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If you own a dog, then you know the frustration of walking into a room and finding a puddle of urine or giant spot on the carpet. And while this is a natural and common occurrence with dogs, it’s still not pleasant to deal with. Nicole Ellis, a certified professional dog trainer (CPDT-KA) and a pet lifestyle expert with Rover, offers the following tips on how to stop a dog from peeing in the house, so you can spend more time playing and less time cleaning....

The holiday season is here, and for many of us that means hosting guests. Whether that’s as simple as having the a single holiday guest for a night or a home filled with extended family members for days on end, you’ll need to make sure your house is ready for company. Here are a few things for this season’s holiday hosts to remember. Know Your Guests Different guests will have different sets of needs and expectations, so it’s important to understand ahead of time what those will be....

When you call for professional air duct cleaning, someone will come to your house with a powerful truck-mounted vacuum cleaner. That should be your first clue this isn’t a job you could have done yourself. That pro’s vacuum system is such a major investment that the national average range for duct cleaning costs — between $450 to $1,000 — doesn’t seem unreasonable. But it’s money you might not have to spend....

There’s nothing more frustrating than trying to peel off labels, price tags, kids’ stickers, decals, warranty information or operating instructions from your new glass purchase or second-hand find. The glue just won’t let go, leaving behind shredded paper and a tacky patch of adhesive. You may be tempted to go at it with a razor blade and elbow grease, but you’ll likely scratch or damage the glass surface in the process....

Deck building is one of my favorite DIY projects. But whenever I start planning one, I’m reminded of the head-scratching work required before I can start swinging a hammer. Over the years I’ve refined critical steps and fixed common gaffes. Here is my process, along with a few tips, to help you nail your deck building project from start to finish. Family Handyman Start With a Sketch I start off every deck build by drawing the shape and proportion of the deck as well as the orientation of the decking....

The new 2021 edition of the International Residential Code (IRC) is set to be released by the end of December, making updates to structural, fire and energy-efficiency requirements. This is the first time since 2018 that the code has been updated. State and local jurisdictions will begin to adopt new aspects of the code over the next year. As is custom, each jurisdiction will be able to adjust or amend the 2021 IRC to address the specific requirements of their local geography and climate....

Accidental poisoning is a leading cause of harm in children, sending more than 65,000 kids under the age of five to the emergency room every year. And where do 90 percent of these poisonings occur? In the home. Unfortunately, our kitchens, bathrooms, garages and backyards are full of chemicals and substances that are poisonous to kids, and often for adults, too. This is National Poison Prevention Week, which means it’s time to take a closer look at common — and less common — household toxins and how to keep them away from our kids....

With temperatures plunging, heating systems firing up, and more people gathering indoors for holidays, December ranks as the riskiest month for carbon monoxide poisoning. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate at least 50,000 people require emergency room care and at least 430 people accidentally die annually from invisible, odorless, stealthy carbon monoxide. Here’s how to keep your home safe: Be Proactive With Maintenance Schedule an annual visit from a certified technician for your heating system, water heater and other appliances using gas, oil or coal....

Some of my favorite tools don’t fit in a toolbox or even on a workbench. Subcompact tractors can be a workhorse for landowners. But you might also consider adding a utility vehicle and maybe even a brush cutter to your tool shed if you’ve got acreage. Here’s what you need to know. Utility Vehicles With the capabilities of small pickups and a much higher fun factor, utility vehicles (UTVs) are soaring in popularity with landowners nationwide....

When a home is built according to code in its region, a homeowner may never need to worry about frost lines. But when you’re building a new home, addition or deck, knowing how deep frost can reach in an average winter is a crucial part of the process. The frost depth and building codes differ from region to region. Here’s what you need to know about frost lines before undertaking a home build....

Founded in 1924, Milwaukee power and hand tools are known for their durability and high-quality construction. But for a company quickly approaching its 100th anniversary, Milwaukee isn’t mired in the past. A new report indicates that the Milwaukee Tool brand may be more relevant than ever. Morning Consult has named Milwaukee Tool as the fifth fastest-growing brand among U.S. adults. Construction pros and DIYers have long appreciated the brand. But how did a tool manufacturer break out of the construction industry to achieve such remarkable growth in consumer awareness?...

ADT is a security company that has been in business for more than 145 years and has more than six million customers in the U. S. It all started in 1874. After a break-in at ADT founder Edward Calahan’s home in Brooklyn, N.Y., Calahan created a “call-box” that used the telegraph to summon help from neighbors when there was an intruder in a home. Fifty homes quickly signed up for the service....

Ants are one of the most common types of insects on the planet. It’s estimated that there are more than 12,000 ant species worldwide and nearly all have the potential to bite or sting. Ant Dangers to People An annoyance more than anything else, most ants in the United States aren’t directly harmful to people. If left to run amok, however, ants can destroy structures, spread bacteria and, in extreme cases, cause serious allergic reactions....

One broken bulb on a strand of Christmas lights can render the whole string completely useless. Good news, though: there’s a way to test and fix holiday lights without having to check each bulb individually. This will work for outdoor lights as well as the lights for inside. Here, find out why your Christmas lights are not working. Christmas Light Tester To quickly identify a bad light on a strand, try using a device like the LightKeeper Pro....

The popularity of container gardening apparently knows no bounds. Gardeners have discovered they can grow a host of plants in pots, bins and window boxes. Here are 10 good candidates spanning the major plant categories. tobe24/Shutterstock Vegetable: Leaf Lettuce Leaf lettuce is exceptionally easy to grow from seed, so containers — especially large bins — are a natural receptacle for sowing. You can fill the containers with potting mix and watch a healthful, pesticide-free salad garden multiply by the week....

Daniel Prudek/Shutterstock While bees hopping from one flower to another is picturesque to watch, having bees disturbing a backyard barbecue certainly isn’t. They may seem like pesky creatures to get rid of, but there are quite a few things you may not know about bees, especially the impact they have on our livelihood. What Bees Do? The main purpose of bees, particularly honey bees, is to help pollinate the plants around them....

A log splitter, with its slow-moving wedge, is a relatively safe machine. But you should heed these precautions to prevent injury. Know Your Machine If you own a log splitter, you’re familiar with all of its controls. If you’re renting one, familiarize yourself with the controls before you start splitting logs. We used a log splitter from Northern Tool to help get the job done for our Getaway project. On This Page...

hanohiki/Shutterstock You found the perfect house. Well, it will be the perfect house once it’s renovated. Buying old homes can be a gamble, and when you add in a renovation, things can get tricky. Before you sign on the dotted line, here are some pros and cons to renovating old houses. These 12 tips will help you get the most out of your home inspection. Pros Old houses can be bought for less....

In this digital age, it’s easy to find great tech designed to bring you virtually face-to-face for work or social reasons. Here are some of the top options, to help you find the best setup for your capabilities and comfort level. Video Calls on Nest Hub Max Google’s Nest Hub Max has a 10-in. touchscreen display, along with a camera for video calling and gesture controlled navigation that lets you, say, hold your hand up in a “stop” gesture to pause the song that’s playing....

If you scan your local real estate listings, you may see the term “as is” frequently pop up. In a red-hot market where there’s currently a shortage of available homes, expect to see more and more homes being sold “as is.” These types of listings are more common now, explains Wendy Watkins, a Realtor with Corcoran Global Living in the San Francisco Bay Area. “Because it’s a sellers’ market and inventory is limited, sellers have more power and can pass along a property that needs work,” says Watkins....