Q: What’s the best way to insulate the double-brick walls of my small bungalow built in 1952? There’s just plaster against the inside layer of brick with no insulation as far as I can tell. I’m having loose fill insulation…
Q: Am I being scammed by a mold expert? I found a 24” x 24” area of discolouration on my garage ceiling after a roof leak was discovered and repaired right away. One contractor wants to cut out the…
Q: How should I finish a 3 foot wide x 10 foot long lodgepole pine countertop I’m making for a kitchen and bar? I want the wood to be protected from spills. A: The challenge with every wooden countertop is…
Q: What should I think of a contractor who wants to fasten 8” wide Douglas fir exterior window trim using stainless steel screws? Not the nicest look in my opinion. He also wants to do the same thing with interior…
Steve Maxwell, Canada’s Handiest Man, goes over how DIY homeowners can install ceramic tiles that last.
BONUS: Don’t miss the two tech videos below. More and more people are deciding to get proactive about electrical power supply at homes, cottages and small businesses, and that’s why standby generators are gaining in popularity. Declining reliability of the…
Q: Is it possible to blow insulation into the wall cavities of one of those little veteran homes built right after WWII? I’m afraid to shop around for this work to be done because I don’t want to be taken…
Last month I answered a reader’s question about high radon gas levels in homes, and the response from that article made it clear more radon questions need to be answered. That’s certainly the case when you realize that this naturally…
Q: I’m writing to ask for the follow-up to a Toronto Star column you wrote a number of years ago regarding a septic system product called SeptiCleanse. Does this product continue to work well for you? I’ve got a septic system…
Poor indoor air quality is something that many people don’t recognize or understand. Recognized or not, the quality of air you breathe has a big impact on your health. Learn to discern the quality of your indoor air, and how to improve it.
Q: What’s the best way to stop the hot water in my house from smelling like rotten eggs? Shortly after I installed new bathroom faucets, my wife noticed the dreaded rotten eggs smell from the faucets – but only from…
When COVID lockdowns first appeared in early 2020, the weather was getting warmer in a lot of areas, providing at least some opportunity to spend time in isolation outdoors. But with the unfolding of second-wave lockdowns, we face what amounts…