insanity and include a pre-purchase inspection by a CAHPI inspector in their offer to purchase.

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.

trainedeye@iname.com

Air Marantz Ask the inspector
September 21

Renovation & Design

It'll floor ya

We're not about to rip out the hardwood in our house (my husband would kill me), but if we were starting from scratch we'd certainly reconsider our choices.

The versatility and durability of laminate flooring has come such a long way it's hard not to want it.

And we're not just talking floors that give you the look of hardwood without all the maintenance. We're talking floors that look like concrete, stainless steel, seagrass and whitewashed wood.

Tarkett, which has plants all over the world and more than 7,000 employees, must have them all working overtime, because the company seems to be leading the pack when it comes to laminate flooring options.

Here's what residential creative director Lise LeBreton says are the hot new trends in laminates:

Industrial: Concrete, brushed aluminum and metallic floors are perfect choices for kitchens and laundry rooms. It gives them a cool, clean, urban industrial look.

Art Deco: The "mid-century" look is all the rage again, and that means vintage teak-like laminates circa the 1950s. Colours go from a yellow tan to dark brown tones, and the beauty is they work with both sleek teak and modern furnishings.

Inside-Outside: We know everybody wants an outdoor living room these days, but now the outdoors is moving inside with flooring that looks like natural fibre and seagrass. Think rattan and wicker, and you've got an earthy ambience that works especially well in your home office.

High Gloss: Remember the '80s? High-gloss cheeks, high-gloss lips? Well, high-gloss flooring is back, bringing with it the luxury and elegance of the era, says LeBreton, and the sheen makes a laminate floor look even more like real hardwood.

Wide Plank: Six-inch planks are a big trend right now, replicating the look and feel of old, rich hardwood flooring. You'll have to do a double take to pick the imitator.

Nautical: This is our favourite. How much easier can it get to create a seaside, coastal feel than by installing floors that already have the look of whitewashed wood or weathered paint?

-- Canwest News Service

Karen Hall
September 14

Renovation & Design

Devices promise to make projects more accurate

Sometimes when tools get sophisticated, they make it easier to succeed. That's the case with a growing group of electronic devices that promise to make your building projects measurably more accurate.

Self-levelling lasers are a good place to start.

These portable tools shine a revolving laser beam in a flat plane, marking a level reference point for building deck floors, pathways, outbuildings and fences. Laser levels have been around for a while, but self-level models are the innovation. They're still too expensive to buy for casual DIY use (more than $1,000), but they're definitely worth renting. Just set the laser up on its tripod more-or-less level by eye, turn it on, then watch as the device self-adjusts the laser beam perfectly level and readjusts if bumped.

Move further down the price scale and you'll find the DeWALT DW087 laser chalk line. It's probably the simplest self-levelling laser you'd want to trust, and it costs less than $200. The reason it's cheaper than other self-levellers is the way it works. Instead of fancy motors and circuitry, the DW087 uses sensitive mechanicals (you can see them through the clear faceplate) to get the laser beams level and plumb by gravity.

There are two beams -- one horizontal and another vertical -- and you can have one or both shining at the same time. You couldn't lay out a foundation with this thing, but it'll save time and boost accuracy when installing trim, wainscotting, drop ceilings and anything else that needs to be plumb or level. Built-in rare-earth magnets make it breeze to use against steel surfaces.

Electronic distance measuring tools are a category of digital equipment that's improved a lot over the last five years. Hold the tool against some surface, push a button, then watch the screen. It automatically shows how far away that wall, ceiling or building is. One unit I tested is accurate to less than one-16th-inch over a 100-foot span.

The Bosch DWM40L is a unique tool that hit the market last year, and I'm convinced it will change the way people measure angles -- especially those associated with concrete form work, stair construction, built-ins, and interior trim installation. Officially called a "digital mitre finder," this name doesn't do the tool justice.

Imagine a 17-inch-long, aluminum-bodied protractor with a digital readout, a memory and the ability to complete crown moulding calculations for mitre and bevel settings on your chopsaw. Four AA batteries power the unit, including the LCD screen with a read out accurate to one-10th of a degree.

