Traditionally, to find which circuit breaker or fuse controls which lightswitch or wall outlet, you would plug a loud radio into an outlet and then go to the main panel and unscrew every fuse, or trip ever circuit breaker, until the radio went dead. And then there's yelling... 'Is that the one?'....
When driving screws into wood it is best to drill both a pilot hole and a clearance hole. The clearance hole allows the screw to turn freely without the threads biting into the first piece of wood. The pilot hole is sized to allow the threads to grab to a maximum without forcing the wood sidewi...
Ventilation in a Canadian attic does very little to remove moisture when the temperature in the attic is below freezing. During that time, the moisture is in the form of Ice and the passing air simply won't remove it -- whether you have passive vents or power vents. When things warm up, if the ...
I have occasionally been asked my opinion about a particular way to install a ventilation system (HRV - Heat Recovery Ventilator) that is considered acceptable in Ontario: Ducting both the supply and the exhaust runs of an HRV into the return air plenum of a forced air furnace. To understand t...
I am always amazed at house construction where so often things are half built or more while people are running around beginning to think about "extras" that should never be though of as "extras" but as part of the essential system. So time for one of my lectures -- (you asked for it).Heating is o...
This is actually a mechanical problem, not a staining problem. Microscopic particles of white pigment have flowed down the wall with the rain and lodged into the pores of the brick. Acid will not change their colour nor dislodge them. They have to be removed mechanically. Brushes tend to not ...
Here is a question and answer that you might find interesting."When we take a shower in the second bathroom of our house we bet a mild tingling when we touch the fixtures that the water comes out of. Our guest and family are really funny. They think that the tingling is because they feel inv...
Chimneys : The Six CommandmentsChimney does not belong to the house, but to its appliance.More carefully sized to the heating appliance.Be insulated.Be tightly constructed.Be located within the heating envelope of the house.Terminate at or near the highest point of the building.The best resource...
As you may know, my laptop computer has been an integral part of all my Home Improvement TV shows and public appearances and over the years I have gone from computer to computer to profit from the continual improvements. The first live national TV open line show, the House Hot Line Show, cir...
When a metal object sits on a humid rug or even the carpet in the trunk of your car, it often leaves rust stains. They're very difficult to remove and there's always been only one good way to get them off: Oxalic Acid -- also known as Lemon Salts. So for years I've lived with the frustration that...
