Water infiltration is one of the major problems we have in our homes. Attending to leaks is of prime importance. To begin with you should know where the turn offs are located for all your water appliances. All homes have a main supply shut off located where the City water enters your home. The main turn off should be checked on occasion and turned on and off to make sure it works. If the turn off is seized the only recourse is where the municipal curb cock is located. This curb cock is where the City turns off your water if you do not pay your water and sewage monthly bill. In homes over 30 years old, individual turn offs are located at each hot and cold water supply and the exterior hose bibs. Previously, only the water supply to toilets had an individual shut off. Make sure you know where all the turn offs are located and tag the main supply. In the same respect, I strongly suggest you have a water meter installed in your home.

Water consumption can be significantly reduced when you are aware of the amount of water you use for each function. I recently purchased a low water consumption toilet and installed it myself.

As I was installing the toilet, several items were necessary to make sure the new toilet did not leak. I removed the old unit by turning off the water supply, shutting off the stem riser, and bailing out the water in the tank and bowl. Toilet removal can be messy, so have lots of rags available to clean up the excess water.

Installing a new toilet is not difficult, but certain precautions must be taken to make sure you do not have leaks or over tighten any of the tie downs and crack the vitreous china. Leaks in toilets can occur at several locations. Make sure the toilet is installed into the floor using a suitable wax ring with an extension and be careful when you bolt it down to the floor flange. Attaching the toilet tank to the bowl is also another area that takes some care. A rubber insert and two bolts tie the tank to the bowl. The bolt usually sits in the tank with a rubber gasket adjusted to the bowl. This is where you must be careful, as over tightening these two connections can damage and crack the tank. Leaks can also occur where the stem riser joins onto the tank. Make sure this is properly attached. If you experience any leaks, be extremely careful to tighten everything. Otherwise, most plumbers can assist.

Another area where moisture problems may occur is because of the lack of proper insulation in the attic. Our standards in the Calgary area relate to having insulation levels of R-40 or at least 10to 12 of insulation. Older homes may have lesser insulation levels and as a result moisture problems may occur in the attic space. Actually, check your roof after a snowstorm. If after a few days you do not have any snow on your roof, then you can rest assured the insulation levels in your attic are poor. In fact as typing this article, my bush pilot son phoned me from La Ronge Sk. asking me about problems of a leak in his bathroom. I told him the possibilities of poor insulation or poor ventilation were the root of the problems of water infiltration or additionally the plumbing ventilation in the home was not insulated.

By the way it is time to change your disposable furnace filter. Remember to change your filter at least at Thanksgiving, Christmas and at Easter. Change your disposable filter now, as we are almost half way through the heating season.

All the best for a prosperous, and Happy New Year, from my family to yours.

Please feel free to contact myself or the Calgary Real Estate News with an item you would like more information on how to fix or repair.

-The opinions and ideas expressed are solely those of the author, and not necessarily those of the Calgary Real Estate News. Paul Tobolski RHI, DIPL. A.A. & T. (Architectural Technology) is the owner of Ability Home Inspections and can be reached at 519-6038 or 286-HOME(4663). Paul has over 35 years of experience in the areas of design, construction, maintenance and inspection of homes. He has been a member of CAHPI (Ab.) since 1993 and is the 2003 past president.