Renovation & Design
Renovation & Design
Tips for green grass on your side of fence
As the snow melts away, impatient homeowners can't wait to begin preening and greening their lawns. Few are keener than Richard Dupuis, who devotes at least 90 minutes a week to trimming, fertilizing and tending the lawn surrounding his home."My lawn is an extension of my gardens. It gives the home curb appeal," says Dupuis, who's known around his neighbourhood as the Wayne Gretzky of lawn care and gardening.
"Good lawns make the neighbourhood livable. When you step out of the house, a nice lawn stimulates. It gives you that happy, good feeling," says the technology engineer, who has been keeping his corner lot green since 1990.
It may sound like a lot of work to maintain a tiny patch of urban greenery, but lawn care doesn't have to be a battle.
"For me, it is a pastime. It's good; it gets us outdoors," says Dupuis, who developed his lawn and gardening talents while running a landscaping business as a teenager in his native Sherbrooke, Que., and more recently, by reading gardening books and surfing gardening sites on the web.
The folks who sell fertilizers, grass seed, herbicides and bug killers and a wide array of lawn tools naturally agree. They're happy to point out that a healthy lawn has benefits that go beyond making homeowners feel good.
"Having a well-landscaped yard, including your lawn, gardens and trees, will easily add five to 10 per cent to the value of your property," says Kevin Weir, marketing manager for Sure-Gro Inc. of Brantford, Ont., maker of lawn-care products that bear the C-I-L Golfgreen, Vigoro and So-Green monikers.
In 2003, the Wall Street Journal's SmartMoney magazine pointed out that "if you spend five per cent of the value of your home on landscaping, and do it wisely, you might get 150 per cent or more of your money back when you sell."
In addition to being a wise investment, good-looking turf can keep your property cooler, reduce erosion and improve the environment, Weir adds.
"Your lawn gives off moisture, and as it does, there is a cooling effect that keeps your yard cooler than asphalt driveways, sidewalks and brick patios. A good lawn has a cooling effect similar to the air conditioning in an average home."
Weir also points out that lawns, like all plants, absorb carbon dioxide, returning oxygen to the atmosphere and helping to improve the environment.
Now for where to start if your goal is to have the best lawn in the neighbourhood, or to reduce greenhouse gases.
First off, depending on the size of your lawn, turf experts, including Kevin Weir and Douglas Ritchie, vice-president of operations at Ritchie Feed Seed in Ottawa, suggest you set aside $100 to $150 for fe rtilizer, seed, topsoil and other incidentals.
You'll need a lawnmower, wheelbarrow, rake, spade, fertilizer spreader and a hose, which will set you back several hundred more dollars, although the wise homeowner will often borrow some of these tools from a neighbour.
Once the ground is dry and frost-free, get out the rake and remove dead grass, branches, leaves, gravel, pet feces and other debris. This will ensure moisture, air and fertilizer reach the intended destination -- the roots of your grass.
Dupuis recommends a dethatching rake -- available at most home improvement stores -- for the job. He routinely removes two large brown bags of crud from his 60-foot (18.2-metre) by 80-foot lot (24.3-metre) lawn every spring, much of which, he points out, breaks down nicely in the family's composter.
Once daytime temperatures reach 13 to 14 C, it's time to apply the first hit of fertilizer. Look for a fertilizer that is high in nitrogen -- the first of the three numbers found in large letters on the outside of the bag -- and be sure to use a spreader and follow the instructions on the bag. Too much fertilizer will burn the grass and waste your money.
If the weather is wet, there's no need to water your lawn, but if the forecast calls for a dry spell, haul out the hose and give your lawn a good soaking to jump-start the fertilizer's effectiveness. Your lawn should green up in a matter of days.
Next on the list is the season's first cutting, likely in mid-May, but sooner if the ground dries up and there is a good mix of rain and warm and sunny days to encourage grass growth.
During the spring, leave your grass 7.5 centimetres tall.
Dupuis lowers his mower slightly the first couple of times he cuts because the grass grows unevenly and the lower setting ensures uniformity. He uses a mulching lawnmower that slices and dices the cuttings into tiny pieces that are left on the lawn to supplement nitrogen and other nutrients from an early helping of fertilizer.
If winter has left bare patches on your lawn, now is the time to repair them. Rough up your soil with a rake or shovel, apply seed evenly, along with an application of starter fertilizer, and cover the seeds with good-quality soil or mulch, no deeper than six millimetres.
The key to good growth is to keep the soil damp until the new grass is three centimetres high. New grass should not be cut until it reaches a height of eight centimetres, Weir recommends.
Once your lawn is green and healthy, expect to fertilize it twice, maybe three more times before the leaves change colour, Ritchie says. Ideal times to fertilize are in mid-June, mid-summer and in late September or early October. The final application will prepare your lawn for -- dare we say it -- the coming winter.
And don't forget about...
Aeration, the process of punching seven- to 10-centimetre holes in a lawn to open up the soil, allowing water, air and nutrients to reach the roots. Experts recommend it be done every April, particularly on properties where the soil is hard and compacted. Most rental outlets rent motorized aerators. To make the task economical, organize a group of neighbours and do a handful of lawns on the same day.
If weeds become a problem, your best bet is to extract them by the roots individually. That way, you'll ward off major outbreaks and avoid the need to use chemicals that can be harmful to pets, young children and the environment.
