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Common Indoor Air Quality Concerns Indoor air pollutants such as mold, formaldehyde, and pet dander can cause real health concerns. These pollutants lurk in items like furniture, flooring, and household cleaners. Fireplaces, candles, and cooking vapors can release gasses that cause high levels of harmful particulate matter. Mold and mildew can trigger asthma symptoms. And even everyday items, like toiletries and vinyl shower curtains, can emit harmful contaminants into the air....

In this video, This Old House general contractor Tom Silva explains how to insulate a window with sash weights. Project details Skill Cost Estimated Time Steps for Insulating a Window with Sash Weights Use a hammer and pry bar to remove the molding from around the window. Cut a strip of foil-faced rigid foam insulation to fit snugly into the space between the side jamb and plaster or drywall. Spray some maximum-expanding polyurethane foam sealant into the space at the bottom and top of the window’s side jamb....

This article appeared in the Nov/Dec 2020 issue of This Old House Magazine. Click here to learn how to subscribe. Steps for Keeping Window Box Plantings Fresh in Winter 1. Start by Rehydrating Clippings When You Gather Them Cut stems at a 45-degree angle to maximize water absorption and place them in a bucket of water for 1 to 3 hours. 2. Spray with an Anti-Desiccant Wilt-Pruf works well to seal the pores of leaves and needles and protect against drying....

Before: Awkward Peninsula A successful remodeling project requires vision. Lucky for Kim and Jeff Shake, both graphic designers, being able to visualize an idea—in this case a spiffy new kitchen—is part of what they do. When the couple bought their custom 1957 ranch in Trumbull, CT, they were wowed by the built-ins and oversize windows. The kitchen was another matter. Wood-trimmed laminate cabinets were holdovers from the 1980s, and a peninsula with cabinets hanging over it cut the kitchen off from the dining room....

This story originally appeared in the Winter 2021 Issue of This Old House Magazine. Click here to learn how to subscribe. The History Located in Kentucky’s state capital, this simple two-story house was built in 1894 as a parsonage for the First Corinthian Missionary Baptist Church. From 1951 to 1960 it was home to Rev. Charles King, a World War I veteran who gained national renown, becoming the first Black elected to a high office in the historically white Southern Baptist Convention....

Quietest Operation: Everlasting Comfort Cool Mist Humidifier Key Features Has a six-liter tank Releases mist for 50 hours Covers 500 square feet Operates below 30 decibels Comes with a two-year warranty What Customers Are Saying Many customers noted that this humidifier made a minimal amount of noise. In addition, reviewers said that it relieved the dry air symptoms that they were experiencing. Unhappy customers criticized this humidifier for leaking water and being difficult to troubleshoot....

Painting is a quick and affordable way to liven up your home. From decorative painting ideas for kitchen walls to adding visual interest to your bathrooms, we rounded up these ideas to help inspire your next home decor project. 15 Decorative Painting Ideas 1. Paint a Colorful Patchwork Floor A ho-hum foyer can become a focal point if you have a few paint leftovers and a bright idea. Armed with five half-full cans of interior latex, Arlene and Seth Perlmutter pictured a patchwork quilt opened up on the floor, but finding the right proportions for a 4½-by-13-foot space required some tinkering....

When it comes to air pollution, there’s no place like home. Today’s tighter houses keep the weather outside, but they also keep contaminants inside. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the air indoors where we spend as much as 90 percent of our time can be more polluted than even city smog. And dirt you can see is just the beginning. That dust collecting on end tables and bookshelves is only a fraction of what’s actually swimming around in the air: an invisible mix of dust mites, pollen, dander, mold, and smoke that can be annoying to breathe and hazardous to your health....

A craft room calls for creative remodeling ideas. Rachel Beach may have had a spare room to work on DIY projects in her home in Culpeper, Virginia, but she didn’t have an actual workspace, so she often spread everything out on the floor. Planning a Craft Room Design To upgrade the makeshift setup, Rachel started by giving the walls a coat of light taupe paint. She opted for a neutral color palette so her supplies, which she wanted to display an arm’s reach away rather than packed in containers, would pop....

If you’re looking to install new ventilation in your house, you might want to consider a soffit vent. Should I Add Soffit Vents? If your home is fitted solely with small gable-end vents or a ventilator high in the roof, you might want to consider adding soffit vents to increase airflow. These vents allow outside air to enter the attic at the lowest point of the roof—along the underside of the eave....

