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Many of you probably know there’s a worldwide shortage of semiconductor computer chips. This massively impacts hundreds of industries that rely on these chips in their products, from large appliances to automobile manufacturing. A recent report from JPMorgan indicated the chip shortage isn’t expected to end soon, with experts predicting short supplies well into 2022. Here are three of the main factors that led to this global shortage. Increased Demand for Electronics The COVID-19 pandemic brought a wave of shutdowns that stalled activity at factories across the world....

Taking accurate measurements is a fundamental skill every woodworker or DIYer, whether amateur and professional, must master. Success in almost every other skill is dependent on this core proficiency. Unfortunately, there are some common bad habits you may unconsciously develop that can lead to poor measurements and bad cuts. That means wasted time, wasted money and a whole lot of frustration! Here are some of the most common bad measuring habits and how you can break them....

What To Expect for Black Friday This Year Of course, a global pandemic changes countless things about how we live our daily lives. The usual traditions we know and love have been cancelled, shifted to smaller group settings or even moved online. Holiday shopping is no exception. In the midst of this chaotic season, retailers are trying to be creative with Black Friday while competing fiercely for consumer attention. Seasoned bargain hunters will find amazing gifts at a great prices....

As rent and housing prices continue to rise, many of us are looking to maximize our small home spaces. Many DIYers on TikTok are turning to creative solutions for nightstands, such as installing a floating shelf or two beside their beds. While some have happily constructed their own creative shelves, IKEA’s classic Lack shelf makes for an even simpler DIY. Better yet, its minimalist design makes it perfect for endless customization....

Family Handyman If you’re not a winter griller, now’s the time to pack away your grill before it’s covered with a foot of snow. In addition to giving your grill a thorough cleaning to remove grease and food scraps, tune up your grill help prevent any unpleasant surprises when you fire up your grill again next spring. How to Winterize Your Grill Shut off the gas at the LP tank, unfasten the burner, slip the gas tubes off the gas lines and lift out the unit....

Lawn and Garden Deals With warmer weather upon us, it’s the perfect time to get your yard and patio summer-ready to host all those fun outdoor get-togethers. Of course, grills, yard equipment and outdoor furniture are a big investment. But your backyard wish list might be more affordable than you think, thanks to these lawn and garden deals! On This Page Check out our list of quality lawn and garden items deeply discounted (almost 50 percent off!...

RainEater windshield wiper blades Why are these the best wiper blades? The RainEater wiper blades clean the windshield every time, no matter the clime. The glass-infused plastic, synthetic rubber-blend blades even feature a spoiler that will keep them close to your windshield as you drive down the road. Their performance has garnered the attention of storm chasers even, and if it’s good enough for them, it’s probably worth checking out. Pick up a pair here....

This FH series introduces readers to a few of the women who make up 11 percent of the construction workforce in the United States, spotlighting stories of their careers in the field. Know someone we should feature? Email us here. Exterior contracting runs in Sarah Lechowich’s family. Though she loved to tinker in her dad’s shop as a kid, she hesitated following her father and grandfather into the trades as a career....

Before you start up the mower or pick up a rake, let the wind do some work. Autumn winds blow leaves under hedges and shrubs and nestle them around perennials, insulating plant roots from winter cold and creating natural mulch as the leaves decay. Just make sure they don’t pile up within six inches of trees’ and shrubs’ bases. As a bonus, thrashers, native sparrows, robins, towhees and others sort through the winter leaves to feast on insects and other tidbits....

As an avid camper, biologist and snake enthusiast, I’ve come across my fair share of snakes in the wild and perfected my ability to interact with them safely. Knowing what to do when you encounter a snake in your camp can be the difference between a scary situation and a positive wildlife encounter. The best method to avoid a campsite snake encounter is prevention. However, I can tell you that no advertised campsite snake repellant products or hacks (such as pouring white vinegar around your campsite) work....

I absolutely love my apartment. Our cozy bedroom has hints of bright yellow and soft grey, which always makes me feel mellow when I go to bed or wake up in the morning. I love how our living room is bright and bold compared to the trendy neutral tones you see these days. Our couch is bright red, the rug is multi-colored, which perfectly mirrors the ginormous shelf of books that we have....

Bentwood has aesthetic appeal, no doubt about it. You can use it to make ornate furniture or add some class to furniture that isn’t so ornate. Some of the chairs at a coffee house near me feature a single bentwood brace that holds all four legs securely. It gives the appearance it was lovingly made by a master craftsperson instead of assembled at a factory, which it probably was. Besides being attractive, bentwood is also utilitarian....

It’s common for homeowners to underestimate the skill and hard work needed for house cleaning, and many look for the cheapest rates above all else. That’s a mistake, says Mary Soutenet, who runs a cleaning company in Santa Cruz, California. “House cleaners can’t stay in business if they don’t make enough to pay rent, so anyone who charges a low rate is likely to work quickly to be able to move on to the next job,” she says....

Maybe a family member has changing needs. Or maybe you just want to make it easier to stay in your home as you age. No matter what’s driving your interest in accessible toilets, there’s good news: You have options. You can go the simple route and add a lift seat to your current toilet, or replace the toilet with one that’s easier for those with mobility issues to navigate. The latter is more complicated but not terribly disruptive....

Maybe your toilet broke, or it’s hopelessly stained, or doesn’t fit with your new bathroom décor. Whatever the reason, you’ve decided to swap it out for a new one. If you’re replacing your toilet to conserve water, good for you. But choosing a new one may not be the slam dunk you expect. Toilets may seem like simple contraptions, but they’re elegant in their simplicity. Modern ones feature innovations that improve considerably on the traditional gravity-flush mechanism, and the technology you choose for your bathroom matters....

baranq/Shutterstock The two-sided, open design of disc braking systems creates several advantages over drum systems: Better cooling action, better wet performance, less prone to locking—and, for the DIYer, easier to service. What to Do if Your Car Shakes When Braking Need to fix it fast? Have these 5 things in your garage. What to Do When Your Brake Light Comes On Every editorial product is independently selected, though we may be compensated or receive an affiliate commission if you buy something through our links....

Zeb Andrews / Getty Images Shade is helpful for keeping our homes cool and providing respite from the heat when we spend time outside. But when it comes to growing grass, shade can present some challenges. We checked in with Joe Churchill, senior turf specialist with Wisconsin-based Reinders, Inc., for his tips on which grasses grow best in the shade and how to best make that growth happen. How Can Grass Grow In the Shade?...

As someone who regularly works with cement, Andrea Harris knows what separates a high-quality cement tool from one you should never see your collection. And with more than ten years of experience as a cement mason in New York City, Harris also knows what it takes to make it as a tradesperson in the concrete jungle. We talked to Harris about her life as a cement mason and the tools she uses on the job....

Maybe it’s a lakeside cabin to escape to on weekends, a modest home on that plot of land in Florida or something cozy and rustic on a pristine mountainside. Building or buying a second home, to use as a vacation getaway or a part-time residence, is a dream for many. But for many second-home buyers, once the dream becomes reality, the headaches — and builder’s or buyer’s remorse — ensue. Maybe they overestimated how much time they’d spend there, didn’t consider cabin maintenance costs, overlooked the tax implications or overestimated their DIY skills....

In 2019 there were more than 1.1 million burglaries in the U.S., with almost 63 percent of them occurring at residential properties, according to Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) estimates. Research has determined a home security system deters more than half of would-be burglars. So there’s no doubt that having one is a good idea. You may be put off by the thought of letting technicians into your home to install one....