DUSTING IS (USUALLY) ENOUGH If you keep up with cleaning, Maker says, fans don’t need much maintenance. Give it a go every three months if the fan’s on year-round, or at the beginning and end of cooling season if it’s not. Stand on a step stool or ladder, and use a flexible microfiber duster to trap any debris. TACKLE GRIME WITH VINEGAR AND WATER Have a fan that hasn’t been cleaned in aeons?...
In this video, This Old House host Kevin O’Connor discovers the proper way to install ceiling-mounted light fixtures. Project details Skill Cost Estimated Time Installing pendant lights Turn off the electrical power to the circuit you will be working on. Remove the wall switches from an existing two-gang box; be sure to label the wires for reinstallation later. Push the existing electrical cables through the rear of the box. Hold a new three-gang switch box over the old two-gang box and trace its outline onto the wall....
Steps for installing concrete pavers: Start by marking and digging out the area for the patio. A pickax can help loosen up the soil, which will make it easier to dig out. Dig until the patio is consistently 8-9” deep, though some spots of the patio may require digging deeper in order to keep the patio even. Run the compactor over the patio area to compact the soil and allow for a firm base....
It’s hard to imagine what drove settlers to rural Maine in the 1800s. It couldn’t have been the weather. But all that cold and snow had an upside, says Pamela Haines, owner of a 19th-century Cape Cod–style house in the river town of Buxton. Houses like hers have an assortment of small rooms, the better to close off ones not worth heating, and that configuration can itself be a source of warmth....
Handling projects yourself is a great way to save some money, learn new skills, and increase the resale value on your house. However, working with tools and new techniques come with their fair share of risks, especially if you’re trying something for the first time, so it’s smart for DIYers to focus on being cautious. 11 Safety Precautions Before Starting a DIY Project Follow these safety guidelines while getting jobs done around the house and you’ll keep out of harm’s way....
A big challenge early on at the TOH Mid-century Modern project house was designing the storm water management system. When the house was built in the 1950s, the rainwater was collected in a drain that tied directly into the town’s sewer system, but that type of tie-in is no longer allowed. The house is on a terraced lot, at the bottom of a street, so water runs down the street and onto the lot....
Safety glasses keep dirt and other debris from entering your eyes while you’re performing home improvement tasks, such as drilling holes or cutting hedges. They often have special coatings that protect against UV rays, fog, glare, and scratches so that your view isn’t distorted during use. Top 5 Safety Glasses Best Standard Glasses: Magid Y50BKAFC Iconic Y50 Design Series Safety Glasses Best Value: TRUST OPTICS Safety Glasses Best Adjustability: NoCry Safety Glasses Best Side Protection: Gateway Safety 6980 Cover2 Safety Glasses Best Bifocal Glasses: DEWALT DPG59-120C Reinforcer Performance Protective Safety Glasses Best Standard Glasses: Magid Y50BKAFC Iconic Y50 Design Series Safety Glasses These safety glasses from Magid look like your standard prescription glasses, except they have flaps on the sides to extend protection....
Top 5 Sectional Sofas Best L-Shaped Sofa: HONBAY Convertible Sectional Sofa Best For Sleeping: Lilola Home Lucca Linen Reversible Sleeper Sectional Sofa Best U-Shaped Sofa: Casa Andrea Milano Modern Large Velvet Fabric U-Shaped Sectional Sofa Most Seating Space: Modway Engage Mid-Century Modern Fabric L-Shaped Sectional Sofa Best Material: Iconic Home Da Vinci Left-Hand Facing Sectional Sofa Best L-Shaped Sofa: HONBAY Convertible Sectional Sofa This L-shaped sofa has two cushions and a chaise....
Top 5 Toaster Ovens Best Cooking Methods: Oster Toaster Oven Best Temperature Control: Panasonic FlashXpress Toaster Oven Best Rack: Breville BOV650X Smart Oven Countertop Toaster Oven Best Capacity: BLACK+DECKER Countertop Convection Toaster Oven Best Toaster And Air Fryer Combo: Cuisinart Convection Toaster Oven Air Fryer Best Cooking Methods: Oster Toaster Oven This toaster oven is simple to use with its digital control panel that can convection bake, broil, toast, bake, warm, and defrost with the touch of a button....