"If I get weeds, I take them out a little at a time. It keeps the task manageable," says Dupuis, who applies a crabgrass-control product in early spring.
Bugs. If grubs, chinch bugs or ants begin chewing up your lawn, a variety of products is available, some in chemical forms that pose environmental risks, others that are fully organic and harmless. Consult your garden centre for advice.
Early detection is the key to preventing extensive turf damage. Watch closely for insect damage (brown, dead patches in the lawn) as the soil temperature warms up in the spring.
If all this sounds like too much work and expense, remember, a healthy lawn is your first defence against drought, weeds and insects. Build a strong, thick lawn early in the season and there's a good chance you'll avoid extra costs and have the opportunity to spend the rest of the season admiring and enjoying your greenery.
Randy Ray is an Ottawa writer and proud cultivator of a passable front lawn.
DID YOU KNOW...
Green makes green: In Ottawa, there are 248,000 single-family homes, semis and townhomes. If the occupants of each of these residences invest $100 in lawn care this year, that's an outlay of nearly $25 million.
Seed or sod? There are three main types of grass: Kentucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrass and fescue. Kentucky bluegrass propagates by underground tillers. The other two form individual plants. If you haven't the patience to wait for seed to sprout, then opt for sod. It's more expensive, but delivers immediate results. Again, make sure the ground is loosened and keep the sod wet until it roots. Always select the healthiest sod available.
You're a millionaire: The average lawn has about three million turf plants.
How to read a bag of fertilizer: The three numbers on the fertilizer bag, such as 28-3-6 or 7-7-7, indicate the percentage of nutrients in the fertilizer. The first indicates the percentage of nitrogen, the nutrient responsible for green growth; the second number the amount of phosphorus, which helps root, flower, and fruit growth; and the third is the amount of potassium, which is responsible for the overall health of the plant.
Turf the thistle: The Canada thistle found in many lawns can, in a single growing season, produce 500 metres of root, equivalent to the length of three-and-a-half Canadian Football League playing fields.
--Canwest News Service
Renovation & Design
Please keep off the... plants
DETROIT -- David Michener got rid of his lawn, though not because he is anti-turf."I did it, but not to be virtuous," Michener says.
He took out grass to make more room in his yard -- and time in his schedule -- for garden plants, which he said he enjoys more than tending a lawn.
Michener chatted recently about how he came to eliminate the grass, and what replaced it.
His switch from lawn to garden didn't happen overnight. When he bought his Ann Arbor, Mich., farmhouse in 1991, silver maple trees and shrubs like honeysuckle, lilacs and buckthorns rimmed a struggling lawn that took Michener two-and-a-half hours to mow.
The situation demanded change. For one thing, the house is on a busy street and across from an elementary school, so it's highly visible as cars and people pass by.
For another, Michener, 52, associate curator of the University of Michigan's Matthaei Botanical Gardens and Nichols Arboretum, is a PhD botanist who appreciates plant diversity.
Over the years, a few trees came down, and Michener began planting and transplanting. He created raised beds, even raised walkways. In the front garden, he put favorite plants like 19 tree peonies, dozens of fragrant lilies, apple trees pruned to resemble candelabras, clematis and boxwoods.
He had the idea of a design like an ancient manuscript text with elaborate floral borders. But viewed from ground level, that didn't work. So he decided he needed a less strict plan and more fun. And "I'm only going to grow plants I like," he says.
By 2006, the only grass remaining was on the paths. It was too shady, so he took out that grass and put in gravel edged with landscape timbers.
Because of the yard's exposed corner location, Michener planted hedges of yew, arborvitae, mock orange and roses. The front yard is within sight of a blinking traffic light and seven driveways or street junctions, so strategic plant placement is crucial. As summer progresses, perennials in the front get so tall they screen the yard from the sidewalk, says Michener, who lives with his partner, Wil Strickland, 56, a textile artist. Two Cardigan Welsh corgis share the household.
"A lot of the garden is structured so you can no longer see the bus stop or the neighbour's driveway. I needed a less strict plant and more fun to live in something called delusional denial," Michener says with a smile.
He and Strickland developed their own parts of the garden, Michener's in front and Strickland's spring garden in back, where other areas are still being developed. They collaborate on the side yard, which has a grape arbor, and on the 30 large pots.
"The garden is dynamic. I want it to be extremely different in summer and winter," Michener says during a walk-through earlier this month as perennials and bulbs were emerging.
The trapezoid-shaped property is 79 feet along the front, 132 feet deep, and wide at the back. But some of the most intense interest it commands is between the front sidewalk and the street. In that parkway, Michener planted early spring attractions like snowdrops and species tulips, bulbs with exquisite small flowers that he hopes will appeal to children who walk by.
One day, he saw a little girl waving a hand and pinching her fingers above the flowers. Her mother explained to a puzzled Michener the girl was sprinkling pixie dust on the plants.
"Well, of course! We needed that," Michener says with delight. He plants sweet Honeoye strawberries and pumpkins in the same child-friendly area.
Along with the garden, the house has changed. Michener and Strickland removed stucco from the front, exposing the original siding. They redid the porch and moved the front door. The exterior is painted in such vivid colours and graphics that passersby have left appreciative notes.