Got some wide crown moulding to install? The DWM40L works with any sliding compound mitre saw to make this job happen faster and more accurately, especially when dealing with real-world walls that aren't perfectly square. Even if the corner you're working with is something like 87.8 degrees or 91.3 degrees, the tool compensates for this in the mitre and bevel figures it generates. You get crisp joints faster, with a tool that has a learning curve about three minutes long.

While some old-school do-it-yourselfers are quick to mention that home improvements happened just fine before all this electronic nonsense, that's not really the point. The issue isn't just about quality. It's about doing good work in less time with less skill -- a trick that today's best electronic tools are getting pretty helpful with.

Steve Maxwell is Canada's award-winning home-improvement expert, and technical editor of Canadian Home Workshop magazine. Sign up for his free homeowner newsletter at stevemaxwell.ca.

--Canwest News Service

Steve Maxwell
September 14

Renovation & Design

Plug the air leaks, save on heat

The icy days of winter are coming, and there's a lot you can do to save on your heating bills besides wearing an extra sweater or two.

One easy step is to buy a programmable thermostat for as little as $40. It will automatically lower your home's temperature when you're away or asleep.

But if you're looking for more savings, especially considering soaring fuel prices, you'll have to embark on a more complex task: seeking out and plugging air leaks. Doing so can reduce heating costs by up to 20 per cent, according to the Washington-based Alliance to Save Energy.

Heating bills this winter could be piggy-bank breakers, particularly for low-income households in colder parts of North America. Households who use heating oil for fuel are projected to be hit hardest.

Those families will pay about 36 per cent more than last year.

"There's going to be real sticker shock this coming winter," said Mark Wolfe, executive director of the National Energy Assistance Directors' Association, which represents state-run low-income energy assistance programs.

In Maine, where four of every five houses use expensive oil heat, concern about soaring fuel costs is mounting.

"We have a serious problem," said Dale McCormick, director of Maine's state housing agency. "This winter is going to be our (hurricane) Katrina."

Harald Schmidtke, weatherization director with Southeastern Vermont Community Action, a community group that performs energy improvements for low-income households, said he has a nine-month waiting list for such assistance, which is provided free of charge with federal and state funding.

"There are people that are making hard choices between food, fuel (and) medicines," he said. "It's a big burden for people who are already struggling."

Built in an era of cheap fuel, many older houses didn't take heating costs into account. Air can escape through unused chimneys, interior walls and recessed lights. Plus, some older homes have poor insulation or none at all.

"You're basically paying to reheat the same volume of air over and over again," said David Milliken, general manager of Horizon Energy Services in Maine.

If you know where your leaks are, handy homeowners can do much of the work themselves, using foam and caulking to seal up gaps and cracks, putting weather stripping on windows and doors, and insulating pipes and ductwork.

The U.S. government's Energy Star program recommends that consumers plug the biggest holes first, particularly in spaces where interior and exterior walls meet the attic floor.

Though insulation helps, experts say that simply adding more isn't enough, because air can pass through fibreglass and other materials. Dirty insulation is a sign that air is moving through.

"People assume insulation tightens up your house, and that's completely false," said Richard Riegel Burbank, president of Evergreen Home Performance in Rockland, Maine.

For $250 to $700, a professional energy auditor will analyze how much heat your house loses to leaky cracks, holes and other openings like your chimney.

To do so, the auditor will hook up a contraption that attaches to a door frame and uses a high-speed fan to suck air out of the house, lowering its air pressure.

Then the energy auditor can detect and measure where air is entering your house, sometimes using a pen-like instrument that emits a bit of smoke to show where air is entering. They also use infrared cameras to detect particularly leaky spots.

Christian Townsend hired Milliken's company in late August to evaluate the renovated 200-year-old house in downtown Portland, Me., that he uses as an office with his wife, a real estate broker.

"It's like a sieve," he said. "It's just leaking from everywhere."

Townsend, a tugboat and towboat designer, paid around $2,000 a month to heat the building last winter and is hoping to reduce that bill to $1,500 by switching from oil to natural gas heat and by plugging up leaks.

