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Stainless steel is an obvious choice for a kitchen sink because it cleans up quickly and has a great pro look. But once you get past the key design questions—single bowl or double, undermount or overmount—you want to base your buying decision on other, less obvious factors that affect quality and value. So we canvassed the experts for their tips on buying the best stainless-steel sink for your needs. Read our five-point checklist, which includes ensuring the right gauge to drain placement....

Top 4 Meat Thermometers Most Customizable: Lavatools Javelin PRO Duo Meat Thermometer Best Instructions: Kizen Instant-Read Meat Thermometer Best Leave-In Thermometer: ThermoPro TP-16 Digital Cooking Thermometer Most Affordable: GDEALER DT11 Meat Thermometer Most Customizable: Lavatools Javelin PRO Duo Meat Thermometer This thermometer comes in blueberry, chipotle, sesame, olive, orange, panda, ink, and wasabi colors, which is more than double the number of colors offered by the other kitchen thermometers in this review....

In this video, Ask This Old House general contractor Tom Silva explains R-value and the need for good insulation. Project details Skill Cost Estimated Time What is R-value? Tom defines R-value as the resistance of heat transfer through the insulation—meaning, the better the R-value, the less heat is lost. When it comes to R-value and recommendations for your home, a lot depends on where you live. Related How to Insulate HVAC Ductwork In southern parts of the United States, the recommended R-value for a roof is R-30; for the middle of the country R-38; and farther north, R-49 is strongly recommended, as the climate becomes colder....

A pergola adds a stylish touch to your garden and could be the best addition you make to your outdoor living space. Whether entertaining friends or just relaxing with family, having the perfect lighting for the occasion is a must. 14 Easy Pergola Lighting Ideas Here we share fourteen ideas to take your pergola from dark to dazzling in very little time. Paper Lanterns Made of thin paper covering a wire framework, paper lanterns come in all colors and sizes....

If a rodent found a way into your house it’s time to take action. There are several manufactured traps to help catch and kill mice that sneak into a home. We compare five types of mouse traps so you can decide which one to use. Project details Skill Cost Estimated Time How to Set Up a Mouse Trap Metal Pedal Mouse Trap One of the oldest but most effective traps is the metal pedal mouse trap....

Steps for choosing a toilet seat Start by measuring the length of the toilet seat. They come as either round seats at 16” or elongated at 18”. Be sure to buy the correct size seat. Unscrew the bolts at the back of the toilet seat holding it in place and remove the old toilet seat. Depending on how old the toilet seat is, this may require a screwdriver if the screws are on top of the toilet....

Aaron: Hey guys! My name is Aaron Massey from House One and today I am here with John Malecki. Thanks for joining us John. John: Thank you, Aaron. Aaron: Tell us a little bit about your content. John: So, I build and produce custom furniture. I am based out of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and most of my content is on Instagram and my website johnmalecki.com. I also do have a supplemental website that’s metalandwood....

Previous episode: S20 E30 | Next episode: S20 E32 In this episode: Landscaping contractor Jenn Nawada heads to a local greenhouse to talk about succulents with the greenhouse manager. After discussing what makes these plants so popular, the two discuss the different varieties, which are beginner-friendly, and how much water each plant needs. Next, the two discuss how to transplant succulents from boring plastic containers to more appealing pottery. They transplant a small plant into a pot and then explain that building an entire arrangement requires the same simple steps....

As it turns out, there is exactly one electrician in the U.S. House of Representatives, and viewers will see him in action during one of next season’s This Old House episodes chronicling the renovation of a Jamestown, RI, house. Representative Donald Norcross, of New Jersey, recently visited the Jamestown project, and worked alongside electrician Ben Giles, of Rhode Island’s South Shore Electrical Contractors, and a group of high school seniors from Chariho Tech, a vocational high school that is part of the Chariho Regional School District, serving Charlestown, Richmond, and Hopkinton, RI....

When reviving an old house, little things matter. Because it’s only when you add up the little things that you can appreciate the bigger story. When Amy and Billy Reed came upon a modest 1937 cottage in Mill Valley, California, it was the small, everyday details that convinced them the 1,036-square-foot house was not a teardown. And so they felt compelled to safeguard the home’s humble charms as they set about adapting it as a home for themselves and their two children, Margaret and Townsend....

