The in-sink garbage disposal has become a staple appliance in most homes. These often-forgotten undersink appliances don’t get much attention but get more than their fair share of use. It isn’t surprising that in-sink garbage disposals often need replacement or repair. There are several options to consider when your garbage disposal quits disposing.

A mural is an excellent way to capture people’s attention and communicate a message to the public. You’ll often see murals on the side of buildings throughout a city or inside people’s homes. But what kind of permission and permit do you need to paint a mural, if any?

Shower curbs are such a fixture of the average full bathroom that it’s easy to ignore them even as you step over one. However, it is important to consider every aspect of a shower curb when you install or renovate a shower. So, what is the ideal shower curb height?

Choosing a new breaker is an important decision. Your home’s electrical system is comprised of several fail-safes meant to keep both you and the breaker safe. Homeline and QO breakers are among the most popular and effective on the market, so how are they different?

Slippery floors are hazards, but they have nothing on slippery stairs. One wrong step on a slippery staircase can land you in the emergency room. You need to watch out for those slick stairs and save yourself from potential injury. If you have laminate flooring over your staircase, you may have dealt with grip-related issues in the past. Addressing that should be your priority as a homeowner.

You want an update do your bathroom. But will that new tub surround fit into your existing space? Here’s what you need to know.

Paper towels are just like toilet paper, right? Wrong. Though the two products seem similar at a glance, the composition of each is completely different, which means they react in water differently, too.

Water dripping into your bathroom from anywhere there isn’t supposed to be water is cause for concern.  This concern is especially true of bathroom vents, which typically lead through the roof to the outside.  A leak from a bathroom vent when it rains should be investigated and repaired as soon as possible.

When you hear the word jacuzzi, you might picture a few different things. For example, maybe you imagine soaking in a jetted tub or sharing a whirlpool tub for two. However, for some people, a jacuzzi stirs up images of hanging with several friends in a hot tub.

Many homes across the country have a basement. The basement can be finished or unfinished but usually, at a minimum, has some plumbing infrastructure. Unfortunately, sometimes the basement can develop a sewer smell that can be hard to diagnose and even trickier to fix. The first step to eliminating a sewer smell in your basement is to learn where the odor is coming from.

If you are currently looking to move into a new home, you are all too aware of the competitive and unpredictable state of today’s housing market. Buying a home in 2023 is incredibly expensive, stressful and can be difficult. Buyers are often outbid, and find themselves searching a real estate market with limited inventory. Naturally, it makes sense to consider building your own home rather than continuing in the housing market rat race. But when it comes to building versus buying a home, which is cheaper?

 Many homeowners have asked themselves at one point or another: “Can I build a wall myself?” People consider it for many reasons – whether they are renovating a new home, preparing to sell, or trying to create more space for their growing family.

Doing your own electrician work means that you will have to make sure that the wires you’re installing have continuity. This isn’t always easy to do. A non-continuous wire is usually the cause of a non-functioning circuit, a sudden power outage, or other problems in your grid. With short lines, it’s a cinch. Long lines? Not so much…

There’s something undeniably charming and relaxing about retreating to a cabin in the woods or up in the mountains. While many cabins can be luxurious, think deluxe accommodations in the Poconos, others are simpler and more rustic. Then, of course, you have everything in between.

If you choose to rent instead of own, you might picture some small apartment with white walls and beige carpet. Maybe your image includes a tiny balcony or patio area, but surely no frills. However, apartments come in all shapes, sizes, and styles, and if you have the dough, they can get pretty lavish.

Fiberglass exterior doors are becoming more popular with builders and homeowners upgrading their homes. Fiberglass doors offer a lot of advantages like those offered by steel or PVC door units. However, fiberglass door units offer only a few color options, and many homeowners wonder if they can paint a fiberglass door to match the exterior of their homes. 

As a homeowner, you are the one who welcomes people into your humble abode. You host your family members, your friends, and maybe even some of your colleagues and share good times with them. Of course, there are certain house guests you didn’t invite who are making themselves at home anyway.

After enough use, you may notice that your toilet takes a little longer than normal for the water to flow out of the tank and into the bowl. Slow flushing isn’t a sign of anything more than a dirty toilet. Even if the bowl looks clean, the siphon and the jets may be clogged with mineral buildup, slowing down the flow.

Many people in recent years shifted toward a significant lifestyle change when they drastically downsized to 400 sqft or less. Undoubtedly, living tiny has its pros and cons, but is it for you? 

