Appearances can be deceiving, according to the superhero of the contracting world, Mike Holmes.

Holmes appeared on Breakfast Television Monday morning to discuss some of the hidden dangers of home repair, particularly when dealing with older homes.

“I’m talking about mould, I’m talking about asbestos, I’m talking about lead. So anything that’s older, there may be lead paint, asbestos in the plaster, in the tiles, in the ceiling, in many products throughout your home, even in the furnace,” said Holmes.

With warm weather just around the corner, many Torontonians are prepping their homes for a spring sale.

The Canadian housing market is red hot. In January, the Canadian Real Estate Association reported the average price of a home reached a record high of $357,000, an increase of 3.9 per cent over the previous month.

This spike comes just as new, stricter mortgage rules come into effect this month.

The government has reduced the maximum amortisation period on mortgages from 30 to 35 years, making monthly payments higher.