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…
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,…
How can I eliminate window condensation in a multi-story condominium unit? We’ve been experiencing lots of condensation for the seven years we’ve lived in the building. Window replacement isn’t an option since they’re considered common elements in this building. Judging…
Question: We’ve just gone to a lot of trouble and expense installing drainage tiles around our basement, but we’re concerned it might not stop dampness and white, fuzzy efflorescence coming up through the concrete floor. We’re planning to finish the…
Question: Can leaks in a radiant infloor heating system be fixed? The system was installed about 35 years ago by my husband and includes 1-inch diameter black plastic pipe set into the concrete floor. A leak has appeared near one…
Question: I just bought a 25-year-old house and the humidity is very high in the basement — regularly over 80%. It’s cold down there and our feet freeze when we go downstairs, even if the weather’s hot. There are small…
How can I insulate the double-brick walls of my 100-year-old home? One contractor says he can drill holes in the plaster and blow insulation into the space between the bricks. Another contractor says this isn’t possible. Who’s right? Home heating…
What kind of flooring can I install in our unheated, 140-year-old cottage? The floors are currently covered in very old rolled flooring on top of wide cedar boards. We considered using rolled flooring again, but we don’t want the curling…