Found 44 results for the keyword(s) ‘Overview’

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  Legality of DIY electrical and plumbing work

  NEW CONSTRUCTION In the interests of health and safety a number of trades are controlled by law, most particularly plumbing and electricity. The degree to which plumbing and electrical work are actually regulated varies from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. For instance almost all work performed in...
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  OVERVIEW: Outdoor concrete in a cold climate

  Air Entrainment When ordinary concrete gets wet and then freezes, the ice crystals can cause surface chipping, or even more serious fracturing. All outdoor concrete in Canada, even by code, should be what we call air entrained. This means that there are microscopic air bubbles in the concrete ...
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  OVERVIEW: Pyrite

    Pyrite and the damage it can cause to homes is a worrisome and expensive problem in certain areas of Quebec and is affecting property values. So just what is the problem? You tested for pyrite and got an IPPG number?  Read to the bottom, or click here to see the IPPG scale.  Pyrite is a mine...
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  What do you put in a basic beginner homeowner's toolkit?

  If you are just talking about keeping the house from falling down around your head, and a few minor adjustments or additions here and there, but no real renovations -- the tool kit is rather simple. A multiple head screwdriver. A pair of pliers. A pair of clamping pliers. A light hammer. A g...
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  OVERVIEW: Lubricants: Why are there so many choices?

  Lubricants are products designed to make things slip. Sister products that have some lubrication but are specialized for other uses are penetrating oils that are used to loosen up rusted parts, drying sprays designed to remove water from electrical wires and some cleaning sprays. Although I use...
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  Quebec’s Decree to ban residential oil heating -- The hard truth and your options

    (updated May 2023)  -- Essentially nothing has changed in the last year -- read on. As for heating contractors that say you have no choice but to go all-electric, they are either ignorant of the regulations or lying to you.  When they tell you that you have no choice, tell them to call their ...
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  OVERVIEW: Electromagnetic radiation and your health: THE DEBATE

  Click here to scroll down past all the legal updates to see the Overview of the debate on Cell Phones, Wi-Fi and Smart Meters. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Update Dec. 2019:  The US Supreme Court just rejected an appeal of a lower court ...
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  OVERVIEW: Changing the roof or roof covering on a house

  As I look at my own database, I see that I have almost 100 answers to specific questions about roofs and roofing.  Despite a good search engine, that much scattered information can get confusing.  Let me make just a couple of overview statements to help guide you in getting your existing or new r...
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  OVERVIEW: Roof Ice Dams & Icicles

  "Why do some houses have ice dams on the roof and others do not?" The overview is below -- for details go to Ice Dams -- for contractors who will really solve this problem, scroll to the bottom of this article.   What causes ice dams and ice cicles? Ice dams develop when snow is on the roof, ...
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  OVERVIEW: About cleaning up Mould.

  The whole question of mould started as a simple nuisance in home maintenance but with experience and research has become a major element of creating and maintaining a healthy house. Of course, whenever research develops over time, recommendations change and things can get quite confusing.   IT...