Nathan Gilbert serves as Carpenter on Ask This Old House. Nathan was selected as one of three in the first class of Generation NEXT apprentices and spent the summer of 2017 working alongside the TOH team on the Newton Generation NEXT project. During his time as an apprentice, Nathan helped shine a spotlight on the skilled trades gap in the construction industry in high profile ways—speaking on Capitol Hill before senators and congressmen and appearing at the opening ceremony of the International Builder’s Show in 2018....

Previous episode: S20 E25 | Next episode: S20 E27 In this episode: Landscape contractor Jenn Nawada meets a plant expert at a local greenhouse to talk about different houseplants and tropical plants. The two discuss the importance of the direction windows face, as it determines how much sunlight the room will get. Matching this sunlight to the right type of plants will allow them to thrive. They also explore suggestions for greenery with different sun exposure requirements: shade plants like bamboo palms and pothos, partial shade plants like dracaena and Swiss cheese plants, and full sun plants like crotons and snake plants....

Who wouldn’t want to outfit a renovated bedroom with the best mattress brand? After all, one-third — give or take — of your time in the world is spent in bed. And sure, your brain gets to recharge while you sleep. But how rejuvenated your body feels in the morning after gravity has done its thing overnight? Well, that’s determined by your mattress’s quality, feel, and fit. By clicking on the product links in this article, Mattress Advisor may receive a commission fee at no cost to you, the reader....

For the cost of one summer trip, you can create a relaxing summer oasis right in your own backyard. Read on for our top 17 DIY backyard getaway ideas. But, be warned: A yard this cool means that friends and family will come knocking. Whether or not you let them in, of course, is entirely up to you. Summer DIY Projects Get Started With a Fire Pit Our How to Build a Fire Pit project is certainly a reader favorite....

Choosing between home warranty providers in San Antonio, Texas, can seem like a chore. Many offer very similar coverage plans, and it can be hard to figure out which is the best home warranty for your needs. You need to trust that the company you choose will honor its commitment to repairing your home’s appliances or systems that wear out or break down. If you’re looking for a home warranty in San Antonio, we have some recommendations for you....

I wanted a garden for people, as much as plants. After years of high-maintenance gardening on a large suburban lot, I found myself planning a tiny new space behind a little cottage that my husband and I had bought. I started with a strong, if somewhat romantic, concept. I’ve always admired the warm, walled areas around English country houses used for sitting and dining outdoors. Inside the walls grow herbs, lettuces, fruit, and flowers for the household....

As American as apple pie is our love of the lawn. Think of any classic estate, subdivision row of ranch houses, or a country farmhouse. Any of these images are likely to include a thick, grassy lawn. Originally seen as just a way to avoid a muddy yard, today lawns are the foreground of nearly every home’s landscape. Starting a Lawn In many places, you can’t get a certificate of occupancy for a new home until the lawn is established....

Previous episode: S21 E6 | Next episode: S21 E8 In this episode: Plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey takes us on a house call to relieve a homeowner’s stress. With a 16-year-old water heater lurking in the basement, the homeowner is expecting it to fail at any moment, so Richard suggests they swap it out with a new unit. First, the two get started by shutting off the gas, cutting the existing copper pipes, and removing all the fittings and exhaust before pulling the heater out....

NO PURCHASE IS NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. Sponsor: The Clearstory Podcast 2021 Sweepstakes (“Sweepstakes”) is sponsored by This Old House Ventures, LLC, 262 Harbor Drive, Stamford, CT 06902 (“Sponsor”). Sweepstakes Entry Period: The Sweepstakes starts at 12:00:01 AM Eastern Time (ET) September 30, 2021 and ends at 11:59:59 PM ET on October 30, 2021 (“Sweepstakes Period”). Eligibility: Sweepstakes open only to legal residents of the 50 United States or the District of Columbia and Canada (excluding Quebec) 18 years of age or older at time of entry....

Each product we feature has been independently selected and reviewed by our editorial team. If you make a purchase using the links included, we may earn a commission. Affiliate Disclosure If you consider yourself someone who enjoys the finer things in life but who also wants to stay within your bedroom remodel budget, the DreamCloud mattress helps you achieve both. This DreamCloud Mattress Review explores why this luxury mattress-in-a-box is a great choice for sleepers of all types, thanks to its superior lumbar support, motion isolation, and responsiveness....