Renovation & Design
Renovation & Design
Seal unused chimney top and bottom
QUESTION -- This past winter I replaced my home's gas hot water tank with an electric model and also replaced my low efficiency gas furnace with a high efficiency furnace. My question concerns the now unused chimney, which has been dripping condensation into my basement all winter. I don't consider simply capping the basement end of the chimney, as the furnace installers have done, to be a proper way of dealing with the unused chimney. It seems to me that without sealing the chimney off and insulating at the attic level, my unused chimney is virtually like having a 5 inch diameter hole in my home's outside wall.I would think this would be a common situation with furnace retrofits but solutions are hard to come by. It seems HVAC and government literature dealing with retrofits quite conveniently avoids the issue altogether or simply states "seal off the unused chimney".
What is the proper way of dealing with the resulting unused chimney from a furnace retrofit?
?--Roy Olynick, e-mail
Answer -- I agree that it is becoming more and more common for homeowners to discontinue the use of old chimneys after installation of high efficiency furnaces. You have raised an excellent point, which may not be dealt with properly by some HVAC contractors. I don't think that sealing an old chimney is a very difficult task and will give you my view on the necessary steps to stop your dripping.
The answer to your question will largely depend on the location and composition of the existing, unused chimney in your home. Older, brick chimneys with metal liners may have to be treated differently than metal B-vent chimneys. If an older brick chimney is located on the exterior of the home and if it goes up more than a single storey, it can be much more difficult to close up. Since you have not provided me with much of these details, I will explore possibilities for the various types of common, older furnace chimneys.
The simplest style of chimney to deal with would be an interior bungalow B-vent chimney, which is simply a double-walled metal pipe running from the basement, up through the house and attic and terminating above the roof line. The easiest option to seal this old vent would be to climb on the roof, remove the metal rain cap and install a properly sized flat metal cap in its place. This cap should be screwed in place and sealed with caulking to prevent blowing off or leaking. This cap, combined with the sealed bottom of the vent in the basement, should be sufficient to prevent most condensation leakage situations. By sealing the bottom, the HVAC contractor has limited the amount of warm air that can leak up the chimney from the home, but it does nothing for cold air intrusion from above. Sealing the top and bottom will prevent convective currents while preventing any warm air that does leak into the vent from the home coming into contact with very cold air entering near the top.
If this does not completely stop the dripping, there may be some additional thermal bridging going on with metal chimney itself. In that case sealing the floor of the attic, or the metal flashing in this location, where the B-vent goes through may stop the dripping. This can normally be accomplished by installation of rigid foam or blown-in foam around this area to insulate air seal the metal chimney. This may be difficult to accomplish, depending on the access to the attic and another alternative may be chosen. Complete removal of this type of chimney, or at least below the main floor ceiling of the home, is an option. This may be very practical if the roofing on the home is older and in need of upgrading. It may be little additional work to remove the old chimney and patch the roof sheathing, rather than properly sealing the old, unused chimney flashing to the new roofing.
If your home has a brick chimney that is not installed outside the exterior wall, it should have a metal liner inside the flue for the older gas-fired furnace. This metal liner may be treated the same as the B-vent and capped at the bottom top to prevent condensation. I did this last summer in my own home and it stopped some leakage I was experiencing, after upgrades identical to yours. Alternatively, this metal liner may only be held in place by mortar at the top and the bottom of the brick chimney and removal may be quite simple after chipping away the old mortar. If the liner is quite rusted in any location, it is a good idea to remove it and cap the top of the chimney with a metal flashing or thick mortar bed. The bottom opening in the chimney should also be patched with mortar or fine concrete mix to prevent air intrusion from the basement into the old brick structure.
If the metal liner from your old furnace exits through the foundation wall into an old brick chimney, especially on a two-storey home, further action may be required to prevent condensation. Follow the same recommendations for an interior brick chimney, but additional insulation may be required to completely eliminate the condensation. Installation of moisture resistant insulation, such as extruded polystyrene or blown-in polyurethane foam inside the bottom of the old cavity will do the trick. If the chimney is simply capped at the top and bottom, there still may be small openings that allow warm air to leak into the cavity. This moist air can quickly condense near the bottom of the chimney in the winter due to extremely cold outside temperatures. Maximum expansion poly foam may be an ideal solution for this area as it can be blown into the cavity and will continue to expand and fill any gaps after the bottom of the chimney is capped.
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
Renovation & Design
Going green? Don't be colour-blind
If you've been sold on something "green" for your home renovation, be careful of the hype.There's a lot of conflicting information about what's good for the environment and what's not -- and there are plenty of big claims, says Metropolitan Home editor-in-chief Donna Warner.
"People aren't aware because the information is not clear," Warner says. "It's really important to get professional help; it may be expensive, but it can save you money in the long run."
