The 5 Best Mini Fridges 2023 Review

Top 5 Mini Fridges Best Under-Counter Fridge: Midea Compact Refrigerator Best Medium Capacity: BLACK+DECKER BCRK25B Compact Refrigerator Best For Beverages: Vremi Beverage Refrigerator and Cooler Best For Travel: AstroAI Mini Fridge Most Customizable: RCA RFR322-B Mini Fridge With Freezer Best Under-Counter Fridge: Midea Compact Refrigerator Key Features Adjustable fridge temperature between 32 and 50 degrees Fahrenheit Adjustable freezer temperature between -11.2 and five degrees Fahrenheit 3.1 cubic feet of storage space Two shelves, one drawer, three in-door compartments for the fridge One shelf and one in-door compartment for the freezer Interior light One-year warranty What Customers Are Saying Those who loved the product listed storage capacity, noise level, and temperature control as their favorite qualities....

April 30, 2022 · 10 min · 1980 words · Sean Alpaugh

The 5 Best Tool Belts 2023 Review

Tool belts eliminate the back-and-forth trips from your toolbox to your project and typically have various-sized pockets that keep you organized by accommodating a range of tools that are accessible right at your hip. Top 5 Tool Belts Most Secure: TradeGear Heavy-Duty Electrician’s Tool Belt Most Comfortable: Gatorback Carpenter’s Tool Belt Best Design: Style N Craft Pro-Framers Combo Tool Belt Best Value: Bucket Boss Builder’s Tool Belt Best for Home Use: Dickies Five-Pocket Side Tool Belt Most Secure: TradeGear Heavy-Duty Electrician’s Tool Belt This TradeGear tool belt is equipped with two large pouches and a steel hammer loop for carrying a toolbox’s worth of items on your waist....

April 30, 2022 · 13 min · 2747 words · Jackie Strawser

This Old House Wins 19Th Daytime Emmy Award

CONCORD, Mass., JULY 19, 2021— This Old House took home its 19th Emmy this weekend for “Outstanding Instructional and How-To Program” at the 48th Annual Daytime Emmy® Awards. This Old House beat out a number of competitors including its sister show Ask This Old House. To date, the two shows have received 105 Emmy nominations and have now won 20 Emmys overall. “More than four decades since premiering as the seminal home improvement show, we’re incredibly proud that the industry continues to recognize This Old House for its excellence,” said Dan Suratt, VP, This Old House at Roku, Inc....

April 30, 2022 · 2 min · 387 words · Miguel Harley

Types Of Fans Home Edition

Fans play an integral part in the comfort and durability of modern homes. Without them, we’d be too hot, too damp, or the place would always smell like the last thing cooked on the stove. But there’s more to know about fans than seems obvious, from proper venting to circumstances when they don’t actually accomplish what you expect them to. Different Types of Fans Attic Fans Though they’re a popular way to cool down attics in the summer, studies have shown that most attic fans actually cost more in electricity than they save in air conditioning costs....

April 30, 2022 · 5 min · 1062 words · Jason Risch

What To Know About Creating A Living Plant Wall

Whoever thinks a garden must be horizontal may be missing out on a whole lot of gorgeous greenery. A verdant vertical plant wall can literally enliven an outdoor or indoor space, serving as an alternative or complement to art forms that traditionally hang in the home. Living plant walls can be of different sizes, shapes, and formats (such as freestanding or double-sided), adding dramatic depth, color, and texture. In addition to their beauty, living walls may bring mental and even physical benefits to the people exposed to them....

April 30, 2022 · 4 min · 719 words · Robert Arnold

This Old House Inspired This Middle School Teacher S Lesson Plan

January 24, 2018 Last week we posted about a Snapchat filter that looked an awful lot like our beloved general contractor Tom Silva. In response to that, we heard from Massachusetts science teacher, Jourdan Marino, who recently taught his eighth-grade students about heat transfer in a lesson that culminated with a “This Old House Insulation Project." Marino tweeted (with a video of his class and himself sporting the Tom Silva Snapchat filter) when his students began the project....

