Found 43 results for the keyword(s) ‘Overview’

• Article

  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...
• Article

  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...
• Article

  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 ...
• Article

  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, ...
• Article

  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...
• Article

  Quebec Residential Electrical Rates and Subsidies

  Saving money on residential heating in 2022 – a look at the financial side.   Electrical Rate Structure summary:  Hydro Québec is developing various incentives for people to reduce their electrical use during peak periods in the winter.  Lowering the peaks in the demand for electricity allows f...
• Article

  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...
• Article

  OVERVIEW: Keeping leaves out of rain gutters while letting the water through

    THE RAIN GUTTER’S PRIMARY JOB   We need rain gutters to collect the rain that falls on a roof and then take it far away from the foundation of the house.  That, together with landscaping that slopes away from the house, can solve 80% of all water leakage problems in basements, especially dur...
• Article

  Overview - Condensation on the house side of thermal windows

  Richard writes in:   Hi, I could not find this second level question on your web site. I am familiar with the humidity levels required in a home to avoid condensation on the inside on a thermal pane window- we are still getting condensation with readings in the center of the room of 20 degree C ...
• Article

  The 3-FLEX CONTROLLER -- getting the most out of every central heating system

  If you are looking at changing or upgrading your heating system – read this article.  It may introduce you to things you have never heard about and can certainly save you a lot of money while improving the comfort of your home.   BANNING OIL HEATING If you are concerned about the move to ban h...