Winter Driving Tips - Warming up the car

Winter Driving Tips - Warming up the car

- Jeff Voth, Yahoo! Canada Autos

Those of us who live in a four-season climate are used to the idea of allowing our vehicles to warm up on a cold winter's day. But with the technology in today's automobiles, is this still something we should be doing? The simple answer is no. For the most part, letting your vehicle idle for long periods of time in the cold is not only bad for the environment, but can cause serious damage to your engine and emission system.

In the past, most vehicles employed a carburetor to deliver fuel to the engine. Today, almost all cars, trucks and SUVs on the road use some form of electronic fuel injection. In a cold engine, the computer management system tells the fuel injectors to stay open longer allowing more fuel to flow into the engine in part to keep the engine running cool. Trying to warm up the engine at slightly above idle speed is actually doing the reverse and inviting additional problems.

Cold engines produce a much higher level of unburned hydrocarbons as fuel needs heat to burn efficiently. Even the best catalytic converter is unable to process 100 per cent while running at maximum temperature, so allowing the engine to idle for extended periods of time can start to clog the system.

In addition, spark plugs may also become plugged or dirty due to inefficient fuel burning. Older vehicles required regular maintenance, calling for spark plugs to be changed every 30,000 km. Today, almost all engines employ an electronic ignition system that requires spark plugs to be changed at intervals in the range of 100,000 km. An engine at idle for extensive periods of time could dramatically shorten the life of your plugs, causing you to spend hard-earned money on unnecessary service and maintenance.

A better approach is to start your vehicle and let it run for up to one minute before driving away. This will allow fluids to begin flowing through the engine and then warm up to efficient temperatures under normal driving conditions.

Should the temperature outside dip below freezing, allow a maximum of four to five minutes of idle time before driving away. This should be just enough time to clean off any snow or ice that may have accumulated on the windows. While you may not be warm as toast on the way into work or school, you will benefit by saving money at the pump and garage and by driving a vehicle that runs cleaner and more efficient for many years to come.

Profile on Jim Hamilton

JIM HAMILTON GOT MORE THAN AN INSPECTION

When he was selling his home 15 years ago - he got a career.

“I was going through a difficult period in my life around that time and I was unemployed. I was selling my house and I had an inspector come and look at the home,” says Hamilton, who has worked for HomeCrafters Home Inspection Services Ltd. since then and in 2009 bought the company.

“I had heard about home inspectors before and I thought it was intriguing, so I decided to become one.”

With his extensive experience in building construction, Hamilton decided to change his career path and began inspecting homes.

“It’s not what people think it is,” Hamilton says. “Most of the time you’re dealing with people, whether it be homeowners or Realtors. That, along with doing the inspections and the paperwork involved, make it pretty busy.”

Home inspectors visually inspect house and/or apartment systems and components, looking for damage or evidence of deterioration, amateur maintenance work or improperly installed components.

Hamilton’s day generally starts at 8:00 a.m. “The night before every shift, I pick up my inspection orders, which tell me where I have to go for my inspection the next day.”

With three inspections every day, Hamilton leaves directly from his home. “I usually get there around five to 20 minutes early so I can take a look around the outside of the home before anyone else gets there,” he says. “Then, once I’ve met with the Realtor and the homeowner, we go over the entire house, starting at the basement and working our way up to the attic.

“We look for major defects in areas such as the roof, the structure, plumbing, heating, electrical systems and the exterior,” says Hamilton. “We also give clients an idea of how the home works and where system controls are located.  We tag all emergency shut-offs in the home so they can be located quickly when needed.”

In order to be able to spot defects in a home, people who want to become inspectors must have a well rounded knowledge about the structures of homes and buildings and how they work. This can be acquired through a combination of training and work experience in areas such as power engineering, construction or architecture. They must also have good oral and written communication skills, good problem solving skills and be able to understand common building codes.