We build our lives in our homes, and often our home is the greatest asset we own. Unfortunately, problems with the basement walls and foundation can put our home in jeopardy. A bowed basement wall is a big concern and one that should be addressed immediately to protect your home and investment. Fixing a bowed basement wall can be a DIY project, pending you have a minimal amount of bowing.

Pea gravel is a ubiquitous landscaping element. You’ve probably heard a lot about it already if you’ve been talking to landscaping experts about your yard. The practical and aesthetic benefits of using pea gravel are well-known and your household could find them useful as well.

Finding a showerhead that is glued on is rare. Almost all showerhead installations in the US use threaded fittings to connect the showerhead arm and the showerhead. What you think is glue is probably a combination of the plumber’s Teflon tape and mineral buildup from your water.

Having a freezing cold garage in the winter is never fun. Not only is it horrible to go into your garage when it is cold, but the cold can also damage your vehicles. Insulating your garage ceiling rafters is a great option. Insulating the ceiling rafters of your garage is actually the most essential part. This is because heat rises and can leave through the roof. Always make sure the top of the garage is protected if you want to keep in essential heat.

There has always been a considerable debate on how to keep your home warm through the colder months of the year. Two of the most popular options tend to be a gas fireplace or a central heating system. While each has its unique uses and every individual has their preferences, it’s essential to consider a few factors.

Let’s say that you noticed your shower acting wonky. It’s drippy, not running well…and it’s becoming a significant pain. The chances are that you’re going to have to replace the shower valve. If you have a two-handle shower valve, hiring a handyman to replace it might cost as much as $600.

Keeping your shower working properly is an important part of ensuring that you and your family get the most out of your home. Doing so will ensure that your family is able to look after their hygiene without having to worry about pesky plumbing issues.

It is tempting for any homeowner to maximize sunlight and keep pests away. The two most common ways for a homeowner to allow natural light into the house are with screen doors and storm doors. So, let’s settle a common debate amongst homeowners: screen door vs. storm door.

Painting your house is a huge undertaking. And you probably don’t want to do it twice. So, choose the best color for your foundation the first time. Then, update the style every few years.

Circuit breakers are one of, if not the most, essential parts of your home. Without an effective breaker, you would have no power for anything in the house. No appliances would work, you would be without heat or air, and you wouldn’t be able to have internet or entertainment.

If you love bespoke home accessories, making scented candles at home might be a DIY activity you want to add to your wheelhouse.

It costs between $200 and $3,000 to set up a basic podcast studio at home. Your setup will be cheap if you already have a computer. Of course, you can spend more once you expand, especially if you add a video element to your podcast. The cheapest route is to simply use a USB microphone that plugs into a laptop.

Nails and screws are a mainstay in many construction projects. You would be hard-pressed to tackle any home improvement task that doesn’t call for one or the other. But how do you know when to use nails or screws for your project?

Wear and tear will affect every element of your home at some point. One day, you may pull into your driveway and be greeted by a garage door that’s in rough shape. You cannot be surprised since even a sturdy garage door is susceptible to the elements.

Each home’s electrical panel has circuit breakers that act as a safety device for your home. They are each is designed in a way so as to cut power off when the current that passes through exceeds the designated rating.

Moen is a very popular appliance brand. In fact, if you have multiple bathrooms, the odds are pretty high you have some sort of Moen appliance in there. The company is known for its variety, especially when it comes to its faucets. And while these faucets usually function properly, you may need to tighten them from time to time. But what size Allen wrench do you need for a Moen faucet?

Glass walls enable homeowners to create a striking and stylish interior space. They allow you to feature a sense of openness inside your home while still keeping areas distinct and separate. On top of that, there are also practical benefits that only glass walls can provide.

It’s fair to say that any standard home you visit in the US will have at least one bathroom. Likewise, it’s safe to assume that you’d find a sink in the bathroom. However, as far as the size and style of the bathroom sink, there are tons of options.

Many homeowners dream of someday building a swimming pool, but it’s not always an option. Whether it’s due to cost or a lack of space, building a new pool may simply not be feasible for them. Before you give up on your dream of having a pool at home, you should first consider installing a plunge pool.

When watching some of your favorite TV shows, you may notice that a lot of the characters live in brownstones. That is because shows based in New York, Philadelphia, or Boston often like the charm a brownstone offers. If you are looking to purchase a brownstone for yourself, use this as a guide to choose the best layout. 

If you have a light switch that you hardly use, it might be more beneficial to convert it into an outlet. But can that even be done? The answer is a resounding yes!

A neighbor who has experience with chainsaws borrowed yours a couple of weeks ago for some yard work. When he returned the chainsaw, he put it back up on the shelf for you. Now, you plan to do some trimming in the yard, so you haul down the chainsaw. But wait a minute.

