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DeWalt Mechanics Tool Kit and Socket Set via merchant We’ve tested DeWalt tools before—including their job site saw, socket wrench and drill bits. DeWalt’s 108-piece mechanics tool set, a steal at 57% off, has everything the mechanic (or car newbie) needs to change oil, make intermediate repairs and perform upkeep on their car. Keep a set in the trunk for impromptu repairs on the road. Be prepared for anything! (Here are even more winter car deals....

Family Handyman When you’re up on a ladder washing windows, it can be a hassle to keep all your equipment within easy reach. I loop my belt through the handles of two old plastic shopping bags so they hang at my sides. I put window spray and a roll of paper towels in one bag and my used paper towels in the other. I look a little goofy (or a lot), but it sure beats going up and down the ladder to retrieve a dropped roll of paper towels....

Not sure which system you have? Four-wheel-drive systems are offered in many configurations such as part time, full time, manual shift, on-the-fly shifting, and fully automatic. Each 4 wheel drive system has its own requirements for how you engage and disengage it and when you can operate the vehicle in 4WD mode. If you’re unsure which 4 wheel drive system you have, ask a dealer, who can figure it out from your VIN....

In theory, the ability to remotely start your car without leaving your home by pressing a few buttons on your key fob seems like a win-win proposition. But like many things that seem too good to be true, remote starters are not without their detractors. There are a few negative perceptions around the idea of starting a car remotely, with some people believing it puts unnecessary strain on engines and others saying it can prematurely drain batteries....

You wouldn’t ignore changes in your health because you know that may lead to bigger problems. The same is true for your car. Paying attention to some common car warning signs can prevent a lot of trouble down the road. Dashboard Warnings Today’s onboard diagnostics are like having an electronic mechanic continuously checking your car and alerting you when something’s amiss. Your owner’s manual describes all the warning lights and what they mean....

Winter days are short, but we can all agree that winter feels like the longest season. And there’s still a lot of winter left. That means snowstorms, blizzards and icy accumulation. If you’re still spending frigid mornings clearing the driveway and sidewalk with a shovel, it’s time to invest in a snow blower. (Here are 15 things you need to know about buying a snow blower.) Right now, Lowe’s has a deal on Craftsman gas snow blowers....

FAMILY HANDYMAN, VIA MERCHANT (5) As a professional woodworker and carpenter, Jess Hirsch is keenly aware of how many specialized tools her work requires. She has multiple toolboxes and tool bags to choose from depending on the kind of work she’s doing on a given day. Here are the tools Hirsch reaches for most on the job, whether she’s carving a sculpture or building a home. Kalthoff Carving Axe These carving axes are made by a blacksmith in Sweden....

Depending on where you live, the fall foliage situation might be a little different this year. We’re talking about leaves changing color and/or falling later than usual, or even falling off of trees without changing color much at all. If your typical fall routine involves spending breezy autumn afternoons enjoying the tree scene in all its splendor, what you’re seeing is probably disappointing. And what about all those fall lawn care chores you normally work into your weekend schedule?...

Meet the Pro Judaline Cassidy is a New York City-based plumber who has been working in the trades for more than 25 years. Over the course of her career, Judaline has become an advocate for women in the trades and gained valuable insight into what it takes to be a plumber. We spoke with her to get a better idea of her daily life on the job and asked her to give us a look at the most indispensable tools in her toolbox....

HVRIS/Shutterstock Ask a child where a king and queen live, and they’re likely to say a castle or a palace. But what’s the difference between the two? Here’s how to tell them apart. First, where do the terms come from? The word ‘castle’ comes from the Anglo-Norman French word ‘castel‘, which itself derives from the Latin word meaning ‘fort’. A castle is a fortified dwelling. In other words, there are many kinds of fortifications built for defense, but a castle is specifically used as a residence, as well....

