Found 47 results for the keyword(s) ‘Mystery’

• Article

  Tip -- Using a lamp as a stud finder.

  One viewer has sent in his tip that he can "see" the studs on his wall for hanging pictures by just holding a lamp close to the wall.It sounds fishy but it does work on some wall but not on others.It will not work on freshly painted, or well insulated walls.Actually he is not really seeing the st...
• Article

  Mysterious tracks in an attic.

  Dennis in Calgary, Alberta convinced me to come visit his attic which he was about to add ventilation to, but he had never been up in the attic.This was a very interesting attic, and an interesting home. The cellulose insulation was matted down a bit and had a very strange grid pattern in the to...
• Article

  Is it good practice to eleminate the chipboard on the outside of the house?

  Wagish from Brampton, Ontario is worried about the ongoing construction of his new home as they have not put a wooden sheathing on the outside of the house. He asks: "Is the insulation value and strength of the wall compromised by not using the chipboard?".First things first. "Chipboard" should...
• Article

  When I turn on the cold water faucet, it runs hot for a minute, why?

  Judy from Stoney Creek, Ontario is baffled by the fact that her cold water is hot, at least for the first few seconds of running.Faucets that combine the hot and cold water to come out of a single spout are of two basic varieties: two completely separate valves each feeding the spout, or a combin...
• Article

  Bad noise in the pipes when the toilet flushes upstairs.

  Garth is complaining that his upstairs toilet has started making a lot of water noise as the flush flows down through the walls. What do to?If the noise was there from day one, about the only thing you can do is to open the wall and wrap the pipe in sound blanket insulation to muffle the sound. ...
• Article

  How do I prevent my light dimmer from humming?

  Sometimes the dimmer hums and sometimes the light itself hums. What is happening and how can it be stopped?Not too long ago we had light dimmers that were simple rheostats. These would lower the voltage going to an ordinary light bulb and it would dim. No problems. But because we have devel...
• Article

  Why do shingles cup and curl long before their warranty date? And what is CSA certification?

  Click here for the BP Class Action Suit relating to failing organic based asphalt shingles. Asphalt shingles should be able to take a lot of heat and cold, over and over again. So why do some suddenly curl up, asks Craig from Point-Claire, Quebec?Cold climate shinglesProbably the first thing to u...
• Article

  How does an electric fireplace make the flame?

  We had to go to the Dimplex factory in Toronto to find out how they make a smoke-and-mirrors fireplace look really really like a real wood fire. It is quite amazing. The flames are a rotisserie of aluminum foil reflecting lights up and off a mirror.The bricks on the back of the fireplace are ac...
• Article

  Which way should the ground plug go on electrical outlets?

  Revised November 2, 2004Should electrical outlets be installed with the ground pin up or down?There is a lot of debate and few regulations on this question.The first time I got asked this question, it came from Newfoundland. You can see my answer to that question by searching for ""Outlets"" in...
• Article

  How do you paint "faux grain"?

  I was amazed how easy it is to paint in "faux grain" using this funny little rubber tool.You just apply the wood stain and then drag the tool along, rocking forward and backward to open and close grain lines. It is amazingly realistic and surprisingly easy.It is called a "ZAR Graining Tool".The ...