Home Improvement

It's easy to install an outdoor water spigot (faucet) for watering your garden!

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

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? An illustrated guide to my solution.

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.

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 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.

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.

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

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.

Learn about the benefits of humidifiers and tips on maintenance and humidity control settings. There are also step-by-step installation instructions with pictures and a list of required supplies.

A complete beginner's guide to electricity. Calculating cost of running appliances. AC and DC, resistance. Three phase and the electric and magnetic effects of current flow in a conductor.

Check out my review of the Graco FFLP tips for spray painting cabinets and trim.

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.

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 our HVAC system. Find out a few options and tips you may try to use to help you accomplish a more comfortable environment efficiently.

Check out my review of Timbermate wood filler to find out if it's good, or not, for filling the grain in oak cabinets that will be painted.

Check out my review of Zinsser Cover Stain oil-based primer.

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.

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.

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.

Many older homes have been painted so many times that the paint becomes a series of thick layers. Humidity, moisture and time have a way of causing these layers to separate and bubble. Eventually it will start cracking and chipping. When this...

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

With the recent low cost of t8 LED tube lights, replacing fluorescent bulbs with LED will save you money, give you better light, and reduce environmental harm.

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

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.

The cost to paint kitchen cabinets depends on various factors. The application method, materials, and what you want done with the cabinets, play a role in the cost to paint them.

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.

Detailed instructions on how to install or hang a prehung door, with photos. Replacing an exterior door is similar to an interior door but with a few extra considerations.

Wainscoting is a great way to update your home, but hiring a professional to design and do the woodwork can add up. I've provided three DIY options as well as my experience with DIY wainscoting below!

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 to mixing concrete by hand, with or without a mixer

The best way to make any significant purchase is with sufficient knowledge. Get a basic understanding of an A/C system and tips on how to maintain your new air conditioning unit as well.

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's some tricks and traps, described and photographed.

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.

Stone veneer will enhance your home. Learn how to install stone veneer and make your home the envy of all. Save time and money and beautify your home today.

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

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

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.

How to build a small deck — a very elementary guide to the materials and methods needed.

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

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

Here are the basics of how your plumbing works, and how to re-plumb with CPVC to move water lines indoors.

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

A step-by-step guide for a homeowner who discovers they need to install or replace a ceramic bathroom fixture.

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.

Check out my tips for prepping cabinets for paint.

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.

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

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

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 stay safe.

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

Check out my review of the Graco 495 airless paint sprayer.

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.

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.

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

Step by step instructions for covering over popcorn ceiling using joint compound. Includes pictures.

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

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.

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.

Hundreds of homes burn each year from electrical fires; learn the causes and how to prevent them.

One day your sliding glass door will need repair as it gets harder and harder to open. Instructions on how to replace patio door rollers.

Check out my tips for spray painting kitchen cabinets.

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

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

Check out my review of the 3M masking tool for painting preparation.

How to wire 3 way light switches, with wiring diagrams for different methods of installing the wire between boxes. Detailed instructions and wiring diagrams.

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.

Fix your own leak and save. Step by step instructions.

Did you know that a "normal" incandescent light bulb only converts about 5% of the electricity used into useful light? There are lots of other lighting options which are much more energy efficient

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

Tips and specific directions on how to install a new outlet on an existing wall.

DIY can save you money and gives you a great sense of achievement. This article outlines the essential hand and power tools a homeowner needs for basic and more advanced house maintenance.

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

The house I live in is not my "dream house." The floor plan is just okay, and it sure would be nice to have one more bedroom. We're not moving any time soon though, so I've been taking steps to transform my house into a place I really love. Instead...

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

Get the most out of your A/C this summer. Understand what air conditioning services you should consider and why, whether you perform it yourself or are considering professional service.

A step by step guide showing how to repair a leaking ball cock 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

The solution is easier than you think.

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 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!

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

Tips and step by step directions to install laminate hardwood flooring. Lots of photos of a new floor going down.

This article provides details on everything you want to know about your furnace's pressure switch. See how it works and determine if it's your problem as well as why it's there and how to find the correct replacement.

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!

A homeowner's guide for choosing and installing angle stop water valves. Includes the different types and installation methods.

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.

Check out my tips on using wood grain filler for oak cabinets.

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

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.

Cheap ideas to save money while repairing, updating, rehabbing, and beautifying your home to increase the market value and appeal to buyers.

How to choose, install and wire a thermostat for your home heating system. Digital programmable thermostats for heat pumps.

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.

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

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.

Sheetrock repair made easy: how to patch and repair different sizes of drywall holes from small to large.

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.

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.

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

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.

Everything you need to know about Lighting and maintaining a fire efficiently in a Wood Burning Stove.

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!

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