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Many of us are spending more time at home in 2020, which could mean having more time to take on home improvement projects. But home renovations aren’t just a way to fill time; you want the results to be worth the hard work. The key to any successful project lies in careful planning — including financial strategizing — long before the power tools come out. Roughly three in five American homeowners (61 percent) have taken on home improvement projects since March 1, 2020, spending $6,438 on average....

A camshaft uses egg-shaped “cams” to open and close engine valves (one cam per valve), while a crankshaft converts “cranks” (the up/down motion of the pistons) to rotational motion. What Is a Camshaft? Located in the “top end” of an engine, the camshaft is a critical part of the valve train that allows air and fuel to enter the combustion chamber (the space above a piston) and exhaust gases out after they burn....

Summer can take a lot out of your lawn. Hot, dry conditions and heavy shade cause the most grass damage. Outbreaks of disease and insect activity can make matters worse. And if you have kids or pets, your lawn may be worn to shreds, exposing the soil beneath. Not good! General yard maintenance helps. But like other home assets, such as your exterior walls and kitchen appliances, the amount of TLC you give your lawn can go a long way....

Whether it’s been there for decades or part of a modern build, a brick fireplace adds authenticity and warmth to any home. It conveys a sense of sturdy longevity that few other interior features can impart. “Exposed interior brick is a beautiful addition to any home, and commonly appears on fireplace mantels because it’s fireproof,” says Alex Forte, a fire safety merchant at The Home Depot. But the more you use your fireplace, Forte says “the more dust, dirt, ash, and soot can build up over time....

Like castor oil and apple cider vinegar, baking soda is one of those old-school kitchen pantry staples celebrated as a cure-all for everything from health problems to school science projects. Gardeners often tout it as a safe and healthy way to prevent common gardening headaches like pests and diseases. But is this just another gardening hack that’s too good to be true? “Like most things, the answer is, it depends,” says Em Shipman, executive director of KidsGardening....

RainStar/Getty Images The coronavirus pandemic has certainly taken a toll on the national and global economy, changing the ways businesses operate and how people across the world perform their everyday jobs. And while the construction industry in the United States has certainly been an economic bright spot over the last few months, it has its own COVID-19 challenges. But while it’s easy to spot the obvious ways this pandemic has altered businesses, specific effects on productivity are harder to quantify....

Everything You Need to Know About Central Air Have you ever wondered what exactly people mean when they talk about central air conditioning? Or maybe you’re in the market for a new central air conditioner? Here are the basics of central air, and how to choose a system that works for your needs. On This Page How Does Central Air Work? A central air conditioner cools in a single location, then distributes that cooled air throughout the house using a series of fans and ducts....

Construction Pro Tips Carbide 101 We’ve all been there, standing in the tool aisle with a carbide saw blade in one hand and a tungsten carbide blade in the other. What’s the difference and, more important, which is better? Turns out, the first question is easier to answer than the second—it’s likely that both blades are tungsten carbide. What is carbide? Did you know that it is technically incorrect to refer to carbide as just “carbide”?...

Stemming from the Latin word for tree, arbors give gardens a vertical punch. Ever since Romans sought shade from the blazing sun under arched garden arbors, they’ve been a go-to item to lend shade and beauty. Read on for key considerations when purchasing or building an arbor for your outdoor space. What Is an Arbor? An arbor is a shelter of vines or branches, often climbing over latticework. An arbor typically defines an entryway or covers an alcove, creating dappled shade for small seating areas and pathways....

When it comes to heating your home, there are few options more versatile than baseboard heaters. They can be used as a primary heat source in a smaller building, a supplemental heat source in a larger home, or a zoned heat source for individual rooms. Their ability to generate a considerable amount of heat without requiring an expensive central heating system made them a popular choice in older homes. They are also relatively affordable, operate quietly and can last up to 20 years with little maintenance....

Sponsored by HOMAX® Pros charge a bundle to apply wall texture. After partnering with HOMAX® for this post, I found out how easy it is to do it yourself with HOMAX® Pro Grade™ Wall Texture for a fraction of the price of a pro. You don’t even need any special equipment, except a drywall-taping knife for knockdown texture. Use this aerosol wall texture spray to texture over a drywall repair or texture an entire wall....

Humans have been grilling food since the domestication of fire. This outdoor ritual eventually went indoors, evolving into the ease and predictability of the modern kitchen. Cooking went outdoors again with the post-war boom that brought us the “Weber” style charcoal grill. Today, there’s a renaissance of grilling, with grills becoming extensions of our kitchens. Are you considering a new grill and want to get the most out of it? Knowing how your grill works is the foundation for great food....

This month, John Deere announced the immediate recall of two of its popular lawn tractors due to a risk of crash and injury. Here’s everything you need to know about the recall, including how to determine if it impacts you. Why Were They Recalled? According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (USCPSC), the wheel hubs on two models were “not manufactured to specifications and can fail, causing the tractor to lose braking and propulsion, posing crash and injury hazards....

It’s a bitterly cold and stormy holiday weekend, so Murphy’s Law dictates that your furnace will go on the blink. If this happens, what should you do? If you’re not fortunate enough to have a personal HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) professional on speed dial when your furnace won’t fire, save time, money (and your weekend) by learning about the mysterious and always useful furnace switch. What Is the Furnace Switch For?...

Brought to you by Most of us would like to carve out more space in our homes, and converting the attic is one way of boosting square footage. Whether you’re transforming yours into an extra bedroom, a home office or a living space, you might need to overcome sloping walls and tricky angles, which can be a challenge when it comes to storage. But that just means you have to be smart about it....

As a country, we’re decent about some of our recycling. We successfully process about two-thirds of our aluminum and paper and about one-third of our glass back into new products. But when it comes to the more than 200 pounds of plastic waste each of us generates per year, we only put about 15 percent of it into recycle bins. And only about five percent actually gets recycled. “Recycling of paper, cardboard, metal and glass is definitely worth it,” says Judith Enck, president of Beyond Plastics and a former regional administrator for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)....

Why Lawn Mower Oil Matters Like all internal combustion engines, lawn mower engines need oil to run. Even simple engines have many moving parts, often designed to work at extremely high speeds and temperatures. This is why the lubricating and cooling action of oil is essential. Without it, your lawn mower’s engine would quickly overheat, seize and be ruined. On This Page Lawn Mower Oil Types Motor oil comes in different grades, based on viscosity and how the oil behaves at different temperatures....

Jaemsri praikajee/Shutterstock You’ve just cut down a tree and there’s a stump. Now what? Well, you could hire a tree removal company to grind the tree stump to smithereens (often costing more than $100). Or you could rent a grinder and do it yourself. Here’s how to grind a tree stump yourself. Some people cut the tree stump as close to the ground as possible and cover with soil. Others use it as a pedestal for garden art....

Once you’ve signed and closed on your new home, the work continues! There are so many projects you can do in the first few months as well as within the first year. Whether you’re looking at the interior of your home and considering upgrading the walls with a fresh coat of paint or if you’re looking at the exterior and considering new landscaping ideas, being a new homeowner is a labor of love....

Two centuries ago, the earliest soil scientists discovered that ground-up bones contributed something important to fertile soil. That prompted impoverished Western farmers to gather buffalo bones from the prairies as bone meal fertilizer. Since then, it’s become commonplace to use bone meal every time flowers, particularly bulbs, are planted. Read on to find out what bone meal is, when to apply it and how to make your own. What Is Bone Meal?...