Considering a new roof for your house this spring? Steve Maxwell, Canada’s Handiest Man, gives a quick overview of three interesting roofing options.
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LOUD BANGS DURING COLD WEATHER?: Understanding Why Houses Go Bump in the Night
Does your house make booming sounds during cold winter nights? Do unexplained seasonal gaps appear along the tops of interior walls, especially near the centre of your home? Thousands of new houses exhibit worrying symptoms like these, and the cause […]
Continue ReadingROOFTOP MOSS Q&A: Does This Stuff Damage My Roof?
Q: Is moss on a house roof a serious problem? About 20% of the asphalt shingle roof area of a house we’re looking to buy has moss growing on it, mostly near a large maple tree. Is there a proper […]
Continue ReadingQ&A OF THE WEEK: “Can Asphalt Shingles Be Installed From The Top Down?”
UPDATED 6Jun2019 Q: How can I install asphalt shingles on a roof from the top down? I’ve heard this is better since you never walk on the shingles as they’re being installed, but how is this possible? Shingles need to […]
Continue ReadingSOFFIT & FASCIA: How-To Installation Your Own Aluminum Soffit & Fascia
Got some soffit and fascia to install on your home, garage or cottage? This article covers the basics for achieving an exceptionally good job, even as a non-professional
Continue ReadingTIME FOR A NEW ROOF?: Be Sure To Read This First
Steve Maxwell, Canada’s Handiest Man, lays out how to install a roof that’ll last 50 years with the right fiberglass shingles, ventilation, and underlay.
Continue ReadingWHITE LIES: Good Contractors Never Tell Them
Back in June 2018, I got an email from a woman wondering about roof shingles, and it reminded me how easy it is for contractors to destroy their own credibility with white lies. As a homeowner, you need to watch […]
Continue ReadingROOFING Q&A: What’s Best Fiberglass or Organic shingles?
Q: Two of the three companies quoting on my reroofing job strongly recommend fibreglass shingles. The other never uses them. From a price stand point, there’s little difference, though warranties look better on the fiberglass. Can you help me make […]
Continue ReadingEavestroughs Don’t Cause Rooftop Ice Dams
Steve Maxwell, Canada’s Handiest Man, sets homeowners straight on the real cause of winter ice dams.
Continue ReadingLessons Learned From an Old Roof
A couple of autumns ago I climbed onto a small, deteriorating roof that I hadn’t walked on for 30 years. The activity got me thinking about how buildings can be anchors for our lives and guide posts for how we […]
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