Other more expensive projects, such as replacing windows or installing a new furnace, make economic sense only if they were due for a replacement anyway, experts say.

For example, spending thousands to replace your windows is not particularly cost-effective, because even the most energy-efficient windows still lose heat, said Mike Rogers, senior vice-president with Syracuse, N.Y.-based GreenHomes America, which performs energy audits and installs upgrades.

Said Rogers: "You're not going to see the energy savings that, unfortunately, the window industry might have promised you."

-- Associated Press

Alan Zibel
September 14

Renovation & Design

There's no place like home -- for shopping

We are so fortunate to have many different ways to shop for home décor products. We can shop in the store and see the items first hand, we can shop online and open up our world of choices to infinite possibilities, and we can also shop right from the comfort in our home at a home party. The third alternative is a fun way to get together with friends in a social environment while tackling the chore of home décor shopping. It's a fun way to get advice from friend and family while you make choices for your home.

There are a few recognizable companies that offer the home shopping experience that have been around for decades. Here are a few that you may not have considered in the past that have now branched into the home décor arena.

Tupperware

Tupperware parties were all the rage back in my younger days. The array of storage and serving solutions for the home are outstanding and are a real asset to any home. A cluttered kitchen will detract from any decorating you do, so it's a good idea to keep your storage solutions in mind. A Tupperware home party is a fun way to get together, shop and streamline your kitchen. I checked out their website recently and they now have lovely cookware sets available as well as the old standbys, which are fun and colourful. www.tupperware.ca

PartyLite

The PartyLite experience fills the senses -- literally. Lovely scented candles are a popular part of this company's offering, but the ranges of decorative candle holders will add tonnes of drama to your home décor. They are constantly adding new design lines to their accessories, so there's always something new to look at. From African-inspired candle holders and sconces to a line of Thai-inspired holders and accessories, there is something for every taste. Shopping with friends at a home party is a fun way to test the scents of the candles as well as getting a hands-on look at many of the accessories available. With winter coming, there's nothing cosier on a dark, cold night than having a room filled with exotic candle holders burning scents like coconut milk chocolate or orchid and pink peppercorn. Yum! www.partylite.com

Avon

Avon has been around forever, it seems. Great products brought right to your door. Avon used to carry the odd home décor product, like collectible perfume bottles and decanters, but now they have taken a step into the realm of home décor. Avon Expressions is their fairly new line, offering linens, furniture slipcovers, accent lamps and even small furniture items like ottomans and accent tables. Though Avon doesn't normally sell through home parties, you can purchase items through a sales representative/brochure, and the items are usually delivered right to your home. They also offer shopping online now as well, so check out their website: www.avon.ca for info on the home décor products.

Stampin' Up!

Stampin' Up! is a company that has a new line of home décor products that has spun off their successful rubber-stamp business. The rubber-stamp line is for the scrapbooker or for those who prefer to make their own greeting cards and such. Their new line, called Décor Elements, offers a range of self-adhesive vinyl art (and lettering) for walls, mirrors, or any smooth, flat surface of the home. They are sort of like appliqués, but are removable and reusable. Our feature photo shows how that little extra touch adds interest and dimension to a space. These would be great in a home office, small business or any room in the home. I love the changeability and versatility of this product, because you can change it on a whim. These products are available through a sales representative at a home party. Check out their website for more info: www.stampinup.com

I'm sure there are more direct-sales (home-party) companies out there, but you get the idea. It's nice to have yet another option for home décor shopping. Each company offers its own unique products that each have intrinsic value for the home decorator. Aside from that, shopping at a party with food and friends is never a bad idea!

Happy home shopping!

Am I nuts?

I received an e-mail from a reader about the Back to School article that ran on Aug. 31, 2008. I had mentioned packing a "nut-mix snack" for the kids, which was a faux pas on my part. The reader informed me that most schools and day cares do not allow nut products due to allergies. I concur. Thanks for the correction. My apologies for the oversight.

Connieoliver@shaw.ca

Connie Oliver
September 14

Renovation & Design

solutions 15 ways to end laundry-room nightmares

After picking her son up from summer camp a mother noticed that he had on seven pairs of underwear. "Why are you wearing seven pairs of underwear dear?" she asked. The boy answered, "Well, you told me to put on a fresh pair everyday."