Once the inspection is complete, Hamilton prints out a report outlining the flaws in the home, describing in detail the methods used to identify problems in the home as well as what may be the result if repairs are not made.

While there are no set requirements for those interested in becoming inspectors, most companies require them to be certified carpenters, engineering technologists or have expertise in a similar field.

The Canadian Association of Home and Property Inspectors (CAHPI) have a voluntary training program that many inspectors take.  "You can work in this industry without that training, but then you can't call yourself a Registered Home Inspector," Hamilton says.

Jim is a Journeyman Carpenter, is certified by CAHPI, ASHI (American Society of Home Inspectors) and is also a Level I Building Investigations Thermographer.

With more than 15 years in the Home Inspection industry and 10,000 plus inspections under his belt, you can trust that Jim Hamilton and HomeCrafters Home Inspection Services will keep you in good hands!

Helpful Hints For Winter

Helpful Hints For Winter:

1. Keep your headlights clear with car wax!  Just wipe ordinary car wax on your headlights.  It contains special water repellents that will prevent that messy mixture from accumulating on your lights and lasts upto 6 weeks! 
2. Squeak-proof your wipers with rubbing alcohol!  Wipe the wipers with a cloth saturated with rubbing alcohol or ammonia.  This one trick can make badly streaking and squeaking wipers change to near perfect silence and clarity.
3. Ice-proof your windows with vinegar!  Frost on it's way?  Just fill a spray bottle with three parts vinegar to one part water and spritz it on all your windows at night.  In the morning, they'll be clear of icy mess.  Vinegar contains acetic acid, which raises the melting point of water - preventing water from freezing!
4. Prevent car doors from freezing shut with cooking spray!  Spritz cooking oil on the rubber seals around car doors & rub it in with a paper towel.  The cooking spray prevents water from melting into the rubber.
5. Fog-proof your windshield with shaving cream!  Spray some shaving cream on the inside of your windshield and wipe it off with paper towels.  Shaving cream has many of the same ingredients found in commercial defoggers.
6. De-ice your lock in seconds with hand sanitizer!  Just put some hand sanitizer gel on the key and the lock and the problem is solved!

Basement Waterproofing Tips

Basement Waterproofing Tips

The top three problems my home-buying clients were concerned about can best be summed up this way:  water, water and water!  Waterproofing your home is the surest way to make sure buyers stay interested.
While leaks through roofs, pipes and basements are constant concerns, a wet, leaking basement always ranked highest as the home improvement problem most likely to send buyers running for the nearest open house.

Whether you are a buyer, seller or owner of a home, wet basements are always a concern. Not only is a wet basement unusable, flooded foundations can be seriously weakened and toxic mold--the newest threat to residential indoor air quality--can fester faster when an ample supply of water lies just underfoot.


The good news about these unplanned indoor pools is this: while wet basements are often thought of as one of life's biggest home repair headaches, they are generally easy and inexpensive to fix. Yes, that's right--easy and inexpensive!

The wrong way to waterproof a wet basement. 

Ask 10 people how to fix a wet basement and you're likely to get answers that include use of jackhammers to break up basement floors, backhoes to dig out dirt from foundation walls, sump pumps that have to be wired and plumbed, and other such drastic and expensive measures.

While these solutions may seem to make sense, they all attempt the impossible: to seal a foundation so tightly that it will somehow hold off water like a boat. Well, unless your house is a house boat, it won't float, so you might as well stop thinking about all the ways to keep it from doing that.

Most people blame a wet basement on a high water table, the natural level of water in the soil under the building site. This is another myth, because homes are not built below water tables. Builders attempting such a feat would find themselves constructing a foundation in a muddy mess. Likewise, basements that flood after a storm are never caused by rising water tables. A water table moves slowly and seasonally. If basement leaks show up after a heavy rainfall or snowmelt, the cause of your problem is far easier to spot and to fix.

Most basement leaks can be traced to trouble with the drainage conditions around the outside of the house. If  too much water is allowed to collect in the soil around the foundation, it will naturally leak into the basement through the walls, or even up through the center of the floor.

