Home Improvement

Have an old house that has problems with drains? Me too. I give strategies to unclog stopped drains as well as tips on how to prevent them.

Heating and cooling a room with vaulted or high ceilings as well as how to better cool and heat the second floor of our homes are very commonly asked questions about HVAC systems. Here are your options and a few tips to help you accomplish a more comfortable environment efficiently.

Roofing your own home can save you a lot of money. It is a physical job but, with the invent of newer materials and a little know how, the work can be accomplished by a "do it yourselfer". It does take physical ability and two or three people who...

How to wire 3-way light switches, with wiring diagrams for different methods of installing the wire between boxes. Step-by-step instructions and troubleshooting guides included.

Are you thinking about spraying stain onto your deck? Check out my tips for spraying a deck with an airless sprayer.

A step-by-step guide showing how to repair a leaking ballcock valve in the header tank in your loft. This guide also explains the layout of hot and cold pipes and valves used in home plumbing systems.

Check out my review of Emerald Urethane paint. I recently spray painted kitchen cabinets using this product.

Painting oak cabinets is an inexpensive way to modernize an outdated kitchen. Check out these helpful cabinet-painting tips.

How do you keep warm in the winter without electricity? Can you keep cool without AC during a summer heat wave? What if your home loses power for more than a day? Here’s a strategy to help keep you warm in winter and cool in summer during emergencies.

Concrete is really easy to make and all you need is a shovel and some buckets. This is a comprehensive, step-by-step guide with pictures showing you how to make concrete by hand, with or without a mixer

A comprehensive guide showing how to use a multimeter or DMM. A multimeter is a useful instrument in a home toolkit for measuring voltage, current and resistance and also for tracing breaks in wires, testing diodes, capacitors and fuses.

Introduction to the basics of how a septic tank sewage system operates. How to care for it, and what mainteance is involved.

The theory and practice of door closer adjustment, with steps and detailed instructions to adjust the swing of your hydraulic door closer.

If you’re thinking about remodeling, why not consider choosing a wall texture to give a room a different style. There are a number of variety wall textures that can create a beautiful tactile appearance.

Detailed instructions on retrofitting existing fluorescent tubes to LED lamps. Benefit from energy savings, cold weather operation and long life by changing out your 4 foot fluorescent tubes to LED's

With some simple tools, a little effort, and a few safety precautions, building a fieldstone fire pit is a weekend DIY project that your family and friends will enjoy for many years to come.

This article will show you how to make your own DIY coffee table from common supplies and a large book.

If you have an animal companion in your home, it can do wonders for the satisfaction of all concerned to allow free access to the outdoors. It can be easier (and less expensive) than you might think. Read how—and how not—to do it here!

I describe how I sanded and painted the metal railings and light poles in my yard and explain tools and techniques that worked and those that didn't.

This information is to help understand the basic components of an HVAC system and their functions.

Are you looking for the perfect thermostat temperature so that you're not wasting electricity—and money? Cut your electric bill, help the planet, and find the right thermostat setting for winter, summer, and everything in-between.

How to install a light fixture as well as how to wire that same light fixture. Written by an electrician that has installed thousands of fixtures.

Instructions for how to fix a leaky or running toilet. Repairing a toilet that runs constantly is a quick, easy job that anyone can handle.

Tips to turn your bedroom into a peaceful, restful sanctuary.

How to choose, buy, and install a thermostat for baseboard heaters or other electric heat source. Called line voltage heaters, the installation is well within the capabilities of most homeowners.

Tips on how to lay self-adhesive vinyl floor tiles for a new flooring look. A simple job easily accomplished by the homeowner needing a new floor.

Many old French houses have issues with damp. Some of these issues relate to humidity in the home and can be easily dealt with, but rising damp is a serious underlying problem which needs addressing.

A spigot (also known as a hose bib, bibcock or garden tap) leaks when the rubber washer inside wears away over time. Anyone with basic DIY skills can replace this. Only 2 tools are required.

Stop your toilet from constantly running by following this easy how-to guide, tailored to beginning do-it-yourselfers!

How do you put up shelves, cupboards, brackets or coat hangers on a wall? This guide explains how to drill walls and outlines the tools, fixings and drill bits required.

Leaky outdoor spigots can be easy to fix for DIYers. If you don't like to spend money on something you can do yourself, check out these simple steps to replace your outside faucet.

You can either lay cabinet doors down flat to spray paint them, or hang them for vertical spraying. In this article, I explain my preferred method for spraying cabinet doors and the equipment I use for storing them.