In a special "green" issue of the magazine, Warner and industry experts, including two architects, a planner and an interior designer, weighed in on what's green and what's not:
-- Make sure that the house is properly sealed to reduce energy use but also ventilate it properly to avoid indoor air pollutants.
-- For your flooring, select recycled tiles or wool carpeting.
-- Remove your shoes at the door because toxins that get carried in them can worsen indoor air quality.
-- Paint should be non-toxic and have low VOC (volatile organic compounds).
-- Buy durable products that last a long time to avoid having to replace them.
--Associated Press
Renovation & Design
Space-age appliances
French doors. Steam saunas. Cranberry hues. You might think we're talking room decor, but in fact it's all about appliances: refrigerators, washing machines, dryers, microwaves and dishwashers. These shiny, streamlined new models from LG are making our old white workhorses look mighty clunky.Take the DirectDrive-motor washing machines, for example. Never mind the belts and pulleys of old-style washers: these use an electromagnetic motor that not only spins the front-loading drum, but produces electricity at the same time.
"It's so environmentally efficient that if I unplug this unit and simply rotate the drum by hand, it generates its own electricity," says Frank Lee, manager of public affairs for LG Canada. He demonstrates, and sure enough, the LED panel lights up as if the machine was plugged into the mains.
These machines also make doing the laundry foolproof: Load them with clothes and soap, and they extract the right amount of soap needed for that load.
New this year is the introduction of steam into the clothes dryer, raising the drum temperature to sanitize the laundry and remove odours.
"There's no source of water," Lee notes. "Heat is the special ingredient."
Steam technology is also being used in LG dishwashers.
They also use a special lower-pressure cycle for delicate items such as stemware.
Sticking to the kitchen, Lee demonstrates a microwave door that opens out and up, much like the rear door on a minivan, allowing door access with a minimum of clearance.
"We learned from the car industry," he says. "In Asia, there's a real demarcation of public and private space. In western Europe and North America, that demarcation isn't as clear -- people do end up coming into the kitchen, so (designs have to take into account that) you can have two to three people standing in front of the appliance who are not actually using the appliance."
For ranges, LG now offers a ceramic top with customizable elements, including a "bridge" connecting two elements that's ideal for evenly heating a skillet, plus a warming zone. You can also look for warming drawers for dishes under the oven, dedicated heating coils for fans in convection ovens and sealed elements on oven bottoms to make cleaning easier.
"Great design doesn't have to be locked up in a lot of technology," Lee notes, demonstrating a fridge with two French (swing-out) doors for the fridge portion and a bottom drawer for the freezer. "Make sure it's a sealed bottom, otherwise you're always losing ice chips and peas down there," he says.
The fridge puts the icemaker in the door to save space, and adds vertical vents and sensors in the centre back of the fridge: If the sensor reads a sudden warmth (such as leftovers being placed in the fridge), it sends extra cool air to that section.
Lee also notes that while most North American kitchen fridges are 32 or 36 inches wide, LG has designed a 30-inch fridge specially for the Canadian market that will fit in almost any kitchen, no matter how tight the space.
Another space saver is the European-inspired laundry unit that both washes and dries your clothes. Running on 110-volt power rather than 220, it's ideal for cottages, boats and rental units.
Still in the design stage is the four-door fridge, but it's not far off: think two french doors for the fridge and two bottom drawers for the freezer.
It's all too cool.
For more information, check lg.ca. The appliances are sold widely, at home furnishing, appliance and electronics stores across Canada.
--Canwest News Service
Renovation & Design
Considering home designs? Don't forget facade
This impressive home, Plan DBI-24138, by Homeplans, part of Move, puts its best face forward with its attractive facade.Inside, the foyer is flanked by a formal dining room with built-in cabinets and by a study, which can also be used as a bedroom. The open kitchen has an eating bar serving the living room, plus a breakfast nook for casual meals.
Tucked away in its own wing, the master bedroom has a walk-in closet and a private bath with a garden tub. Upstairs, two additional bedrooms, complete with walk-in closets, share a view of the living room from a balcony.
Details
Bedrooms: 3+
Baths: 3
Upper floor: 516 sq. ft.
Main floor: 1,736 sq. ft.
Total Living Area: 2,252 sq. ft. Garage: 646 sq. ft.
Exterior Wall Framing: 2x4
Foundation Options: Slab
A downloadable study plan of this house is available at http://www.houseoftheweek.com. (The Free Press assumes no responsibility for transactions made with Houseoftheweek.com)
--Associated Press
Renovation & Design
Quick and easy updates to help sell your home
If you plan on selling your house, a new report lists a few renovation projects that could ensure you get top dollar for your property.Whether we're talking new plumbing fixtures, new flooring or new kitchen cabinets, a suitable renovation can improve your home, as well as increase its value.