The waterproofing solution lies in improving these drainage conditions, which is easy, cheap and highly effective.

Here's where to begin...

Good gutters. 

Roof drainage is, by far, the number one cause of basement leakage. Since roof surfaces are as large as the house, they collect lots of water in heavy rainstorms. What happens to that collected water can mean the difference between a wet and a dry basement.

Properly designed gutters should have at least one downspout for every 600 to 800 square feet of roof surface. Gutters must be clean, because dirty gutters fill up and the water overflows directly to where you don't want it: near the foundation. It's also important to make sure the ends of the downspouts are extended to discharge at least four to six feet from the foundation. Spouts which discharge too close to the foundation are like big fire hoses blasting water into the basement.

If your yard and local building laws permit, one of the best ways to control roof drainage is to discharge downspouts into solid PVC plumbing pipes that run underground and release water to the street or to another low-lying area. When making this improvement, be sure to pitch the pipe slightly toward the discharge point to avoid backups. Also, don't attempt this with the soft, flexible black pipe that landscapers like to use around flower beds, because it's easily crushed and cannot be snaked clean like PVC plumbing pipe can.

Sloping soil. 

Next to gutter problems, the angle of the soil around the foundation perimeter can also cause wet basement woes. The soil should slope away from the house to keep rainfall from collecting against foundation walls.

The angle and type of soil are also important. The soil should slope downward six inches over the first four feet from the foundation wall. Thereafter, it can be graded more gradually but should never allow water to run back toward the house.

If grading needs improvement, use clean fill dirt (not topsoil) to build up the soil around your house. Tamp the soil down to the correct slope and finish with a layer of topsoil and grass seed to prevent erosion. Or, just use stone or mulch. Whatever the top layer is, be certain the slope is established with the fill dirt, or else the water will just run through the more porous material and into the basement. Also, don't use straight topsoil for the grading improvement. This kind of soil is too organic and will hold water against the foundation, which is the opposite of what needs to be done.

It is also important to avoid landscape treatments that hold soil close to the house. A brick, stone or timber landscape edging around flower beds adjacent to foundation walls may look attractive, but these edges can prevent water from draining away from the foundation and increase your risk of basement flooding.
Following these simple guidelines will solve 99 percent of wet basement blues. These waterproofing improvements are inexpensive and can usually be done yourself or with a little help from your friends.

Avoid panic-peddling waterproofing contractors. 

If you've ever thought about hiring a so-called waterproofing contractor to fix your wet basement, don't. Basement waterproofing contractors can often be rip-off artists that attempt to scare homeowners into an expensive drainage system when they're usually not needed.

*excerpt from http://themoneypit.com

The Home Inspection Process

The Home Inspection Process:

For local, Canadian Home Inspectors, please use the CAHPI (Canadian Association of Home & Property Inspectors) below.

http://www.cahpi-alberta.com/FindAnInspector.aspx

Ten Tips to Speed Up Your Home Inspection

Ten Tips to Speed Up Your Home Inspection


Sellers can speed their home inspection by following these suggestions. The inspection will go smoother, with fewer
concerns to delay closing.

1.Confirm that water, electric and gas service are on, with gas pilot lights burning.

2.Ensure pets won't hinder the inspection. Ideally, they should be removed from premises or secured outside. Tell your agent about any pets at home.

3.Replace burned out bulbs to avoid a "Light is inoperable" report that may suggest an electrical problem.

4.Test smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, and replace dead batteries.

5.Clean or replace dirty HVAC air filters. They should fit securely.

6.Remove stored items, debris and wood from foundation. These may be cited as "conducive conditions" for termites.

7.Remove items blocking access to HVAC equipment, electric service panels, water heaters, attics and crawl spaces.

8.Unlock areas the inspector must access - attic doors or hatches, electric service panels, closets, fence gates and crawl spaces.