This guide shows you how to wire a UK-style, standard 3-pin plug and select the correct fuse. These basic principles can be applied to wiring plugs from other countries, only the colours are different

A conduit-bending guide for bending a 90-degree bend in electrical conduit. Possibly the most basic and common of bends, but there are several ways to bend a 90.

Step-by-step instructions for covering over popcorn ceiling using joint compound, with tips, FAQ, and photos.

If you are thinking of replacing your carpet with laminate, this true story will fill you in about the pros and cons of doing so.

Using the right grain filler on your cabinets fills the wood pores to make the grain less noticeable when painted. In this article, I give my recommendations for the best grain filler I've used for painting oak cabinets.

Need more plugs? Here's how to add a new outlet by wiring into an existing outlet. Complete instructions here, including tips on running the wire and actually wiring the circuit.

Professional instructions for wiring both GFCI (GFI) and regular outlets by the DIY homeowner. Learning how to wire electric outlets is a simple task that nearly everyone can do themselves.

I was searching for a miter box and saw combination, capable of cutting accurately and quickly. Stanley’s 20-800 clamping miter box appeared to be an excellent choice.

A friend's daughter whose wedding I sewed and organized a few years ago came over last night with her 'Hubby' saying that the deal on the house they had bid on had been accepted. They asked me to help with window treatments.

Detailed instructing by choosing, installing, and wiring a GFCI outlet. Written by an electrician for the homeowner doing their own work.

Air conditioning repairs are never cheap, but why do they seem higher now than ever? This may help you decide if it's better now to replace an old unit than to repair it.

Learn how to get rid of that standing water in your sink by snaking your drain. Liquid drain cleaners and plungers don't always work and it requires a bit more effort but knowing how you can do this yourself can save you big money.

A beginner's guide to caulking your bathtub, sharing an easy way to successfully complete your first caulking job and make it look nice too!

When drilling any type of material, it's vital to use the correct bit to ease drilling and also to prevent bit damage. Drill bits are available for metal, masonry, tiles, plastics, glass and wood.

This is an easy to follow step-by-step guide to installing your new peel and stick vinyl tile flooring yourself, no matter what your skill level. I did it, and so can you!

Instructions on how to bend both 3 point saddles and 4 point saddles in EMT electrical conduit.

Replacing an exterior door isn't like it used to be, back when you built your jambs from scratch and hung the door itself with elaborate care. In fact, it's very possibly within YOUR reach--especially with this illustrated guide!

Directions for how to make simple bends in EMT. Learn how to bend electrical pipe.

Instructions on how to change a ballast in a flourescent light fixture.

A conduit-bending guide with instructions on how to bend EMT conduit. Learn how to bend conduit easily and effectively with a hand bender.

There are several easy ways to identify the make and model number of your shower faucet. You can do this with a simple visual inspection, by noting the faucet cartridge length, or by counting spline teeth. Find out how so that you can get the repair started.

Has your kitchen sink become clogged? Learn the different methods you can use to clear your drain and how you can prevent blockages like this from happening again in the future.

EMT conduit bending instructions on how to make concentric bends in conduit. Not an easy task, but not impossible either, and one that should be understood by electricians everywhere.

Learn about the benefits of humidifiers and tips on maintenance and humidity control settings. Also easy to follow step-by-step installation instructions with pictures and a list of required supplies.

Damp can be a serious problem in homes leading to mildew on walls, ceilings, curtains, and clothing. It has several causes but can often be remedied or reduced in severity.

"Hot" and "neutral" supply power to an appliance, so why the need for a "ground" wire? Basically, it's included for safety reasons. This article explains how it all works....

Building new water sources costs billions of dollars that most governments don't have, but reusing wastewater can help relieve that need. This article covers home greywater and blackwater systems.

Air tools compliment mains or battery powered tools and have several advantages over the latter. An air compressor and air tools are a useful addition to a home or commercial workshop

Hardwood flooring installation for both engineered and regular hardwood flooring. Instructions for the homeowner on how to install hardwood flooring.

Thinking of buying a power tool as a gift? Or maybe it's for yourself to make DIY easier. This guide for the absolute beginner outlines the various tools available, their capabilities and what to buy

A new homeowner needs a tool set, but what should go in it? A list of the 20 most common and needed tools for the best homeowner tool set.

Easy instructions for hand plastering walls to cover over wallpaper, hide damaged walls, or create a unique look.

Hundreds of homes burn each year from electrical fires. Learn the common causes of house fires and how to protect your home.

Modern technology has afforded us many choices when it comes to residential plumbing. Each pipe material has some inherent advantages and disadvantages associated with it. This article describes and compares the characteristics and properties of these common pipe materials.

