Over the years, I’ve heard that a dozen times from a dozen appliance experts. Here’s why: The coils’ job is to dissipate the heat that’s removed from the fridge. But gradually, dust blankets the coils, so the fridge has to work harder to shed heat. That means higher electricity bills; I’ve heard estimates as high as $10 per month in wasted energy. Dirty coils also increase your odds of breakdowns....
A Soft and Controlled Add-On The pad of my random-orbital sander was a tad too firm for refining chair seats. It flattened out areas instead of creating the soft, subtle contours I was after. See my process below. This add-on also lets me unscrew the base and use it as a freehand sander to shape and sand legs, spindles and bowls I’m turning on the lathe. You can buy closed-cell foam at fabric stores or order it online from foamorder....
Sponsored by Intermatic You know you need a surge protection device for your computer and printer. But most homeowners never think about the need to protect the other electronics in their home. That’s a mistake because all electronic devices like flat panel TVs, DVD players, modem/wireless routers and audio equipment can be destroyed by power surges. Even newer appliances like washers, dryers, ranges, dishwashers, microwaves, garage door openers, and furnaces and A/C equipment contain expensive circuit boards that can be damaged by power surges....
When choosing the right toolbox for your needs, an age-old dilemma comes into play. Do I go with a smaller, easier-to-haul toolbox and carry fewer tools? Or a larger, more cumbersome toolbox with every tool I need for any DIY project, but takes an army to move? I’ve flip-flopped on this for years. At one point I lugged a toolbox so big and heavy I outfitted a furniture dolly with a custom-built rack, just so I could move it onto the jobsite....
Like it or not, winter is here. And depending on where you live, the forecast for this winter is looking like a real doozy. How do you prepare for winter storms? First of all, take care of some important tasks like weatherizing your home, procuring your stash of emergency supplies and familiarizing yourself with the various types of winter storm alerts that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) puts out as storms approach....
Caulking windows is one of the most cost-effective ways to reduce your heating bills. But how do you know where to start? Here are the top three things you should do to seal your windows for winter. Locate the Leaks Figure out where the biggest window leaks are so you can concentrate your time and money on fixing the worst problems. The best way to do this is by having an energy audit, including a blower-door test, done on your house....
Between shelter-in-place orders and a greater number of people working from home, road travel is the lowest it’s been in 20 years. Driving dropped as much as 48 percent in the early stages of the pandemic. If you’ve been driving less often than usual, you may be wondering how your vehicle’s oil change schedule might be affected. Read on to learn why changing your oil is still important, and determine whether you should make any changes to your vehicle’s routine maintenance schedule....
Have you ever searched for your home address on Google Maps? If so, you’re probably familiar with the eerie feeling of knowing that other people can find an up-close photograph of your house so quickly. You’re not alone if you’re uncomfortable with having your house on Google Maps. There are home security and safety concerns associated with having images of your home shown on the platform. Luckily, there’s a fix that can help....
Former U.S. President George H.W. Bush put broccoli in the headlines in 1990 when he declared on Air Force One that he never liked broccoli and didn’t want it served on the plane anymore. Whether you like broccoli or not, you should grow your own before completely dismissing it from your dinner table. There are many kinds to try, including early and mid-season varieties, plus purple broccoli and broccoli rabe....
May We Cut In? Painting walls can be a fun and easy DIY project – you can even get the kids involved. The tricky part to making your paint job look professional is the edging, also called “cutting in,” around the trim and ceiling. If you happen to be skilled with a paintbrush, you can freehand the cutting in. That’s how most pros do, but it’s time-consuming. You can also tape off the trim around the windows, the baseboard and the perimeter of the ceiling with painter’s tape, then cut it in with a paintbrush....
Emergency home repairs like leaky pipes and faulty furnaces can happen at any time. Of course, that includes cold and flu season, or any other time when a nasty virus is making the rounds. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to host a home repair provider and keep everyone healthy, too. Follow these seven tips from the pros to help ensure repairs are made as safely as possible. Schedule only essential jobs....
Courtesy of Honda For Honda Power Equipment’s 35th anniversary they released a new walk-behind mower that’s an improvement from their top-selling HRR mower. The wildly popular HRR was released in 1998 and has been their top selling mower for the past 20 years. Consumers have purchased more than 300,000 Honda HRR models per year—that’s comparable to the number of Honda Civics sold each year. They’ve completely redesigned the HRR from the ground up and have replaced it with the brand new HRN model....
Time is money, and when you have everyone from a general contractor (GC) to a landscaping team on the clock, the cost of building a new home adds up quickly. One creative way to control the bottom line is by taking on part of the labor yourself. “Industrious and creative people have many paths to the home of their dreams,” says general contractor and real estate broker Janie Coffey at The Coffey Team – Compass....
What is a non-contact voltage detector? A non-contact voltage detector is a device that can detect the presence or an electrical charge in a wire, cable, or piece of equipment without having to touch the object. Voltage detectors are primarily used by electricians and electrical technicians. They help confirm that an electrical circuit is turned off, so repairs can be made safely. Voltage detectors are also used to locate or troubleshoot faulty wiring and equipment....
Juan Ci and Vantage_DS/Shutterstock On This Page What to Know About Google Home It should come as no surprise that Google Home is great as a search engine. Ask it questions you’d type on Google, and you’ll be sure to get quick, clear responses that are on target with what you’re inquiring about. Google is also great at translating, ambient sounds and making restaurant recommendations. Perhaps its most exciting feature is the integration with all of Google’s apps, allowing you to access your Google Calendar, Gmail, Google Maps and more....
Hops are turning homebrewers into gardeners and gardeners into homebrewers. Gardeners like this fast-growing perennial vine as an attractive addition to the landscape as it twists its way up or across a support and displays its pretty cone-like flowers, which are the hops. For brewers, growing this key ingredient saves money and provides more options. Plus it’s easy and fun. Ready to grow? Here’s what you need to know. Hops Basics Hop vines (technically called “bines” because of how they climb a support) grow from rhizomes, a horizontal root that sends rootlets downward and stems upward....
Amid the trees and the lights and the tinsel of the holidays, all the merriment comes with a dose of caution: Some popular decorations pose fire hazards you need to be aware of. To keep yourself and your loved ones safe this holiday season, read on to learn about a few home fire hazards you can prevent with a little common sense. Pick the Right Tree The Christmas tree is probably the most iconic holiday decoration, and also one that could catch fire if not well taken care of....
Best Black Friday Patio Furniture Sales There’s a reason we love to shop for patio furniture in the fall and winter: Merchants such as Walmart, Target and Wayfair clear the summer stock from their warehouses, which means Black Friday patio furniture sales galore! Seasonal saving events like Black Friday are the best time to buy patio furniture for low prices. The hard part is locating the top discounts—that’s where we come in....
Houseplants can give your home fresh energy and color — if you can keep them alive. One of the trickiest things to balance is proper watering. Too much water, the leaves turn yellow. Too little, the leaves turn yellow. Full disclosure: My houseplants tend to die due to terrible neglect or too much water. Recently, I struggled with an over-watered Swedish ivy and an African violet that’s chronically under-watered. With both, I tried out bottom-watering....
Shoplifting is on the rise across the country. Organized retail crime operations are in full swing during the pandemic, with nefarious groups recruiting people to enter stores and steal items that are then sold on online marketplaces. Whereas eBay was once the primary site to fence stolen goods, thieves now have dozens of outlets. These theft rings cost retailers an average of $719,548 per $1 billion dollars in sales. To combat this rise, stores are resorting to new tactics to thwart would-be thieves....
