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In this video, This Old House general contractor Tom Silva explains the wide world of insulation. Project details Skill Cost Estimated Time Step for Choosing insulation Cellulose insulation is composed of shredded newspaper treated with Boron. It’s blown into the wall cavities and has an R-value of about 3.6 per inch. Closed-cell insulation forms a hard, rigid foam surface with an R-value of 6.0 per inch. Open-cell insulation is blown into wall cavities as a liquid and within a few seconds, it expands and hardens....

What is the Difference Between Whitewash and Paint? Whitewash is a semi-opaque finish applied to an existing finish or bare wood with the goal of allowing the base coat or wood grain to show through. Paint is applied and dried as a solid coating that does not allow the wood grain to be seen through it. Project details Skill Cost Estimated Time Using Premixed Whitewash vs. Making it To achieve the look of whitewash, you can use a premixed option or make your own by mixing water and white paint....

Host Kevin O’Connor, contractor Nathan Gilbert and tech expert Ross Trethewey share some cost-effective ways to seal and insulate existing windows without replacing them. The team discusses efficiency ratings for older single-pane windows compared to today’s options and offers tips to seal your drafty windows from the inside. Project details Skill Cost Estimated Time They explain different insulating techniques, including using shrink wrap, weather stripping, and caulk. Anything you can do to decrease airflow and leakage will drastically increase comfort and energy savings....

Your washing machine is one of the hardest-working appliances in your home, doing load after load every week. Yet while it’s easy to assume that the detergent you use cleans the washer along with your laundry, the reverse may well be true: Product residue can cling to the washtub, door, gaskets, and inner workings, as can remnants of dirt and grime from clothes and linens. This can invite a brew of nasty odors, mold, mildew, and bacteria that can leave laundry less than fresh....

Not long ago, electrical contractor Allen Gallant was about halfway through the job of completely rewiring a 3,200-square-foot house in Acton, Massachusetts, when the owners decided to save some money and not install whole house surge protection against surges from lightning or downed power lines. Sure enough, soon after the house was finished, Gallant got a phone call from the distressed owners: Lightning had struck a utility pole near their house, sending a tidal wave of voltage through the wires, past the main breaker panel, and into the house....

Whether you’re new to home automation or already have several smart home accessories, investing in devices that can help you around the house can save you time and energy. If you’re unsure what gadgets fit into the home automation category, read our guide below for our recommendations on the best smart home gifts available. 1. Netatmo Weather Station 2. SmartThings Wifi Smart Plug by Samsung 3. Ultraloq Bluetooth Enabled Fingerprint and Touchscreen Smart Lock 4....

If you’re looking for a home warranty in Cleveland, you might not be sure where to start. All home warranties offer basic coverage for your home’s major appliances and systems. If a covered item breaks down due to natural wear-and-tear damage over time, a home warranty will pay for a contractor to repair the problem. If repair isn’t possible, this service contract will cover the cost of a replacement. However, with so many home warranty companies out there, keeping track of who offers what at the best price can be time-consuming....

Like many large cities, the greater Cincinnati area has a variety of pest problems. Whether you’re concerned about bedbugs or rodents, having a pest management service looking after your home can provide peace of mind about your family’s health. Cincinnati has many pest control services to pick from, so it can be time-consuming to figure out the best option for you. The This Old House Reviews Team has researched and rated some of the best pest control companies in the country....

Steps: Project details Skill Cost Estimated Time Apply a small amount of water or oil to the sharpening stone. The packaging the stone came in should indicate whether it requires water or oil. Drag the knife across the stone in a diagonal direction. Repeat this 3 or 4 times on the stone and keep an eye on the angle the knife is being held at so that it stays consistent. Flip the knife over and repeat the process on the other side of the blade....

An air fryer is a compact convection oven that utilizes an upper heating element and fan to circulate hot air around your food. Air fryers deliver a crispy texture to food in significantly less time than traditional ovens or deep fryers. Top 8 Air Fryers Easiest to Clean: Ninja Air Fryer Best Display: GoWISE USA Digital Air Fryer Best Preset Options: COSORI Air Fryer Max XL Best Accessories: Instant Pot Vortex Plus Air Fryer Oven Best Finish Options: Cuisinart Convection and Air Fryer Oven Easiest Operation: Ultrean Air Fryer Most Compact: DASH Compact Air Fryer Most Versatile: Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Toaster Oven Easiest to Clean: Ninja Air Fryer Pros and Cons ✔ Fries food with up to 75% less oil than deep fryers✔ Includes dishwasher-safe parts✔ Dehydrates food to create chips and other dried snacks...