9.Trim tree limbs to 10' from the roof and shrubs from the house to allow access.

10. Attend to broken or missing items like doorknobs, locks and latches; windowpanes, screens and locks; gutters, downspouts and chimney caps.

Checking these areas before your home inspection is an investment in selling your property.

Your real estate agent will thank you!

Prepare Your Home For Winter

Here are ten tips to help you prepare your home for winter:

The fall equinox is a good time to prepare your home for winter.

1) Furnace Inspection

·         Call an HVAC professional to inspect your furnace and clean ducts.

·         Stock up on furnace filters and change them monthly.

·         Consider switching out your thermostat for a programmable thermostat.

·         If your home is heated by a hot-water radiator, bleed the valves by opening them slightly and when water appears, close them.

·         Remove all flammable material from the area surrounding your furnace.

2) Get the Fireplace Ready

·         Cap or screen the top of the chimney to keep out rodents and birds.

·         If the chimney hasn't been cleaned for a while, call a chimney sweep to remove soot and creosote.

·         Buy firewood or chop wood. Store it in a dry place away from the exterior of your home.

·         Inspect the fireplace damper for proper opening and closing.

·         Check the mortar between bricks and tuckpoint, if necessary.

3) Check the Exterior, Doors and Windows

·         Inspect exterior for crevice cracks and exposed entry points around pipes; seal them.

·         Use weatherstripping around doors to prevent cold air from entering the home and caulk windows.

·         Replace cracked glass in windows and, if you end up replacing the entire window, prime and paint exposed wood.

·         If your home has a basement, consider protecting its window wells by covering them with plastic shields.

·         Switch out summer screens with glass replacements from storage. If you have storm windows, install them.

4) Inspect Roof, Gutters & Downspouts

·         If your weather temperature will fall below 32 degrees in the winter, adding extra insulation to the attic will prevent warm air from creeping to your roof and causing ice dams.

·         Check flashing to ensure water cannot enter the home.

·         Replace worn roof shingles or tiles.

·         Clean out the gutters and use a hose to spray water down the downspouts to clear away debris.

·         Consider installing leaf guards on the gutters or extensions on the downspouts to direct water away from the home.

5) Service Weather-Specific Equipment

·         Drain gas from lawnmowers.

·         Service or tune-up snow blowers.

·         Replace worn rakes and snow shovels.

·         Clean, dry and store summer gardening equipment.

·         Sharpen ice choppers and buy bags of ice-melt / sand.

6) Check Foundations

·         Rake away all debris and edible vegetation from the foundation.

·         Seal up entry points to keep small animals from crawling under the house.

·         Tuckpoint or seal foundation cracks. Mice can slip through space as thin as a dime.

·         Inspect sill plates for dry rot or pest infestation.

·         Secure crawlspace entrances.

7) Install Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors

·         Some cities require a smoke detector in every room.

·         Buy extra smoke detector batteries and change them when daylight savings ends.

·         Install a carbon monoxide detector near your furnace and / or water heater.

·         Test smoke and carbon monoxide detectors to make sure they work.

·         Buy a fire extinguisher or replace an extinguisher older than 10 years.

8) Prevent Plumbing Freezes

·         Locate your water main in the event you need to shut it off in an emergency.

·         Drain all garden hoses.

·         Insulate exposed plumbing pipes.

·         Drain air conditioner pipes and, if your AC has a water shut-off valve, turn it off.

·         If you go on vacation, leave the heat on, set to at least 55 degrees.

9) Prepare Landscaping & Outdoor Surfaces

·         Trim trees if branches hang too close to the house or electrical wires.

·         Ask a gardener when your trees should be pruned to prevent winter injury.

·         Plant spring flower bulbs and lift bulbs that cannot winter over such as dahlias in areas where the ground freezes.

·         Seal driveways, brick patios and wood decks.

·         Don't automatically remove dead vegetation from gardens as some provide attractive scenery in an otherwise dreary, snow-drenched yard.

