Summer is a great time for home improvement projects and DIY updates around the house. Set some time (and money) aside this summer to give your home some TLC. Not only will it increase the overall value of your home, but little upgrades here and there can also save you a lot of money down the…
Add a Washer Safety Valve
Who knew your clothes washing machine can create water damage in your home? The cause of the problem comes from the hose that connects to the water system; it can rupture or split. The damage occurs if the hose is left under pressure and it lets loose while no one is home and water flows…
Design Recipes: Keep Your Summer Projects Checklist on Track With These Tasks
By Cathy Hobbs From Tribune News Service Now that summer is approaching, for many, it signals lazy days and longer nights. The season may also be a wonderful time to catch up on maintenance projects and complete all of your to-do projects around the house. In general, a number of maintenance tasks can be done…
Summer Smarts: Prepare Your Home to Help Beat the Heat
Getting your home ready for summer is about much more than reinstalling the window screens and putting out the patio furniture. Happily, it doesn’t take all that much effort or skill to get your house ready for the coming 90-plus-degree days. If you haven’t done so already, turn on your air conditioning system. If there’s…
Dream House: Make Your Home a Resort-Quality, Year-Round Destination
Several issues ago, in an article titled “Posh Backyards,” we covered the topic of unique upgrades that you can make to your home’s outdoor area to create your own version of a theme park, complete with lap pools, putting greens, observatories, outdoor kitchens, and saunas. The response was good, so now we’re shifting our gaze…
A Decorative, Functional Rail Fence Is Easy to Build
Dear James: I have a landscaped yard and the neighborhood children cut through it. I want a simple-to-build yet attractive fence that complements my yard. What do you recommend? —Don W. Dear Don: If children are determined to get into and through your yard, you would require a fence that is very substantial and likely…
Picking the Right Blade for Your Power Saw
Dear James: I just got out my power saws for a remodeling project and the blades are shot. What types of new blades are best for general work with circular and table saws? —Aaron M. Dear Aaron: Those two saws, along with a compound miter saw, are pretty indispensable for most remodeling projects. If an…
Organize a Messy Room With Simple, Inexpensive Shelving
Dear James: Our extra bedroom has just become a junk room with stuff piled all over the place. I would like to organize it with some shelves. How can I make some inexpensive shelving? —Alan D. Dear Alan: I think any family that has an unused bedroom ends up using it for storage. It is…
Home Wine Cellars: A Liquid Home Improvement
Creating and curating a wine collection is serious business for oenophiles. Sir Robert Scott Caywood may have summed it up best, “Compromises are for relationships, not wine.” This raises two questions: Why do I need to protect my wines and what’s the best way to do so? Acquiring a 1947 Cheval-Blanc is only the first…
Air Power Tools Need the Correct Hose Type
Dear James: I bought an air compressor because I think pneumatic tools are better than electric tools. Now I need a long hose. What type of pneumatic hose is good for tools?—Juan K. Dear Juan: For many home projects, pneumatic tools are better than electric or battery-powered ones. Electric tools, and particularly battery-powered tools, are…
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