Category: HOME

Window Air Conditioner: How to Fix It, Clean It, and Make It Like New

The heat of summer will soon be bearing down, giving millions of window-mounted air conditioners a real workout. Many owners of said units are wondering why their air conditioners aren’t working properly. Good news! In most situations, consumers can fix a window air conditioner themselves, provided they have the right information and an inexpensive handy…


Protect Your Deck With Proper Maintenance

The inevitable is bound to happen: Your beautiful new deck will age. But you can determine how gracefully it ages. “It’s not maintenance-free to put wood outside,” says deck designer John Breiling. “When you spend $10 to $12 per square foot of deck, you want to care for your wood. It can be tough when…


2nd-Grader Battling Cancer at Home Keeps Up in Class—Thanks to Teacher Who Visits Him Every Day

A second-grader battling leukemia during the pandemic was saved from falling behind in class, thanks to a teacher who went the extra mile for him. Barb Heim, who’s taught first grade at Conneaut Valley Elementary in Conneautville, Pennsylvania, for 35 years, brought lessons to Harrison Conner when he couldn’t make it to class. Driving 20 minutes from…


How to Clean Gunk and Grime From Kitchen Cabinets

Kitchen cabinets are for storing dishes, not grease. Unfortunately, wood cabinets, whether painted or natural with a clear finish, are prone to all sorts of grease, grime, and gunk from simply being in the kitchen. Depending on just how much grease and grime you’re looking at and the supplies you have available, here are several…


How to Secure Your Home on a Budget

Dear James: There have been some break-ins in my neighborhood, so I want to improve security at home. I’m on a tight budget. What are some simple do-it-yourself security tips? —Darrel K. Dear Darrel: Almost every homeowner is on a tight budget these days, but there are still some things you can do to make…


5 Tricks to Organize Your Home Like a Boutique Hotel

What makes a hotel stay feel luxurious is often the simplest of things: fluffy towels, clean sheets, and mini toiletries—there whenever you need them. Do you want to recreate that same sense of indulgence in your own space? Use these organizational ideas to give your home the five-star treatment. Restock and Refresh Your Bath Towels…


Home Depot Guarded on Future Demand After Bumper First-Quarter Sales

Home Depot on Tuesday cautioned it was difficult to predict how its business would be impacted by a potential change in shopping habits in the coming months as the reopening of the U.S. economy threatens to slow a pandemic-fueled sales boom. The lack of a solid forecast from the top U.S. home improvement retailer, which…


Israel Bombs Hamas Gaza Chief’s Home

Israel bombed the home of the Hamas chief in Gaza early on Sunday, and the Hamas terrorist group fired rocket barrages at Tel Aviv as hostilities stretched into a seventh day with no sign of abating. According to Hamas television, Yahiyeh Sinwar’s home was targeted. Sinwar has led the military and political wings of Hamas…


A Vintage Lover, Age 27, Transforms Her Home to Include 1940s Decor and Antique Objects

A young woman with a passion for the 1940s has transformed her home into a vintage time warp. Hannah Hall, 27, from Nottingham, England, bought a house that was built in the 1920s from an old family friend in 2016 and decided to unearth its old-world charm. The medical examiner officer’s obsession with the wartime period…


Make a Small House Seem Larger Indoors With Proper Design Features

Dear James: We are on a strict budget for our new home. It will have to be fairly small overall. What are some design tips for making the living space seem bigger than it actually is? —Kellie D. Dear Kellie: The modern trend in homebuilding is smaller houses. Building material costs are very high right…