More Space, Same Footprint Adding over and under your home are both smart ways to increase living space, but there are other creative ways to eke out extra square footage without drastically changing the footprint of your home. Look up, down, and all around, and you may find you have more room for rooms than you think—in the attic, the basement, the garage, or even an underused outbuilding. This Old House has gathered its favorite basement and attic bonus rooms, as well as shed and garage conversions, three-season porches, and more, to help you get inspired to find that hidden space in your home....
Homeowners who want peace of mind that their homes are safe when they’re away should consider a home security system. There are many options on the market in Houston, each offering different features like 24/7 professional monitoring, DIY installation, no contract requirements, and more.team has reviewed the on critical metrics like equipment packages, cost, and more. Read on to find out about our top recommendations. To help you narrow down your options, the This Old House Reviews Team has reviewed the best home security systems on critical metrics like equipment packages, cost, and more....
Add Flair to Your Front Porch Steps First impressions count, and with just a little effort you can welcome visitors in style. We replicated the quarter-size stair riser cutouts that were original to the Greek Revival home. And we embellished the risers with a minimalist house number below the top step. A planter with colorful blooms that can be changed out seasonally completes the look.PORCH STEPS: Aeratis PORCH NUMBER: House of Antique Hardware...
When your ready-to-assemble (RTA) cabinets arrive at your home, be prepared for loads of boxes; decide ahead of time where they will go on delivery day. Building a kitchen’s worth of RTA cabinets is a DIY-friendly job that doesn’t require special tools. Read on to learn how to make RTA cabinet assembly easier. 4 Tips for Assembling RTA Cabinets 1. Prepare for delivery Make sure someone will be home to receive all the boxes....
Your laundry room might be one of the busiest in your house, but it may not be top of your list when it comes to your regular cleaning regimen. Many of us neglect to clean our washer and dryer regularly, and that’s a problem. How Often Should You Clean Your Dryer Vent? You should clean your dryer vent at least once a year—make it a part of your annual deep clean....
Floating floors aren’t glued down so you’ll tap them into place. Laminate flooring is one of the most common types of floating floors. In this video, This Old House general contractor, Tom Silva, helps a homeowner lay down their floating floor in the basement. Project details Skill Cost Estimated Time Can You Install Laminate Yourself? It’s possible to install laminate flooring yourself in about 6-8 hours a room. The process is easy but it can be tiring and requires some know how....
The first step to making the most of any basement is to achieve a level floor. Happily enough, leveling uneven concrete slabs has an easy fix that won’t sacrifice your headroom. The easiest way is to use a self-leveling compound, also called liquid floor underlayment or floor resurfacer, within sections of level-cut rails. The material flows out like thick syrup, then hardens into a smooth, perfectly level surface, sometimes in less than an hour....
In this video, This Old House general contractor Tom Silva and host Kevin O’Connor discuss the wide world of flooring products. Project details Skill Cost Estimated Time Flooring options Traditional oak-strip flooring is nailed to subfloor, and requires sanding and finishing. Prefinished hardwood can be glued or nailed down, and walked on immediately after installation. Engineered-wood floating floors come pre-finished; the long planks snap together and aren’t fastened down to the subfloor....
Previous episode: S19 E12 | Next episode: S19 E14 In this episode: Plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey explains the purpose of a mini split ductless air conditioner and the process of getting one installed. Richard begins by explaining the basic principle of all cooling mechanisms; that heat will always transfer to cold, no matter what direction. He explains that inside any air conditioner there are two components: the evaporator and the condenser....
The Jamestown Net-Zero House will get a big energy boost from the steeply sloped, south-facing garage roof, on which a 5-kilowatt photovoltaic array will soon be installed. “We knew we needed solar in order to achieve net zero, but there wasn’t a south-facing roof we could use on the main house,” says architect and homeowner Don Powers. “I designed the garage with that south-facing roof in mind.” Although the rest of the garage roof is covered with cedar shakes, the solar plan requires asphalt roofing as the surface on which the PV array should be installed....
For giving rooms instant personality—and protecting surfaces with style—nothing beats wainscoting. Here’s your guide to wainscoting styles, materials, and installation tips. Wainscoting Panel Styles Wainscoting comes in several styles. Below, we outline the most popular decorative panels to consider in your home. Raised Panel Raised panels, the most traditional wainscoting style, go back to colonial days. The decorative raise is created by beveling the edges of the panel. Common height is between 30 and 40 inches, but the design can be adapted for higher-ceilinged spaces by adding a center rail to create two rows of panels....