In areas such as Ann Arbor, Michener says, eliminating the lawn has become a cause, with grass criticized because lawns require water and fertilizer, which has the potential to pollute, as well as time and money.
In fact, concern about lawn maintenance costs, particularly irrigation, is steering more homeowners toward smaller lawns, according to an informal survey in December of American Society of Landscape Architects members. The society predicts rising interest in native and drought-tolerant plants.
Michener says he appreciates those arguments and notes that the botanical garden where he works has a display of alternatives to turf grasses.
But grass can make sense for play areas and for people who enjoy lawn care, he says.
Whatever a landscape contains, in Michener's view, should be restorative for the owner. If something's a chore or ordeal that adds to frustration, replace it with something that brings more pleasure.
"In my case, we shrunk the lawn," he says.
-- Detroit Free Press
Five strategies for a grass-free yard
1. Create paths of turf or gravel.
2. Recycle and give castoffs a creative new purpose. For example, David Michener recently rescued old billiard sticks that were being discarded: "Maybe they'll make tomato stakes," he says.
3. To keep it affordable, commit to the design but spread the plant purchase over several years.
4. Make the yard feel bigger by dividing the garden into several distinct areas rather than one open space.
5. Change plants and amend designs that don't work: "If you don't get it right the first time, then get it 'righter' the next," Michener says.
Renovation & Design
Building the perfect doghouse
OTTAWA -- Ottawa resident Greg Thompson has a thick folder full of information on what makes a good doghouse.Unfortunately, says Thompson, he was never able to find anyone in the Ottawa area who built the kind of snug year-round outdoor home he wanted for his hunting dog, Teal.
Mention the word doghouse and the image that comes to mind is a small shed-like structure in the backyard -- a simple affair with a shingled roof and an open, arched doorway over which hangs a sign bearing the dog's name. It's an image made classic by Bugs Bunny cartoons.
But Ottawa's climate, with its cold, snowy winters and muggy summers, rules out that kind of structure. To be comfortable here, a dog needs much more than that.
There are some shelters on the market -- for example, PetSmart sells simple igloo-like structures that will provide a space for a dog to curl up for a while.
But as Thompson found out, anyone who wants to keep the family pet in the yard -- and in comfort -- all year-round is probably going to make it into a do-it-yourself project.
The Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals publishes a pamphlet on the criteria for the ideal doghouse for outdoor use in Ontario. The pamphlet is available through the Ottawa Humane Society (www.ottawahumane.ca/ or 613-725-3166) and gives instructions on doghouse construction -- such things as size of sleeping area floor space, height of sleeping area and overall dimensions, all of which vary according to breed.
It also provides information on such things as bedding, doorways and insulation.
For example, the SPCA criteria stipulate that the doghouses "should be elevated on bricks or cinder blocks to keep the floor dry, and it may then be necessary to provide a ramp or step so your dog can get over the raised sill while entering."
The doghouses should have a door of some sort to keep out winter winds, and bedding that can be changed. "Straw is the recommended bedding. It is not advisable to use blankets."
The Ontario SPCA also strongly recommends that dogs not be chained to their doghouses; it's better, says the SPCA, to fence your yard, because chained dogs can suffer psychologically and are 80 per cent more likely to bite.
And it's important, says the SPCA, to remember that dogs have to be acclimatized to outdoor living, that some breeds with short coats are subject to frostbite, and that dogs whose principal residence is an outdoor kennel will still need to be brought indoors if sick or old, if the weather is particularly bad, or simply to have some time for play and socialization.
Val Ducross, a former breeder of golden retrievers, is now manager of the PetsHotel at PetSmart in Ottawa, a 124-room facility that offers care to animals whose owners need to board them temporarily.
She says people who want to build a doghouse have to resist the temptation to impose human values and desires on their dogs.
For example, Ducross says many people, out of kindness, will want to make the doghouse bigger than it should be.
Actually, doghouses should not be overly large. One reason is that if the house is too big, the dog will be tempted to do its business inside the doghouse. The other reason, as the SPCA brochure notes, is that the dog needs to be able to keep itself warm with its own body heat.
"Think nest as opposed to big space," says Ducross. "A dog thinks of the place where it sleeps as a nest, and if you make the space too big, it might go poop in the corner."
Ducross says the doghouse also has to offer adequate protection against weather. An ideal doghouse, she says, is draft-free.
"I don't like seeing them go into a box with the wind blowing through an open door onto them," she says. "Dogs are pretty tough. They can tolerate a lot. But there's a point where it's just not humane."
"What makes a dog comfortable is pretty basic," says Ducross, adding that if you pay attention to the dog's behaviour, it will tell you how it's feeling by panting if it's too hot or shivering if it's too cold.
"A dog that's relaxed is a dog that's comfortable."
--Canwest News Service
Renovation & Design
Sold!
Address: 21 Marston Meadows
Asking Price: $994,000
Sold Price: $994,000
Taxes: $12,433.73
Square Footage: 6,680
Bedrooms: 4 + 2
Bathrooms: 5
Lot Size:116 x 380
Listing Agent: Janne Young, Royal LePage Dynamic Real Estate, 989-5000
River Heights
Address: 186 Carpathia Road
Asking Price: $349,900
Sold Price: $435,000
Taxes:$4,091.11
Square Footage: 2,042
Bedrooms: 4
Bathrooms: 3
Lot Size: 50 x 130
Listing Agent: Lindsey Corne, Bestway Realty Ltd., 488-0233.
