101cats/Getty Images Like your shoes, your shoelaces can take a beating. If yours are dirty but not badly worn, there’s no need to toss them. That’s because it’s easy and economical to clean them! Here are two ways to clean shoelaces. Check out these 10 clever shoe storage and cleaning tips. If you have a pair of white shoes that need cleaning, this article and video shows you how to do it....
Termites are extraordinarily talented at destruction. Each year, they cause more than $5 billion in property damage in the U.S., and most homeowner’s insurance plans don’t cover termite damage. Plus, damage from termites is more common than damage from flood or fire. And termites are not just a problem in warm climates. Although infestations are more common in Southern states, termites live in every state except Alaska, as far as pest-control experts can tell....
My DIY friends sometimes ask me if they should install a “summer” thermostat in their vehicle (or remove the thermostat altogether) to help it run cooler in hot weather. My answer is always the same—absolutely not! When you start up a cold engine, the computer immediately checks the engine coolant and outside air temperature sensors and ignores the readings from the oxygen sensors. This is called “open loop,” and it’s the least efficient in terms of gas mileage and emissions....
yangtak/Shutterstock Try to imagine life without your mobile phone. Scary, isn’t it? Your phone is now your wallet, camera, map for directions and resource for answering a wide variety of questions, including “how to unclog a toilet?” The more we rely on our phone, however, the more likely we are to have it on us at all times, which means we’re more likely to drop it and crack the screen, or worse yet, fumble it into the pool, the sink filled with soapy water or even the toilet....
Single-use gloves aren’t an essential accessory on most days, but they can be an effective illness-preventing measure. When you should wear gloves depends on what you’re doing, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The type of disposable gloves you wear is up to you. Gloves used as personal protective equipment (PPE) are made of many different materials; some are used in chemical laboratories, while others are best for medical workers....
Marina Lohrbach Pressure washers are a versatile tool in any homeowner’s arsenal. They can be used to prep home exteriors for painting, clean driveways and sidewalks, and even peel potatoes. But if you’re looking up at a dirty roof and wondering if you can just blast the grime away with your handy pressure washer, be warned — that’s probably not a good idea. Why You Should Not Pressure Wash Your Roof Pressure washers produce highly-pressurized jets of water that can be used to blast sediment off surfaces....
PeopleImages/Getty Images If you asked a construction professional what the most important tool they use in their line of work is, what do you think they would say? Ten to fifteen years ago that answer would have varied from trade to trade. Now, though, there’s one obvious tool that is essential and necessary regardless of whether you’re a plumber or a carpenter: the internet. According to a survey of construction professionals by the Home Improvement Research Institute, construction professionals have begun to take full advantage of the internet as a tool for everything from communicating with clients to researching and purchasing materials to marketing their business....
Green roofs have been around at least since the time of the Vikings, who laid birch bark and sod on top of wooden boards to make their homes more draft-proof. Their modern incarnation began in 1960s Europe. “Germany started looking at green roofs as a way to cut down on the spread of wildfires,” says Jim Mumford, president and resident horticulturist at Good Earth Plant Company in San Diego. “And then it came across the Atlantic....
Shestock/Getty Images While adults may look forward to the food and good conversation, kids don’t always have the best time at Thanksgiving. If you’ll have young ones at your holiday table, here are 10 ideas to help you show them a good time. Create a Scavenger Hunt If the weather cooperates, send the kids outside to hunt for signs of fall, such as red leaves, pine cones, caterpillars and acorns. If the weather is lousy, hunt indoors for things such as paper turkeys, mini pumpkins and fall-inspired wreaths....
