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Broken Appliance: Should You Repair or Replace?

Written text "Out Of Order" message on paper taped on closed refrigerator door In a kitchen. Demonstrates what to do with a broken appliance.

Your seven-year-old refrigerator is on the fritz. Should you spring for a repair or bite the bullet to replace the broken appliance? Fortunately, there’s a simple rule of thumb that can help you make the decision. Here’s our guide to when to repair or replace appliances. Is it really broken?

How to Choose the Right White Paint

Cropped image of woman with legs painted with white paint holding brush above bucket on the white floor.

White paint might seem the simplest choice for painting your home’s walls, but it’s anything but. One trip to the paint store is all it takes to see that there are dozens of white paints, each of which looks a bit different. So how to choose the right white paint

How to Remove a Popcorn Ceiling

Home ceiling drywall demolition of popcorn ceiling.

You may have popcorn ceilings in that fixer-upper you bought. Also known as cottage cheese or acoustic ceilings, these textured ceilings were all the rage in the mid-20th century. However, today’s homeowners typically want a smoother look. Fortunately, you can probably get rid of the texture if you’re willing to

Bye-Bye Fly: Keeping Flies Out of Your Home

Two flies on an orange, eating the fruit.

You expect insects to crash your summertime barbeque. After all, the outdoors is their world. But your home is your world, so it’s vexing when flies barge in. Here are some ways to keep them out of your home. What attracts flies into the house? When winter’s chill wanes, insects

My House is a Dust Bowl: What to Do?

Close-up view of a woman wiping dust using spray and an orange microfiber cleaning cloth on the dirty table.

Spring comes, temperatures warm, and flowers bloom. Liberated from winter hibernation, you happily throw open the windows. Before you know it, dust and pollen blow through and settle on everything. How can you enjoy warm weather without dust and pollen taking over your home? Here’s what you need to know.

You Can Build Your Own Fence

A white, middle-aged man builds a wooden fence in his backyard.

With the right materials, a little geometry and plenty of gritty work, you can build your own fence. You’ll not only end up with the protection or privacy you need, but you’ll feel the satisfaction of a successful DIY project. Let’s get building. Fencing basics If you’re building a property

Styling Kitchen Open Shelves

Dishes and decorations on wood open shelves in a white kitchen.

Today’s kitchens often feature open shelves instead of upper cabinets, and the trend shows no sign of ending. Open shelving presents opportunities both to store your kitchen necessities and to display favorite objects. But if you’re facing a bare shelf, you may not know where to begin. Here’s what you

Cleaning Candles: Extend Use and Beauty

Man shown cleaning candles and polishing brass candlesticks at home.

With their warm glow and pleasant scents, candles add beauty to your home’s decor. But over time, candles can grow dusty and sooty, and their wax can make a mess of otherwise attractive candlesticks and containers. Here’s how to clean candles and their holders. Removing dirt from candles To clean

Your New DIY Resource: YouTube!

Woman working indoors at home, using YouTube for online education for plants.

Suppose the digital display on your stove breaks down just after your manufacturer’s warranty has expired. You can call an appliance repair service, but that will likely be expensive. Or you can attempt the repair yourself with help from an online friend: YouTube. If you’re a DIYer, YouTube can show

Clearing and Preventing Clogged Drains

Young woman complaining to the plumber about clogged drains in the kitchen sink.

What a headache! A clogged drain is nasty and messy, and the timing is never good. Let’s look at what to do when you have a clog and how to prevent them. Types of clogged drains and their causes Kitchen clogs can occur in the sink, disposal and sometimes the

How to Paint Over Old Wood Paneling

Using paint to refresh a wood paneling wall.

Wood-paneled living areas were popular in the 1960s and 70s. Unfortunately, fifty years later, some of that wall paneling has still not been updated. If you don’t want dated wood paneling in your new home, should you remove and replace it, or can you paint over it? Removal versus painting

What to Do After a Home Burglary

Attractive woman and shocked man after discovering a home burglary.

Discovering your home has been burglarized is a sick feeling. In addition to losing valuables, a home burglary leaves you feeling violated and vulnerable. Someone has ransacked your belongings and taken things that matter to you. Could the thief be cashing in on your things right now? Worse, will they

Testing the Waters: Is Your Private Well Water Safe?

Testing private well water pollution concept. Scientist is taking a water sample for the test close up.

Municipal water is treated and delivered under strict health guidelines set at the state and federal levels. But if you own rural property with its own private well, the applicable regulations in many states are less stringent, federal laws governing public water systems do not apply, and owners are not

December To-Do List: Holiday Helpful Hints

December To-Do list in notebook with christmas gift boxes and red ornament decoration with ribbon bow with snowman cookie and gingerbread man on wooden table top view. Winter holiday planning concept.

December is a busy month — with holiday decorating, food prep and celebrations taking over the schedule. So go ahead and give yourself the gift of a lighter load of chores around the house. Here’s a suggested to-do list that will get you ready for family festivities and the potential

November To-Do List: Get Ready for the Holidays!

Different pumpkins on wooden background. Gathering food for the holidays.

With Thanksgiving looming and the winter holidays right around the corner, it’s easy to succumb to panic. Don’t do it! Instead, use this pre-holiday time as motivation to accomplish what you can and forget about the rest. If you haven’t already, hammer down your holiday travel plans. Make the necessary

Removing Bats From Your House

Flying bat action shot of hunting animal on wooden attic.

Just in time for Halloween, you suddenly see a bat flitting around inside your home. There’s no need to break out garlic and a wooden stake. Here’s how to remove a bat from your house and how to prevent them from visiting you in the future. Safely removing a bat

Safety First When Grilling Great Food

Marinated lamb and beef burgers cooking on an outdoor barbecue demonstrating grilling safety.

Grilling delicious meals on the weekend is therapeutic. You can feel the tensions of the workweek go up in barbeque smoke as you create a chargrilled masterpiece. But to ensure your grilling experience doesn’t flame out, you have to exercise some cooking caution before, during and after you grill. Burned

Handling Load-Bearing Walls During Renovation

Bright and clean interior design of a luxury living room with parquet wood floors, fireplace, sofa and flowers. Stucco is applied to the load-bearing walls creating a decorative look.

Renovating a home to create an open floor plan or let in additional light sometimes involves removing a load-bearing wall. Every house has at least two of these walls, and they are a vital part of your home’s structure. If modifying a load-bearing wall is part of your renovation plan,

The Ups and Downs of Home Elevators

Entry of home with stairs parquet floors and home elevators.

Baby Boomers are aging, and people of all ages are increasingly caring for elderly parents with mobility issues. That has increased the demand for home elevators in multistory homes. A home elevator is a terrific help with mobility and moving cargo floor to floor, but diligent research and planning are

Finding, Repairing and Preventing Wood Rot

An old house with wood rot on exterior from termites and sun exposure.

Water is essential to life, but water in the wrong places around your home can wreak destruction. Interior framing, eaves, window frames — all of these and more are subject to wood rot and can be expensive to repair. Here’s how to spot, fix and prevent damage around your house.

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