No season puts more wear and tear on a home than winter. Freezing temperatures, snow and ice take their toll on your home. Many problems can be avoided with this simple checklist provided by Allan White of Inspecto-Pro, Home Inspections.

Some easy things to look for:

1. Keep basement windows clear of ice and snow obstructions. If the worst happens, these windows may be your only escape route to the outdoors.
2. Make sure that runoff from melting ice and snow has somewhere to go once the thaw period arrives; ideally a catch basin or storm drain
3.  The pattern of melting snow and ice on the roof surface can be a good indicator of areas of heat loss. No expensive infrared camera needed!
4.  Verify against the formation of ice dams and icicles. Although they may look pretty, they are indicators of attic ventilation problems and heat loss problems. Needless to say, a falling icicle, if large enough, can cause a lot of damage to property or people below.
5. Check the eavestroughs (“gutters”) for physical damage which might have been caused by winter ice dam and icicle formation.
6. Check for cold air draughts around the home, and mark them so that you can take appropriate measures to correct the problems. Unfortunately, some repairs (such as caulking) can only be applied in warmer weather, and without marking the draughty spots you may not remember where they were when attempting repairs several months later.
7.  If you have thermopane-glazed windows and see condensation or frost between the inner and outer panes (not always obvious in the summer months), the glass is due for replacement.
8.  If you can wipe condensation off the indoor side of the windows, you are over-humidifying the home
9.  Batteries for smoke detectors and fire detectors should be replaced annually (i.e. Jan 1st or July 1st). Operation of these devices should be tested monthly.
10.  Be sure that your home’s drainage system is functioning. If you have a sump pump, make sure it is capable of functioning in advance of the thaw period
11.  If you have a combustion furnace (i.e. oil or gas) or a combustion hot water tank you should have a functioning CO detector in the home.
12.  If you have an air exchanger, it should be in use (i.e. winter mode). The same for the central humidifier, if you have one.
13.  Be sure that potable water piping is not at risk of freezing and bursting
14. Garden hose faucets, if not of the self-draining type, should be fully opened outdoors, with the indoor shutoff valve being turned fully off, if not already accomplished.

With an Engineering degree, this 25-year certified building inspector (independent of real estate agents) can inspect your property before a purchase or sale of a house or when you need an inspection for a problem.

Home buyers should choose a home inspector with as much care as they choose a doctor, particularly since there is no regulation, either federal or provincial, which governs the industry. Contrary to popular belief, home inspectors are not members of a professional order, and anyone (even you!) can call themselves a building inspector.

Your house is the biggest investment you will ever make so you want to get a most qualified person. With Inspecto-Pro’s years of expertise, White can find what less experienced inspectors would not identify; He has experience in looking for small clues which might lead to big problems. Inspecto-Pro conducts home inspections in the Greater Montreal area and in cottage country too.

Phone: 514-696-6685
inspectopro.com

Around this time of year, Allan White of Inspectopro, says there are a few things you should be looking at in your house to avoid problems in the future:

1. Keep basement windows clear of ice and snow obstructions. If the worst happens, these windows may be your only escape route to the outdoors.
2. Make sure that runoff from melting ice and snow has somewhere to go once the thaw period arrives; ideally a catch basin or storm drain
3. The pattern of melting snow and ice on the roof surface can be a good indicator of areas of heat loss. No expensive infrared camera needed!
4. Verify against the formation of ice dams and icicles. Although they may look pretty, they are indicators of attic ventilation problems and heat loss problems. Needless to say, a falling icicle, if large enough, can cause a lot of damage to property or people below.
5. Check the eavestroughs (“gutters”) for physical damage which might have been caused by winter ice dam and icicle formation
6. Check for cold air draughts around the home, and mark them so that you can take appropriate measures to correct the problems. Unfortunately, some repairs (such as caulking) can only be applied in warmer weather, and without marking the draughty spots you may not remember where they were when attempting repairs several months later.
7. If you have thermopane-glazed windows and see condensation or frost between the inner and outer panes (not always obvious in the summer months), the glass is due for replacement.
8. If you can wipe condensation off the indoor side of the windows, you are over-humidifying the home
9. Batteries for smoke detectors and fire detectors should be replaced annually (i.e. Jan 1^st or July 1^st). Operation of these devices should be tested monthly.
10. Be sure that your home’s drainage system is functioning. If you have a sump pump, make sure it is capable of functioning in advance of the thaw period
11. If you have a combustion furnace (i.e. oil or gas) or a combustion hot water tank you should have a functioning CO detector in the home.
12. If you have an air exchanger, it should be in use (i.e. winter mode). The same for the central humidifier, if you have one.
13. Be sure that potable water piping is not at risk of freezing and bursting
14. Garden hose faucets, if not of the self-draining type, should be fully opened outdoors, with the indoor shutoff valve being turned fully off, if not already accomplished.

