Cottage Maintenance and Repair

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• Animated Knots by Grog
  Website www.animatedknots.com/
  This site features animated instructions for tying over 70 knots. View step by step photos with instructions, or run them in a sequence either fast or slow. A great place to learn the ropes.
  
• Appliance 411
  Website www.appliance411.com
  If you thought it was hard finding a doctor who makes house calls, try getting an appliance repairman to come to your cottage. And going to a repair shop in town to try and find a replacement "thingy" for the one going "whir-whir-whir" will just get you funny looks. Arm yourself with intimate working knowledge by visiting Appliance 411. The site has labelled illustrations of fridges, ranges, and water heaters, tips on how to make repairs yourself, and links to parts suppliers. It also has hundreds of other related links and a fun section debunking appliance myths.
  
• Association of Ontario Land Surveyors
  Website www.aols.org
  Can’t find those property line stakes anymore? From the “directories” section you can search by municipality for a licensed surveyor.
  
• Balleycanoe and Co.
  Website www.balleycanoeco.com
  For cottagers looking to build a new cottage with an authentic, old-school feel or those just on the hunt for some rustic architectural additions, this site is a catalogue of everything from brass doorknobs to antique pine fireplace mantels salvaged from 19th - century Eastern Ontario homes. You can order online or visit Balleycanoe's Mallorytown location.
  
• Bartlett Tree Experts
  Website www.bartlett.com
  Includes a searchable archive of fact sheets on various trees and their predators, along with articles on pruning techniques, dealing with lightning damage, preparing sensitive foliage for winter, and more.
  
• Cabot Stains
  Website www.cabotstain.com
  If your last staining experience left you making off-colour remarks, you’ll appreciate this site’s “Ask the Experts” section.
  
• Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation
  Website www.cmhc-schl.gc.ca
  Whether it’s mould, insulation, windows, or any of dozens of other concerns for your second property, CMHC has an extensive free article library online. You can also order from its vast selection of books, pamphlets, and videos.
  
• Canadian Solar Industries Association
  Website www.cansia.ca
  Links to more than 50 member manufacturers, dealers, and installers of solar systems.
  
• Cottage Knowledge
  Website www.cottageknowledge.com
  Who among us couldn’t use a little more cottage knowledge? Articles provide advice on buying, selling, or renting a cottage, as well as information on local wildlife, You can also check out event calendars for the Haliburton, Kawartha, and Muskoka regions. One section that’s sure to be popular as it evolves is the listing of recommended cottage-country contractors.
  
• DIY Network
  Website www.diynetwork.com
  Here’s a handy site for DIYers, no matter what the "I" happens to be. This site contains illustrated, step-by-step articles on boat repair, birdwatching, gardening, home-improvement projects, and woodworking, to name but a few of the many categories covered.
  
• Do It Yourself
  Website www.doityourself.com
  Packed with DIY home improvement tips and instructions. Choose from more than 50 categories. The text is accompanied by photos, illustrations and, in some cases, animated step-by-steps. There are also automotive and boat sections. (See also www.hometips.com and www.411homerepair.com.)
  
• Dream Roofs
  Website www.dreamroofs.com
  Like so many things at the cottage, the roof tends to get ignored until it’s not doing its job. While you wait for the contractor to show up, pay the Dream Roofs website a visit for a primer on asphalt roofing. There’s a glossary of terms, FAQs, and an online video that shows DIYers how to properly install shingles. There’s also a calculator that estimates the cost of redoing your roof.
  
• Electrical Safety Authority
  Website www.esainspection.net
  This organization, formerly Ontario Hydro’s Electrical Inspection division, has money-saving – and potentially lifesaving – tips on its site.
  
• Energy Star
  Website www.oee.nrcan.gc.ca/energystar
  One of the downsides to owning a second property is the second set of utility bills that comes with it. Energy Star is an international rating program to identify energy-efficient appliances. (You may have already seen the logo; the word ‘Energy’ followed by a star.) Here, you can find out which products qualify, learn about rebate and incentive programs, and pick up tips on reducing your energy consumption, all of which will help take the bite out of your bills.
  