East Kildonan
Address: 252 Bowman
Asking Price: $149,900
Sold Price: $170,100
Taxes: $1,724.00
Square Footage:
Bedrooms: 4
Bathrooms: 1.5
Lot Size: 50 x 100
Listing Agent: Terry Isaryk, RE/MAX Performance Realty, 231-5557
St. Vital
Address: 166 Sadler Ave.
Asking Price: $139,900
Sold Price: $154,500
Taxes: $1,585
Square Footage: 780
Bedrooms: 2
Bathrooms: 1
Lot Size: 56 x 200
Listing Agent: Vijay Guliani, Realty Plus. Inc, 897-0800
St. Boniface
Address: 559 Deniset
Asking Price: $179,900
Sold Price: $211,500
Taxes: $2,804.63
Square Footage: 987
Bedrooms: 3
Bathrooms: 2
Lot Size: 40 x 100
Listing Agent: Heather Johnson, Royal Lepage Dynamic Real Estate, 989-5000
River Park South
Address: 40 - 650 Warde Ave.
Asking Price: $239,900
Sold Price: $245,000
Taxes: $3,124.14
Square Footage: 1,262
Bedrooms: 2
Bathrooms: 3.5
Listing Agent: Cliff Palmer, Realty Executives First Choice, 885-8999
Windsor Park
Address: 14 Monaco Bay
Asking Price: $169,900
Sold Price: $191,300
Taxes: $2,704.00
Square Footage: 1,144
Bedrooms: 3 + 1
Bathrooms: 2
Listing Agent: Terry Isaryk, RE/MAX Performance Realty, 231-5557
OFFERED AT...
River Heights
Address: 176 Lanark Street
Asking Price: $279,900
Taxes: $3,349.07
Square Footage: ]1,572
Bedrooms: 3
Bathrooms: 1.5
Lot Size: 33 x 132
Listing Agent: Lindsey Corne, Bestway Realty Ltd., 488-0233.
Breezy Bend Estates
Address: 5 Bayhill Court
Asking Price: $549,500
Taxes: $4,840.63
Square Footage: 2,213
Bedrooms: 3 + 2
Bathrooms: 3.5
Lot Size:
Listing Agent: Janne Young, Royal LePage Dynamic Real Estate, 989-5000
Renovation & Design
Henry Ford of home builders
HENRY Ford revolutionized carmaking by churning out Model Ts by the dozens on a production line.Now imagine a production line that handles things as big as a house. Why? Because the production line produces homes.
Last August, the largest builder in Ontario, Mattamy Homes, opened a mammoth 76,000-square-foot factory that can churn out a fancy-schmancy house in 10 days, then shuttle it -- complete with kitchen cabinets, plumbing and tiles -- on a sophisticated transporter one kilometre to a concrete foundation in Hawthorne Village, a new community in Milton, Ont.
This is a completely different operation from the one used by modular builders, who build modules inside a factory, transport them on a flatbed trailer, then zip them together on site.
It's also different from kit homes, which usually are recreational homes that arrive at a building site for the owner or a hired professional to assemble.
Imagine a giant automaker conveyor belt, and you get the mega-Mattamy idea. But instead of car parts, Mattamy's Stelumar Advanced Manufacturing Plant moves house components past the workstations. Powering up every day at 4 a.m., the conveyor belt at any given time has 10 homes in various stages of completion, and one completed house rolls out the door every day.
This conveyor belt is similar to, yet vastly different from, the concept of Henry Ford's affordable car for the masses in 1921. While Ford built a fortune by churning out millions of identical black Model Ts, Mattamy's moving production line is all about customization and scale to justify the price premium on the luxury product.
"It's definitely more expensive to build a factory home," says Ron Cauchi, president of Mattamy's Stelumar plant and the man Mattamy owner Peter Gilgan recruited from the auto industry two years ago to revolutionize the home-construction business.
Cauchi predicts the price premium will come down with experience.
Meanwhile, on the plus side of this type of home construction are quality control and significant savings, including reduced wastage.
"This is still very much an experiment and we are evaluating the various technologies," says Cauchi. "We have to do it long enough to understand the cost effect. It's been eight months and we are up to a home a day."
When Hawthorne Village is finished, almost half of the 1,600 homes will have been built in the Stelumar factory, while the rest will be built in the traditional way -- work crews on the job site from dawn to dusk until the key is handed to the buyer.
The final act will be to de-construct the Stelumar factory and move it to Mattamy's next large construction site.
Mattamy also has a second, less spectacular factory in Cambridge, Ont., which supplies the Stelumar plant with prefabricated walls and floor panels. This is a similar operation to the new Halliday Homes-Sienna Homes operation in Carleton Place, just west of Ottawa, which was unveiled last week. There is no conveyor belt at the plant and work crews put the parts together on site to make a house.
This is an option that may have legs in the construction industry, says Cauchi. Indeed, Gilgan has already said there will be more of these plants across Ontario, and Mattamy's Ottawa president Troy van Haastrecht is investigating all options to manufacture homes for Ottawa in a controlled setting.
"We are fairly early on in our investigations, but we believe in technology and where we can employ it," says van Haastrecht, noting the severe winter, snow accumulation and labour shortages caused too many delays on Ottawa's Mattamy sites this past year, including waits to get construction started.