1. If you choose to clean your sheer voile blouse, beaded top, fringed silk shawl, or lace trimmed dress at home, tie the articles in a cotton pillow case and knot it closed. Wash in cold water on a regular cycle. Hang to dry and steam iron or steam in the shower.

2. To clean baseball caps without destroying their shape, place them on the top rack of the dishwasher and run through a complete cycle.

3. A better idea than using dangerous smelly mothballs is to place leftover soap slivers into a vented plastic bag. Place the seasonal clothes into the bag and pack them away. Fabrics will smell great and stay protected.

4. If you don't have a sleeve board, insert a rolled-up towel into sleeves so they can be pressed without leaving creases. Or make your own sleeve board using a cardboard tube covered with soft fabric.

5. Reduce wrinkles, preserve fabrics and avoid shrinking textiles by not putting clothes in the dryer on a heat setting. As soon as the wash load is finished, give your shirts a shake and hang to dry. On that same note, lay sweaters to dry. Once the shirts and sweaters have air dried put them in the dryer on a cool setting.

6. Pit stains got you down? Make a paste of baking soda and water. Apply to yellow underarm stains and let sit. Wash in hot sudsy water.

7. Speaking of pits, let's talk fire pits; Save your dryer lint. If you have a wood stove or fire pit, use lint as a fire starter rather than purchasing chemical-laden fire starters.

8. If you have really greasy or soiled clothes pour one can of Coke into a hot bath of water and add in greasy or soiled clothes. Swish and soak. Wash as usual in hot water.

9. Make your own fabric softener! Combine 2-cups white vinegar, 2-cups baking soda and 4-cups water. Allow fizz to subside and pour into a lidded plastic bottle. Shake and add one-quarter cup to each load or pour into a "Downy Ball".

10. Black clothing tends to look brown after several washings. To restore the black colour, add coffee or strong tea to the rinse water.

11. To iron embroidered linens, place the linen with the embroidered side down over a white terry towel then press (wrong side up). This will help preserve the direction of the stitching without flattening it. You can also do this in reverse: first lay the embroidered side up, and then put a terry towel on top and press.

12. Keep a few hangers on a small bar or hook in your laundry room, so you can hang wrinkle-prone items up as soon as you remove them from the dryer.

13. Don't overload your dryer, as it can result in excessive wrinkling. The best load of laundry is one that mixes items of varying sizes. This allows clothing to move much more fluidly in the washing machine and keeps the clothing fully washed, fully rinsed, and undamaged. Although a full or queen sized quilt may weigh only seven pounds, it could still be too big for your top loading washing machine. Front loaders are much more able to tolerate large items, still get them clean and keep them protected. Check your manufacturer's instructions to see specific information for your machine.

14. Aroma addition; if you are using a tumble dryer, add a few drops of your favourite essential oil to a dampened scrap of flannel and put it in the dryer near the end of the cycle.

15. Invest in a three-compartment laundry sorter to make easy work out of keeping clothes separated. Separate by colour as you put clothes into the hamper and save the step of going through hampers and hampers full of laundry one item at a time. By sorting-as-you-go, when you see a full compartment in your hamper, it is simple to throw the load in.

Solutions is compiled from various sources; laundry-alternative.com, kitchen.robbiehaf.com, housekeeping.about.com, home.howstuffworks.com, tipnut.com, adviceopedia.org, thefrugalshopper.com, washing-machine-wizard.com, greenfootsteps.com. Thanks to all who contributed! Similar information may be found elsewhere.

Solutions sleuth Reena Nerbas is a home economist and speaks professionally on the topic of household challenges; she is also the author of two national bestsellers, Household Solutions 1 with Substitutions and Household Solutions 2 with Kitchen Secrets. She can be heard on radio and television programs across Canada.

www.householdsolutions.org

Reena Nerbas
September 14

Renovation & Design

Tackling crawl space insulation, ventilation

111Do I really have to cover the panels to provide a thermal barrier? There is no source of flame or direct heat in that area and for me to haul pieces of drywall through a two-foot-square opening to the crawl space is a difficult task. They would have to be cut into small pieces to get into that area plus I would have to build a stud wall on top of the Styrofoam to accommodate the drywall.

