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To keep squirrels at bay, the experts at bulb supplier Longfield Gardens suggest taking this multipronged approach. Plant What They Don’t Like Squirrels and chipmunks avoid daffodils—which are poisonous­­—as well as alliums, scilla, hyacinth, grape hyacinth (muscari), fritillaria, camassia, chionodoxa, snowdrop (galanthus), and summer snowflake (leucojum). Tulips, unfortunately, are a delicacy for them. Still, if they become hungry enough, they’ll eat everything in sight. Install a Barrier Line the bottom of your planting bed with wire hardware cloth or woven shade cloth, which is easier to work with....

Previous episode: S20 E34 | Next episode: S20 E36 In this episode: Master electrician Heath Eastman tells us how he became an electrician. Heath explains that he hadn’t considered the trade until he and his wife started renovating their first home. After hiring an electrician to handle some of the projects they had on their plate, the electrician mentioned knowing someone looking for help. With a basic understanding of carpentry (thanks to his father), Heath decided to jump into the trades and try something different....

Top 5 Area Rugs Best Large Rug: Persian-Rugs Abstract Area Rug Best Carpet-Like Rug: Safavieh Milan Shag Rug Best Outdoor Rug: Unique Loom Area Rug Most Customizable: Artistic Weavers Traditional Area Rug Most Comfortable: PAGISOFE Modern Area Rug Best Large Rug: Persian-Rugs Abstract Area Rug This medium-pile area rug is made with 100% polypropylene, making it long-lasting and comfortable. With its eight-by-10-foot size, it’s best suited for larger spaces, such as living rooms and dining rooms....

Structural engineer Jim Graham follows these guidelines when assessing which ones need attention and which don’t. How Wide are the Cracks? On a poured foundation, a web of hairline cracks or widely spaced vertical cracks less than 1⁄8 inch wide generally mean the concrete shrank a bit too much as it cured. Unless they grow wider or leak water, these can usually be left alone. Cracks 1⁄8 inch wide or wider deserve a closer look....

While the art of a yard sale may seem pretty straightforward, simple alterations in timing, pricing, and display can make the difference between a successful sale and a full-on flop. To help you navigate the process, here are the dos and don’ts of selling your unwanted wares the good old-fashioned way. Follow these tried-and-true tips and you may just strike gold. 10 Tips for Having a Successful Yard Sale 1. Title Your Event Wisely “Estate Sale” or “Moving Sale” implies that you’re liquidating a house’s contents, and can earn you more than “Garage Sale....

For the last three years, since moving into their 1909 Arts and Crafts house in Arlington, Massachusetts, Nick and Emily Deldon have lived in dread of their heating-oil bill. “During the coldest part of the winter, we were spending about $3,000 a month on fuel deliveries,” says Nick. “It was costing us more than our mortgage just to stay warm.” Thankfully, the Deldons’ money-down-the-drain feeling has come to an end, as their house undergoes a top-to-bottom renovation on the current season of This Old House, with general contractor Tom Silva in the lead....

In this video, This Old House general contractor Tom Silva installs a new skylight into an existing opening. Project details Skill Cost Estimated Time How to Replace a Leaking Skylight Use a flat pry bar to remove roof shingles, starting three or courses above the skylight. Then pry up roof shingles from each side of the skylight, revealing the step flashing. Unscrew and remove the counter flashing from around the skylight....

Jenn: Hey guys, I’m Jenn Largesse and today I’m here with Corey Decker from Sawdust 2 Stitches. Corey, Thank you for being here. Corey: I’m happy to be here. Jenn: So I thought we could start out by you telling us a little bit about your blog, Sawdust 2 Stitches, and about how you got started. Corey: I had done a—actually it’s one of my biggest things—an apothecary. And everybody wanted to know how I did it, so I was sending all of my friends these written-out tutorials....

Porch Flooring Materials One of the biggest concerns that homeowners have with tongue-and-groove products is thermal expansion and contraction. And this concern is not limited to natural wood: Even some of the higher-priced cellular PVC products are subject to the adverse effects of movement caused by temperature fluctuations. Aeratis has come up with a proprietary manufacturing process and formulation that guarantees its product will not expand or contract, so it will never buckle, cup, or warp, making it uniquely appropriate for both covered and uncovered applications....

Previous episode: S41 E22 | Next episode: S41 E24 In this episode: Original leaded diamond glass windows greet people at our project’s front door. But it needs some repairs. Kevin O’Connor finds window expert Cathryn Blackwell addressing the problem. Outside, our homeowners want a colorful buffer between their woodland property and the driveway. Jenn Nawada and Fred are planting a bed of perennials that provide color throughout the growing season....