April 29, 2022 · 3 min · 515 words · Christine Hungate

10 Best Tools For Prime Early Access Sale 2023 Review

Regardless of whether you need outdoor equipment to help you get rid of leaves and branches or if you’re looking for the perfect product to help you with your next DIY project like power tools, saws, or screwdrivers, check out the Prime Early Access Sale. To help make it easier on you to find what you’re looking for, the This Old House Reviews team gathered up some of the best deals on tools to look out for during the Prime Early Access Sale....

April 29, 2022 · 6 min · 1256 words · Garrett Crooks

Before And After Kitchen Vintage Charmer

BEFORE | Functionality Challenge Old kitchens are a bit like frosted cakes: You don’t really know what you’ve got until you slice them open. That was certainly the case with the one in Bobbie and Jack Larkin’s circa-1850 farmhouse, located in Radnor, Pennsylvania. The home was so rife with centuries-old hiccups that the Larkins felt lucky to find local craftsmen used to elderly homes to tend it. “When they tore up the kitchen floor, they found five different layers, the lowest of which was just resting on soil,” says Jack....

April 29, 2022 · 5 min · 924 words · Susan Staples

Charleston Elliotborough House Reclaiming Her Past

Before As Judith Aidoo-Saltus stands in the foyer of her 1890s Charleston, SC, house and surveys a beat-up screen door, the decades seem to roll backward. With its warped and gouged wood, peeling paint, and rusted hardware, the door is in rough shape, especially compared with the rest of the home, which is looking refreshed thanks to a down-to-the-studs renovation that is being documented by This Old House TV. Shown: Water intrusion over the 15 years when the house stood vacant led to widespread rot and termite damage....

April 29, 2022 · 8 min · 1540 words · Albert Rulli

How To Add A Clamp Rack To A Mobile Workbench

Throughout this series, I’ve shown you a number of ways to customize the ultimate mobile workbench. In this video, I finish up our workspace, by demonstrating a simple way to add a clamp rack to its endcap. Although you’ll want to go for a layout that works best for you, read on to see how I created this portion of the workbench to suit the tools in my workstation. Project details Skill Cost Estimated Time For the cut list, tools, and materials needed for this project, scroll down to the bottom of this page....

April 29, 2022 · 4 min · 746 words · Margaret Hanley

How To Add Dust Collection To A Mobile Workbench

Because my mobile workbench with a built-in table saw is centered as an island in my shop, it’s difficult to connect and disconnect it from a main dust collection unit. For this reason, in today’s video, I’m showing how I assembled a basic dust collection setup using a shop vac and install it inside the bench. Project details Skill Cost Estimated Time As a quick disclaimer, know that every dust collection setup will look different depending on your needs and budget....

April 29, 2022 · 4 min · 772 words · Arnold Hunter

How To Install A Gas Log Fireplace

In this video, Ask This Old House host Kevin O’Connor works with a professional chimney expert to repair a clay chimney and reignite an old fireplace with a gas log. Project details Skill Cost Estimated Time How to Install Gas Logs Sweep the chimney to remove any excess dirt or debris. Tie a winch to foam inset that fits your chimney. Pour mortar into the top of the chimney. Pull up foam inset using the winch to fill in the joints of the liner with mortar....

April 29, 2022 · 1 min · 210 words · Patricia Carlow

How To Install An Electronic Dead Bolt

In this video, Ask This Old House host Kevin O’Connor shows a homeowner how to install a Bluetooth-enabled smart-lock dead bolt for his front door. Project details Skill Cost Estimated Time Steps for Installing an Electric Deadbolt: Unscrew current dead-bolt plate using a screwdriver. 2. Remove the plate. 3. Unscrew back plate of the dead bolt using a screwdriver. 4. Match back plates from the kit to the current back plate....