·         Move sensitive potted plants indoors or to a sheltered area.

10) Prepare an Emergency Kit

·         Buy indoor candles and matches / lighter for use during a power shortage.

·         Find the phone numbers for your utility companies and tape them near your phone or inside the phone book.

·         Buy a battery back-up to protect your computer and sensitive electronic equipment.

·         Store extra bottled water and non-perishable food supplies (including pet food, if you have a pet), blankets and a first-aid kit in a dry and easy-to-access location.

·         Prepare an evacuation plan in the event of an emergency.

Home Inspection Red Flags

                                           Home Inspection Red Flags

Almost all homebuyers hire a home inspector to examine the home they want to purchase. It is not realistic to inspect every home that a homebuyer shows an interest in. The buyer will likely make an offer before a home inspection is completed.

There are always some minor problems with any house. By being observant and using your senses you will assist your client in gaining a realistic assessment of the conditions of the home.

Here are some of the obvious red flags that may lead you to believe that the home you are looking at may have some problems.

THE EXTERIOR

Poor grading:

 

If the ground around the house doesn’t slope away from the house, it could be causing water to run down the foundation walls and into the basement. It is recommended that the ground around the house slope away about one inch per foot to ensure proper drainage away from the basement. The main cause of basement moisture problems is poor grading and roof gutters that do not extend away from the home by at least 4-5 feet.

Foundation cracks:

The vast majority of concrete basement cracks are of no concern. They are a result of shrinkage in the concrete as it cures. Cracks can also be caused by minor settlement. The cracks will usually form in the middle portion of the basement. These cracks are vertical in nature and are fairly even in width. Cracks that are larger than ¼ inch in width and are not vertical in nature can indicate a more significant amount settlement in the foundation and may require further investigation.

Roof coverings:

Asphalt shingles have a life cycle of about 20 years.

Wooden roof coverings have a life cycle between 25-30 years.

Factors that affect the roof covering life cycle include: the slope of the roof ( the stepper the better) and the colour (the lighter the better as it will reflect the heat).When looking at any roof a fairly good evaluation can be done by standing back and looking at the roof from the ground. If the shingles are curled at the edges and do not lay flat they are nearing the end of their life cycle and will probably need to be replaced sometime in the near future.

IN THE BASEMENT

Mildew smells:

Mildew odours indicate that the basement suffers from water seepage. This is best detected when you first go into the basement as your senses will get accustomed to the odour quickly and it will not be as notable over a short period of time.

If there are number of air fresheners present, the homeowner may be trying to cover up these odours. It is important to note that some basements in the summer will seem a bit damp and cool. This is naturally due to the heating system not running and lack of venting in the basement.

Basement storage:

The way items are stored in the basement could reveal some information about potential moisture, leakage, cracks or other problems. If the homeowner has his belongings located in all areas of the basement, you may feel that they are not worried about basement moisture or leakage problems. If you see belongings located up on shelves or pallets and nothing on the floor in the basement, you may get the feeling that they are experiencing some moisture issues. Other times, you might observe all items piled up in a certain part of the basement. This may indicate a problem is trying to be concealed.

Basement stains:

Be aware of brown water stains on the walls. These stains will appear as wavy watermark lines on the drywall or basement framing. You may see rust on nails or staples in the vapour barrier at the bottom of the wall. Look for these especially in the areas where the outside downspouts are near the basement. Other clues of moisture problems may be freshly painted walls or basement floor.

IN THE HOUSE

Stains:

Look for stains on the ceilings in areas under kitchens or bathrooms. Often these stains are from prior roof, toilet, plumbing fixtures or kitchen appliance leaks. Water can travel so it’s best not to assume that the source of the leak is directly above the stain. The home inspector will use a moisture meter to determine if there is an ongoing problem.

Grow ops:

There is an increasing and surprising number of homes that have been former illegal grow operations. Here are a list of some clues, that when observed altogether, may lead to the assumption that a grow operation inhabited this home.

