Even with the relatively clean air where I live in Minnesota, I wonder about my home’s indoor air quality. Smoke from wildfires hundreds of miles away, fumes from construction projects, chemicals sprayed on neighboring yards, my own drywall project … who knows what’s in the air I breathe? Here’s what I do know about: The potential harmful effects of air pollutants, from a nagging cough to asthma symptoms to long-term lung conditions....
For thousands of years, birds and humans in North America have relied on native sunflowers for sustenance. About 500 years ago, Spanish conquistadors brought sunflower seeds back across the Atlantic Ocean to Europe and beyond. Now they’re a staple for people and backyard birds around the world. “Sunflower seeds are one of the more popular seeds to feed birds, whether alone or in blends,” says Brian Cunningham, product and hobby education manager for Wild Birds Unlimited....
There aren’t many of us who would actually want to buy a product that’s bad for our health, our air or our forests. So when we’re browsing aisles at the home improvement or grocery store, it’s only natural to reach for labels that say “natural” or “eco-friendly.” But our purchasing decisions are linked to corporate profits, and that’s when things can get tricky. Some unscrupulous companies make you think their products are green when they really aren’t, a sleight-of-hand known as greenwashing...
After surviving Hurricane Ida’s 150-mile-per-hour winds and historic rainfall in 2021, people in Louisiana and Mississippi faced electrical failures as well as food and fuel shortages. The hurricane also pummeled the New York City metro area, causing tornadoes and flash flooding that shut down the world’s largest public transit system. From the Gulf to the Big Apple, renters and owners faced the same problem: How do you clean up after so much water?...
Nothing is more annoying than stopping to fill an under-inflated tire every week or two. Of course the first thing you look for is a puncture or tear. It’s normal for tires to lose a few PSI (pounds per square inch) of air due to temperature changes. However, if temperatures remain consistent and your tires constantly lose pressure, there is a leak that needs attention. Age, exposure to contaminants and stress can cause parts of your tire and rim (wheel) to fail....
Family Handyman A power outage is more than an inconvenience; it can lead to expensive repairs and may even be dangerous to you and your family. These tips will help you protect yourself, your wallet and maintain some conveniences in a blackout. Prepare for Power Surges As utility companies work to restore power, the whole grid becomes unstable. And that leads to power surges, which can destroy electronics. So unplug and switch off everything in your home during a blackout....
Urine. Vomit. Claw marks. Tables chewed to smithereens. If you’ve been a dog or cat owner for any length of time, you’ve probably seen all of this — and more. Furniture damage is simply a part of life when you own a pet. “If you are extremely concerned about (damage), you may not want to have a pet in your home,” says Dr. Mikel Maria Delgado of Feline Minds Cat Behavior Consulting....
Big and ruffly, fragrant and elegant, peonies have been a favorite perennial flower for more than a century. Swenson Gardens owner Becky Swenson says, “There’s a lot of emotion connected to peonies.” And she should know! Her company has 15,000 peony plants and about 250 varieties, which makes them the world’s largest hybridizer of new peony varieties. Peonies grow in most U.S. states, including Alaska, with varieties that can handle USDA Plant Hardiness Zones 2 through 8....
Fecundap stock/Shutterstock Whether it’s an office mishap or a marker-wielding rogue toddler, getting ink on your clothes is annoying. But the good news is an ink accident doesn’t mean your favorite shirt is ruined. With the proper stain treatment your garment will be as good as new. Ready to find out how to remove ink from clothes once and far all? Read on for a few simple tips and tricks....
Buying a home is one of the biggest purchases and decisions you will make in your lifetime. When you finally save up enough and decide you’re done renting or living at your parents’ house, the home purchase process can be as exciting as it is stressful. Like many firsts in life — love, pet, car, best friend — you always remember your first home purchase. To give you an advantage, here are some things I wish I knew before buying my first home....
Brick offers permanence and security unmatched by other building materials. It’s no wonder we choose brick so frequently to construct our homes. If you’ve smartly invested in a beautiful brick facade, get used to looking at it for a long time. Brick exteriors, unlike siding material like wood, can easily last 100 years or more, according to the International Association of Certified Home Inspectors. However, you can change the look of your brick without knocking it down and starting over....
At the Getaway, we wanted a full-view experience of the scenery — to see the lake shimmering in the sunlight, smell the ponderosa pines and hear the song of a red-winged blackbird. We love that and want to be closer to it, so a simple screen door is not enough. We decided a roll-up glass wall to our deck would enhance all of the senses and nearly double the square footage of our main living area....
Fall. The time of year to pick up leaves, fortify your house against the coming cold and winterize your irrigation system. Blowing the water out of the irrigation lines is a crucial part of home maintenance. Once the temperatures start falling, water left in the lines can freeze and burst, costing you a lot of money in repairs. Every landscape service company has different charges which vary by location. In Minnesota, prices average around $80 to have your sprinkler system blown out each fall....
Many barbecue enthusiasts consider smoking meat an art form that requires craftsmanship, patience and dedication to create a culinary masterpiece. But if you don’t have all day to stoke a fire like a professional pit master, today’s smoker grills can help you achieve the taste you love and still leave you free to enjoy your cookout. Curious? Read on. What Is a Smoker Grill? A smoker grill is an outdoor appliance that can smoke and grill food....
Supply chain issues have caused shortages of products and goods across the globe since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic. Still, very few commodities have had as much of a rollercoaster ride over the last year-and-a-half as lumber. Lumber was in short supply for much of 2020 and 2021, driving prices to historic levels, before leveling off this past summer as supply finally caught up to demand. The lumber supply is beginning to tighten once again and prices are trending upwards in response....
Sponsored by Black Flag® Insecticides Every year I get an invasion of enormous black ants. They march along the floor, gather in my sink, and parade all over my kitchen countertops. The highest concentration seems to be around the bottom of my dishwasher. I’ve checked for holes in my siding but can’t find any. I have no idea how they’re getting in. My usual routine is to spray ant killer around the base of the dishwasher as well as the kitchen baseboard and the patio door threshold....
taviphoto/Shutterstock Wood floors are durable and lend warmth to your home, but they take regular maintenance to keep them looking their best. Here’s what you need to know about how to clean your wood floors, from daily quick-cleans to more in-depth refreshes. How Often Should You Clean Wood Floors? Sweep or wipe your wood floors with a dust mop daily. Use a soft-bristled broom, or a soft cloth or microfiber dust mop like this Temples Pride microfiber mop, in order to avoid scratches....
Back in the early days of electricity, lab workers could measure electric current in a circuit using an ammeter (galvanometer) and voltage using a voltmeter. From there, they could calculate resistance. In 1920, British postal engineer Donald Macadie invented the AVOmeter, which measured all three quantities (A = amps, V = volts, O = ohms). Soon after, electricians working in the field got their hands on somewhat portable versions of this invention....
After cutting the caulk tube nozzle to the angle and size I want, I mark the top of the nozzle with a marker. This makes it a lot easier to orient the tip when I’m applying the caulk. — Skip Withington Check out a cool way to plug caulk tubes and organize them in one fell swoop. Plus: Tips For Caulking 1 / 15 Family Handyman Clean the Spout With a Screw It seems you can never seal the cut tip of a partial tube well enough....
Family Handyman A deck that’s not maintained can become unsafe and unsightly. If this sounds like your deck and you want to upgrade to a maintenance-free outdoor living space, consider a “re-deck.” The job of ripping up and replacing deck boards might seem straightforward, but you could run into problems. With these tips, you’ll avoid major pitfalls and give your deck a whole new life. Demo the Decking On This Page...
