Q: What’s the best way to fix the cracked parging on my house foundation? I live in a 13-year-old brick bungalow, with about 6 feet of parged concrete block foundation visible above ground. Over the years this parging has become […]
Continue ReadingHOW TO BUY A HOUSE: Four Simple But Important Tech Issues to Look At
What makes a good house to buy? It’s a question that not enough people ask themselves properly, especially as they’re dealing with the fact that buying a house is usually a lot of work. You’ll often have to wade through […]
Continue ReadingVIDEO Q&A: How Do I Insulate a Cathedral Ceiling?
One of my readers, a man named Donald from southern Quebec, emailed me about his plans for solving an ongoing problem with poor cathedral ceiling performance. Cathedral ceilings are often insulated poorly, resulting in energy loss, condensation in winter, and ice […]
Continue ReadingQ&A: What’s the Best Way to Paint My Rusty Metal Railing?
Q: How can I paint the rusty steel railing that goes across the front of my property? I want the results to lasts. A: If the rust is just cosmetic (and it almost always is with outdoor iron or steel […]
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Q&A of the Week: How’s SeptiCleanse septic system treatment working out for you?
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 […]
Continue ReadingQ&A: How Can I Make 30-Year Old Aluminum Siding Look Better?
Q: The aluminum siding on my house has growths on it and the paint seems to be rubbing off. Other than this the siding is in good shape. What can I do to make it look better? A: Painting is […]
Continue ReadingHOME RENO: Why Spray Foam Is Safe and Effective
The first time I saw spray foam insulation in action was in the winter of 1988, while working as a carpenter on a commercial construction site. I’ve been impressed with this stuff ever since. Over the years spray foam has […]
Continue ReadingQ&A OF THE WEEK: Non-Toxic Stinky Drain Solution
Q: How can I get rid of the sulphur smell coming from our sink and bathtub drains? We brought in a plumber to investigate but all he suggested is to get our air circulation system cleaned. The problem first surfaced […]
Continue ReadingROOFTOP ICE CONTROL: Watch Installation Video of Unique Rooftop De-Icing System
Watch me install a neater, more reliable alternative to electric rooftop de-icing cables in the video below. When a roof gets warm enough in winter to melt rooftop snow, the resulting water runs down the roof and re-freezes along the […]
Continue ReadingQ&A of the Week: “How to Caulk a Bathtub?”
This Q&A of the Week comes from my dad, Wayne Maxwell. He and my mom live in a condominium in the city where I grew up . . . Q: “It’s time to recaulk the bathtub, Steve. What’s the […]
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