With an Engineering degree, this 25-year certified building inspector (independent of real estate agents) can inspect your property before a purchase or sale of a house or when you need an inspection for a problem.

Home buyers should choose a home inspector with as much care as they choose a doctor, particularly since there is no regulation, either federal or provincial, which governs the industry. Contrary to popular belief, home inspectors are not members of a professional order, and anyone (even you!) can call themselves a building inspector.”

Your house is the biggest investment you will ever make so you want to get a most qualified person. With Inspectopro’s years of expertise, White can find what less experienced inspectors would not recognize; He has experience in looking for small clues which might lead to big problems. Houses can be checked out in the Greater Montreal area and in cottage country too.

Phone: 514-696-6685
www.inspectopro.com

Q: I have been trying to lose weight by brisk walking but I have been wearing my jeans which I was comfortable in but when it gets cold or it rains, my legs get frozen. I’ve read a lot about softshells, hardshells and Goretex, but I still don’t know much about them other than the crazy prices. Do  you know any warehouses, outlets, stores that I can find a good deal, like at most 50 bucks… I am not a “plus size” these days, 14-16.

A: You will find them  in my Smart Shopping Montreal book. One is: Plein Air Entrepot, 1451 Mont Royal est which has ends-of-lines and liquidation on running and cycling clothing. For bargain basement pricing, you might go to: MegaVente http://smartshoppingmontreal.com/store.php?s=78

Q: I have bought your books in the past and read your newspaper articles. We finished renovating our basement and we have medium size walk in closet that needs shelving, rods to hang clothes and shoe rack. Do you know of a reasonable handyman that does this type of work or specializes in this. Thank you very much and have a healthy summer. You are very informative for people on a budget.

A: You might try Arrange Spaces Tel: 514-339-1111 or Glenn Robertson Closet Design  Tel: 514-425-6738

Steel furniture has made a huge resurgence in the decor scene due to its good clean lines and durability.

We all remember those enamel-painted pieces of office furniture that lurked in our elementary schools or in our parents’ basements. They were heavy, utilitarian, and usually painted a neutral almond, taupe or (heaven forbid) olive green. Yes they were very durable, but ugly and terribly un-cool. Aside from throwing it out, or sending it to the basement to store your now useless record collection, there didn’t seem to be much to do with it.

On that point, archMontreal has a different take on it. Ignoring the terrible mid-century paint jobs and the laminate tops, these pieces usually have very good, clean lines, harking back to the beginning of industrial design and the adage that form follows function. They have several of these pieces, salvaged from their own workshop, and decided to try to make them usable again.

One of the easiest fixes is to get rid of the paint and get back to the old, bare metal, which they did using the services of a local sand-blaster. The next step was to replace the laminate tops with made-to-measure maple or oak counter tops, tapping into the current trend to mix industrial metal and wood for a chic, urban loft look. You can see the transformation in the accompanying photos – the before and after pictures of the metal cabinets that were sandblasted.