Tile flooring has become a popular option for kitchens and bathrooms across the country. Even a basic renovation of these rooms that includes tile flooring or walls can result in a homeowner  recouping 50 percent or more of their renovation cost when their home goes up for sale. With the rise of do-it-yourself tutorials in the past several years, many homeowners choose to complete tile installations on their own rather than pay a higher price to have a professional do the job.

Bathroom maintenance can be a chore. Due to their susceptibility to water, bathrooms attract bacteria like a moth to a flame. Moisture can accumulate in the nooks and corners of tiles, bathtubs, and cubicles of your bathroom and attract mildew spores, dirt, and soap.

Ring has become one of the most popular smart home security devices of the decade, and rightfully so. Ring doorbells give people the chance to see what goes on outside their home when they’re not around, record strange happenings, and even talk to people while they’re outside the house.

New appliances or new tools in your garage workshop may have you wondering about getting enough electrical service to those outlets.  You know you need more amps but aren’t sure how to accomplish the upgrade.  This situation leads to the question, how to increase circuit breaker amps?

When the bitter cold of winter sets in, it is particularly difficult to stay motivated. The freezing temperatures, combined with short days, make even the most proactive person lethargic. While outdoor options might seem limited, the winter months allow you lots of free time to accomplish many home projects that you find yourself too busy to tackle in the spring and summer months.

Modular homes, also known as prefabricated homes, or homes that are built off-site, are quite popular because of how cost-effective and simple they are. Their simplicity and affordability is a huge selling point of modular homes, but many wonder if they will depreciate in value.

Recently, I typed up an entire article about the way that dimmer switches run hot. As someone who grew up in a home where dimmers were a thing, I was pretty shocked to hear how hot they get. Dimmer switches apparently have a reputation for that. Unsurprisingly, some people believe they’re unsafe. I can’t blame them, if they never experienced it. It’s a debate worth discussing. Are dimmer switches safe?

The garage door is tasked with consistently keeping your cars and that part of your home shielded from the elements. If your garage door is damaged, you will see it right away as debris and moisture will infiltrate that space. Hopefully, you aren’t keeping any of your expensive power tools in your garage because they will likely end up damaged as well.

Are you remodeling your shower and looking for a beautiful and functional product? Kohler and Swan are both reputable brands with sleek and durable shower wall kits. Both of their proprietary products would be great additions to your bathroom. To help you choose, we have completed an in-depth comparison of the two options.

Crown molding is as practical as it is pleasant to look at. Not only does it add an elegant flare to the room, but crown molding also covers the gaps between the wall and ceiling.

A couple of summers ago, my husband and I completely remodeled our kitchen. It was quite a project, and we learned a lot. One thing we spent a lot of time talking about was tile.

Designing a new home is an exciting process. For probably the first time in your life, you get to choose the exact layout of your living space. As part of this process, you may be considering adding a toilet room to your home.

A pond in your backyard can be a fun feature, adding beauty and a relaxing, calming atmosphere. But if your pond ends up grimy, full of algae, or otherwise yucky, it’s anything but beautiful. So, how do you keep a backyard pond clean so it’s worth having as part of your oasis?

So, you live in Illinois, and you are updating or remodeling your home. As you begin the demolition, you immediately find that all the electrical wiring inside the walls is metallic conduit.

Having a wide expanse of land available in your yard can be a good thing. All that open space allows you to explore numerous design ideas. Then again, the challenge of filling that much open space can be overwhelming and also quite expensive.

Electrical work is one of the hardest things to wrap your head around as a homeowner, and that comes right down to outlets. The standard outlet for American homes is the ground fault circuit interrupter or GFCI outlet. They are effective and protect you from electrical shock, but can two GFCI outlets be used on the same circuit?

Whether used in a tub surround or as a kitchen backsplash, subway tile is a popular choice. Its classic, yet modern look is pleasing to the eye and helps it blend well with a variety of styles. It’s even started making more of an appearance on feature walls and on floors.

Perhaps the best way to tie a design together is with the flooring. Distressed hardwood flooring is the perfect complement to the ever-popular country-chic aesthetic. For a rustic and authentically antique look, distressed floors are a must.

Planning a major home improvement project is exciting, but it is also stressful and expensive. There are lots of moving parts to consider, which is why it is so important to hire a great and trustworthy contractor. Once you find a good contractor, you are hopefully a little less stressed. But when this contractor asks you for a whopping 30% up front, you might start second-guessing your decision.