Can I apply a layer of Reflectix foil insulation over the insulation? It comes in easy to handle rolls and I am assuming that it will provide a minimal thermal barrier.

--Dave Magrel, e-mail

QUESTION -- I live in a three-level split house that has a crawl space under the main living area. The crawl space has a concrete floor and the foundation walls are uninsulated.

Consequently, the hardwood floors on the main floor are very cool and uncomfortable in the winter. We would like to insulate the foundation walls in the crawl space. There are two vents on one of the foundation walls in the crawl space. A previous owner put some insulation over the vents from the inside, so they are not open.

Is it necessary to have these vents in the foundation? From what I've read on the Internet, much of the talk of venting a foundation is for crawl spaces with dirt floors which are more prone to excess moisture than a concrete slab floor. The crawl space is heated in winter and cooled in summer via a pipe from our forced-air heating/cooling ductwork.

What I was thinking of doing is having a contractor insulate the crawl space walls with closed-cell polyurethane foam insulation, which would provide insulation as well as an air/vapour barrier. If the vents are permanently closed over, can I expect moisture problems? What's the best thing to do?

Also, does insulation in a crawl space have to be covered will a fire-retardant layer such as drywall?

--Eric Poppleton, e-mail

ANSWER -- While these two inquiries are not identical, they both relate to insulation of a crawl space from the interior. For that reason, I thought they would be ideal to answer together and address both the insulation and ventilation issues.

The first thing to address is your question about ventilation of the crawl space. While you are quite correct that this is much more important in crawl spaces with dirt floors, having functioning vents in any crawl space will be an advantage. Passive ventilation of any crawl space in the warm months will help improve airflow and reduce the possibility of condensation and moisture build-up. Any confined space, like your crawl space, may be subject to extra moisture issues due to limited air circulation and opening these vents in the non-heating seasons will help in this regard. A simple way to accomplish this would be to make removable, insulated covers out of rigid foam insulation, for installation in the cold months.

I am impressed that both of you have decided to use different types of foam insulation, which is much more preferable for use in crawl spaces than the traditional wood stud and Fiberglas method. This will prevent air leakage to the cool concrete behind the insulation and moisture damage to the wood framing. Covering either type of insulation may not be critical, but will be much more possible with the rigid foam. I would not be in a hurry to use a product like that reflective material. The products I have seen have air-filled plastic bubbles inside a very thin layer of aluminum foil covering, which may not provide much more of a fire barrier than the uncovered insulation.

The same reason that blown-in polyurethane is a better alternative than the rigid foam panels makes it much tougher to cover with drywall or other fire-retardant materials. The blown-in foam conforms much better to the foundation walls and fills small gaps and areas between the floor joists that may be difficult to accomplish with the sheets of Styrofoam. Because of that, sheathing this uneven surface will be difficult.

Alternatively, installation of drywall over rigid foam may be done more easily by simply gluing the drywall to the insulation and supporting it in place until the adhesive cures. You do not have to install a complete wood frame wall over the foam sheathing, but you could install wood strapping over the insulation in a few areas for additional support.

The final thing to address is the need for the sheathing over the insulation, altogether. The main reason for this fire-retardant barrier is to provide a means of preventing toxic fumes emanating from the insulation during a fire. The sheathing will prevent fire from easily and quickly burning the plastic foam insulation, but will not eliminate the possibility. However, this may delay the release of toxic smoke long enough to allow occupants to escape to safety. While I believe precautions for fire safety in homes is paramount, covering this insulation should not be the highest priority.

I constantly see many other exposed plastic products piled up in basements and crawl spaces, so covering the foam insulation may not be essential as long as other fire-prevention items are properly addressed. Operational smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, fire extinguishers and properly installed and maintained fireplaces and wood stoves are much more critical. I would much prefer to see that these items are in place, as well as removal of excess basement storage and a plan for escape during fire, rather than properly covered insulation.

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.

trainedeye@iname.com

Ari Marantz
September 14