If you don’t periodically give it a thorough cleaning, you risk the dishwasher becoming a cesspool of bacteria, fungus, odors, and can even shorten the life of the dishwasher itself. A cleaning can also save you from expensive repairs down the line. Overall, the dishwasher makes quick work of everyone’s least favorite kitchen task, so giving it a little TLC every couple months will help keep it running for years to come....
Throwing sticks may be taboo on the playground, but it’s precisely the point with the Swedish game Kubb: The goal is to throw short dowels at your opponent’s pieces to knock them over. Yes, a wild toss can be hard on the shins, but the game has been entertaining Swedes for more than a thousand years, so it’s worth giving it a shot. Project details Skill Cost Estimated Time To get started, just cut up a 4x4 post and some dowels to make the game pieces and stake out the playing field with thinner dowels....
Over the past two years, walking through the lumber rack at a local home improvement store elicited shaking heads and murmurs about the way things used to be. Throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, lumber prices rose to almost four times their pre-COVID prices. And while these prices have changed the landscape of the home improvement, home building, renovation, and real estate industries, things are changing once more: Lumber prices are decreasing....
National Grid Marketplace knows what a big difference even a small energy-saving change can make, especially when it comes to making your home more comfortable and your energy costs more affordable. They want to help you prepare for the winter months—when your home will be kept heated longer than normal—with affordable smart thermostat options that can help you conserve energy and save money. Today’s smart thermostats provide you with a lot more than just convenience: the average U....
Instead of a plain passageway on the second floor of their 1920s bungalow, the homeowners of the Jamestown Net-Zero House had something a little more interesting in mind: They created a library. Making use of the two sections of the hallway flanking the door to the kids’ shared bathroom, homeowner/architect Don Powers designed bookshelves calling for the same quartersawn white oak that is used throughout the house for the kitchen cabinets and bathroom vanities....
Top 4 4-Slice Toasters Most Sleek: Cuisinart Metal Classic Four-Slice Toaster Best Controls: Cuisinart Four-Slice Compact Plastic Toaster Most Compact: Elite Gourmet Maxi-Matic Four-Slice Long Toaster Best Safety Features: Hamilton Beach Four-Slice Toaster Most Sleek: Cuisinart Metal Classic Four-Slice Toaster This Cuisinart toaster has a body made entirely of stainless steel for a sleek look that will match the other appliances in your kitchen. Plus, it offers a variety of functions and shading levels to customize how your bread is toasted....
Top 5 Portable Washing Machines Easiest To Move: hOmeLabs Portable Washing Machine Best For RVs: COSTWAY Portable Washing Machine Best Spin Feature: Giantex Portable Compact Washing Machine Best Medium Capacity: SUPER DEAL Portable Mini Washing Machine Best Large Capacity: Auertech Portable Washing Machine Easiest To Move: hOmeLabs Portable Washing Machine The hOmeLabs Portable Washing Machine has a tall and skinny design, allowing it to take up minimal space in your RV, dorm room, home, or apartment....
The outdoor living trend has become increasingly popular over the past few years. And not many things can enhance your yard quite like a stunning deck, cozy furnishings, and custom accent pieces, crafted from Real Cedar. Backyard Beauty Ideal for outdoor applications, Real Cedar is naturally resistant to rot, decay, and insect attacks, which means anything you build with it will last longer and require less maintenance. And when it comes to sustainability, it’s hard to beat—Real Cedar actually boasts a net carbon sink, meaning the wood removes greenhouse gases from the atmosphere, while other building materials emit gases....
Master electrician Heath Eastman brings us to the Tool Lab to explain everything we’ve ever wondered about power tool batteries. With a brief history of the evolution of power tool batteries, Heath shows us what they look like inside and explains how manufacturers calculate battery voltage. Modern Batteries Have Come a Long Way Today’s power tool batteries evolved quite a bit since the first cordless screwdrivers hit the market. The original tools were small and featured nickel-cadmium and nickel-metal hydride batteries....
This article appeared in the Fall 2021 issue of This Old House Magazine. Click here to learn how to subscribe. Shown: Shaker-style cabinets and two-over-two double-hung windows are period appropriate yet fit nicely with an unfussy island, a pro-style range, and sleek quartz countertops. Contractor: Ramsey Creek; Custom cabinets, islands, and range hood: Brighton Cabinetry; Windows: Marvin Loving an old house—even one that’s been in your family for ages—doesn’t mean you have to live in the past....
