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Michael A Siino/shutterstock The first time a hummingbird zips into your yard and stops at a hummingbird feeder is a thrilling moment. But being the keeper of a hummingbird feeder can be challenging, too. We get tons of questions from readers about what they’ve observed at their own feeders and been curious about, like why a woodpecker might be enjoying the sugar-water, how to prevent yellow jackets and bees from taking advantage of a free meal, and whether it’s important to make stronger sugar-water in spring....

Grout adds more of a visual element to your tile floor or wall than you might think. You can create a more intentional, cohesive look by choosing one that accents the color or pattern of your tile. James Upton, a bathroom remodeling specialist and founder of DIYTileGuy.com. explains homeowners may be motivated to change their grout color for several reasons. “It could be that they want to go from a blending grout color to a contrasting color or vice versa,” says Upton....

Johner Images/Getty Images The Decking Dilemma—Deck Material Options Probably the most difficult decision to make when building a deck is what type of decking to use. All three of the main choices—5/4 x 6-in. radius-edged cedar, pressure-treated, and composite decking—share similarities. They’re all rot resistant to varying degrees, require 16-in. joist spacing for proper support, bleach out to a silvery gray, and can all be cut and installed using conventional tools and fasteners....

Now that the snow has finally receded, and the spring showers and sun have arrived it’s time to take a good look at the condition of your lawn. My lawn, like most in my quiet, blue-collar neighborhood, has some problem “spots” where I can never seem keep grass healthy and flourishing. I know that aerating your lawn every few years is one of the best ways to keep it healthy and looking great....

(UPDATE) March 4, 2021— This week, Toro announced that it has acquired Left Hand Robotics, a robotics company that designs and produces autonomous (also known as self-driving) landscaping equipment. While Toro is not at all new to the self-driving equipment space, having launched the innovative but flawed “iMow” in the early 2000s, this acquisition signals that the manufacturer is at least starting to set its sights on a more robotic future....

OK, raise your hand if you “store” things on your garage floor or on shelves that are already too full of other stuff. Let’s all put our hands down now. I stood in my garage the other day, contemplating ladders, fishing rods, basketballs and a bunch of other important stuff that was lying around. I was wondering how to make room for two cars before the snow hits—and I know I’m not alone here....

What Is a Bidet? Bidets are designed to clean your bottom regions after you use the toilet. Instead of using toilet paper, you basically sit on the fixture, turn on its faucet and a stream of water does the job. On This Page Should You Invest In a Bidet? While Americans have been slow to add bidets to their bathrooms, the trend is starting to grow. Some experts say bidets are not only more hygienic than toilet paper, but can be easier on your plumbing since there’s no chance of toilet paper clogging your drain....

Weighted blankets are definitely having their moment. The trendy bed coverings started gaining in popularity a couple of years ago and are now the must-have item of 2020 — maybe because we all need a little extra comfort this year. Let’s take a closer look at weighted blankets, including what they are, how they work and how much they cost. What Are Weighted Blankets? Weighted blankets are bed covers or throws made with weighted material — usually plastic or glass pellets — sewn into them....

Fear not: Powdery mildew disease (also known as white grass) will not permanently harm your grass. But it can rob your lawn of that attractive, green luster that every lawn owner strives for. What Are The Signs of White Grass? If you look closely, you may first see white powder-like spores appearing on leaf blades. As the disease advances, a large part of your lawn may turn powdery white. On This Page...

Family Handyman Just because there’s not a big bold sign on your brand new paint roller cover telling you the hacks you need to know to paint evenly and smoothly, that doesn’t mean there aren’t any! In fact, there’s one very simple piece of knowledge that’s going to make your painting project turn out a whole lot better. The hack to remember before using your new roller cover is to “condition” it....

If you’ve been looking to purchase a new car in 2021, chances are you’ve discovered a significantly different market than the last time you shopped for a new set of wheels. New car inventory at dealerships nationwide is extremely limited, while demand for used cars is higher than ever. And while the impact of these market conditions is complex, the reason for them is simple: There just aren’t enough computer chips in the world....

Guido Mieth/Getty Images According to the latest data from the U.S. Census Bureau, single-family housing starts increased 8.5 percent month-over-month in September. Multi-family starts performed much less favorably, dropping 16.3 percent month-over-month. Overall, housing production increased 1.9 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.42 million units. “The housing market remains a bright spot in the U.S. economy, and this is reflected in today’s positive housing starts report,” said Chuck Fowke, chairman of the National Association of Home Builders....

Shutterstock/ Syda Productions The United States Department of Labor recently released an updated and comprehensive version of the Technical Assistance Guide for the construction industry. The purpose of the guide is to help contractors better understand and meet the legal requirements and responsibilities for equal employment opportunity. The guide was released by the Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP). The OFCCP is a civil rights agency within the DoL that enforces laws regarding discrimination and equal employment opportunities....

Attending a royal garden party, making a visit to a school, taking a tour of a local factory or meeting with community leaders—they’re all in a day’s work for Prince Charles, the Duke of Cornwall. In fact, he clocked 546 official engagements in 2017, more than any other member of the British Royal Family. But given time to himself, the Prince would prefer to be getting his hands dirty in the gardens of Highgrove House, his private residence in Gloucestershire (and Camila has confessed that she prefers gardening to royal duties too!...

Elena Elisseeva/Shutterstock A chrome finish is actually meant to work as a protectant layer against rust. So why are you seeing rust on your chrome bathroom fixtures? Unfortunately, rust can occur when the chrome plating is damaged from scratching or dents, and the metal underneath comes in contact with moisture and oxygen in the air. The good news is, you don’t have to live with those rust stains forever. Here’s how to clean rust from chrome bathroom fittings....

Stephane Debove/Shutterstock Think you’ve mastered how to get rid of spiders? Well, there’s something you need to know: Spiders aren’t just a nuisance for your home—they love to hang out in your car, too. In a news report with CBS DFW, two reporters relayed the story of a not-so-friendly visitor an Australian woman had while commuting home one evening. One night while on the road, she looked up to find an enormous spider perched on the ceiling of her car....

Transition Flower Pots From Summer to Fall Summer is prime time for flowers, but that doesn’t mean your flower pots have to fade away come fall. You can transition your flower pots from summer to fall — and even later, if you want! Here’s how. On This Page Cut Out Spent Flowers Take a look at your container plants. What’s looking good and what’s seen better days? Keep the former and cut out the latter....

Homeowners are installing DIY wireless home security systems at a record pace. The latest systems offer app-based Wi-Fi door- and motion-sensor monitoring that alerts you when someone opens a door or trips a motion detector. The missing link, however, is the ability to actually see what’s going on in your home. That’s where a wireless Wi-Fi video camera comes into play. A remotely controlled IP video camera like the VTech VC931 rounds out your home security system to provide instant video access to your home....

Anteromite/Shutterstock Some people just aren’t fans of rugs. Other people probably feel that some rooms should need rugs over others. Or maybe you just love rugs and want one in every room. Wherever your preference may be, there’s a trend that we may all be able to agree on: Tile rugs! Using a rug in a room helps to break up blank space on a floor, decorate the main living area, and give a room that pop of color that is pleasing to the eye....

What is Wind Buffeting? It happens in almost all vehicles. Wind buffeting occurs when you roll down a window while driving, usually at highway speeds. The throbbing, helicopter-like sound is the outside air passing over and interacting with the contained air inside the vehicle. On This Page When the two air masses collide, they compress and decompress repeatedly. This produces the throbbing effect. It can be as loud as a commercial aircraft....