Archive for the 'Home Maintenance' Category

Is There A Mouse In The House? Or a Raccoon, Squirrel or Bat?

Yes, we have rodents in the Collingwood and Blue Mountain areas.  C’mon, you didn’t think we were immune to it, did you? Why is it that buyers are so shocked when they find out rodents infiltrate homes here too?  Sheesh.  You should see the bats at our house! I can’t tell you how often I’ve [...]

Majestic Fireplace Health Canada Warning

Consumers are being advised to stop using certain “Majestic” brand fireplaces due to a reported risk of the glass exploding. The models affected are natural gas or propane fired direct vent Majestic free standing fireplaces, manufactured by CFM Inc. (who are no longer in business) bearing trade names Insta-flame or Northern Flame; Models FSDV22, FSDV30 [...]

New poll shows 7 out of 10 Ontarians support standardized home energy labelling

On August 23, 2012,  NAIMA Canada, the national association representing mineral wool insulation manufacturers, released a public opinion poll focused on home energy efficiency labelling in Ontario.  It was very kindly forwarded to me by our local Environment Network and the content is so interesting, I wanted to share it with you in full.  Here’s [...]

10 Quick and Easy Things You Can Do Today To Reduce Your Heating Costs This Winter

It’s that time of year again were the prospect of big home heating bills is upon us.    A couple of years ago, John and I had an energy audit completed and then made some basic changes which had a dramatic impact on our heating costs lowering them by over 30%.  The biggest factor was [...]

We’re Going Solar At Our House: Part 3

This is Part 3 in a series of our journey to installing a roof top solar system on our home.  If you wish to read from the beginning, start with this link. We are now the proud owners of the largest, residential roof top solar system in Collingwood.  For now, anyway. Since the last post, [...]

What is a Better Investment – Income Property or Solar?

I’ve been toying with an idea in my head and am hoping you’ll give me some input.  Please don’t tell hubby John though because I need my facts straight first. You may think this a very odd thing for a REALTOR to say, but is it possible that there is actually a leveraged investment out [...]

Looking for a Solution To a Musty Basement?

Every now and then, I get really excited when I learn about a new household product on the market. One of the most common things we see in homes is damp basements.  There may not be water problems per se but uninsulated concrete absorbs moisture and the continued exposure to static pressure from the ground [...]

Our Wet Basement and Lessons Learned – Part 2

Continued from Part 1 After a great deal of panic and hand-wringing, we contacted a company called Pipe Vision who came over and ran cameras through the weepers to see what was going on.  Sure enough, the weepers were so plugged with silt in several areas that the camera could not even penetrate.  While this [...]

Our Wet Basement and Lessons Learned – Part 1

I suspect many people worry that one day they’ll have a wet basement. Recently, that particular fear of my own came true when we discovered wetness in the basement of our 25 year old home.  Perhaps sharing our story might help others struggling with a similar issue and believe me, there are many of you [...]

Why Not Incorporate Green Elements in Your Kitchen Remodel?

Earlier this year, I was in a charming country farm home in the Blue Mountains that had been remodeled using only reclaimed and recycled products.  It was stunning and I’ve never quite been able to get it out of my head.  Since then and, as I continue in my own journey to  grow in my [...]

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