Originally used in a Montreal industrial shop, the cabinets now could be re-purposed as storage armoires, book shelves or even mud room furniture. If you can stretch your mind enough, the sky’s the limit for what these pieces could become.

archMontreal is proud to make re-purposing and re-using salvaged materials and furniture their main mandate. It’s the best sort of recycling – instead of destroying pieces of our industrial heritage, they make sure they can lead new lives as something else.

Visitors to the shop will find plenty of furniture ready to be re-purposed or in the process of finding a new existence. They are happy to provide unaltered pieces for those who want DIY projects or to help you along your path to a unique, custom piece.

Visit them right away (before the pieces are sold!) to see the cabinets and more, or follow their Facebook page [/archmontreal] or their Instagram [@arc_montreal] to see their new arrivals.

5524A rue St-Patrick, suite 202 Montreal, QC, H4E 1A8
corner: boul Monk
Tel: 514-788-6007
Hours Tues-Fri 9-5, Sat 11-4 Please call before going to make sure the doors are opened
Station de l’eglise / Station Vendome

Golden Elite Flooring manufactures hardwood flooring 3/4″ ($2.97 – $5.99), engineered flooring 1/2″ ($1.97 – $5.99), laminate flooring 12.3mm ($1.39-$2.49),
laminate flooring 8mm ($.69), engineered floating floor ($2.99-$4.69) and vinyl floor ($2.49). The floors come with a 25-year warranty on the finish and a  lifetime warranty on construction.

Expect also to find pre-assembled maple wood vanities with sinks, marble counters, mirrors and soft-close German hardware at about half the price of online retailers. They sell interior wood doors either French or paneled.

For installing the floors they sell SupexBond, a 5-in-1 adhesive designed specifically for condos and basements. This glue is a liquid membrane which completely replaces the need of putting a sub-floor or using a double-stick membrane.

Location: 2285 Place Transcanadienne
corner: Boul. des Sources (behind the Leon Store)
Dates: Nov 21-25
Times: Wed 10-6, Thurs & Fri 8-8, Sat 9-4, Sun 10-4
www.gefflooring.com
www.planchers-bois-franc.com

Around since 2000, Golden Elite Flooring has now opened their doors to public. They are welcoming you to their vast showroom with a big sale.

They manufacture hardwood flooring 3/4″ ($2.97 – $5.99), engineered flooring 1/2″ ($1.97 – $5.99), laminate flooring 12.3mm ($1.39-$2.49),
laminate flooring 8mm ($.69), engineered floating floor ($2.99-$4.69) and vinyl floor ($2.49). The floors come with a 25-year warranty on the finish and a  lifetime warranty on construction.

Expect also to find pre-assembled maple wood vanities with sinks, marble counters, mirrors and soft-close German hardware at about half the price of online retailers. They sell interior wood doors either French or paneled.

For installing the floors they sell SupexBond, a 5-in-1 adhesive designed specifically for condos and basements. This glue is a liquid membrane which completely replaces the need of putting a sub-floor or using a double-stick membrane.

Location: 2285 Place Transcanadienne (behind the Leon furniture store which is on the East service road of the Transcanadienne)
corner: Boul. des Sources
Dates: Nov 7-11
Times: Wed 10-6, Thurs & Fri 8-8, Sat 10-5, Sun 10-4
www.gefflooring.com
www.planchers-bois-franc.com

What you want when you renovate is someone who knows what they are doing, and who better than an home builder with 30 years of experience? Oakwood Construction Canada, Inc.  is now available for your home renovations and home additions. Expect personal service with on-site supervision for:

– Finishing and renovating basements which might include: cinema/media room, wine cellar with a tasting room, sauna, wet steam room, playroom or games room.
– Kitchen and bathroom renovations: granite counter tops, sunken and country sinks, state of the art cabinetry, bamboo, ceramic, wood or cork flooring, stained, frosted or beveled glass panels and/or doors.
– Exterior renovations such as roofing, brickwork and landscaping are also available.
– If you need it, personal decorating and design advice for the finishing touches, such as paint color selection and tile co-ordination can be offered.

