Montreal is a city with a great many balconies, porches and back decks; and Montrealers make good use of them during the summers. Playwright David Fennario even referred to the city as "Balconville" in his play of the same name, alluding to the balcony's central place in the city's culture, where thousands of Montrealers retreat to escape the heat of their sun-baked homes - and often get to know their...
Tulips still underground? Can’t smell the crocuses yet? Good! Because you want to make sure your sump pump works before spring showers are in full flood! This is a good week to check your sump pump. It’ll only take 5 minutes, and if there’s any problem, you’ll prevent water damage or flooding during the rainy spring season. STEP 1 Fill a bucket with water or run a garden hose to your sump pit....
All Montreal homes built before 1960 have the same energy: unpredictable. For us, the 1960's brought about a new era of groovy energy; an energy we could get down with. We're not talking bellbottoms, afros or free love. We're talking energy in the literal sense. Safer home electricity standards were introduced in the 60's: something we, as inspectors considered groovy. Most importantly, the 1960's brought about the standardization of down-to-earth (grounded) electrical...
Without a working ventilation system on your roof, your home could thaw out snow and ice on the roof, turning it to water. The water pools, then freezes and melts again causing roof damage and leaks. - And for home owners who haven't done regular maintenance on their roof, that means water damage from ice damming! After every winter, we visit many homeowners have to repair water damage caused by ice...
It’s mind baffling. When that smell starts to come into your home, and you’re looking for the unflushed toilet, or the doggie accident, or the poopy diaper you may have forgotten, and you just can’t figure it out… Where is that smell coming from? Often, this means your home has a sewer drainage and/or ventilation system problem. It’s important to do something about these smells. When sewer gases enter your home, they bring...
It’s a fact: indoor air quality can affect our health. Many respiratory problems and headaches can be traced to a sick house. In temperate climates, where windows and doors are left open constantly, this isn’t a serious concern. But in cold climates like Canada’s, where we have become experts at sealing our houses airtight to save on heating costs, maintaining air quality with good ventilation is important. To understand why that...
