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Are dandelions a pesky weed?
May 14, 2012 / 5:00 am
(Photo: Hugh Cairns) While wonderful to look at in their young full yellow regalia, the flowers soon turn old and grey and turn to seed, perfect for picking and puckering ones lips up to and blowing them towards freedom, or right into the neighbour's yards. Not...
Greywater reuse?
May 7, 2012 / 5:00 am
Greywater is the wastewater from bathroom sinks, showers, tubs and washing machines. It is not the water that comes from your toilets. Greywater gets its name from its cloudy appearance and from its status as being neither fresh (white water from groundwater or potable water), nor heavily...
Has the grow op been reported?
Apr 30, 2012 / 5:00 am
A new hurdle for unsuspecting home buyers is the unscrupulous selling of a grow-op home by its owner. More and more marijuana grow-ops (MGO’s) are going by unreported because the owners are willingly avoiding the stringent and costly monitored remediation process and opting to take matters...
Basement storage room or grow box?
Apr 23, 2012 / 5:00 am
(Photo: Hugh Cairns) Spring is here so you should be lining up your major spring home repair projects now! Grow boxes are typically small enclosed rooms used for raising plants indoors. In some cases the boxes are built to grow vegetable, herbs or flowers, and in...
Pro pressure washing tips
Apr 16, 2012 / 5:00 am
(Photo: Hugh Cairns) Spring is here so you should be lining up your major spring home repair projects now! Just like with all tools, the best way to understand how to use a pressure washer is to understand how it works. Pressure washers comprise of four main...
It's termite time
Apr 9, 2012 / 5:00 am
Spring has sprung and the termites are flying. Photo: Contributed - Bruce Perrin – Bugman Pest Control In the Okanagan valley where termites are active and widespread, it is essential to maintain an effective termite prevention and control program It's...
Get a jump start on Spring
Apr 2, 2012 / 5:00 am
Spring is right around the corner, and it is time to not only start thinking about spring cleaning, but also to start some larger projects to get your home ready and running efficiently. There are many tips that can help you get a jump-start on spring home maintenance. Some of them...
How do I wash windows like a pro?
Mar 26, 2012 / 5:00 am
Photo: Contributed - (Photo: Hugh Cairns) Wash windows on a day that is cloudy but not rainy or early in the morning. Working in direct sunlight causes streaks because the cleaning solution dries before you can wipe it off. Cleaning windows like a pro begins with...
Roof drainage tips for Spring
Mar 19, 2012 / 5:00 am
(Photo: Hugh Cairns) Gutters and downspouts are the type of equipment on a house that perform without much notice - until they stop working. Then it's hard to ignore the cascades of water and flooding that can occur. Wow, that was a fairly short Okanagan winter,...
My bedroom feels cold and drafty
Mar 12, 2012 / 5:00 am
Infrared thermal cameras are a pretty expensive piece of equipment. Costing thousands of dollars, they take pictures that see heat. If a picture, as they say, is worth a thousand words, an infrared picture could very well be worth a thousand dollars. Infrared imaging can reveal the spots where...
Rusty furnace
Mar 5, 2012 / 5:00 am
Photo: Contributed - (Photo: Hugh Cairns) Keep your furnace running efficiently and safely. Prevent serious problems by having a local HVAC company check your furnace for safety and efficiency. The number one reason to replace this very old furnace is for safety....
Deck railings
Feb 27, 2012 / 5:00 am
Photo: Contributed - (Photo: Hugh Cairns) Just relax, enjoy the view and reminisce about the good old days. If you see an absolutely beautiful deck in the picture you are correct. The warm Okanagan weather is on its way and deck time is nearing. Soon it will be time...
LiveSmart BC and home incentives
Feb 20, 2012 / 5:00 am
(Photo: Hugh Cairns) An inspection of the attic cavity confirmed that the attic insulation was recently upgraded. In 1981, when this unit was built, it had the appropriate amount of blown in fiberglass insulation. The increase in insulation will improve the comfort in the...
Save ecoENERGY
Feb 13, 2012 / 5:00 am
Last week’s article about the premature end to the ecoENERGY program has filled my email inbox with comments and information ranging from what action consumers can take to what incentives are currently being offered. Photo: Contributed The program was a huge...
ecoENERGY ends
Feb 6, 2012 / 5:00 am
(Photo: Hugh Cairns) Offering energy efficiency upgrade incentives saves families money, creates good local jobs, and reduces energy consumption. I had a call from Carol on last Monday morning. She was inquiring about having her home evaluated under the now defunct...
Home warranty deficiencies
Jan 30, 2012 / 5:00 am
It’s always interesting inspecting new homes. Buyers of new houses or apartments often think that the home will be in perfect condition or that because the builder has enrolled in a warranty program, there is no need for a home inspection. Usually, the homebuyer goes on a...
Microwave fires
Jan 23, 2012 / 5:00 am
Photo: Contributed - (Photo: Hugh Cairns) People need to take care when entering times on the microwave, as two minutes could quite easily be registered as twenty minutes on some models. It was the early 70’s that I got my first glimpses...
Ceiling settlement cracks
Jan 16, 2012 / 5:00 am
Photo: Contributed - (Photo: Hugh Cairns) Drywall is one of the best materials with which to build walls and ceilings because of its lightweight and its ease of installation. However, it is susceptible to damage, which includes cracks in the...
Settlement cracks
Jan 9, 2012 / 5:00 am
(Photo: Hugh Cairns) What is unique about shrinkage cracks in concrete is that they usually appear to be discontinuous, as shown in this photo. The crack will meander along in the concrete, and taper to a stop. This is characteristic of concrete shrinking while...
Grow op clues
Jan 2, 2012 / 5:00 am
Photo: Contributed - Hugh Cairns Plywood doesn’t absorb moisture like drywall. Plywood makes a great surface to mount components of a grow op. Inspecting homes in BC bud country also means investigating for obvious signs that the home may have been...
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