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Eric Broder Van Dyke/Shutterstock Google Home is a smart speaker and voice assistant that can do much more than just play music. It can also be used to check the weather and road conditions and schedule tasks. If your home has Google Home-compatible smart devices, the smart speaker can also facilitate tasks, such as unlocking doors, turning up the thermostat and controlling lights, using just voice commands. Google Home works with more than 5,000 smart home devices from more than 150 brands....

We ask a lot of an outdoor kitchen sink. It must stand up to freeze/thaw cycles in some regions and to the sun’s UV rays and extended exposure to moisture in others. It must fit in visually with the rest of the outdoor living space and hold up to frequent use — cooking, cleaning and maybe the occasional dog bath. In the rudimentary outdoor kitchen at my property, we installed a polyethylene utility sink — admittedly, not the most stylish option....

Few methods of home heating are as iconic and rewarding as burning wood — especially if you cut and split it yourself. The hard physical work of splitting firewood is missing from most other heating methods, along with the sense of accomplishment when your house is nice and toasty during a blizzard. Growing up on a rural homestead, I have many fond memories of splitting wood with my father, dating back to age six or seven....

Family Handyman Add Cork for a Better Sanding Block Sanding blocks are key to any woodworking or DIY project. I used to take a scrap board from my pile and slap a piece of sandpaper onto the bottom and not think twice. Now I have thought twice about it and realize that I have been wasting sandpaper because it easily rips against the sharp corners of the block. Simply put, I don’t utilize the full life of the sandpaper....

Family Handyman It’s been said that a weed is just a plant growing where you don’t want it to. Some are aggressive to the point of being invasive, while others have redeeming qualities you might want to consider before eradication efforts begin. (We’re talking about you, white clover.) Read on for all you need to identify the most common yard and garden weeds, plus tips for treatment. Download a PDF version of this chart....

Can You Paint Vinyl Windows? Most often, homeowners purchase vinyl windows in the color they like, avoiding the need for paint. Situations may arise where you’d want to paint them. So, can you? The answer isn’t simple. Yes, you can, but we wouldn’t recommend it. Here, we’ll outline what it takes to paint vinyl windows, the risks involved and how to do it right if you take this on. Risks Of Painting Vinyl Windows First, let’s talk about the risks....

What can power stations do? Where will you use one? What will you plug in? How much should you spend? We looked at a few options and tested the GoalZero Yeti 1500X on a jobsite to help you choose the right generator for your needs. What is the GoalZero Yeti 1500X Power Station? Family Handyman On This Page Is it a generator or power station? They’re all called “generators,” but that’s not accurate....

Photo Courtesy of Dewalt A New Heavy Hitter We expect a lot from our sledgehammers. We want an indestructible head and a handle that can withstand overstrike. We also want a tool to be the ideal weight: heavy enough to bust through concrete yet light enough to swing all day. With most sledges you get two out of three—but one company has upped the score. DeWalt EXOCORE sledgehammers feature composite carbon fiber handles that are durable and seemingly immune to overstrike damage....

Hearing the term “modular construction” may prompt many different reactions. For some, it harkens back to the visionary designs of the Atomic Age, when architects developed housing prototypes for the Jetsons-like future they envisioned. For others, it evokes cheap, prefab housing of the 1980s, when modular houses looked like one strong wind would carry them off, Wizard of Oz-style. Suffice it to say, modular construction has come a long way. Today, modular homes come in every shape and size, including ultra-efficient tiny houses, affordable multi-family units, comfortable suburban homes and luxury homes with every bell and whistle....

family handyman How to Choose the Right Breathing Protection for Your Projects Much DIY work produces dust and/or fumes. I’s essential to protect your lungs from both; there’s no amount of dust or vapor that’s good for your lungs. And the harm is cumulative. The more work you do without protection, the more damage you’re doing. So if you’re producing dust or using finishes or solvents, use the proper mask....

If you’ve driven or walked down a street and spotted tree trunks wrapped with sheet metal, you may have been stumped. These reflective, metal cuffs can be seen everywhere from Charlotte to Los Angeles to Miami to Northern Maine. So what gives? Hint: These tree accessories are less about flash and more about protecting the tree from unwanted pests such as squirrels, rats and raccoons. Why Do People Wrap Metal Around Their Trees?...

Fall leaves are beautiful, but they can also be a real pain when it comes time to clean your yard. If you find yourself wishing for an affordable way to spend less time on lawn maintenance, consider investing in a leaf blower. You’ll probably never be able to throw your leaf rake in the trash. But with a powerful enough leaf blower, you can dispose of leaves and even other yard waste such as small sticks, dirt and debris....

Move over hot water bottles, hand warmers and earmuffs — the outdoor heated blanket is here. As the cold weather approaches, wouldn’t it be nice to spend more time dining, camping or socializing alfresco? An outdoor heated blanket is a real patio game-changer that takes the chill off when there’s a nip in the air. What Is An Outdoor Heated Blanket? Similar to the common indoor electric blanket, outdoor heated blankets (sometimes called stadium blankets) are portable and often untethered by cords....

Cutting dado joints is a great skill for beginning woodworkers to develop. Dado joints are particularly helpful when making beginner-friendly projects like bookshelves. What Is a Dado Joint? A dado joint connects the end of one piece of wood to the side of another, creating a right angle. You start by cutting a slot across the grain of the one board. This dado slot has a bottom and two sides, or “shoulders....

If a colorful appliance and lighthearted energy are what you’re looking for when it comes to a refrigerator, then this is the refrigerator for you. LG recently launched a line of color-changing mood refrigerators that are the feel-good appliances we need in 2023. The LG MoodUP refrigerator was unveiled at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, and we have a feeling it’s going to be everywhere this year. What Is the LG MoodUP Refrigerator?...

In the past year, I’ve done three appliance repairs that I’m sure would have cost me three or four hundred dollars if I would have called a repair service. All of these are common problems that are cheap and easy to fix. Front loading washer wouldn’t drain properly Remove the front panel. Look for the screws that hold the front panel on and remove them. You’ll probably need a hex driver for this....

Jet skis are great fun, and although I don’t own one (yet), I get on one every chance I get. Luckily for me, a good friend owns one and lets me take it for a spin from time to time during the summer. Being practical-minded, I decided to pick my friend’s brain on how to winterize a jet ski so I’d know exactly what to do when I finally get one....

Cypress is a popular choice among woodworkers for outdoor furniture projects. Due to the natural oils in the wood, it’s among the most resistant to water damage and rot of the domestic American species. Considering using it for that patio furniture project you’ve been thinking about building? I will walk you through everything you need to know about cypress so you have the confidence to use it in your next woodworking project....

Did you know the average cost of kitchen cabinets for a remodel is around $11,000? While kitchen remodels often come with a healthy return on investment, that’s still one big bill. Imagine if some of that money could go toward appliances, flooring or other custom touches. That could be a reality if you choose to reface your cabinets instead of replacing them! Here’s what you need to know about kitchen cabinet refacing....

Shutterstock/ CapturePB Homeowners who had recently completed bathroom renovations named several driving factors behind their decisions to renovate, as well as any specific goals they were trying to accomplish through the renovation, according to a Houzz survey. The survey came back loaded with insight, including the top five reasons homeowners ultimately decided to renovate their bathroom. We’ve gone through the results and pulled out some relevant info that will help construction pros understand what their clients are trying to get out of their bathroom renovation and what they can do to accommodate those needs....