Question: Hello Ari, I'm writing about what must be a common problem in Winnipeg due to the severe winter weather here. I have a house in River Heights, which I purchased in 2001 after you did a pre-purchase inspection for us. When we bought it, the concrete front porch had separated from … [Read more...] about Flaking Concrete Steps
Filling Void Under Stairs
Question: Dear Mr. Marantz. We have a 40-year old bungalow in Fort Richmond. Overall it is in good shape. Below the front steps there is a cavity of 60-70 cm depth. I have received conflicting advice (from non-specialists) as to whether I should pour sand in the gap. Some say yes, to avoid … [Read more...] about Filling Void Under Stairs
Exposed Plywood over Winter
Question: Dear Sir; In the spring of 2001, I started building a cabin. After the foundation, framing, roofing and the sides (covered with plywood) were finished I had used up the largest lump of money I had available for the initial construction. I had hoped that for each following year I … [Read more...] about Exposed Plywood over Winter
Cracked Concrete Steps
Question: Dear Mr. Marantz: There is a crack with a width of greater than one quarter of an inch, or 16mm, in the bottom-most step of the concrete stairs attached to my 47 year-old house. Apparently, the bottom half of the stairs shifted with the ground while the upper steps did not. The … [Read more...] about Cracked Concrete Steps
Cold Room in New House
Question: Dear Mr. Marantz, We had a new home built and have been living in it a year last January. We have a full basement and have had it finished. On the main floor our laundry room is located in the house directly behind the garage. The house narrows by approximately 5 ft. behind the … [Read more...] about Cold Room in New House
Cold Kitchen Walls
Question: I read your article in the Sunday Free Press every Sunday. The info you give is great. I see that you take questions, so thought I would ask you this one. We recently did some renovations to our house this past summer. We renovated the kitchen by taking out a dividing wall between … [Read more...] about Cold Kitchen Walls
Adding Insulation
Question: Today we have two related questions on Insulation. They will be addressed together. Hi Ari: I've had condensation problems with the cathedral ceiling in my living room for the past 25 years. There’s adequate ventilation and the ceiling was built to common specifications. Is it … [Read more...] about Adding Insulation
Flushing Weeping Tiles
Question: Hello Mr. Marantz. I read your article on sewage in weeping tiles Sun Nov 30 th 2003. As I have never heard of a sewage smell coming from the weeping tiles after a sewage backup incident, I think the smell is coming from elsewhere. However, you say it is possible and suggest flushing … [Read more...] about Flushing Weeping Tiles
Drains For Basement Bathroom
Question: I've been following your column in the Free Press and I have a question you may want to answer. I am considering installing a bathroom in the basement. How would I go about hooking up to the drain lines that are beneath the concrete floor? Answer: The addition of a basement … [Read more...] about Drains For Basement Bathroom
Cracks in Sump Pit
Question: I read your column in the Free Press on Sundays with enthusiasm. I have a problem with my sump pit that I need some advise on. I just bought a 1400 square foot bungalow in Whyte Ridge in July 05. The sump pump would go off several times per day which was not too concerning until … [Read more...] about Cracks in Sump Pit