What’s the best way to insulate a 1906 farmhouse? My plan is to strip the interior, increase the depth of the existing 2×4 wall studs to 2×7, then install batt insulation in the deepened wall cavities after rewiring. What do…
What’s the most economical furnace to install in my Victorian farmhouse, oil or propane? I’d like to replace the 20-year-old furnace I have now. This is a good question because optimal energy decisions aren’t easy to make. Different measuring systems,…
I’m hearing more about EnerGuide for New Houses, but I don’t know what it means. Can you explain? EnerGuide for New Houses is a numerical system that rates the energy performance of new homes. It’s based on a scale from…
What’s the best type of blade for cutting 3/4″-thick OSB with a circular saw? The blades I’ve been using bind and cut poorly. I’m ready to snap! Any kind of general-purpose carbide-tooth blade will easily cut through the kind of…
How should I deal with the floor in my basement that has just flooded? Some of the prefinished hardwood has started to swell. I assume I will need to lift the entire lot and dispose of it, but thought I’d…
What are my options for getting power to a cottage I’m building? Neighbouring property owners don’t want hydro poles on their land, and going underground is too expensive. Off-the-grid power systems are more practical and affordable than ever, and the…
What’s the best container to store carrots in my root cellar? Will plastic do or must I use metal? We’ve just moved into a house with a cellar below the front porch and I’m really excited about storing food for…
How can I expand the living space in my house on a tight budget? We are a family of five and my middle child is 9 years old and has a serious illness involving medical equipment and support workers. As…
What kind of inexpensive exterior wall siding can I install on top of the painted roll roofing that’s above the two doors of my garage? What’s there now has lasted two decades, but needs replacing. If you’re happy with the…
What’s the life expectancy of skylights? Mine are 25 years old, they’re leaking, and a roofer hasn’t been able to fix the problem. Where can I turn for reliable skylight replacement? I’m a single woman and don’t want to be…
What’s the best way to insulate the sloped second floor ceilings of my 1949 storey-and-a-half double-brick house? There are three options that I know of: The baffle method is time consuming to create, but good because it allows air movement…
How can I stop a strip of condensation from forming on one wall of my bathroom during cold weather? It always happens after a shower, and I think it’s caused by a cast iron plumbing vent directly behind the wall…