How can I ensure that a new ceramic tile job won’t crack again? I’m removing tiles installed poorly 15 years ago, and I plan to install a layer of cement board on top of the existing subfloor. Is there anything…
I’ve seen a few articles written about whole house fans, mostly in US magazines and on web sites. Why aren’t they more popular here in Canada? They seem like an economical way to cool a house each evening. Yes, whole…
Our kitchen renovation turned out well, except for the clear silicone caulking around the back splash. It’s already peeling. What can we do? It’s strange that your silicone caulking isn’t holding up well. Are you certain it’s silicone? The most…
We’ve moved into a brand new home and we’re having trouble with a section of the basement we requested be built into a storage area. Liquid water seeps into the room and fuzzy growths are appearing on stored items and…
The vent cover for the range hood duct in our new house has four louvres and is noisy and ineffective. Whenever there’s a strong wind outside I can hear flapping sounds and feel cold air back drafting through the appliance’s…
I’m stripping lead paint from a bunch of wood trim and doors, and I need some advice. I’ve tried different chemical strippers with no success, but have found that a heat gun works. It’s very slow, but most importantly I…
The paint beneath our south facing windows is peeling on the inside walls, but I don’t know why. Some of it’s coming off in large, wide pieces with plenty of plaster attached. The paint that’s still firm on the wall…
A friend owns a cottage and would like to insulate the roof. The problem is the limited amount of space underneath the ceiling, and the view of the exposed rafters he’d like to preserve. That’s what got us thinking about…
I’m making a small hall bench using maple and cherry wood, and I have a question about finishing. I intend to colour the whole thing with a cherry stain. Is it necessary to pre-condition the wood first? No, I wouldn’t…
How can I stop my three teenagers from taking really, really long showers? We’ve tried begging, guilt trips and timers. Is there some kind of device that automatically shuts off water flow after a certain period of time? We’ve got…
Do you still like the low flow toilets you installed at your place? I came across an old column of yours where you describe this technology and how to install it. I have two toilets in my house of unknown…
Will a 120-volt, 12.5 amp tankless electric water heater fill a large, therapeutic bath tub with hot water? Filling this tub empties my current hot water tank so I’m looking for an alternative. I’ve done a lot of research into…