Paint nice clean line the along the edges of your wall, casing, and trim by using a cutting in brush.  What Is The Best Paint Brush For Edging? A sash paint brush, like the one used in the video above. To give you more control, wet the bristles before loading up the brush with paint. This helps the paint adhere to the bristles more evenly. How Easy Is Cutting in Paint?...

According to the National Association of Home Builders, fireplaces rank among the top three features desired by new homebuyers. While popular, the open design of traditional wood fireplaces causes heated air to be lost through large gaps, making them inefficient as heating sources. The solution for many homeowners is a fireplace insert, which is a shelled, efficient room heater that draft-proofs an open fireplace by keeping heat flowing toward the room....

First, What Exactly is a Steam Shower? Simply put, a steam shower heats water until it vaporizes and then pumps that steam into an enclosed area for your enjoyment. Benefits of Steam Steam showers are known for their “R&R” properties, but they offer so much more in terms of overall holistic health and well-being. Here are just a few of the surprising benefits: Researchers in India have suggested that steam therapy may aid in the relief of certain respiratory issues Promotes deep, restful sleep by encouraging relaxation and a sense of well-being Boosts metabolism—steam showers can burn up to 150 calories per session Increased blood flow from steam heat has been shown to relax muscles and reduce stress-induced pain to joints and other connective tissues Opens pores to flush out toxins for cleaner, clearer skin Loosens stiff muscles and reduces soreness for quicker post-workout recovery....

Carpenter Nathan Gilbert builds and installs a railing for deck stairs that will match the original railing around the rest of the deck. Project details Skill Cost Estimated Time Steps for Building a Deck Railing For material, Nathan picked up wood made of fir, which is a great material for decks and is water-resistant. It also takes paint better than pressure-treated wood does. Remove the bottom stair deck boards. To find out what you need to notch out of the post, use one of the 2x4’s and plumb a level from the stringer....

A basic fact about hot tubs is the more you use them, the more you need to clean them. A hot tub is a closed-loop system, meaning the same water is circulated through the pipes and filtration system. When something gets introduced into the water, it’s going to flow through every part of the system again, and again, and again. Project details Skill Cost Estimated Time Why You Need to Clean Your Hot Tub Thanks to its warm and moist environment, a hot tub is a hotbed for bacteria and mold growth....

In this video, Kevin O’Connor meets expert painter Mauro Henrique to discuss painting techniques. Mauro begins by showing Kevin how a professional painter holds a paintbrush. Then, Mauro loads the brush with paint and shows Kevin how to properly paint a piece of baseboard. After purposely dabbing the wall with paint, Mauro shows Kevin how to wipe it up before discussing the merits of painter’s tape. How to Hold a Paint Brush To paint like a pro, you have to hold the brush like a pro....

PVC pipes (polyvinyl chloride pipes) are known for their durable and lightweight properties that make them a sustainable solution for sewage, plumbing, and irrigation. Typically identified by their white or cream color, PVC pipes are connected using couplings and solvent cement that melts the surface layer of the pipes, bonding the material together. PVC is most commonly used as drain piping, known for its ease-of-use and affordability. For most PVC damages, repairs can be made to the existing pipe to keep the leaking under control....

Have you ever lost your house keys and had to call a locksmith for help? If you don’t like paying to get back into your home or hiding a spare key under a doormat or flowerpot, an electronic deadbolt lock may be the solution you’re looking for. Many of these locks have access codes along with a traditional key, giving you peace of mind that you won’t get locked out of your home again....

This Old House master carpenter Norm Abram is a home improvement TV genre pioneer. After 43 years, 1,000 episodes of This Old House, more than 50 home renovation projects, and 280 episodes of The New Yankee Workshop, Norm is officially retiring from the show. Norm will be sent off with a one-hour tribute special, The House That Norm Built, premiering Monday, October 3 at 9 pm ET on PBS and streamed on The Roku Channel....

Previous episode: S21 E2 | Next episode: S21 E4 In this episode: Master electrician Heath Eastman takes us on a house call to solve a homeowner’s doorbell problem. After moving in, the homeowner attempted to fix an old doorbell, only to have it crumble into pieces. Heath uses his expertise to track down the existing wiring and transformer first before running new wiring and installing a new doorbell, chime, and transformer—a process that might be more involved than it seems....