No job is too small or too large for them and for your peace of mind, they are affiliated with the A.P.C.H.Q and offer a full warranty.

Tel: 514-952-9252

Q 1:  We’re stuck in a lot in January so it’s a good time to spend time cleaning out and organizing our closets, garages, basements. A lot of people avoid these activities but it does have to get done eventually and you say you have some help for us.

People (usually women) who have a knack for this kind of work are available and they do have special niches. You may be moving,  or just need to get the kids’ rooms organized to make them easier to take care of. Garages and basements can have special storage to avoid piling your  junk.

Q 2:  If you are thinking of moving this year (maybe divorce or downsizing) or you might have to help clean out your parent’s home, tell us about how these women can help.

Here’s a two for one deal Susan Hertzberg. Is a real estate agent who will sell your house for you At no extra charge, she will help you co-ordinate the downsizing of  your belongings that you no longer need or want. Her service is especially good for absentee relatives or children have to liquidate their parents’ estates, do not live here or are too busy.

Phone:  514- 481-8986

Q 3 : Okay, some of us aren’t going anywhere, but we are overcome with clutter or we can’t part with cherished items, how can we get help?

Organized Success is one professional organizing company who can set up your home or office to save you time (or money). For mounds of papers, new color-coded files are created and your old stuff is seamlessly weeded into the new ones. For other rooms, they can weed out what to keep, throw away or sell (and help get it sold and moved).

For those of you with piles of photos, they can get them organized by year, occasion or albums. Your computers or finances can even get sorted out. Financially they can promise you to save you money (phones, banking, mortgage, food, car) or they don’t charge for the visit.

It takes about 30 days to form new habits and they do follow-ups to keep you on track.

Phone: 514-733-1533
e-mail: susan@organizedsuccess.com
www.organizedsuccess.com

Q4:  So who else is out there to whisk away our messes?

Janice Greenberg – As much as you hate putting things away, loves teaching you how to do it easily.  She can help the elderly discard a lifetime of things efficiently but with sensitivity to their needs. She loves organizing wardrobe, closets, kids’ rooms are  specialties and offers help for unearthing paper mounds in  home office or personal shopping for clothing.

She goes through belongings determine what are cherished or not and helps you make decisions about what should be given to charity, what should be sold and what possibly donate in return for a tax receipt.

One especially nice touche are the “memory boxes” she creates. Greenberg can put them together by gathering special photos of kids or trips. When downsizing to a condo or retirement home, she can help choose what take with them or what might sent storage ( many not ready to give away their things – to the children or anyone else). If a spouse has died, she can also help with the painful chore of what to sell or give away.

Phone: (514) 935-2394.

Q 5: Sometimes people have clutter is beyond the average, and are hoarders, is there anyone out there to help them?

Kathleen Murphy  trained prof organizer National Study Group on Chronic Disorganization, specializes in hoarding situations and the hiring of a cleaning crew. For elderly making a move, she can start with getting your paperwork in order (notary, will, finances), staging your home sale, making arrangements for shipping of their furnishings to far flung relatives and even finding painters and carpet layers for the new place. A 3-step plan is laid out for the sorting and distribution of  your clothing, appliances, cars and the move.

Phone:  (514) 402-0709
www.organizingoptions.com

I get lots of questions about where to go for party dresses and gowns. Since we hardly wear them anymore, most stores have stopped selling them. However Sheinarts, a family business for the last 90 years has made it a point of always carrying lots of party dresses and gowns in a full size range from petite to the full figure (4-28).

The shop has always sold brand name garments (Joseph Ribkoff, Animale, Utex, Conrad C, Frank Lyman, Lana Lee) for the right price with sincere customer service. The other specialty area here is outerwear and there’s a bargain basement.

Location: 3001 St-Antoine West
Corner: Atwater
Tel: 514-932-6504
Hours: Regular plus Sun 12-5