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When in England, you “throw a spanner wrench into the works” when you want to sabotage something. But if you’re in America, you “throw a monkey wrench.” This interchangeability suggests the tools are equivalent, but they aren’t; they have different historical lineages. Monkey wrenches had long been in use in the U.S. before Swedish inventor Johan Petter Johansson received patents for a pipe wrench and an adjustable spanner wrench in 1891....

Fall brings decoration-heavy holidays. Jack-o’-lanterns and skeletons give way to corn stalks and hay bales. And after that last bite of pie is eaten on Thanksgiving? Out come the Christmas lights. (Although these days, waiting until Thanksgiving signals major restraint.) Whether you toss a string of lights on a potted evergreen or deck out your house Clark Griswold-style, putting up Christmas lights gets us into the holiday spirit. Taking them down, though?...

When the time comes to install a new toilet, you’re confronted with a pretty difficult decision: To get a dual-flush toilet, or to not? Since their inception in 1980, dual-flush toilets were made to reduce the amount of water flushed during use. They feature two different buttons to perform two different kinds of flushes. The difference in buttons depends on the waste in the toilet. One button for liquid waste, another for solid waste....

PRILL/Shutterstock If you had to guess which room in your house is the germiest, what would you pick? If you answered the bathroom, guess again. The kitchen is by far the filthiest space. For instance, there’s more E. coli bacteria in your sink and sponge than there is in your toilet bowl. While sinks can be scrubbed down and sponges can be swapped out, it’s that wet, grimy dishcloth—the one you use over and over to dry your dishes and wipe down the countertops—that’s the real hidden culprit in the kitchen....

Family Handyman Approved: Barge Cement Barge All-Purpose Rubber Cement is a professional strength adhesive that can be used on a wide range of materials, from leather to rubber to plastic to wood. Use it to glue the heel back on your favorite pair of shoes. On This Page What is Barge Cement? Barge Cement is used mainly by shoe repair shops. I discovered it many years ago working at the Children’s Theater as a prop artesian....

Shade trees need lots of water but not all at one time. Rule of thumb: Stick your finger in the soil near the tree; if saturated, don’t water. I spent part of last weekend digging out two-year-old birch clumps that didn’t survive the conditions in our backyard. It was disheartening, but I guess on the upside, a good learning experience. The first lesson I learned: Wishful thinking isn’t enough to grow trees....

With the right tools, it’s easy and efficient to make your own shiplap siding. Using this table saw and dado blade setup, you can cut duplicate rabbets on any size lumber to create trendy, customizable decorative shiplap siding. The crucial dimensions are the depth and width of your rabbets. The depth of the rabbets should be exactly half the thickness of your lumber. The width of your rabbets can be anywhere from 1/2 in....

Water repellent preservative is the best-kept secret in the world of painting. Decades of university and government studies have shown that WRP adds years to the life of an exterior paint job. But most painters—pros and DIYers alike—have never heard of it. Here’s how it works: Peeling often begins with a tiny crack in the paint. A little water sneaks in and the wood swells, stretching the paint and causing more cracks....

What is an 11-in-1 screwdriver? An 11-in-1 screwdriver has interchangeable parts and functions as 11 different tools in one. 11-in-1 screwdrivers are used by electricians, mechanics and technicians of all kinds. The thicker shaft can sometimes be a hindrance, but the primary benefit of an 11-in-1 screwdriver is obvious: it allows you keep 11 tools on hand while taking up only a small amount of space in your pouch, tool bag or toolbox....

Above ground pools are less expensive, easier-to-install alternatives to in-ground pools. And if that weren’t enough, they’re also usually easier to maintain. There are a few things you’ll want to do to keep your above ground pool in good working condition. Here are 10 key tips for above ground pool maintenance. Install a Sump Pump in Your House This tip isn’t so much for your pool as it is for your house, but it’s an important one....

Many of us have been cooped up inside our homes for nearly a year. As much as we love our families, the inability to go to the office or school takes away that little bit of space everyone needs once in a while. So some people are turning to their backyards for sanctuary, a place to work or unwind without others around. Hence, the luxury shed trend. What Is a Luxury Shed?...

Shutterstock/ Kanghophoto Beginning a new job can be both exciting and challenging. You know you have the experience and knowledge to handle the workload. But what is the best path forward to make sure that all-important ‘first impression’ is the right ‘first impression’? Getting off on the right foot makes everything run much more smoothly, so here are some tips to help you navigate those crucial first steps. 1. Establish Communications Understand the business’s goals and objectives....

1. How much does noise matter to you? Fan manufacturers offer some great-looking models at really low prices. To sell at those prices, the manufacturers use lower-quality bearings and mounting brackets with minimal noise isolation. The noise levels may be tolerable when the fan is new, but once the bearings wear, the fan will start to wobble and transmit an annoying rumbling sound across your ceiling. Premium fans, on the other hand, are built with high-quality bearings filled with synthetic grease to ensure long life and minimal wear....

Tired of high auto repair bills? Suspicious of the honesty or the quality of work done at professional auto shops? No matter why you decide to pop the hood and dig in, learning to be your own mechanic, detailer and body shop pays off. This is not an all-or-nothing situation. Whatever your current car-care involvement or skill level, chances are you’re able to do much more on your own than you are....

Best Black Friday Washer and Dryer Deals We hunted through washer and dryer sales from brands like Whirlpool, LG and Samsung to find deals that won’t break the bank (or your clothes). Some of these picks offer bells and whistles to make laundry day a little more satisfying, but all of them get the job done! Best Washer Deals GE Appliances High Efficiency Smart Top Load Washer via merchant Wayfair lists the GE top load washer at savings of 32%, but the low price shouldn’t fool you!...

Your garden hose is probably working overtime this summer as you water plants, irrigate a vegetable garden or wash the car. According to hose manufacturer Teknor Apex, a good garden hose will last five to 10 years if properly maintained. A bad garden hose, as most of us have already found out, will waste water, function poorly and cause bouts of frustration. So to keep the kinks out of your relationship with your garden hose, let’s take a look at what to consider before you buy a new one....

For many homeowners, one of the most cherished signs of spring is the colorful whir and blur of hummingbirds making their way back to central and northern states from winter in Mexico and Central America. That means it’s time to wash up and clean out your hummingbird feeders and have them ready to go — usually by the first week of May or earlier. Migrations Start Early Hummingbirds that aren’t year-round residents on the southern edge of the U....

Peter Cade/Getty Images While parts of the construction industry remain sluggish, the home building sector has been on something of a hot streak in recent months. Despite the complications stemming from the coronavirus pandemic, housing has ramped up production to meet increasing demand in the market. In response to these high levels of activity, the NAHB/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index — a metric that gauges how builders view the current and near-future housing market — rose six points to a score of 78 in August....

Any time you tear apart a home in a renovation, there’s a chance you’ll find something interesting under the floorboards or in a wall cavity. Still, it’s hard to imagine a discovery as curious as the one made by a man in Michigan earlier this month. According to the Associated Press, 33-year-old David Olson of Norton Shores, Michigan, was demolishing the back steps of his home on July 1 when he came across something odd: a bowling ball....

via The Home Depot Ice salt can work wonders when it comes to making surfaces safer for driving and walking. Ever wondered why that is? Here’s exactly what ice salt is and how it works. When you’ve got ice and snow on your windshield, you’ll want to have one of the scrapers featured in this video ready to go. What is Ice Salt? Also known as rock salt, ice salt is essentially table salt (sodium chloride) in its more natural form....