sewage-backup-prevention / Green Building & Sustainable Home Renovation Information & Advice

Preventing flood damage in basements is a hot topic as we are regularly seeing the effects of climate change in the form of extreme weather events and unpredictable weather patterns. Snow melt combined with torrential spring rains can lead to very high water tables and consequently, sewage backflow is an increasing dan...

Having a backup heat source that can operate without electricity should be an important consideration for many homeowners in colder climate zones, especially those who rely on a heat pump or electricity as their primary source of heat. In this guide, we will explore the various factors that can influence the need for a...

Why is Radon a Problem in USA & Canada? Radon gas is cancer-causing radioactive, invisible, odourless and tasteless in water and air, and we are surrounded by it without knowing at all times at some level. It is present in every breath you take, hopefully in very, very small quantities, but then how do we know? Rad...

Let’s start by pointing out that this post is mostly about fire coming from outside of your home, like from a forest fire or grass fire or a house next door. It’s not about a fire starting when you forgot about the grilled cheese on the stove. But before we go outside your home, I want to make sure you have strategical...

Preventing food waste - optimal fridge organization Did you know that there’s actually an ideal order or layout of how to organize food in the fridge? A way that could help prevent food waste, reduce grocery bills and improve how sustainable your household is?  So, to set the scene - you’re on your way home with your w...

We are seeing more frequent and more severe weather events as our climate changes, and all evidence points to that trend continuing. Here we have a list of ways to prepare yourself in the event of grid failure or absence of municipal services.  Storing emergency food and water: City water systems will remain pressurize...

Heating when the grid is down: Beyond lighting, cooking and general home operation, the biggest risk to home comfort and security in a power outage is not being able to heat your home. Lighting with candles and eating a cold dinner is manageable, but not being able to keep your house warm in winter is another matter al...

Spring flooding of basements is very common and most times can be easily avoided. Why basements flood in the first place is pretty easy to answer – it’s a hole in the ground and the ground is wet! Basements are sometimes below the water table to begin with, but water tables rise during the spring snow melt, and without...

Frost protected foundations - essential in cold climates Protecting homes and buildings in cold climates from structural damage caused by frost heave is essential for durability. In most parts of Canada and the northern United States, the ground freezes during the winter months to a depth of several feet. Such ground f...

Condensation on Windows – Is it Bad? It’s that time of year when condensation on windows becomes a pain, we wake up in the morning, can’t see out, curtains are wet, there’s water on the window bottoms, and even worse it can affect the walls below windows causing mold and mildew in drywall and furniture. Condensation i...

Basements don't have to be moldy, that is the first thing to realize. It's easy to build a basement better, or to finish an existing basement correctly, we just need to realize that they behave differently than above grade walls and to build accordingly to effectively deal with the humidity found underground - and by d...