In this video, Mason Mark McCullough walks Kevin O’Connor through how to choose the best ice melt for your driveway and walkways. There are basically two materials to make surfaces less slippery in the winter: salt and sand. Project details Skill Cost Estimated Time Salt Salt has a lower freezing point than water, so when you put salt on ice, it lowers the ice’s freezing point to about zero degrees Fahrenheit, which forces the ice to revert back to water....

The prototype of this handy helpmate, the brainchild of an unknown house painter in California, was a stiff-bladed putty knife with a semicircular cutout to clean paint rollers, a beveled edge for scraping and puttying, a sharp pointed tip to clean out cracks, and a blunt tip to open paint cans. Its inventor never patented his 5-in-1 tool, but the folks at Hyde Tools Inc. suspected the idea had promise and started selling one nationally in 1975....

Want to step up the style on your stairs? Whether you have a grand entry staircase or narrow back steps off the kitchen, these ideas for painted stair risers add just the touch your home deserves. Painted Stair Ideas Ombre Stair Risers Ombre is an effect produced by shades of color that graduate from light to dark. To create this look on your stairs, choose a saturated shade from the room’s color palette and use it to paint the bottom two to three risers....

While a snow shovel or a handful of salt may remove the remnants of winter weather in some parts of the country, homeowners in less temperate areas may require a more heavy-duty tool, like a snow blower, to plow through thick snowfall. While purchasing a snow blower is an investment, the tool’s ability to save you time and effort pays off when winter’s inclement weather arrives. Because selecting the right snow blower can be challenging, the This Old House Reviews Team researched the best snow blowers to help you find a quality and effective tool to combat winter weather....

Kevin O’Connor and master electrician Heath Eastman meet back at the shop to talk about GFCI outlets. After discussing what a GFCI is and what it does, Heath shows Kevin how it works, the different types of installations that may exist, and how to test a GFCI’s function. What are GFCIs? GCFIs exist to protect the user. These devices detect when current from the hot conductor contacts a non-current-carrying metal part and cut off power to the circuit....

Interior door installation can be challenging, it involves precise measurements and some carpentry. It might be a good idea to work with a professional when you do this. However, if you have the skills, tools, and time, here are the steps to take to add a pre-hung door to your house. Project details Skill Cost Estimated Time How to Install a Prehung Door in 17 Steps Use a level to find a level spot on the rough opening....

Q: My oak floors are covered in scratches. Do I have to sand down to bare wood to get rid of them? Project details Skill Cost Estimated Time —Susan Bankhead, Meridian, Idaho A: The Editors of This Old House reply: Not necessarily. If the scratches don’t go all the way through to the wood, you can scuff-sand your floors with a buffer and apply a fresh coat or two of finish....

In this video, This Old House plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey shares the different parts of a bathroom sink, how to figure out where it could be backed up, and shares some tips to help you unclog your drain. How Do You Fix a Slow Draining Bathroom Sink? Start by identifying where the stoppage is. Then, identify the cause of your clogged bathroom sink, whether it’s hair or any kind of residue build up....

• Run your garbage disposal: To head off a smelly homecoming, TOH plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey advises tossing in lemon rinds, then running the disposal with the cold water tap on. • Pause your post: Piled-up mail is an instant tip-off that no one’s been home for a while. Go online to temporarily turn off your mail at holdmail.usps.com/holdmail. You can opt to pick it up or have it all delivered at once when you’re back....

Do you have enough? Each floor—which now means a basement level, too, even if it’s unfinished—needs a smoke alarm. This includes an alarm within 20 feet of each bedroom (in a small home, that could mean just one in the hall), plus one inside each bedroom. In garages and unfinished attics, install a heat alarm; these sense temperature rather than smoke. Are they connected? As of 2007, interconnected alarms are a code requirement for homes old and new: When one alarm goes off, all should sound....