for Cold Climate Housing and much more

Found 156 results for the keyword ‘Removing’

  • A draft free mail slot - a counter top garbage trap - a central vac sweep door:

    Three of the most useful SLOTS you have ever seen.

      Slots are simply small passageways through something. In this segment we looked at three very nifty Slots -- all completely different.   THE INSULATED MAIL SLOT   How about a through the door mail slot that does not give you cold drafts? The Draft Dodger has two gasketed and spring load...
  • Removing Tile Grout & Floor Glue

    There exist special little tile grout knives, which are really just a blade with carbide dust on the edge. They are efficient at cutting out old grout between tiles. There is a special a power grout remover as one of the accessory blades that comes with the FEIN MultiMaster. Unlike a circular ...
  • Mysterious dark permenant stains on carpets.

    When air flows through the edges of carpets, the carpet acts as a filter and collects whatever is in the air. Hence we often find dirt streaks around heating outlets where some of the air sneaks under the grill and through the rug. Often, streaks are found near baseboards where household air flo...
  • How to properly duct an exhaust fan through a roof

    This item falls under the heading of 'things that homeowners can teach their contractor'. Unfortunately too many renovators do not know that you can cause serious damage to your roof if you don't duct exhaust fans completely out of an attic. Some know, but just don't care. You cannot just leave ...
  • Pro: Water As a Tool - Sometimes a Damn Tool

    Adding water to concrete or masonry will definitely make it flow better and make it easier to work with, which is why just about everybody does it. At the same time you have all heard that this will weaken the final product and increase shrinkage, but just about everybody does it anyway. If the d...
  • Chalk line technique & eraseability.

      Chalk lines are used to draw straight lines across large surfaces from about 2 feet to over 20 feet.  But it is not always easy to see the line, especially if you are working in the sun, or your saw has a dusting action that blows the chalk away. Phil from Ottawa sent in the chalkline tip t...
  • Plunging a Clogged Sink: It's the UP stroke that counts!

      Disloving the problem If your sink is just suffering from a lot of face cream and shaving cream, the least expensive and most ecological solution is simply 1/2 cup of baking soda (try using a funnel to get it into the drain), followed immediately by a cup of vinegar.  Let it sit a few minutes...
  • Noises -- sounds that tell you what is wrong with your house

    Drum Cymbal noises --> Furnace Ducting Gina in Saskatoon is complaining about drum cymbal-like crashes that happen every time her furnace goes on. This is common when you have smooth flat ductwork. The heat and pressure of the air can cause the large flat surface of sheet metal to flex eithe...
  • What causes metal studs to show through the drywall?

    Colour from the studs themselves is not really "bleeding" through the drywall, but it is the studs that are causing the problem. When metal studs are used in outside walls of a house, they conduct so much energy through the metal that the overall R-value of an R-19 wall drops to only R-10. When ...
  • Why do I see the wall studs right through the drywall?

      Tim lives in a 13 year old house and is rather disturbed by the fact that he can see the studs and ceiling joists as if they were coming right through the wall. Don't panic Tim, this is unfortunately very common. It relates to a poor job of insulation in a cold climate.     You see, the ...