Heat pumps do not create heat. They simply pump it from one place to another, either raising the temperature or lowering it in the process. It's much like a water pump: that doesn't create water, it just move it to wherever you need it. Heat pumps are valuable because it takes less energy to move...
As weather patterns change we are getting longer colder periods than traditionally in many areas of the country -- and with that, more and more complaints of water pipes freezing. Finding the frozen point can be difficult, thawing it can be problematic but if you have done those two, go one step ...
This entry has been updated in 2013 and you may want to jump to the last paragraph to see the positive current state of Pressure Treated Wood.
Is pressure treated wood safe or not? Is the wood used to build my deck a few years ago now banned? There is a lot of confusion about pressure treated wo...
This article is about stopping water outside the house, then if necessary, controlling the situation as your basement floods. For some very interesting water alarms, covering both plumbing and overland water,see Stopping Plumbing Floods.
SANDBAGGING
The first line of defense is sandbaggin...
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...
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 ...
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...
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...
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...
"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, ...