"It still takes 130 days from foundation to closing," says van Haastrecht, adding any construction delay is unacceptable. "For sure, we would like to reduce the number of delays."
The decision on the factory will come down to a cost analysis, says van Haastrecht, who brought Mattamy to Ottawa in 2006. The careful executive quickly opened a major site in suburban Kanata and then one in suburban Barrhaven, capturing sales and becoming a force in the area. "Once our model is determined, then we will look at where to place a factory."
A second leading Ottawa builder is also aggressively looking at factory-built homes and components to ease the housing industry labour shortage predicted as aging workers retire and a smaller, younger workforce takes other jobs.
There are four good reasons to go with a factory option, says this builder, who asked not to be identified because final decisions have not been made. There is less construction waste, a better quality product, the process is not influenced by severe weather, and younger workers may be attracted to working indoors in a controlled setting away from freezing winter temperatures and sweltering summer afternoons.
"This is not a short-term decision, but it's going to happen and it's going to happen for sure," the builder says.
Margret Gallo, owner of Sienna Homes and Halliday Homes, has already taken the first step, hoping to band together the region's smaller builders into a bigger buying group at her newly expanded factory in Carleton Place.
After all, there's power in numbers. It's a smart philosophy in an industry where 80 per cent of the builders are small-scale and where the big boys and girls control 80 per cent of the sales.
--Canwest News Service
Renovation & Design
Be careful when building tree house
The article on tree houses that appeared in the Winnipeg Free Press on April 20, 2008, covers the technical aspects of building the structure reasonably well. What about the living tree? The advice about removing dead limbs and keeping the structure well beyond reach of electrical wires are excellent points. The writers, however, are obviously not learned arborists. The average person does not understand the characteristics of a tree that can make it unsafe. The tree should be thoroughly inspected by a certified Manitoba licensed arborist.Removing dead branches can have serious safety consequences if the person removing the branches is not properly secured to the tree. Some branches may look safe to the unpractised eye but may be full of decayed wood that will not support a person. Living branches may appear healthy, but they might have a weak point of attachment to a main trunk, especially if there is evidence of a widening crack in the crevice between the trunk and branch. Older Manitoba maples in our area are often used as a support for tree houses because of their tendency to produce horizontal branches, especially in the lower part of the tree crown. These maples are also one of the most common species at risk for extensive internal wood decay.
Are there electrical wires very close or touching tree branches? Under the right circumstances, living trees can conduct electricity. Contacting Manitoba Hydro first would be wise, especially if the tree house is going to be located near any local power distribution structures.
A common mistake is not realizing trees grow in circumference every year. The trunks and branches get wider in diameter. Carpentry work is often constructed very close to the tree bark, thereby providing no room for natural tree growth expansion. The tree can usually grow around the deck wood and envelop the portion closest to it. With time, this extended portion of the tree covering the wood will become weak with pockets of decay. This has now become a potential hazard if the tree breaks at that point. The solution is to give the tree sufficient room to grow. Placing removable deck pieces in a circumference around the trunk will allow you to provide room for the tree's expansion. The supporting deck joists should be kept at least 76 centimetres (30 inches) from the trunk. If piles are used to support the tree house deck, they should be kept as far away from the trunk and its supporting roots as possible. A pile too close to the trunk may undermine the tree's ability to support itself, and/or cause significant death of crown branches from loss of roots.
Many shade tree species in our area are subject to heavy feeding by pests. The most common culprits are cankerworms, aphids, gall mites and scales. All of these pests produce secretions that either rain down as sticky 'honey dew' (aphids, mites and scales), or as tiny pellets (cankerworms). The tree house may be subject to a seasonal invasion of these critters. I recommend that all susceptible trees -- with or without a tree house -- be power-washed using water only starting in mid to late May and continue at least every week until the end of June. The blast of water will help remove significant quantities of pests from the tree. A good thorough regular power-washing reduces the need to use chemical spray products. The secret is to start early in the season.
Michael Allen is a consulting urban forester and certified I.S.A. arborist and owner of Viburnum Tree Experts. He makes house and garden visits to assess tree and shrub problems. He can be contacted by calling 831-6503 or by e-mail at viburnumtrees@shaw.ca Questions can be mailed to Michael Allen, c/o Newsroom, Winnipeg Free Press, 1355 Mountain Ave., Winnipeg, MB, R2X 3B6. His website is www.treeexperts.mb.ca
Renovation & Design
Forever in blue jeans
If there's such a place as a blue jeans heaven, Matt and Lisa MacDonnell, husband and wife partners of I.R.I.S. Inc. Contractors, would be the first to suggest where that might be. Try this on for size; how about as insulation in the walls of your house."It's no joke," says Matt MacDonnell. Recycled denim in the form of blue-jean castoffs are being reincarnated as cotton-fibre insulation in the walls of green new-builds and retrofitted into existing houses that are undergoing renovations.
I.R.I.S. is working on a major renovation to a 3,300-square-foot Charleswood home built in 1974 that is incorporating new-to-Manitoba green materials that will distinguish this renovation as part of the LEED for Homes Pilot Project, a rating system that promotes the design and construction of high-performance green homes.
'Greenest'
"This renovation is the greenest we have ever done as a company, says MacDonnell, lauding the effectiveness and green properties of recycled denim as an insulation material.