April 29, 2022 · 1 min · 150 words · Jean Teague

Kids Room Renovation Guide

When planning an update on a child’s bedroom, the most important aspect to consider is flexibility. Children’s interior spaces should reflect their personal preferences and need for comfort, fun, and organization. Ease of design modification is key as interests develop and change. For example, if you’re creating a nursery for a newborn, it’s wise to plan for the day they graduate from the crib and into a toddler bed, which may call for a reorganization of the room....

April 29, 2022 · 7 min · 1310 words · Madeline Madison

S19 E2 Preventing Plumbing Disasters

Previous episode: S19 E1 | Next episode: S19 E3 In this episode: Richard explains how, where, and why plumbing systems fail. Richard gives a deep dive on when and how plumbing pipes and connections can be repaired or replaced. Ross explains and demonstrates how to prevent plumbing failures with new technology. Preventing Water Damage Kevin O’Connor and damage prevention specialist Michael Milligan toured a home to identify ways to prevent plumbing leaks and other flood damage....

April 29, 2022 · 4 min · 674 words · Helen Maust

Sara Ferguson

Sara Ferguson is the Coordinating Producer at This Old House. She connects the homeowners and contractors to the show’s producing and editorial teams, monitors the scope of work and timeline, and keeps an eye out for potential story content. After earning an education degree from the University of Georgia, Sara started her career in 1995 with an educational television program in Atlanta by writing, editing, and producing segments. She moved to Boston to further her career in educational television at WGBH as well as to follow her heart back to her New England roots, where she has always been attracted by the quaint towns, old homes, and the proximity to the ocean and mountains....

April 29, 2022 · 2 min · 264 words · Laura Mowry

Save This Old House A Colorful Queen Anne In Virginia

About This House Mae Talley, a music teacher, built this classic late-Victorian-era house in 1890 for herself and her teenage son. Madame Talley, as she was known, ran Danville’s Conservatory of Music opera house and offered music lessons at her home until she sold it in 1899. The house subsequently changed hands eight times before falling into disrepair. The City of Danville bought it in 2017 as part of a robust revitalization program....

April 29, 2022 · 3 min · 521 words · Patricia Harris

What To Put On Icy Steps Stairs And Walkways In The Winter

Winter surfaces may be slick with snow, ice, and slush, but these chemical-free solutions will help you walk with confidence in four key danger zones. Here are 4 areas you’ll want to secure safely and what to use. How to Prevent Icy Steps Use Rubberized Treads Before icy weather sets in, add rubberized Ice Breaker Stair Treads to steps. In freezing weather, these cushy mats release ice with a stomp of the foot so that you can brush it away without danger....

April 29, 2022 · 2 min · 223 words · Matt Casella

Belgian Blocks Driveway Edging Installation In 13 Steps

An asphalt driveway often looks a little ragged around the edges, especially after a season’s worth of snow, salt, and shoveling. Adding a neat row of Belgian block stones to each side will boost its curb appeal (no pun intended) while also providing a clear visual aid as you back out or pull in. Project details Skill Cost Estimated Time As This Old House senior technical editor Mark Powers demonstrates, installing the blocks requires just a few basic tools and a rented saw for cutting through the asphalt....

April 28, 2022 · 6 min · 1088 words · Craig Longoria

How To Sharpen Lawn Mower Blades

In this video, This Old House landscape contractor Roger Cook shows how to convert a dull blade and cut grass cleanly. Project details Skill Cost Estimated Time Steps to Sharpen Mower Blades Disconnect the spark-plug wire from the spark plug to prevent accidental starting. Tip-up the lawnmower with its spark plug pointing vertically. Put on a leather work glove and grab hold of the lawnmower blade. Use a ratcheting socket wrench to remove the nuts holding the blade to the mower....

April 28, 2022 · 2 min · 242 words · Erica Gutierez