How should a beginner set up a home woodworking shop given a $1000 initial budget? What tools make sense to buy first? My approach to equipping a workshop is different than most. Although many of us have to start small…
Is there a cheaper way to control wintertime window condensation and icing than installing a $2000 heat recovery ventilator? Yes, there is another way to get rid of moisture, but you’re not going to like it. The alternative to an…
How can I stop white, salt-like powder from appearing on the block walls of our basement cold room? I brushed it off then washed the wall with muriatic acid, rinsed it down with water, then applied a coat of paint…
The challenge with any kind of masonry surface is cleaning the paint out of all those pores:
Where can I find the Bulldog Grip polyurethane caulking you’ve recommended many times? We’ve got full southerly exposure at the back of our house, and any caulking I’ve used on the windows and doors just bubbles and fails quickly. No…
What causes white, fluffy stuff to build up on the inside of a brick basement wall? A client of mind has this happening behind her furnace and we’re looking for a solution. What you’ve noticed on your basement wall is…
Q: How can I stop mold from growing on the bottom of the interior window frames in my two year old seasonal cottage? It sits unused during winter, heated to about 5ºC. We keep curtains closed for security and leave…
Can I use regular insulation batts to replace the paper-backed batts used between the ends of the floor joists where they meet the outside walls in a basement? The fact is, neither paper-backed nor plain insulation batts are ideal where…
How can I stop condensation from developing on the ceiling of my basement cold room during winter? There’s a vent on the wall, but I keep it closed all the time. Could this cause the problem? Condensation on cold room…
What’s the maximum length of insulated duct I can install with my new heat recovery ventilator (HRV)? Is 18 feet too long? I’ve never seen figures for the maximum length of insulated flex pipe you can use with an HRV,…
Where’s the best place to locate a furnace? My wife and I are designing a new home, and our plans require two furnaces. We’ve heard different viewpoints about where to place the second unit: basement, second floor, even the attic….
We live in a 3-year old house, a bungalow with an open floor plan. It’s divided down the middle by a wall and several sets of pillars. We’ve been in the house for three winters now, and every year the…