Question: As the weather warms up in spring I sometimes hear a faint drip-drip sound coming from the attic of my 17 year old bungalow. Water stains and dripping also showed up on the ceiling. When I opened the attic hatch,…
If you’re thinking of installing a new hard surface floor in your home or cottage, an experience I had working on the house of my daughter and son-in-law and their kids may prove helpful. The house had wall-to-wall carpeting upstairs,…
Steve Maxwell, Canada’s Handiest Man, makes a suggestion for how homeowners can make DIY repairs to gaps in their laminate flooring.
Bathroom ceiling mold eventually becomes a problem in most homes, but fixing this problem involves more than just adding a coat of paint. If you only do that, the bathroom ceiling mold will just come back again in short order….
If you rely on a septic system – and especially f your septic system is currently showing signs of failure – you’ve come to the right place. You don’t necessarily need a whole new system when things look hopeless, despite what…
In December 2013, relatives of mine in Toronto spent Christmas in a cheap hotel miles from their home because of an ice storm and blackout that lasted as long as two weeks in some areas. Entire neighbourhoods were dark and…
Are there little domes of ugliness appearing on your walls? These are probably drywall screws pops. Click, watch and learn how to fix them right here. You’ll be an expert in 90 seconds.
Clothes dryer vents have got to be one of the last things builders consider when they’re putting a house together, and it shows. Take a look behind just about any dryer and you’ll see what I mean. Crumpled flexible ducting…
For those of us living in cold climates, one of the most annoying (and mysterious) problems happens when rooftop plumbing vent pipes get plugged with frost. This is called “ice capping” and the longer the cold spells you get in…
If you care about optimizing your health and energy level, you’ve probably come to realize that little lifestyle practices can sometimes deliver big health benefits over time. The energy level and pizzaz of a person in their 70s or 80s,…
Question: Can I safely leave the heat turned off in my cottage over winter when I’m not there? The floor is hardwood and I’m concerned about warping. I’m retired and don’t want to spend the $200 a month it costs…
Steve Maxwell, Canada’s Handiest Man, examines water wells and discusses pumps as well as the trickle system.