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It seems like clockwork. Every spring, I read countless articles in local publications signaling a record year for some fill-in-the-blank pest. This year in Minnesota, articles warned of record mosquito and tick populations in the northern half of our state. With summer looming, I heard of a new insect repellent that sounded intriguing. So I grabbed a three-pack of Ranger Ready Repellent for a long weekend with my family in lake country....

If you’re looking for firewood in the U.S., you’ll be buying it by the cord or fraction thereof. The term originated around the 16th century and referred to the length of the cord used to bundle the wood together. It isn’t common internationally, though countries such as New Zealand and Canada do use it. Because it originated when the Imperial measurement system was prevalent, a cord is defined by feet. Countries that adopted the metric system, including Canada, measure firewood in multiples of a stere, a unit based on meters....

Because they’re below grade and close to the water table, basements tend to be damp. That can be a major issue for anyone hoping to finish their basement, because drywall, flooring and interior paint all perform poorly in damp conditions. It’s a problem even for those who leave their basement unfinished. Dampness promotes the growth of unhealthy mold, and standing water can render parts of the basement unusable. If you’ve got a basement moisture issue, you’re probably wondering about your best options....

Suppose you’re measuring a house for new hardwood flooring. You measure along perpendicular walls in each room, avoiding obstacles, with a helper holding the other end of the tape. Then you write down the numbers, multiply them to get the area in each space, and add everything up. What if you had a device that took these measurements while you stood in a corner of the room, performed the calculations automatically, and stored them while you moved from room to room?...

A lot of people with a 100-year-old back door like mine would replace it with a new, energy-efficient one. But I like to save money when I can, plus I like to avoid tearing out parts that are original to the house. So I decided to restore the old door rather than replace it. This approach saved me several hundred dollars and all of the extra work associated with installing a new door....

The common bed bug (Cimex lectularius) is a tiny, parasitic insect that can sneak into your home in search of human and animal blood. They typically hide in the seams of mattresses, sofas and recliners — virtually anywhere warm bodies sit or lie down. According to a 2018 study, 91 percent of bed bugs were discovered in single-family homes and 89 percent in apartments. If you do have a bed bug infestation, don’t be too hard on yourself — the reason has little to do with cleanliness....

We winterize our houses and cars, so why not winterize our garden as well? The truth is, most of us do it without really thinking about it. Every time you rake the lawn or harvest your last bushel of tomatoes before frost, you’re taking a few cursory steps toward winterizing your garden. But there’s more to it. Here’s why it’s important to winterize a vegetable garden, what tools you’ll need and how to actually do it....

Family Handyman Credit or Loans? Zero Percent or Low-Interest Credit Cards If you have decent credit, you probably receive offers for zero percent interest credit cards. These are new credit cards, or checks you can use with cards you already have. Credit Karma advises that these offers are best for projects under $15,000 because it’s easier to pay off the loan within the low-interest-rate timeline, which is usually 12 to 18 months....

Generations of kids have enjoyed kiddie pools during the dog days of summer. Here’s what’s worth knowing before buying one for your family. What is a Kiddie Pool? As its name implies, a kiddie pool is a small pool designed for children. It usually measures between three and five feet in diameter and is made of inflatable or hard plastic. On This Page Types of Kiddie Pools Inflatable kiddie pools are made of soft plastic that you inflate with air....

Space heaters bring warmth and comfort to frosty winters. They also bring fire risks. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) reports that space heaters cause four out of five deaths from home heating fires. “Space heaters are great appliances to have around to quickly take the chill out of a room, but they require some basic vigilance and smart use,” says Daniel Kosinski, an air filtration merchant at Ace Hardware....

A ceiling fan can help keep your home cool in the summer and warm in the winter. But did you know you should change the direction your ceiling fan spins from season to season? Why It Matters Ceiling fans help circulate air in your home. While most people are familiar with the cooling effect that circulating air can have during the warm-weather months, they may not realize that circulating air can help keep your home warm when the temperatures turn cool....

Construction Pro Tips Nick Slavik has worked in the painting industry since middle school. You read that right. He started with his dad’s painting company as an 11-year-old before founding his own firm fourteen years later. Slavik has been active in the trade ever since, learning a lot along the way. We talked with Slavik to find out five things he wishes he would have known before making painting his career of choice....

I had a rough initiation into the world of furnace maintenance. I purchased my first home in 2003, but its gas furnace looked like it was manufactured during the Carter administration. It cost a huge amount of money to operate and habitually switched itself off at inopportune times. We gave it a nickname, Clarice, because we had to visit so frequently to relight the pilot light. Knowing what I know now, I could probably have squeezed a few more years of service from Clarice....

Speaking to a room full of girls at the Tools & Tiaras’ 2022 summer camp, plumber Judaline Cassidy asks, “Who is awesome? Who is strong? Who is fearless?” “I am!” they yell back. They mean it. These girls just spent the week learning how to bend conduit, lay brick, design faucets, use drills and wrenches and roll paint, all while finding pride in their accomplishments. It’s particularly fun today because Second Gentleman Douglas Emhoff is in the room, rocking “girl power” safety glasses for their sheet metal workshop....

A garage door can make or break a visitor’s first impression of your home. If your garage door has seen better days, it may be time for an upgrade. Few home exterior upgrades can boost a home’s curb appeal as quickly and affordably as a new garage door – especially when the garage door is front and center. If it’s been a while since you shopped for a new garage door, Clopay, a leading garage-door manufacturer, can walk you through an easy, simplified and fun process that takes just a few steps....

Gas pump handles and keypads see a lot of hands every day, along with many other public surfaces like door handles, shopping carts, mailboxes and hand dryers. While transmission of viruses is far less likely by contact with surfaces than direct contact with an infected person, some viruses can live on surfaces up to 48 hours, or even 72 hours on hard surfaces like metal and plastic. Consequently, it doesn’t hurt to be careful, especially if you or people around you have particular health risk factors....

Hammer drills and impact drivers are some of the most frequently confused tools for new DIYers. The confusion is understandable. After all, both are loud, feature a striking mechanism and drive fasteners. The truth is, these tools are actually different. While they may sound and look similar and even share some functions, they have their own specific strengths and weaknesses. What Is a Hammer Drill? A hammer drill is a power drill used to bore holes through tough surfaces....

YAKOBCHUK VIACHESLAV/Shutterstock After a catastrophic engine failure, you face a difficult decision: Do you replace the engine or write it off and buy another vehicle? How Much Does It Cost to Replace an Engine? The answer to this question varies depending upon three key factors: the size and complexity of the engine involved, the shop rate at the facility you have chosen to do the work and whether you replace with a used, rebuilt or new engine....

Over time, calcium and hard water buildup can block faucets and shower heads, preventing maximum water flow and hampering water pressure. In extreme cases, it might be necessary to break out your tools and take apart these plumbing fixtures to really dig in and remove all of the gunk. Most of the time, though, faucets and shower heads can be cleaned without removing them, using a few common household items. Read on to learn how to clean a shower head with vinegar....

RealPeopleGroup/Getty Images According to a new study by researchers from the University of Texas at Austin, construction workers were five times more likely to be hospitalized from COVID-19 than workers in other occupations. The study, which the researchers believe to be the first of its kind, analyzed hospitalization data in Austin, Tex., from mid-March to mid-August. The main explanation for the high level of vulnerability? Construction work continued throughout the pandemic, with workers unable to simply “work from home....