Your Home

Hiring a professional to caulk and weatherstrip your home can cut air leakage by up to 50 per cent and save you up to 30 per cent on your heating/cooling costs. Armed with specialized equipment and testing devices, a professional can pinpoint leakage and check and repair existing caulking and weatherstripping. The most common sources…

It might sound unbelievable, but it’s absolutely possible for someone to steal your house. It’s called title fraud, and it’s a problem that has been around for a while in Canada. And although exposure to title fraud is minimal compared to, say, debit or credit card fraud, the damage to its victims is considerably more…

Don’t take your home’s brickwork for granted. Although one of the most durable building products on the planet, even the best brickwork will deteriorate over time. Yearly freeze/thaw cycles, extremes of heat and cold, rain and snow, will all eventually take their toll on brick walls. Here are a few of the signs that your…

Some of the hottest interior design ideas for 2016 include retro, mix-and-match, and originality. This means that there is something for everyone in the family. Living rooms take on a fresh new look, all the while never sacrificing comfort. 1. Bring Outdoor Textiles Inside Colourful fabrics like burlap and canvas will spice up the inside…

Ah spring, a time when the sun pours in the windows, plants are growing, things feel alive, and we give the house a good spring clean! Although this winter was relatively mild, we certainly had some proud Canadian winter moments. You will probably want to make sure that your property weathered the storm and is…

Homeowners of older homes planning a renovation would be wise to take electrical capacity into consideration in their project plans. Multiple computers, electronic devices, hot tubs, pool pumps, large-screen televisions, home theatres, air conditioners and large appliances will all put a strain on your home’s electrical system. Here are some tips from the Electrical Safety…

Tile is a hot trend in interior design circles, popular both for its status as a green building material and its versatility. Whether you are planning a new look for a tired bathroom or an overhaul of your outdated kitchen, the wall and floor tiles you select will add the finishing touch. Cersaie, the leading…

By: Lorne Shuman The closing date of your purchase or sale is the culmination of a great deal of time, money and effort for both the seller and the buyer. To make your closing go smoothly it is important that both the buyer and seller be prepared. This column will provide some tips to ensure…

Over the last few years, the media has done a great job of telling wild stories about how so-called shadow lenders are seducing Canadians with bad loans, only to foreclose and steal their houses. The term shadow evokes all the right imagery, the back alley deal, thugs with pipe wrenches, extortion, and envelopes full of…

The colour of a room can create harmony, or a feeling of unease. If there is a sense of calm when you walk into a room, chances are that colour has something to do with it. And if something doesn’t quite feel right, but you can’t put your finger on it, colour might have something…