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Plumbers make strange discoveries in the homes and buildings they service all the time. But rarely are they ever as lucrative as the secret stash a plumber stumbled upon a few weeks ago in Houston, Texas. The plumber, identified by Houston media as Justin Cauley, made the find while removing tile from a bathroom wall at Lakewood Church, the megachurch of celebrity pastor and televangelist Joel Osteen. As the plumber peeled tiles and insulation away from the wall, envelopes filled with cash began to fall out....

Now is the perfect time to create the outdoor space of your dreams. The Overstock Patio Super Sale is here! You’ll find great deals on thousands of items including patio furniture, outdoor decor, umbrellas and even grills — everything you need to enjoy a warm summer evening out on the deck with friends and family. Read on for a complete rundown on the sale. Plus, take a peek at a few of the outdoor products we’ve got our eye on (and their amazing prices)....

You found a house in your dream neighborhood. It has the right number of bedrooms, bathrooms and a nice backyard. It’s just what you were looking for. Then you learn it is being sold “as is.” That house that seemed so perfect now seems a bit frightening. Follow these 100 tips when buying a house. Selling as house “as is” basically means the seller will make no repairs or improvements and is selling the house in its current condition, according to realtor....

I used to love the smell of my clothes, fresh out of the dryer, fluffed and perfumed by conventional laundry products. I thought those aromas were what “clean” smelled like. Turns out it was just a thought some marketing experts put in my head. Now that I know how harmful some of those synthetic chemical ingredients are to my family and the natural world, I can hardly stand the smell....

KenTannenbuam/Shutterstock As everyone grows older, we all seem to share the same talent: accumulating stuff. After some years go by, and the messy basement beckons you to finally eliminate your surplus belongings, you might be stuck with goods that you cannot, or should not, donate. Instead of adding them to the landfill, consider upcycling these items for handy uses around the house! Clothing When you’ve finally decided that you can’t fit into (or just don’t want to wear) your old acid-wash jeans, maybe it’s time to think about how you can reuse them....

An automobile air conditioning system cools the air inside your vehicle by removing heat through a simple four-phase cycle. Although an automotive AC system has few moving parts, diagnosing why your car is blowing warm air can be tricky. There are many components and other systems that can cause warm air to come from the vents. Here are the common causes an AC system is not blowing cold air. Plus, check out these ten car problems you can easily fix yourself....

Invented in the 1930s, window unit air conditioners gained wider use after World War II, becoming a staple in some American homes until the creation of central air conditioning in the 1970s. They’re still a great option for homes lacking central air, or when one or more rooms don’t get quite as cool as the rest of the house. If you’re in the market, here’s what you need to know about selecting, installing and maintaining a window air conditioner....

By thoughtfully arranging outdoor furniture and decor, and choosing fabrics that withstand the elements, you’ll have a space that you — and your guests — will never want to leave. Here are five ways to create a patio oasis, with the help of Sunbrella® fabrics. 1. Add an Awning for a Retractable Ceiling Rain clouds or sunshine, having the option to take cover is key. Try an awning; they’re not just for storefronts....

Evaporative coolers — commonly known as “swamp coolers” but also called evaporative air conditioners, desert coolers, wet air coolers and even swamp boxes — have been around in their modern form since the 1930s. But the basic concept can be traced to the ancient Egyptians, who discovered hot, dry breezes could be made pleasantly cool and moist when blown through damp reed mats, or past porous clay pots filled with water....

“Cleanliness is next to godliness!” Seems like questionable theology to me. But my aunt believes it, so the white, powdery stuff on her floor grout was driving her crazy. She kept scrubbing it away and it kept coming back. Like Satan. The Devil had nothing to do with it, though. The problem is called “efflorescence” and is caused when moisture leaves masonry. The moisture carries minerals to the surface, then evaporates, leaving salty deposits behind....

