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Best Shower Panel: ELLO&ALLO Shower Panel Tower System This luxury shower faucet features a rainfall head, a temperature display, multiple massage jets, and a handheld wand. On the side of the panel is a button to turn the blue LED lights on to illuminate the rain shower head and temperature display if you like the look or want better visibility. Key Features Rain shower head Handheld wand Two massagers Tub spout Three control knobs LED lights Digital temperature display Two-year warranty What Customers Are Saying Customers raved about the thermostat, which allowed them to set the water to the perfect hot or warm temperature....

This article originally appeared on BasementSystems.com. Because the crawl space is a below-grade space under the house, you might think it’s normal to have a moist crawl space. After all, the ground gets wet and dry through the seasons and with weather patterns event. But in fact, a dry crawl space is far superior and the sooner wet crawl space issues are addressed, the better. What Causes Water in a Crawl Space?...

SWITCH UP YOUR FAN Reverse the direction of any ceiling fans (in most cases, that’s from counterclockwise to clockwise). This creates a mild updraft that pushes warm air down. Most change direction via a switch on the housing that’s easily accessed when the fan’s off. BE DRAPE SMART Except in bedrooms, curtains are often always open—or always closed. In winter, take advantage of solar heat gain by opening drapes, especially on south-facing windows, in the morning....

Nothing in your house affects your comfort more than your heating and cooling systems. Yet unless the heater conks out during a blizzard or the air-conditioning goes on the fritz in the middle of a heat wave, most of us pretty much ignore our heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) equipment. We shouldn’t. When it’s not kept in shape, even the best system can cost you. How much? Depending on how you heat and cool your home and the climate of the area you live in, clogged filters, dirty thermostats, sooty flues, leaky ductwork and unlubricated fan motors can reduce heating and cooling efficiency by up to 25 percent....

Once upon a time, selecting a decking material was a simple process because wood was the only choice available. Today, other options range from composite to plastic and even aluminum. Traditionalists will always see wood as the one true decking material, but the new alternatives offer many alluring benefits, including longevity and low maintenance. Take your time while researching your choices. Exploring all the possibilities may open your mind to a material you’ve never considered before or even known about....

At This Old House, we love Idea Houses so much that in 2020 we decided to build two—and we are thrilled to have featured Baird Brothers Fine Hardwoods in both projects. Here’s a look at the many ways Baird helped beautify the Farmhouse in Fairfield County and the Cottage on the Cape with its precision-milled, custom-crafted wood products. TOH Idea House: Farmhouse in Fairfield County The centerpiece of the TOH Farmhouse in Fairfield County is this bold and beautiful, 22-by-44-foot great room....

Lighting is something we take for granted. Flip a switch, the current flows, and a light turns on. If we think about lighting at all, it’s either wishing there was more in some dark corner of the garage or basement, or noticing that we like, or don’t, the style of a particular fixture. But there’s a lot more to know about lighting, particularly for an aging population whose eyes need brighter and better directed light as time passes....

Few things embody casual summer entertaining like the picnic table. And in our opinion, the table should be as fuss-free as the food. Thus the classic Americana design, with its X-shaped legs and its separate benches, roomy enough for six adults. We built our edition from rough-sawn cedar, which is a bit thicker and more rustic than less-expensive pressure-treated pine. This DIY picnic table will last for years, long after it weathers to a silvery gray; the crossed legs are notched with half-lap joints for strength and braced diagonally to prevent the table from racking....

Not all gardeners have the luck to live in temperate climes. Instead of battling frost, install a cold frame to protect your plants like a mini greenhouse. Its natural warmth lets you foster seedlings in early spring and keep veggies going through fall and even into winter. Project details Skill Cost Estimated Time This Old House senior technical editor Mark Powers shows how to build the box from rot-resistant wood and a salvaged window....

In this video, This Old House general contractor Tom Silva installs decorative crown molding in a room with precision. Project details Skill Cost Estimated Time Steps on How to Install Crown Molding Use a self-locking C-clamp to secure a short 1x4 to the saw table. Position the board at the correct distance from the saw’s fence to hold the crown at the proper angle. Set the crown molding upside down against the saw fence and the 1x4 stop block....