Re-cycled denim racks up some impressive green stats representing 85 percent post-consumer waste as well as being 100 percent recyclable. "Fifty years from now, instead of bagging it and hauling if off to the dump, you would send it to the manufacturer and they would turn it right back into insulation. It simply has to be reshred to get it back to usefulness," says MacDonnell.
"While it's in your walls, recycled denim has a few major advantages compared to the typical bat insulation, whether it be fibreglass or mineral wool."
MacDonnell says that recycled denim is a better thermal insulator than fibreglass with a slightly higher R-value per inch. It also acts as an effective acoustic barrier for use on interior walls. "For the project we're working on now, we're using it to insulate the mechanical room walls so the furnace and hot-water-tank noise doesn't transmit into the rest of the house."
"The product is also 100 per cent mould and fungus resistant. You won't get any growth from it whatsoever and it is, of course, fire-resistant. It has everything you're looking for in just one product."
Recycled denim that is marketed under the Bonded Logic brand name, has zero volatile organic compound emissions (VOC). VOC refers to the "off-gas" properties of various construction materials that can contribute to adverse health and allergic reactions for home occupants.
"When you're putting it into the house, it's clean as far as what it's going to put into the air. As well, my crew guys don't have to protect themselves while they install it. They can wear shorts and a T-shirt. In fact, I have a sample I use in my office as a pillow if I ever get too tired."
Bonded Logic is manufactured in Arizona and has three distributors in Canada, with I.R.I.S. being a regional supplier. "The company gets the denim from a recycling program down in the United States by putting the word out that instead of sending jeans and other denim clothing to the dump, people can send them to be recycled. It seems to be working well. I don't have any supply issues with them at all," says MacDonnell.
Before installing the recycled denim insulation, the I.R.I.S. crew lined the exterior walls and the basement floor with one-inch rigid foam insulation as a proactive measure. "The rigid insulation stops air and moisture intrusion and also increases our thermal values to 1.5 of typical code, meaning we will be going through less heat. Rigid insulation also prevents any type of moisture intrusion which ensures that no mould will grow in any of the insulation."
Another significant green innovation for the Charleswood house is the installation of a grey-water recycling system. "It is by far the best product as far as green intelligence that I've ever come across." MacDonnell says.
The grey-water process involves diverting semi-soiled water from sources like bathtubs, showers and bathroom sinks. The water is diverted from going into the waste-water system, and is channeled to a unit that filters and chlorinates it to remove any particulate and bacteria. It is then stored until the toilet is flushed, and then pumped out to refill the tank.
Less stress
"We're taking semi-soiled water, cleaning it so that it's going to be clear and fresh-smelling, and then using it to flush your toilet. It will reduce the potable water consumption and waste water production by about 35 per cent, as soon as the system is installed."
MacDonnell says that besides the savings to the homeowner's water and sewer bills, there is less stress on our civic system to filter, clean and send the water back to the residence.
The homeowner is considering a rainwater collection system. "It's a separate system," says MacDonnell, "and our clients will be deciding on it during the next phase of the renovation.
As a green builder, I.R.I.S. approaches its project planning to include the most intelligent use of materials possible along with the best choice of products for the job. "In this renovation, we are going with concrete countertops in the basement which is a natural green choice. We are also using reclaimed hardwood flooring for the lower level rather than using new oak from old-growth forests. We have located a supplier who has provided us with a 100-year-old ash product that was salvaged from an old grain elevator and re-milled. We are also using carpeting made from post-consumer waste that will be 100 per cent recyclable at the end of its life cycle."
MacDonnell takes the long view when it comes to building for the future. "I think it's important to build for longevity, and to build for 45 to 55 years instead of just 10 to 15 years before having to be redone. The homeowner is spending a little bit more money now by adding the rigid foam insulation in the walls and basement floor but it will drastically increase the life cycle of the final product."
MacDonnell anticipates that the dollar gap between building green and the more conventional construction methods will continue to narrow as green methods become more mainstream. "Today's cost of the building contract will be higher, because we are increasing the insulation values and installing the grey-water system which costs more to do. If we were to take today's contract value for green, compared to a conventional contractor for the same project, and look at the total life-cycle costs, undoubtedly, building green would cost way less."
I.R.I.S. takes on conventional projects in addition to its green clients. "While there are still many people who will not consider going green, the way we operate as a company is still green. We continue to follow the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) philosophy through practices like deconstruction and reconstruction that aim for less wastage. As a company we continue to operate intelligently and give our clients a greener product than standard renovations without the additional costs."
Both Matt and Lisa MacDonnell want to counter the perception that building green has to be ugly or more expensive. "There are choices to be made and when you look at the big picture, it saves everybody time, money and resources."
Renovation & Design
Home newbies get down with the crapper's flapper
It's that pomp-and-circumstance, tassel-turning time of year that for many means one thing: flying the coop.For graduates living alone for the first time, there could be some rude surprises setting up house without the help of mom, dad or a dorm maintenance crew. Having a few basic tools and a little knowledge can prepare you to fix a lot of things yourself and save money on repairs.
For starters, buy a 16-ounce claw hammer and a set of Phillips and slot screwdrivers. Add different types of pliers, an adjustable wrench, a putty knife, a utility knife, a cordless driver drill, bits, a flashlight and a tape measure.