Hickory is a tough cookie. As one of the densest and strongest American domestic hardwoods, it has a reputation for being tough as nails and difficult to work. However, for experienced woodworkers, it still has a place in the shop. Here, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know about hickory before your next woodworking project. What is Hickory Wood? Hickory is a hardwood — emphasis on the “hard.” Up to 12 species grow in the U....

Uses for fireplace ash? What’s left to use? The only thing I could think of involves lutefisk, a fish Scandinavians love if prepared properly, or hate if it’s not. Lutefisk is dried lingcod reconstituted with a lye solution, traditionally wood ashes mixed in water. Turns out there are a lot more uses for fireplace ash. Sharon Wilczek owner of Paul’s Fireplace Wood, Inc., in Little Falls, Minnesota, shared the following ingenious suggestions....

Los Gatos - Afrormosia Bringing back nostalgia-inducing movie franchises and retro-inspired styles is a predictable occurrence in the modern world. But there’s one vintage home trend that’s recently had a more unexpected comeback- the conversation pit. What are Conversation Pits? Conversation pits, which are essentially hollowed out and plushly furnished spaces in the floor made specifically for relaxing and, well, conversing, first became a major architectural trend in the early 1950s....

This is the time of year when I bring outdoor stuff indoors and garage storage space gets scarce. My favorite storage solution is to shove more and more stuff “up in the rafters.” And that got me thinking… how much weight can my roof trusses take? Here’s the official answer: Unless you have “storage trusses” specifically engineered for extra weight, you shouldn’t store anything in them. They’re designed to support your roof, not your junk....

Waleed Shah/Shutterstock ; via @JoannaStevensGaines/Facebook While we not-so-patiently wait for Chip and Joanna Gaines to launch their new TV network, we have to rely on former videos to get their clever DIY tips. In a former episode of HGTV’s Fixer Upper, Joanna Gaines shows viewers how to make a small bathroom space feel much, much bigger. Her tips are surprisingly simple and easy to do if you’re looking to make a smaller bathroom feel even bigger than it actually is....

Karen Serraga/Shutterstock Whether you’re planning on baking a delicious, spiced pumpkin pie, creating fall decorations, or just carving the best Lack-O Lantern on the block, you’ll likely be left with a pile of pumpkin seeds. So why not get ahead for next year’s harvest and save some for planting next spring? Here’s our foolproof guide to saving pumpkin seeds. After this, check out how you can save flower and vegetable seeds from your garden, too....

Dishwashers are great time savers, as long as they’re working properly. Growing up in a house where every dish was washed by hand, I have a particular appreciation for these miraculous machines. Trouble is, like most complex time-saving devices, they occasionally fail. Sometimes these failures are big, and obvious, like your dishwasher not cleaning dishes. Other times they’re smaller, but still hard to ignore. White streaks on dishes after a wash cycle is one way your dishwasher might let you down....

Springtime is traditionally the start of home buying season, a time when prospective sellers begin wondering if their home is ready for the market. An essential step in the process is some form of home inspection. The National Association of Realtors reports that almost six million new and existing homes were sold in 2018. With the majority of those sales involving a third-party inspection, it’s no wonder the Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts solid job growth for building and construction inspectors for the next decade....

Clearing snow off your car and driveway might be your main concern during a heavy snowfall, but don’t forget about your roof. Even light and fluffy snow can place a serious load on your rooftop, as well as create ice dams, which are ridges of ice that prevent melting snow from running off and can cause expensive water damage. Considering these risks, it’s clear that removing excess snow is essential to roof maintenance, and why a roof rake—like the Snow Joe Roof Rake—should be a primary piece of your snow-removal tool collection....

A skilled labor shortage in the U.S. construction industry has been a problem for more than a decade now. The industry lost hundreds of thousands of jobs in the recession that followed the 2008 housing crisis and never fully recovered. COVID-19 only worsened the problem. As it stands today, the Home Builder Institute predicts the industry needs to add 2.2 million more workers in the next three years to keep up with demands for housing....