Found 90 results for the keyword ‘Alternative’
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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... -
Double walls and buried vapour barriers.
June is building a new home in Kenora and they have decided to make what is often called a double wall structure to have room for lots of insulation. They are intending to build with 2x6 walls and then add another 2x4 on the inside to hold more insulation. They have been told that they could do s... -
Is Fibre Decor a good idea to cover wallpaper?
Note, this article was originally written in 2002 -- in 2023 the product is no longer on the market but still on some walls. Read on for how to patch it. Patricia from Winnipeg, Manitoba writes: "Our old house is rather cold and is in need of some serious decorating. The walls are covered with... -
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... -
Quebec all-electric? Not possible and not even a valid objective!
EN FRANÇAIS There is an elephant in the room – QUEBEC GETS REALLY COLD. The ecological dream of an all-electric urban society is suicidal in a cold climate like Quebec. Extended power system black-outs are a reality of life in Quebec. Every few years electrical system black-outs have forced... -
A close look at carpenter's hammers.
There is a confusing array of hammers on the store shelf, and then many more that aren't on the ordinary store shelves. You may be surprised to learn that there are cultural differences in hammers. Here is a comparison of a North American with a British hammer. The head itself is similar bu... -
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 ... -
What is a Renovation Coach?
When I work as a Renovation Coach I do the following: Trace problems to their source Evaluate options for remediation Guide you in your project – step-by-step Help avoid future problems Critique conflicting contractor propositions Find solutions that fit your house and your climate Help po... -
Softening water -- do electronic water softeners work?
John from Halifax wrote in asking about replacing his salt based water softener with an electronic water softener to make it easier to water his lawn. Note 2020: I originally wrote this article in 2004 and many products have come and gone since then. I recently received several requests to l...
Techniques for Installing Drywall