Learn to do your own home repair or improvement projects. Tips and encouragement for the novice.

I bought the Graco GX-19 FinishPro and used it to spray paint some cabinets. In this review, I cover its features and my experience using this airless sprayer for the first time.

A plate joiner, commonly called biscuit joiner, biscuit cutter, or biscuit jointer, is a power tool used to make very strong wood joints. Learn how to effectively use these amazing tools.

A comprehensive guide on how to bend conduit, with instructions on how to bend 90s, offsets, saddles, and even concentric bends. A must-read for any electrician, from apprentice to journeyman.

The numbers and letters on the head of your key always mean something. Here is a brief guide to the most common meanings of the numbers and codes.

Easy instructions with photos show how I make paper bricks. Don't shred and soak newspaper when making paper logs for burning in your fire. My paper logs dry so quickly I can even burn them next day!

One day, your sliding glass door will need repair as it gets harder and harder to open. In this article, you will find instructions on how to replace patio door rollers.

How much do led lights save per year? Today, LED light bulbs pay for themselves after only months. I compare LED vs. Incandescent, Halogen floodlights vs. LED floodlights, and CFL vs. LED.

Common recommended tools required when becoming an electrician. An electrician's hand tools are his life blood—it is imperative that every electrician own a good set of tools.

Accurate square and mitered cuts in wood are essential for construction work. However, properly cut timber looks better even if you are just doing basic DIY and making stuff around the home.

How to replace a whole-house water-sediment cartridge filter on your Culligan HF-150, 160, and 360 model housing units. A step-by-step pictorial lesson for water-filter replacement projects.

Detailed instructions on how to shingle a roof, including shingling both ridges and valleys.

A guide to different lighting types in the home and their pros and cons. Covering incandescent, halogen, fluorescent, CFL, sodium, metal halide and LED.

Furnace filter comparisons, air quality tips, how often to replace your filter and more. Understanding your options will help you choose the best one for you.

How to finish drywall by applying tape and joint compound. Designed for the homeowner, this article gives useful tips for finishing drywall.

In general plumbing terms, a plumbing fixture is a device that is connected to a plumbing system and interacts with liquid(or gas)

Detailed instructions for wiring an outlet so that half of it can be turned on via a wall switch. All your questions will be answered by an expert electrician, with diagrams and a video to help you.

Technicians troubleshoot malfunctioning electric baseboard heaters before replacing anything. Troubleshooting isolates the exact fault and helps determine which part has failed.

One of the more common bends made in electrical conduit is the offset bend. This page incorporates a comprehesive conduit bending guide and describes how to bend an offset using multipliers.

Check out these recommendations for the best masking tape for painting. We'll take a detailed look at FrogTape and ScotchBlue for all of your painting needs.

Math formulas and multipliers to help you bend electrical conduit. Learn how to bend conduit to any configuration desired, not merely the common bends on a conduit bender.

If you have traditional wooden fascia boards on your eaves, then they will need maintenance at some time or another. It's not so terribly hard. Here are some tricks and traps, described and photographed.

Tile design ideas for countertops, floors, and showers. Pictures and design tips too.

Cross ventilation can clean your home's air, save you money and is easy to create without spending money. Start breathing cleaner air and saving money today.

Smells originating from our furnace and duct work are not only unpleasant but can present health concerns as well. Learn more about what causes them and how to get rid of these unwelcome odors.

If you're thinking about painting your house, you might be wondering if there's a difference in quality between Sherwin Williams and Benjamin Moore paint. Coming from a painter who's used both, find out if one brand is better than the other.

Need to know how to fix a slow-draining bathtub? Here are the six best methods to try. Unclogging a bathtub drain yourself can save you money.

This article explains how to replace an old, eroded well point, and possibly save you a little money.

Cleaner duct work equals cleaner air and less dusting. Learn how you can improve the quality of the air in your home for free without specialized tools.

A basic guide to pipe types, plumbing fittings, and thread sizes, and instructions for how to use fittings to connect copper, PVC, and PEX water pipes.

Do you have knotty pine cabinets you want to paint white? In this article, I share some tips for correctly prepping and painting knotty pine.

This is a guide on how to mix mortar using sand, cement, plasticiser, and water for the purpose of repointing brickwork and ridge tiles.

Instructions on how to wire a 4-way switch, with wiring diagrams.

An angle grinder is a useful power tool for cutting and grinding metal and other materials. Like any power tool, it can be dangerous if used incorrectly. This guide shows you how to reduce your risk of injury while using an angle grinder.