Add more tools as you go -- before you need them -- but avoid cheap ones. They're hard to use, break easily and need frequent replacing. Get a tool box to store and carry your new equipment.
Now, put them to use. Here's a primer for fixing basic problems and staying safe:
No hot water
Check the power source. Most residential water heaters are fuelled by gas or electricity. With gas, check to see that the pilot light is lit -- it's located at the base of the tank. To relight it, follow the instructions posted on the water heater. If it won't relight, the thermocouple or controller may need replacement. Check to make sure that the gas wasn't accidentally turned off before calling for help.
With an electric water heater, check the fuse box or breaker panel. Replace a blown fuse or flip the breaker back into the "on" position. If that doesn't do the trick, one or more heating elements or a thermostat may need replacement.
Running toilet
That running water is usually caused by a faulty "flapper." The flapper is a rubber valve that seals up against the drain hole at the base of the tank. The flapper is attached to the flush lever and opens when the lever is pressed. Over time the flapper can become brittle, allowing water to leak from the tank. A replacement flapper costs about five bucks and can be replaced in just a few minutes.
Leaky faucet
A leaking faucet can be the cause of many a night sleep and a shameful waste of water. The culprit is usually a rubber washer that is worn or damaged. To replace it, remove the decorative cap from the handle. Remove the retaining screw and pull off the handle. Remove the decorative cover, called an escutcheon, if there is one. Unscrew the packing nut counterclockwise. Unscrew the valve stem and remove it. Remove the screw that holds the rubber washer in place.
Because these washers come in many shapes and sizes, you'll want to take the old one to the hardware store and buy an exact replacement. Be sure to buy two washers so you'll have one for the other valve. Replace the washer and reassemble the faucet.
Fire safety -- step one
Lint buildup in a clothes dryer not only wastes energy by making a dryer work harder, it can be the cause of a house fire. It isn't enough to clean the lint filter after every load. Lint can build up in both the dryer housing and duct. Periodically vacuum the dryer housing using a short piece of vinyl tubing taped to a vacuum hose. Clean the duct using a duct-cleaning brush and a vacuum.
Fire safety -- step two
Smoke detectors save lives. Test smoke detectors monthly and replace batteries at least twice annually. Pushing the "test" button will only verify that the alarm is operating. Use "smoke in a can" or waft smoke from a snuffed kitchen match to test that the detector is working properly. Keep in mind that a dusty housing can prevent a smoke detector from doing its job. Periodically vacuum the housing using an upholstery attachment.
-- The Associated Press
Renovation & Design
How to rediscover your inner garage
SASKATOON --Too often, we end up with our vehicles parked outside because our garages are so full with well, everything else. Here are five easy steps that Ultimate Garage's Jamie Hutton says will help you rediscover your inner garage.--Canwest News Service
Step 1: Decide on your garage's purpose. Is it workspace, storage, a gym or vehicle storage or a combination?
Step 2: Set a cleaning deadline. Then empty everything out of the space, into separate piles (Keep, Recycle, Garbage, Donate, Hazardous Waste Drop-off).
Step 3: Sort your "Keep" items into categories such as winter-summer sports, garden, tools, recreation and seasonal.
Step 4: Sweep and then wash the floors, removing any oil stains using a degreasing agent (ensure runoff does not enter the storm sewer system). Clean all dirt and cobwebs from lights, ceilings, windows and doors. If the walls need a fresh coat of paint (or, in fact, insulation, vapour barrier and drywall...), now is a great time to do it.
Step 5: Enlist the help of a professional garage designer-organizer to help store you use the space most effectively.
Resources:
Canadian Tire: canadiantire.com
Carpools: carpoolsystem.com
Lift King: liftking.ca
Rubbermaid: rubbermaid.com
Slide-Lok: slide-lok.com
Ultimate Garage: ultimategarageinc.com
--Canwest News Service
Renovation & Design
It's the centre of attention
If the fireplace in this photo had a diminutive mantel and a few tiles surrounding its hearth, it wouldn't make the grand statement that it does. A focal point is so important to the guts of a room and going big is the way to go. Make a statement in public areas like the living room or den for maximum impact.
Creating a balanced focal point is a bit tricky. The large, tiled area in this picture is what makes this one work. The tones of the tiles are earthy and muted but the scale of the application makes it grand without being ostentatious. Bright red tiles, for example, would be too over-the-top for this space. The subtle pattern in the tile adds dimension but is asymmetrical, which makes it work. If you had tiles with a floral pattern, for instance, it might be a little too busy. You need some visual restraint to get it right. As a side note, the wavy lighting fixture above the tiles softens the square lines of the tile and adds visual flow. The lighting also dots the fireplace fa ßade with soft light. Simple window blinds do not deter from the focal point but provide much needed privacy. Finally, having the actual firebox in the centre of the tiles rather than closer to the floor is another twist that makes this focal wall beautiful and unique.
Don't be shy
A focal wall that is too understated is not a focus at all. Hanging a few unassuming paintings over the sofa won't cut it. Either purchase an oversize, colourful piece or create a large-scale display using several smaller pieces. Painting the focal wall in a stronger colour is another way to bring it up a notch. As you can see in our photo, the focal wall is painted in a deeper earth tone than the other walls in the space, which makes the focus a little stronger, even if in a subtle way.