Top 5 Cordless Stick Vacuums Best Battery Life: Dyson Torque Drive Cordless Vacuum Best Standard Vacuum: Hoover Linx Stick Vacuum Best Maneuverability: Shark Rocket Pet Pro Stick Vacuum Best Design: Eureka RapidClean Stick Vacuum Best Attachments: BISSELL ICONpet Pro Stick Vacuum Best Battery Life: Dyson Torque Drive Cordless Vacuum This cordless stick vacuum works on a variety of surfaces and contains a whole-machine filtration system that traps up to 99.99% of particles and allergens....

Heath Eastman talks about circuit breakers. Heath shows Kevin O’Connor that while resetting these breakers is simple, these are complex devices that monitor and protect circuits. First, the two talk about the different sizes of breakers before moving on to the different types. Finally, Heath shows Kevin how to test certain breakers to ensure they’re working properly. Circuit breakers exist to protect people, appliances, and homes from dangerous electrical current. However, few people understand why the trip and how they operate....

Bunk beds are an essential space-saving solution for many families. How else do you house growing kids in the same room while maximizing floor and play space at the same time? The good news is, you can say goodbye to clunky, traditional bunk beds and say hello to cool bunk bed designs that are not only functional but look good to boot. For the best bunk bedroom ideas, we took inspiration from our favorite decorating styles....

Top 5 Outdoor Rocking Chairs Best Features: GCI Outdoor Freestyle Rocker Best Portable Rocker: GCI Outdoor RoadTrip Rocker Best Set: SOLAURA Outdoor Rocking Chair Set Best Plastic Rocker: POLYWOOD Presidential Rocking Chair Best Wooden Rocker: Shine Company Vermont Porch Rocker Best Features: GCI Outdoor Freestyle Rocker This outdoor rocking chair uses a unique spring-action rocking system to ensure its base is stable on a variety of surfaces, including porches, yards, and campgrounds....

Driveways aren’t just for cars. Many of the 75 million driveways in the U.S. do double duty as play areas and convenient workspaces for all kinds of projects. But an increasing number of driveways are showing their age: cracks, heaving, spalling and other signs of distress. Many of these surfaces can be renewed with the procedures while others must be replaced. Although 90 percent of driveways in the United States are either asphalt or concrete, there are a number of other options including crushed stone, gravel, cobblestone, and interlocking concrete pavers in a variety of patterns....

We spend more time in the bedroom than any other room in the house, so it should be a calming and restful space. If a bedroom feels less than serene, maybe it’s time for a refresh. Make a list of reasons why it’s not working, then ask yourself what you hope to accomplish: Perhaps it’s more closet space or a better lighting plan. Are you considering minor updates (new paint color and carpet), or a bigger project, such as turning an unused attic into a master suite or creating a storage-packed kids’ room with built-in bunks?...

Cabinet doors are opened and closed all day long, especially those go-to cabinets that contain snacks and glasses, so it’s no wonder that a much-used door becomes loose or starts to sag over time. With loose cabinet doors that no longer close the way they should, the best way to decide how to adjust cabinet hinges is to first determine the cause. Loose cabinet doors can be the result of:...

Looking for an attractive outdoor project that won’t take all summer to build? The shade arbor shown on these pages is a worthy example, even though this particular project actually took nearly three weekends to build. That’s because we chose to paint it before screwing it together so we could cover all the surfaces and avoid having to work on a ladder 8 ft. off the ground. Project details Skill Cost Estimated Time We spent the first weekend cutting the lumber to length and applying two coats of primer to all surfaces....

To lay a foundation, we first removed the shelves added a base coat of Sherwin-Williams Emerald® Interior Acrylic Latex Paint in matte in Pure White SW 7005. For the pattern, we selected a semigloss finish in Copper Wire SW 7707 applied using a cut-rubber design roller, in a pattern called Quills from Rollerwall to put down feathers in a semigloss finish one vertical row after another—like wallpaper. Project details Skill Cost Estimated Time The roller creates a natural frame on all sides; to avoid this, you could roll the pattern on wallpaper liner and paste it in place....

Dear Insiders, As you may know, Norm Abram announced in May that he is hanging up his toolbelt. To give him a proper sendoff, we will be pre-releasing the one-hour tribute special, The House that Norm Built, to Insiders on September 29th. Norm has been a special part of the This Old House family, and we will certainly miss him. Along with Norm’s departure, the New Yankee Workshop license agreement is expiring soon, which means members of This Old House Insider will no longer be able to watch New Yankee Workshop or download NYW plans through Insider as of September 6, 2022 at 12:00am....