• Environmental Choice Program
  Website www.environmentalchoice.com
  The Environmental Choice Program, run by Environment Canada, puts the "EcoLogo" stamp on consumer products and services that meet its ecological standards. The site includes a list of certified products ranging from rechargeable batteries to boat cleaners.
  
• Federal Publications
  Website www.fedpubs.com
  Curious about the lay of the land in your back 40? Visit this website for information on available maps of all corners of cottage country, including topographic varieties and nautical charts. Maps can be purchased in the online store along with cottage-related books on topics such as boating, nature, and aboriginal issues, as well as a complete publication of the Ontario Building Code (yes, it is for sale).
  
• Hearth Net
  Website www.hearth.com
  Hearth Net is an electronic library full of information on all kinds of wood heating from fireplaces to woodstoves. Includes a searchable archive of heating-related Q&As and an index full-length articles, such as an illustrated guide to installing a wood stove. There are a couple of handy calculators to help you figure out fuel costs and BTU requirements based on room dimensions.
  
• Home Envy
  Website www.homeenvy.com
  Home Envy is a new home repair and décor site with a Canadian twist. The Canuck columnists include Red Green, "TV Tool Girl" Mag Ruffman, and Cottage Life contributor Steve Maxwell, all offering tips on how to maintain and enjoy your property. New content is added weekly.
  
• How Stuff Works
  Website www.howstuffworks.com
  Just like it says: how septic systems, gas lanterns, chainsaws, back-up generators, and hundreds of other items work.
  
• Muskoka Trade Source
  Website www.muskokatradesource.com
  Are you located in Muskoka and looking to hire a backhoe to carve out your cottage road? Or need a barge to get materials for your bunkie out to your island cottage? Or want to find a cottage sitter? Shop around for these services and more by visiting this site, a database of tradespeople and services in the Muskoka area. Also contains a catalogue of how-to articles from various sources on subjects, including how to go about obtaining a building permit.
  
• Online Conversions
  Website www.onlineconversion.com
  Have you ever pondered how many metres there are in a 100' shoreline setback or worried if a metric pinch of salt is equal to an imperial dash? We live in a hybrid world. Some of us think of the distance to the cottage in miles, while our kids think in kilometres (and no, we’re not there yet). Which is why we need conversion calculators. With this site you can translate any distance, weight, or even the temperature from one generation’s measure to the other’s.
  
• Ontario Onsite Wastewater Association
  Website www.oowa.org
  When you need to install, repair, or update a septic system, members of the Ontario Onsite Wastewater Association are the people to call. The OOWA's website has a clickable provincial map linking to contact information for septic manufacturers, installers, and municipal regulators.
  
• Sherwin-Williams
  Website www.sherwin-williams.com
  Click on the DIY tab under “Products and Services” and you’ll discover everything you need to know about paint, from choosing brushes and colours to refinishing with the latest techniques.
  
• The Old House Web
  Website www.oldhouseweb.com
  This busy site has a searchable index of DIY tips and articles on cottage maintenance projects. A Life Expectancy chart estimates the longevity of everything from appliances to wallpaper. There’s also a handy encyclopedia for gardeners.
  
• Toiletology
  Website www.toiletology.com/toc.shtml
  Nothing puts a damper on a cottage weekend like a malfunctioning toilet. Toiletology 101 provides basic descriptions and illustrations of minor toilet problems. Once you get it up and running, take a seat and read up on the History of the Flush Toilet.
  
• Tomboy Tools
  Website www.tomboytools.ca
  Billing itself as “Tools and home improvement techniques for women, by women,” the site has DIY articles and tips and a message board all designed to encourage women to try a toolbelt on for size.
  
• Toolseeker
  Website www.toolseeker.com
  If you’re in the market for new power tools, simply select the category you’re interested in (say, cordless drills), click on the models that interest you, and you’ll get a chart listing all the relevant specs for each.

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