• 
  
  red tape residue around ducts or vent pipes.
• 
  
  spray foam sealing any openings in the ceiling. 
• 
  
  lots of staples in the floor joists and unexplained screw holes.
• 
  
  signs of soil, plant pot circles on the floor or other types of things that you would not normally find in a basement.
• 
  
  look under the electrical panel for damage to the basement wall where the electrical system may have been breeched to steal power.

Older homes:

There are many things about old houses that are not necessarily a big problem, but may cause some extra headaches and costs to the new homebuyer. Old knob and tube wiring may need to be replaced. Some homes may have old steel water lines that some insurance companies may want replaced. Old 60 amp services will need to be upgraded to 100 amp. Aluminium wiring that was used from the mid 1960s to the mid 1970s can also be a concern for insurance companies. Old windows, furnaces and many other things may need to be replaced or upgraded over time. The new homeowner needs to be aware of these additional costs.

Strange Feelings:

In the dead of winter, when all the windows are open AND candles are burning in every room AND incense plug ins are situated in every outlet AND the heat is blasting, you may be genuinely suspicious that there is something not quite right about this house. If the homeowner is refusing to let you view all parts of the house OR is refusing to allow something to be turned on, you may again be suspicious that there is a problem.

There are always some minor problems with any house. By being observant and using your senses you will assist your client in gaining a realistic assessment of the significant conditions of the home.

Foundation Cracks

Foundation Cracks

Foundation cracks can be a serious defect or they can be of no concern hopefully the following will help you recognize the difference when looking at your own home or one you propose to buy.

As concrete dries it shrinks, which often causes hairline cracks.

The faster it dries, the more it shrinks

The higher the water content in the mix, the more it shrinks

Shrinkage cracks normally develop at windows, doors, beam pockets or other penetrations. Usually these cracks are hairline cracks, no bigger than the thickness of a dime and no cause for concern.

Shrinkage cracks are the most common types of cracks. They will be found on most homes.

Larger cracks may or may not be a concern but should be checked by a qualified individual. The Alberta New Home Warranty Program Performance Guide states: “Cracks are not unusual in concrete foundation walls. Such cracks greater than 1/8 inch are considered excessive.”

The main concern is Structural Movement in the foundation.

If there is displacement, the concrete will be uneven from one side of the crack to the other. This movement usually indicates external pressure on the foundation wall, which must be investigated, or it could be that the wall was damaged during construction.

Horizontal cracks in a foundation are more uncommon but can be stabilized without major expense as long as the cause is not ongoing and there has not been large displacement in the foundation.

There are a number of factors that will cause horizontal cracking or movement.

Backfill heights:

Frost, heavy traffic and tree roots:

Movement in the foundation can be caused by any number of factors. Larger type cracks in foundations are caused by settlement in the footings or pressures from below forcing the footings up or pressures from the outside of the foundation. Foundation walls (footings) that have heaved upwards are caused by inadequate frost protection for the footings or expansive soils.

A high clay content in the soil below the footing, together with water can cause extreme damage to foundations. The source of the water must be found and eliminated.

The amount of movement and age of the structure should always be taken into consideration.

Some examples for foundation movement are as follows:

Soil types and water pressure:

Frost pressure, Lot Configurations and Excavation Differences:

Movement in a foundation wall is usually more serious and should always be analyzed by a professional.

Common Foundation Repairs

These types of repairs need to be designed and approved by a person specializing in foundation repairs preferably a structural engineer. These repairs can be quite costly.

Wall or Footing Settlement

Mud jacking or hydraulic jacking and under pinning of the footing may be required to stabilize the foundation that is dropping or settling.

  

Displaced foundation wall cracks may need to be reinforced or stabilized. 

  

The vast majorities of foundation cracks are of no concern, but should be investigated and reported on by an expert. The expert’s written report is not only important for your purchase and peace of mind, but to show to a future buyer when you sell.