Top 5 Toilet Bowl Cleaners Best Kit: Clorox ToiletWand Disposable Toilet Cleaning System Best Flushable Pads: Scrubbing Bubbles Fresh Brush Toilet Bowl Cleaning System Largest Liquid Cleaner Pack: Lysol Bleach-Free Hydrogen Peroxide Toilet Bowl Cleaner Best Natural Cleaner: Better Life Natural Toilet Bowl Cleaner Best For Rust: Iron OUT Automatic Toilet Bowl Cleaner Best Kit: Clorox ToiletWand Disposable Toilet Cleaning System This wand helps eliminate stains in every nook and cranny of your toilet....

The 7 Best Flippable Mattress Options 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. Is there a better feeling than flipping your pillow to the cool side? Now, picture an even more rewarding type of bedroom flip: flipping your mattress for an entirely new sleep experience. It’s an intriguing concept, especially if you’re wary of committing to just one mattress style for the foreseeable future....

Gutters. Homeowners love to hate them. Spring and fall, cleaning out the leaves and debris to keep them draining well is a maintenance chore. Without them, however, roof runoff during a heavy rain can dump hundreds of gallons of water right next to the house foundation—the leading cause of wet basements. But poorly functioning gutters and downspouts are responsible for exterior damage as well, eroding soil, and causing moisture problems like peeling paint and rotted siding, fascias and soffits....

Before No time and no money are often cited as reasons for putting off a remodel. Just ask Cynthia Harper, who lived in her Colonial-style home in Philadelphia with her family for five years before reaching the end of her rope with the depressing master bath. So she came up with a plan to make over the space in just two days with just $200. Shown: The basic builder-grade bath had not been touched since the house was built in 1996....

Whether you’re adding a powder room or creating a serene master retreat, remodeling a bath is no small job. It pays to think about what you want a renovation to accomplish long before demo starts, and that begins with asking some basic questions. Think about what you’re looking to get out of the renovation, and who will be using the space. Ask yourself if your current layout facilitates getting ready in the morning or hinders it, and how a new space could improve your daily routine....

Top 5 Oscillating Sprinklers Best For Medium Lawns: Melnor XT Turbo Oscillating Sprinkler Best For Large Lawns: Orbit Brass Impact Sprinkler Best Connection: Aqua Joe Indestructible Oscillating Sprinkler Best Compact Design: Melnor MiniMax Turbo Oscillating Sprinkler Best Movement: GrowGreen Sprinkler Best For Medium Lawns: Melnor XT Turbo Oscillating Sprinkler This sprinkler has 20 rubber nozzles that can cover up to 4,500 square feet, making it a good choice for medium-sized lawns....

After getting a quote of $2,500 to carpet her dangerously slick oak staircase, TOH reader Jaime Shackford of Edmond, Oklahoma, took the project into her own hands. Using just two off-the-shelf woven runners ($125 each) and supplies from a home center, here’s what she did. Project details Skill Cost Estimated Time How to Install a DIY Stair Runner 1. Staying Centered Jaime used painter’s tape to make sure the runner would be centered on the stairs....

We know how quickly your orange porch decor can turn to mush. Keep your pumpkins looking great all season long with these simple tips. Pick a healthy pumpkin Be sure to inspect the pumpkin before you purchase it. Avoid any that have dents, bruises, discoloration, or soft spots, as these are indicators of an unhealthy pumpkin. Also, try to go to a local pumpkin patch instead of the store. The shipping process can often damage pumpkins....

In this video, This Old House plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey shows how to prevent ice buildup from shutting down an air conditioning system. Project details Skill Cost Estimated Time Steps for Repairing a Frozen Air Conditioner Clean or replace the return-air filter to ensure it’s not obstructing the flow of fresh air to the air conditioner. Confirm that the size of the air-conditioning unit can accommodate the diameter and number of cool-air ducts....

For a lot of my clients, no kitchen design is complete without a kitchen island at its center. The island has become the icon of the modern kitchen—the 21st-century equivalent of the old-fashioned hearth. It’s easy to understand why. Why Build a Kitchen Island? First, islands work. Because they can be accessed from all sides like the old kitchen table, they’re ideal for a variety of kitchen tasks (see “Uses for a Kitchen Island,” below)....