Topics : Peeling paint off of old plaster wall near a modified chimney; Country dock with white cedar decking need refinishing; Foundation cracks – draw two lines to follow any movement to determine if it can be just filled, or the house need new foundation support; Noisy sump-pump – water hammer arrestor; Replacing heat pumps; Insulating attic and pot lights.

Sunday : This is the time to correct water flow on landscaping.

Topics: Flood preparation -- major water barriers replacing sandbagging being widely deployed this year --what are they and where to get them; Finishing outdoor fresh cut wood – permeable or impermeable finishes require different drying times; How to get better sound separation between two apartments with the least money and space taken up; Cleaning an apartment after a smoker has left; CNESST has put out rules for how worksites are to proceed during the virus crisis; Noise coming through ductwork – use the low speed of a two speed fan motor for continuous operation – and adding a HRV for fresh air; Flooding in a lower basement apartment doesn’t appear to be drying out under the floor and beginning to have breathing problems – have it inspected immediately by a flood restoration specialist, like Renovco, and they can determine the action required  – need to install a back-flow damper in the drain line to the street to avoid future problems.

Sunday: Ladder Safety -- lots of good information and links to special stablizers.

Topics: Some problems can be solved with Skype or Zoom inspections -- contact me; Which driveway sealer to use -- acrylic; Insulating attic duct work; Sound proofing commercial space; Putting a new floor covering on an apartment balcony; 15 year old shings are blowing off; Some details on sump pumps; Insulating a bedroom over a garage.

Topics:  Deck waterproofing; Rain gutter leaf protection; Use outdoor acrylic paint in an unheated garage for best durability; Reducing water in a toilet tank to save water - not necessarially a good idea; Tracing a water leak after roof and window renovation; Removing mould in an atiic safely -- sealing off the ceiling to keep the house cleaner; Be warry of strange emergency preventative maintenance calls in condos -- check with the condo assosiation before letting anyone in as scams are showing up; City cleaning of the street pipes squirts water up through plumbing into first floor of house.

Topics: Hardware store function during the virus crisis; Replacing one broken tile to match the rest; What should I not flush down the toilet; A steel gallery in a condo needs some paint patching; Hearing water flowing after street valve is changed -- more pressure in the house, check the toilet valve;  Lower duplex with an exposed brick wall showing water signs at the top - seal that brick; How to disinfect an appartment after a renter leaves; Water pipe cleaning in a 10 story condo as a "preventative" measure?  One listener warns that such a Covid-19 unusual exercise could be a SCAM.  Check that it is really the condo association who has organized a plumbing exercise and why.

Special video on Facebook, scroll down to "Can I Flush This":  A great kids experiment to understand one thing that can clog toilets. No wipes, even "flushable" wipes should go down the toilet as they can contribute to clogging. https://m.facebook.com/grovessewer

Topics: Wall paper over fireplace; Electrical floor heating having thermostat problems; Converting hot water radiator heating from Oil to Electricity; Can i remove a wall?; Fixing squeaky floors.

Topics: Insulating while changing a flat roof; Asbestos removial costs; Membrame or asphalt and gravel for a flat roof; Using a perimiter drain inspection pipe for water inflitration; Testing for pyrite under the garage slab; Black scum on water after being away -- check for degradations of the flapper; Who do you hire to replace a  hydro pole; Rebuilding a deck over a flat roof -- where to attach the guard -- squirrel protection.

Topics:

- Tracing the source of annoying sounds by recording them on your cell phone -- what you see on a wave form in an audio editor is more defining that what we can hear/

- The insurance company requires changing the oil reservoir, should I go all electric or keep the relatively new oil furnace -- what are the financial consequences of keeping or losing the Dual Energy rate -- in this case I recommend only changing the dead hot water tank for an electric tank while putting in a new oil reservoir/

- Basement windows leak during rain -- creating a slopped and caulked outdoor sill/

- Dual energy controls often leave the furnace running non-stop while the heat pump technician and the furnace technician each say their systems are working -- did they check the thermostat? -- possibly override both controls with a Tri-Energy Controller which brings all elements into harmony and even improves energy efficiency/

- Should I change out steel hydronic heating pipes in a mixed steel/coper system? -- not necessarily, open a coupling and inspect the steel pipe inside/

- Should I replace my old hot water tank with a tankless system? -- check if you will need to upgrade your electrical system or not/

- How to adhere ceramic tiles to a linoleum floor.

Topics: Mysteriously wet bricks; Odour coming and going in a basement -- plumbing vent possibly blocked causing ice capping; High pitched squeeking noise from hydronic heating system; Fragrance free health facilities; What is a "normal" ice cycle?; Walkway has begun to slope towards the house; New flat roof leaking -- no one can locate the problem -- at times it is useful to have a third party consultant who is not trying to sell you a solution. 

 

FRAGRANCE FREE HEALTH FACILITIES

We all know that second-hand smoke can seriously bother a lot of people – but are you aware that fragrances or perfumes can make many people immediately sick – Asthma Multiple Chemical Sensitivities, Rashes, Migraines…?  This can be especially problematic when in health care facilities where people are more vulnerable than usual.  The ASEQ-EHAQ has initiated a petition before the Quebec National Assembly to do what we have already done with tobacco smoke, make health care facilitates fragrance free – get more details on the issue here. 

Sign the National Assembly petition and pass the link on to your friends:

Petition: Measures to put in place a fragrance or perfume-free policy in all health-care facilities in Quebec

https://www.assnat.qc.ca/en/exprimez-votre-opinion/petition/Petition-8231/index.html

Pétition: Mise en place d'une politique sans fragrances ou parfums dans les établissements de santé au Québec

https://www.assnat.qc.ca/fr/exprimez-votre-opinion/petition/Petition-8231/index.html

Topics: Are downspouts that go into the ground a problem?; Need an inspector for water problems on a flat roof; Duplex radiator pipe broken - freezing pipe needs insulation; Eaves troughs with leaf cover making ice-cycles; Changing the main electrical box; Sump pump battery back-up; Changing an oil boiler for an electric boiler; Getting formaldehydefree MDF cabinets. 

Sunday:  We all know that second-hand smoke can seriously bother a lot of people – but are you aware that fragrances or perfumes can make many people immediately sick – Asthma Multiple Chemical Sensitivities, Rashes, Migraines…?  This can be especially problematic when in health care facilities where people are more vulnerable than usual.  The ASEQ-EHAQ has initiated a petition before the Quebec National Assembly to do what we have already done with tobacco smoke, make health care facilitates fragrance free – get more details on the issue here. 

Sign the National Assembly petition and pass the link on to your friends:

Petition: Measures to put in place a fragrance or perfume-free policy in all health-care facilities in Quebec

https://www.assnat.qc.ca/en/exprimez-votre-opinion/petition/Petition-8231/index.html

Pétition: Mise en place d'une politique sans fragrances ou parfums dans les établissements de santé au Québec

https://www.assnat.qc.ca/fr/exprimez-votre-opinion/petition/Petition-8231/index.html