Home sales hit a 15-year high of 6.12 million in 2021, according to the National Association of Realtors. We asked pros who worked with some of those buyers and sellers for their key takeaways to save future clients money and make the process as stress-free as possible. Shop for a Lender There’s more to it than a mortgage rate, says Katie Wethman, a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and Realtor with The Wethman Group at Keller Williams in McLean, VA....
via amazon.com What You’ll Need Tire Enough 1/2-in.-diameter sisal twisted rope to cover tire Precut oak circle or circular piece of plywood (to cover bottom hole of tire) 4 short wooden table legs Screws for attaching wood circle and table legs 32-in.-diameter round glass tabletop (or size that will it on top of tire) Craft moss (see note) Artificial succulent plants Adhesive caulk Glue gun Power drill Wood stain and staining supplies, optional Directions If desired, stain wood pieces....
Shutterstock / U.J. Alexander The roof is one of the biggest fixtures of a home. It is there to protect you from the elements and ensure that your home remains insulated and maintains a comfortable temperature. However, not all roofs are created equal, and some roofs do a better job of keeping your home energy efficient. Creating an energy efficient roof will save you money and energy. Here are a few things you need to know to ensure your roof is energy efficient....
Data from Grand View Research pegged the global reclaimed wood market at a hefty $49 billion in 2020, and it’s expected to keep growing through 2028. The bulk of reclaimed wood goes into furniture manufacturing. Some is used to manufacture structural timber and paneling, with a significant portion milled into flooring. The reclaimed wood market is particularly robust in China where, as elsewhere, it’s motivated primarily by ecological considerations, such as expanding recycling and reducing landfill waste....
via amazon.com Thermostats have come a long way since the mercury models, and for the better. The latest improvement are smart thermostats like Google Nest or Ecobee. Smart thermostats are accurate, convenient, and can help save you energy and money. But what is a smart home thermostat and how does it work? Here’s what you need to know. What Is a Smart Thermostat? Smart thermostats are like traditional thermostats but connect to WiFi, are easily programmable, and can adapt and learn based on the situation....
According to a U.S. Census Bureau report about two percent of Americans heat their primary homes with wood, a figure that doesn’t include the thousands of vacation homes and cabins across the country. Not surprisingly, wood consumption for home heating is highest in states where winter temperatures dip the lowest, like northern New England, the Upper Midwest and the Pacific Northwest. It can be difficult to predict how much firewood to buy and what kind is best....
Gutters capture rainwater and direct it away from your home’s foundation. Clogged gutters or downspouts allow water to seep into vulnerable places in your home’s exterior or saturate the soil around the foundation, resulting in anything from a leaky roof to a wet basement. To function properly, gutters need to be free of debris. Someone’s got to do it. Here, we’ll help you decide if you should clean out the gunk or pay someone else to do it....
When insulation isn’t sufficient or working correctly, you’ll undoubtedly feel it. Insulation plays a key role in the energy efficiency of a home, helping it stay cool during the summer and warm during the winter. Many homeowners aren’t aware of the different insulation materials on the market or which ones are best in certain situations. Two of the most popular options are cellulose and spray foam. Here we’ll explain the significant differences between cellulose and foam insulation, plus categories where one is better than the other....
On the march to find a moist, cozy place to burrow and build their nests, carpenter ants munch through dead, wet wood easily, creating tunnels and cavities to lay eggs and grow their colonies. Think you might have a community of carpenter ants in or near your home? Before you panic, here are some facts you should know about these insects. What Is a Carpenter Ant? Related to bees and wasps, a carpenter ant (sometimes referred to as a flying ant) is a member of the Formicidae family of insects....
From here, plug the included power adapter directly into the Echo and insert the other end into a power outlet. Tap Allow Tap Ok Tap Allow The light will first turn blue. That means the power is connected. It will then turn orange, which means Alexa is preparing to greet you. Once you hear Alexa’s voice telling you the device is ready for setup, you can move on. Create a Voice Profile Now the fun part begins!...
Food waste is a major problem all over the world. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization reports that 28 percent of the world’s agricultural area produces food that ultimately goes to waste. This creates a carbon footprint of more than three billion tons of carbon dioxide and puts a dent in millions of people’s pocketbooks. Fortunately a well-organized pantry and refrigerator can help reduce your household’s food waste, because it’s easier to use food when you know where it is and when it’s going to go bad....