Protecting yourself and your home with a security system is often a good idea. This is especially the case if you live in a city like Atlanta, where—according to some studies—burglary rates per 100,000 people are twice as high as they are nationally. A home security system can give you peace of mind that your home is protected with 24/7 monitoring, live footage from strategically installed security cameras, or other features that keep you feeling safe....
Q: Our town water department just informed us that the water supply is contaminated with too high a level of PFAS. Would a reverse-osmosis water filter be a good idea? —KRIS DHUPAR, NORTH ATTLEBORO, MA Project details Skill Cost Estimated Time You’re right to be concerned: Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a family of toxic, human-made chemicals that are hazardous to ingest. One of the best ways to remove these contaminants from drinking water is with a point-of-use, reverse-osmosis (RO) filtration system....
With the weather warming up again, it’s important to find ways to keep cool indoors. National Grid Marketplace wants to help by sharing some of their favorite ways to keep your living spaces cooler—while conserving energy and saving money. So grab an ice-cold lemonade, kick back, and enjoy these energy-saving tips. Energy-Conscious Upgrades When you’re trying to cool off indoors, air conditioning can be a relief—but it can also be a big contributor to your electric bill....
Top 4 Power Washers Best Gas Power Washer: Westinghouse WPX3200 Gas-Powered Pressure Washer Best Soap Tanks: Sun Joe SPX3000 Electric High-Pressure Washer Best Protection: Simpson Cleaning MSH3125 MegaShot Gas Pressure Washer Most Powerful: ROOJER Electric Pressure Washer Best Gas Power Washer: Westinghouse WPX3200 Gas-Powered Pressure Washer Pros and Cons ✔ Has a 25-foot, abrasion-resistant hose Compare Top Power Washers Westinghouse Gas Pressure Washer $294 $349 16% off Prices taken at time of publishing....
Best Automatic Cleaner: Hoover SmartWash Carpet Cleaner Instead of pulling a trigger to release your cleaning solution, this carpet cleaner takes the guesswork out of targeting stains by mixing and dispensing the solution for you as you move forward. For tough stains that have sat on your carpet for days, you can use the detachable wand to pretreat them. Key Features 20.5 pounds 22-foot power cord One-gallon clean water tank Five-year warranty What Customers Are Saying Customers liked the design of this carpet cleaner with its large water tank and easy-to-maneuver body....
A garbage disposal is a key appliance in every kitchen that helps you get rid of your food waste. As food particles pass through garbage disposal units, they’re pulverized into smaller pieces to prevent pipe clogs. Top 5 Garbage Disposals Best For Wide Sinks: InSinkErator Evolution Compact Garbage Disposer Best For Shallow Sinks: InSinkErator Badger 5 Garbage Disposal Best Warranty: Moen GXS75C Host Series Garbage Disposal Best Value: Waste King L-1001 Garbage Disposal Best For Large Sinks: Waste King L-3200 Garbage Disposal Best for Wide Sinks: InSinkErator Evolution Compact Garbage Disposer Pros and Cons ✔ Uses an anti-vibration horse clamp✔ Is equipped with a protective liner to prevent leaks✔ Only uses an average of 3–4 kilowatts of energy per year...
Sunrooms are typically glass-enclosed rooms, accessible from inside the home, and built off the side or the back of it. Sometimes called solariums, garden rooms, or sun parlors, they can be all-season or, if not adequately heated in colder climates, three-season rooms. While sunrooms vary in design, thanks to their abundant use of glass, they are generally awash in light and offer expansive views of the outdoors. The Pros and Cons of a Sunroom: PROS: An additional light-filled multi-purpose room in your home....
For centuries, zen gardens have been carefully landscaped from natural resources to imitate the tranquility of nature. Originated in Japan, these man-made structures are designed with rocks, sand, trees, and moss and designs are then raked into the sand to represent the elements. The sensory play of a mini DIY zen garden will help you de-stress and maintain good vibes all day. 1. Modern Gardenista Laptop? Check. Cell? Check. Zen garden?...
Whether you live in a warm-weather state, as I do, or in a cooler northern climate, it’s hard to stay comfortable and keep your energy bills in check if you don’t have adequate insulation in the attic. But many homeowners I talk with don’t know how much is enough. The answer depends on where you live. Typically, houses in warm-weather states should have an R-38 insulation in the attic, whereas houses in cold climates should have R-49....
Behold: The garage. Yes, it’s a structure, likely with a slab-on-grade floor, walls, and a ceiling framed much like the rest of the house. But it’s often not finished inside, and one entire wall is a door big enough to drive a car through. Close the door, and it’s a room. It’s possibly the most flexible square footage on your property. So how do you want to make best use of this unique space?...
