If you take these steps to safeguard your plumbing system now, you could reduce the risk of future plumbing problems and even increase the useful life of some of your appliances! Most water supply pipes and drain lines are tucked away behind walls or in under-sink cabinets, so it’s ea…
Here’s Why Your Plumbing Sweats in the Summer
Are you tired of finding condensation puddling up around your plumbing pipes and fixtures this time of year? With these five solutions, you can relax and stop mopping up the water. Q: This is our first summer in our new house, and suddenly it seems like all the b…
The One Tool Your Workshop Is Probably Missing
Even if you pride yourself on your well-equipped workshop with every state-of-the-art tool you need for construction projects or car repairs, there’s one piece of equipment that’s easy to overlook: the work light. Because a dedicated work light doesn’t perform a specific task like…
5 Signs Your Home Needs a Dehumidifier—and How to Select the Right One
Does your bread seem to go stale after a day or two? Do your crackers and cookies lose their crispness soon after you open the box? These aren’t just minor quirks that homeowners learn to live with, they are also signs that you may have a problem with high humidity in your home. W…
9 of the Coolest Projects You Can Make with Fittings
If you dig industrial décor—the edgy aesthetic that celebrates old-school utilitarian design—get psyched to discover some fun new do-it-yourself projects, all using black fittings. That’s right: Plumbing has emerged from behind the walls to star in all kinds of practical, great-looking desi…
Choosing a New Appliance: Electric vs. Gas Water Heaters
If you’ve had the same hot water heater for longer than 10 years—the standard lifespan—it’s smart to consider replacing the appliance before it quits performing and puts you in a tough position. Before you start shopping for a new water heater, however, you need to know w…
Solved! What Size Bathroom Fan Best Supports Your Space
Q: We recently bought a beautiful old house, but the former owners never installed a vent fan in the bathroom. After a shower, the mirror is completely fogged and the walls are wet to the touch. I know all that humidity can’t be good for the cabinets or the new wallpaper, some of which is alre…
The Dos and Don’ts of Replacing a Toilet
Thanks to their solid construction and simple design, toilets often outlast other bathroom fixtures, but they don’t last forever. After a decade or so, heavy lime deposits can build up, resulting in clogging or slow flushing, and the seals between the tank and the bowl can harden, crack, and beg…
How To: Enjoy Your Outdoor Space Year-Round
If you’re lucky enough to have an outdoor space for entertaining, your patio probably gets a lot of use in the summer and early autumn, but that’s only half the year. Once the mercury drops and the snowflakes begin to fly, most homeowners quickly cover their outdoor furniture and roll their gr…
7 Things to Buy If You Want to Spend Less on Utilities
Let's face it: owning a home isn't cheap. You're on the hook for mortgage payments and property taxes, of course, as well as maintenance and repair expenses. Under typical circumstances, cost-cutting options are frustratingly few, but there's one crucial exception—utilities. You don't pay a …
Which Is the Right Type of Water Filter for You?
Americans enjoy easy, take-it-for-granted access to some of the cleanest, clearest water in the world. Still, even water that’s deemed safe to drink can be comprised in quality. It may taste bad or look discolored for instance. Alone or in combination, such issues provide reason enough to l…
Tools for PEX Connections (Crimp, Clamp, Expansion, Press)
PEX revolutionized plumbing in more ways than one, including making it easier for pros and DIYers alike. Still, if you're new to PEX tubing, there's one tricky aspect to navigate at the outset—that is, choosing a method of connecting one tube to another, and arming yourself with the tools requir…