Updating a kitchen or bathroom may require a trained professional, but there are many projects accessible to the do-it-yourselfer, according to the Royal LePage Renovations and Returns survey.
According to Statistics Canada, renovation spending grew by 8.3 per cent in the fourth quarter of 2007 to $9.2 billion, from the same period in 2006.
Explored within this survey are renovations that are intended to translate directly into enhanced equity in a property. Some of the renovation suggestions, ranked in ascending order of project cost, include:
Freshen up your house by adding a new coat of paint. If you're planning on selling soon, stick to neutral colours.
Take a look at your floors, and consider installing hardwood or laminates, which are becoming increasingly popular with buyers.
Consider new light fixtures and modernize by installing modern electrical and new light switch cover plates.
Clean and tidy your yard and lawn to improve curb appeal of your property.
Sleek, stainless steel hardware such as kitchen exhaust hoods and the addition of new backsplash can enhance the modern look of your kitchen.
An elegant entrance foyer is a prospective buyer's first impression of the house.
While more extensive projects will cost more, these renovations can also bring high returns when it comes to you eventually selling your home. Updated kitchens, for example, can bring one of the highest returns on your investment.
-- Canwest News Service
Renovation & Design
Trees, shrubs have purpose
A reader of my Tree Care articles called and asked why I focus the content of my articles on problems with trees and shrubs rather than the benefits? The reader's point is well taken. In my business, when there are no perceived problems with trees or shrubs in the yard, I do not normally hear from the owners. People get in touch with me when they have concerns.Having said that, I do want to stress there are many benefits of having healthy vegetation of all kinds on one's property. Trees provide beauty and many functional purposes around our homes. Shade and wind protection are very obvious benefits. Well-placed trees can save energy costs associated with air-conditioning and heating. Deciduous shade trees on the south and west sides of the home provide cooling through shade during the heat of summer. Coniferous evergreen trees on the northwest and north sides of the homes in our area can reduce the force of cold winds, making the house more comfortable in the winter, thereby lowering heating costs. Urban trees and shrubs provide places for birds, small mammals and desirable insects such as bees, butterflies, dragonflies and others, with food and places to live. In some cases, vegetation in our yards provides suitable habitats for frogs, toads and snakes. Of course, I know not everybody is completely happy with some creatures of the animal and insect world.
If you have a suitable space, you might want to consider planting a tree this spring. If you do plant, please avoid overcrowding the trees and shrubs in your garden unless you are planning to grow a dense forest. Crowding always increases the risk of diseases and undesirable pests. Garden aesthetics for most people means having a balanced landscape of trees, shrubs, flowers, possibly vegetables, ground covers and non-living ornamental things. The selection of plants and how they are used is entirely up to the owner of the yard.
Looking at the other side of the landscape coin, my most common complaint from people who have trees is related to pests and diseases of larger coniferous evergreens such as spruce, pine, fir and cedar. For years I have advocated owners of these evergreen trees have them assessed in the winter. All the serious issues on these trees that will be of concern are apparent during the winter to the knowledgeable tree expert. The earlier the diagnoses are made in the lives of these evergreen trees, the more effective will be the treatment controls that can be initiated in spring.
In my 38 years as an urban forester and arborist, I have assessed many thousands of trees and even a greater number of shrubs. Nearly every yard that has mature trees in southern Manitoba has or will have at least one problem with a tree or shrub. Most people have accepted this reality and are quite prepared to live with this. Many people do not realize they have serious problems until it is too late. Many people know they have tree problems but have been frustrated in trying to get them resolved. Each year, I help many hundreds of property owners but even I can only be spread so far. I do this through garden visits, adult education courses I give on tree and shrub care, occasional phone-in radio shows, magazine articles and public appearances.
Beautiful yards and gardens usually do not happen by chance. They are the result of careful planning, attention to detail, and an understanding about how to take care of all the plants including the trees.
I will be available in person at the following public events:
Arbour Day in Assiniboine Park on June 15 by the Lyric Theatre: Arbour Day activities are being organized by the Coalition to Save the Elms from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. (Call 832-7188 for more information). The coalition reminds people who have put up Tanglefoot bands on trees to refresh them with a new application of Tanglefoot as soon as possible. This will help stop the spring cankerworm female moths from climbing over the old bands, most of which have lost their stickiness.
Jane's Walk (part of a national event) in the Kingston Crescent area: I will be part of the walking tour talking about trees and shrubs in the area on May 4 at 1 p.m. The walk will start at B.D.I. on Jubilee Avenue. Local event activities are being coordinated by the community headed up by Lorraine Thomas (Call 231-5156 for more information)
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.ca