Armyworms are so named because they invade in large numbers like a battalion of plant-eating soldiers, leaving a path of lawn death and destruction behind them. These plump pests feed on turfgrass and create large brown, dead patches scattered across your yard. When you spot armyworm moths and their larvae in your lawn, you need to act fast to head off an infestation. “Armyworm moths can lay up to 2,000 eggs that hatch in two or three days and there are usually around four to five generations per year,” says Drew Wagner of Sod Solutions....

When I was growing up, hedge cactus (AKA Peruvian apple cactus) covered the backyard of my California home. These spindly, silvery-green plants with long, menacing needles had tree-like stalks that towered over me. The plants were between 25 and 30 feet tall, and more than a century old. One old trunk in particular is seared into my memory because my father carved his name in it with a pocket knife. It read, “Luke 1930,” which would have made my dad about 12 years old when he did it....

Living in Minnesota, there are four or five weeks a year I dread. Those few in January or February where the temperature never makes it above 2 degrees. And the dog days of summer, where the temp pushes 100 degrees and I break into a sweat taking out the garbage or retrieving the morning paper. If I had to choose, I’d take the Arctic cold, because you can always layer up, grab a sweater or a down jacket....

Introduction to Saw Blades Saw blades seldom get the attention they deserve. You might purchase them based on price, or grab what’s on the shelf in the correct size, and think it’ll be OK. It probably will be … just OK. The right saw blade will produce cleaner and more accurate cuts, and do it safely. That means better DIY results the first time. On This Page Here’s what you need to know about blades for table, miter and circular saws....

How to Keep a Moving Truck Secure When moving out of state, chances are you’ll need to park your moving truck or van at least once overnight, and several times for gas and food breaks. Unfortunately, moving trucks are targets for thieves. However, there are a few easy steps you can take to safeguard your things. On This Page Prevent Moving Truck Theft with a Sturdy Lock A cheap padlock from an old high school locker is easy to snip with bolt cutters....

Somewhere, somehow, after the joy of turning our cheeks and chins yellow, chaining them together for flower crowns and making wishes on them faded, we learned that dandelions were actually the scourge of lawns everywhere. While they do tend to be persistent and hardy, punctuating lush green lawns, dandelions have a lot to offer, and we have a few things to unlearn. Here are seven reasons why we might want to let those hopelessly optimistic, stubborn yellow flowers stick around....

Brought to you by Succulents, with their interesting shapes and colors, have become increasingly popular in the landscape. While larger succulents are often used singly as accent or container plants, smaller succulents are getting a second look for use as ground covers. As with other succulents, they are attractive, drought-tolerant and low-maintenance. Here are 8 low-growing succulents for you to try in your garden. It’s important to note that all plants profiled below require well-drained soil and, in many cases, some supplemental watering....

Shutterstock Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are leaving London. Causing something of a stir among royal watchers, they’ve decided to make their home at Frogmore Cottage on the Frogmore estate in the grounds of Windsor Castle. The cottage is a personal gift from The Queen. Located about an hour’s drive from London, and around a mile and a half from Windsor castle itself, Frogmore cottage has been home to several people with royal connections....

via amazon.comOpen, close, repeat. That’s the sweet and simple life of a door. And you can thank the ball bearing door hinge when it happens consistently without a hitch—or a squeak. Doors sagging or sticking? Watch this video to learn how to fix them: What Are Ball Bearing Hinges? Ball bearing hinges look very similar to standard butt hinges. The difference lies at the pivot point, where there are hidden bearings placed between the knuckles of the hinge, either between each knuckle (for heaviest applications) or just a couple of the knuckles....

What Are Flash Floods? A flash flood isn’t defined by how big or dangerous it is. Instead, what makes it a “flash flood” is how fast it hits. On This Page Technically, a flash flood is any flood that begins within six hours of heavy rainfall. They’re not typically caused by a mechanical failure like a burst pipe, a blocked drain or a malfunctioning sump pump. Instead, flash floods occur when the amount of rainfall is just too much for drains and soil to absorb....