It is not uncommon for the buyer of a new house to be given a house without gutters and downspouts because, contrary to what many of us may believe, their installation is not part of the requirements of the Construction code. However, an adequate system of rain gutters and downspouts is an excellent way of…
Did you know that the slope of the land around the building has an important function of drainage of runoff water? Therefore, a poor drainage of a sloped lot due to a bad slope directing water towards the foundation can promote excess humidity in the basement or even cause water infiltration. To avoid this situation,…
Efflorescence presents itself in the form of a powdery, whitish substance that appears on the surface of brick, masonry and concrete. This phenomenon occurs when the mineral salts contained in these elements are dissolved by the water they contain. During its evaporation, the water transports these salts to the surface where they turn into those…
If you live in a home with masonry exterior cladding, such as brick, you may have noticed these small openings at the bottom of the wall. You might think the mason decided to save some money on the mortar. The reality is however quite different… Watch our video and see the real function of these…
The warm season is finally at our doorstep and the memory of past heat waves makes you seriously consider having a heat pump installed. You do some research on the internet to find that there are quite more things to consider than you first thought. And it would seem that financial assistance would be available…
If you live in a house where air drafts are part of it, you might think you’re literally throwing your money away. So you consider replacing your windows, but are they actually responsible for your discomfort and your high heating bills? If saving money is your main goal, there may be other more effective and…
The acquisition of a condo has several aspects that must not be overlooked if one wants to avoid unpleasant surprises. When buying a condo, it is important to keep in mind that you are also getting the management of the entire building. In other words, you must ensure that the management of the building, carried…
Winter is definitely here and the frequent presence of frost at the bottom of your windows suggests that you are experiencing a moisture problem in your home. You look on the web to find possible solutions, but this only brings you more questions... Incorrectly connected dryer, inadequate exhaust fan, poor air circulation, lack of air…
In our previous column, we warned young shoppers about pitfalls they might encounter when buying their first home. This week, we are going for 3 additional tips, but that are this time for all property buyers. Based on our experience acquired through thousands of inspections and legal expertises, we present these tips to help you…
Imagine: you buy a beautiful house, "completely renovated", as the announcement said, so your family and you move in. Everything is going for the best when, suddenly one morning, a stain on the ceiling of the basement catches your attention. You look and search for the cause without success so you decide to call a…