Use furniture
to create focus
The furniture placement in our photo further enhances the focal point in the room. By flanking this stunning fireplace with comfortable seating, it beckons you to have a seat and relax. Placing the coffee table on an angle is a nice touch that creates yet more visual appeal. Keeping the area in front of the fireplace surround free from bric-a-brac lets the focus stay on the focal point. If you can, try to use your furniture placement to further enhance your focal point. If you're trying to create a dramatic bedroom focal point, a stunning headboard, for example, is a good start. Place the bed on an angle instead of against a wall or place it between two windows to create visual symmetry.
Let there be light
Lighting your focal point will further enhance the visual experience. Consider using spot lighting to highlight artwork and softer lighting, like wall sconces, to create ambient lighting for the general area. Up-lights are very dramatic and can be placed behind floor plants or furniture to provide another lighting dimension. Visit your lighting retailer for ideas and assistance. There are tons of awesome new products out there in the lighting field. Some lighting fixtures and/or lamps can be focal points on their own simply by their unique design.
Room by room
In the bedroom, as mentioned above, use a decorative headboard as a starting point for your focal wall. Paint a stronger colour behind the bed for emphasis, then add large, striking artwork to bring the look to fruition. Use architectural details in the room, like a pair of windows or angled ceilings, to further enhance your focal point when possible.
In the family room, go large and vivid. Use architectural elements, like a fireplace, as a starting point. Beef it up with a new, grander fa ßade and mantel or use strong paint colours to make a boring fireplace a work of art. Flank it with great furniture, like matching wing chairs, which brings the focus to where it should be. If you don't have a fireplace, then use colour and artwork to create drama on a focal wall. Window treatments on a focal wall should be grand and tall. Bring them close to the ceiling to create visual height and use texture and pattern to further enhance the overall effect.
In the kitchen, the cupboard wall may be the focal point simply because they consume so much visual space. Ensure that the cupboards are stained or painted in a great, fresh colour and update the hardware. Have a new backsplash installed using today's lovely subway tiles or glass tiles to create a new look. If you choose to use a different wall as a focus in the kitchen, then once again use pattern (wallpaper, perhaps) and colour to make a statement.
Even in the bathroom, a rich wall colour behind the soaker tub will beef things up a little. If you ever go to a spa, take notice of the rich, soothing colours they use in their establishment. Rich brown, burgundy and navy are just a few choice options in wall colour that can add drama to the bathroom.
If your space seems boring or lacklustre, you probably need a stronger focal point. Look around your home and see what you can use to create a little drama in your decor.
coliver@3web.net
Renovation & Design
Problem? Maybe we've got the answer
Some things, you just can't categorize. So it is with this week's tips, a round-up of ideas for various parts of your home. Even your finger.
1. Remove a stuck ring by greasing your ring with butter or oil. Wrap the entire finger with plastic wrap. Pull off the plastic wrap and ring; they should both slide off with ease. Tip: Glass cleaner sprayed onto the area is another trick for removing a stuck ring.
2. Pigeon problems? Screen the birds out of wall recesses and window ledges with fine-mesh chicken wire sold at hardware and garden shops. Also, sheets of plastic with plastic spikes at narrow intervals are available in hardware shops for use on flat roofs or window ledges. It is impossible for pigeons to perch on them or find a comfortable foothold.
3. Discourage mice from visiting areas around the home, car or barn by shaving several bars of Irish Spring soap and sprinkling them wherever mice tend to gather. Tip: Discourage rats and mice with the help of a weasel. They'll soon be gone.
4. Transfer your jelly to a small plastic squeeze bottle, no more mess, sticky jars or knives! This also works well for homemade salad dressing!
5. Concrete that has black colouration from weather is usually mould. Spray bleach water on the concrete with 1 part bleach to 3 parts water. Brush in and let set. Then wash off.
6. Wax paper taped inside slatted closet doors will help to keep out moths and dust.
7. The best way to hammer a small nail into the wall is to use a small comb to hold the nail.
8. For all of the little wastebaskets around the house use this housecleaner's trick. Keep folded garbage bags underneath the liner being used. That way you don't have to track down another liner after you empty the basket.
9. Use glue traps (the kind for mice) in the corners of rooms to catch unwanted insects such as spiders, bugs and flies. The glue traps are small, flat and inexpensive.
10. When cutting/chopping onions, light a candle first in the area where you'll be doing your work. The candle flame "burns up" the fumes from the onion and your eyes won't water as quickly.
11. Store birdseed in a large bottle, for quick and easy filling of bird feeders. Less mess, and less time.
12. Before cooking, place a sheet of waxed paper on the counter top. This makes a convenient disposable spoon rest and clean up a snap.
13. For painting crafts, use an empty egg carton to place puddles of paint colours in, when finished dispose of carton, no mess to clean! 14. Make ripe tomatoes firm again. Dip tomatoes in cold water, add some salt and leave overnight.
15. Make leafy vegetables crunchy again. Cut the stem off and separate the stalks. Add three quarter cup granulated sugar to a vessel filled with cold water. Place vegetables inside. Soak for 4 to 5 hours. Drain well and refrigerate.
Solutions, is compiled from various sources: Thank-you 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 programs across Canada and seen on the CBC TV show Living Winnipeg.
www.householdsolutions.org