Home Improvement

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

This article will show you how to add calcium carbonate to latex paint to create DIY chalk paint. You can then use prepared chalk paint as a primer on interior porous surfaces under a topcoat.

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.

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

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

Before rushing out to buy a new showerhead, try fixing the problem yourself. It's easier than you think to clean a clogged or rusted showerhead. If you need to replace, you can do that yourself too.

Owning a home is an investment which carries a the responsibility of maintaining it and performing repairs when necessary. Many people avoid performing regular maintenance however doing so could cost you in the long run. Here are several reasons why it's important to maintain your home & property.

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.

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.

Most people will experience one or more plumbing emergencies. This article looks at how to react effectively.

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

Many older homes have been painted so many times that the paint becomes a series of thick layers. Humidity, moisture and time cause these layers to separate and bubble, eventually leading to cracking and chipping. Here's how to fix those problems before putting on a new coat of paint.

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

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

When shopping for lighting, it is most important to understand the light source and the wattage that will be saved. As these are choices important to your wallet, the article explains the factors.

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.

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

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

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.

How to assess your security, know your enemy and secure the perimeter of your defenses.

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

This guide shows ambitious DIYers how to replace and old sliding glass door with a new one.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

Plumbing problems come in all shapes and sizes, from dripping faucets to sewer system backup to burst pipes. This article lists the most common issues, what causes them and suggests some easy fixes when appropriate.

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

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.

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.

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 articles goes over some of the best exterior door paint I've used from Sherwin Williams.

Learn why and how to lay plastic grids for your gravel drive, how to choose plastic grids to use based on price and quality. There is also a basic step-by-step guide to laying the grids on the driveway and backfilling with gravel to provide a stable surface.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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.

"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....

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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!

Hate the trouble of getting out an air compressor, then fighting with an air hose? The best cordless nail gun can save your arms and your ears while delivering all the power you need.

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!

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

Easy-to-use home remedies for dealing with just about any clog. The do-it-yourself guide to fixing a clogged drain with household products.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

When choosing wallpaper or paint, you need to select the best choice for your room. We're providing the two options so you can decide which one you like better.

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.

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

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.

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.

See how we cleared a root clog from the main drainpipe using an old power auger. We saved hundreds of dollars by doing it ourselves and you can too!

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.

This article is a full review of my new Titan 440 Impact sprayer, outlining its features and my experience using it for interior painting. The Impact is an airless sprayer, formerly known as the 440i.

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.

Most DIY home repair enthusiasts can apply ceramic tile grout. It isn't as hard as many may think. If you are just learning how to grout or need a few tips to help you along, this article will give you grouting tips, tell you what you need to carry out the task and how to maintain your grout works.

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.

The best spray paint should be clean and have low VOC levels. A high-quality grade that can withstand extreme temperatures in your container home.

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.

An easy to follow picture by picture guide for replacing a three-way light switch. It only took dad about 10 minutes from start to finish.

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