We have all experienced it at least once.  You are enjoying a nice warm shower, and, without warning, the shower turns icy cold.   It is an unpleasant experience, at best.  Why does the shower go cold when someone turns on another tap in the house?

When I first moved into my current place, we had a door that had a major gap. This gap was so large, leaves would blow in from the outside, and any type of air conditioning would eventually get blown out of our apartment. I knew I had to fix the gap in order to save on my bills and also prevent wildlife from crawling in, I had to get it fixed. Thankfully, this was a relatively easy project to work with.

It is quite rewarding to look at your fish tank, especially when the fish are healthy. The only downside of having a fish tank is that it requires lots of maintenance. Changing the water isn't fun, but it's necessary. So, how often should you change the water in a fish tank?

America’s top-selling cookware brand, Copper Chef is known for their Cerami-Tech nonstick coating that makes sautéing and pan-frying fast and simple. Believe it or not, nothing will stick to the surface of a Copper Chef pan, which eliminates the need for cooking with added fats and oils. Since nothing sticks, Copper Chef pans are incredibly easy to clean. Oftentimes, all you’ll need is one pass with a soapy sponge and cleanup is done in a matter of minutes.

We often don’t understand how essential electrical outlets are to our daily lives until one stops working. If you’re experiencing only one outlet that’s dead and the others are unaffected, you may simply have a dead outlet. An outlet that isn’t functioning is not only inconvenient, but it can also be a fire hazard. That’s why it needs to be addressed as soon as possible and if you ever feel uncomfortable with the tasks you’re doing, call a professional.

Before almost any paint project you can imagine, you will need to add a layer of primer to the mix. Primer is the very foundation of your surface’s ability to grip paint, which is why so many people rely on quality primer brands like Zinsser and Kilz. Both are great brands, but which is better for your project? And moreover, can the best brand pick change according to the project you have? 

If you live in an area of the country that experiences exceptionally frigid winter temperatures, you likely have that one room in your home that never quite feels comfortable enough. No matter how you set the temperature, this room still feels way colder than it should.

While ceiling fans are great for keeping your home’s temperatures low in the summer and your cooling costs even lower, they may be noisy, distracting, and unattractive in your living spaces. Not to mention, they can also be incredibly difficult to clean.

Did you just discover that your neighbor’s security camera has a perfect view of your property? Before you panic, think about it logically. Chances are that your neighbor wants to keep their property safe and doesn’t realize it’s pointing at your property.

The need to install a water softener system is standard with homeowners who use well water or anyone who has an issue with metal buildup. The softening system is designed to remove the metal cations such as calcium and magnesium. Although, how much does a water softener cost to install?

In many situations, a good Sharpie can come in handy. However, while a permanent marker can be an asset sometimes, it can be a pain in others. If the wrong surface gets marked (like your antique wood table), it can be quite tricky to remove Sharpie from wood. After all, there is a reason they call it “permanent.” F

Around 90 percent of homes within the United States are wired electrically using ROMEX, the trade name for non-metallic (NM), sheathed cable. This type of wiring system is simple to run and very convenient. However, it’s essential that you do not have any exposed ROMEX in your home and the wiring should be completely covered.

Handrails are a necessary part of building concrete steps. Some handrails work better than others, especially when fastening them to concrete. There are many styles, colors, and designs when it comes to handrails. We are going to go over what makes the best handrails for concrete steps.

One downside of a wet climate is that dirt turns into mud, which can damage cars and dirty up houses. This doesn’t bode well for dirt roads or driveways primarily made up of soil and gravel. Luckily though, there are ways to fix your muddy driveway.

Known for their nonstick nature, high-performance Calphalon cookware can be a lifesaver in the kitchen. However, after the meal has been completed, they need to be properly cared for in order to ensure they are long-lasting and stay in their best condition. This is especially the case if you’ve burnt your food and your Calphalon pots and pans may require some restoring.

You think you smell Raid in your house, even though it’s been days since you used the insecticide  eliminate ants and termites? Well, chances are that you went on a little overkill while trying to get rid of the insects. Raid has a strong odor, which takes time to wear off, especially if you empty a can to eliminate the insects.

Whether you’re making improvements to an existing home or it’s new construction, building codes can squash your plans. In some cases, building codes force you to alter your design significantly. While in more severe scenarios, you can’t move forward with the work at all.

When painting anything on the interior of your home, you need to use primer as an undercoat. The number of coats of primer you need can vary, depending on your desired end result.

If your neighbor just moved in, there’s a good chance they haven’t settled in and made their house feel lively yet. In that case, you can help inject their house with personality if you give them a houseplant or two. That said, the last thing your neighbor wants is a houseplant that’s demanding and hard to take care of.

Countless homeowners choose Honeywell thermostats because of their convenience, and accuracy. Because you can program a Honeywell thermostat yourself, you can effectively custom tailor your preferences within your home. However, it is within the programming of Honeywell thermostats that many homeowners find themselves confused.

You may see bugs come out of your drain because they either entered through a pipe or hid within the drain. Some bugs, such as flies, are drawn to sink and shower drains and even reproduce in them. This is mostly common with clogged drains, as they provide plenty of cover for mating and nesting.

Preparing for the winter is an important part of life for those living in colder climates. If you own a home in a cold region, you probably have one or more fireplaces that get lots of use in the winter months.

Picture Juliet stepping out onto her balcony to speak with Romeo, and you have the perfect image of a French balcony. There was just enough room for Juliet on her small perch. In fact, these balconies are often referred to as “Juliet balconies.”

Adding a fireplace to your house is a great idea whether you want to raise the aesthetics of the living room or just want to get through those daunting winters with comfort.

Do you have a home improvement project coming up? Are you thinking about doing up the exteriors of your home? Then it is imperative that you zero in on the right exterior house paint. Your choice of materials for the job will determine whether you are making a sound and sensible investment or just increasing your costs.

Switching from baseboard heat to a forced-air system is a big decision. Many people choose to stay with their baseboard heaters not only because of the cost of changing systems, but the perks it provides. Before you decide to convert heating systems, make sure you research which is best for your family.

We often don’t notice how essential our household appliances are to our daily life until they aren’t functioning properly anymore. The same goes for your clothes dryer. Unfortunately, it’s ubiquitous for dryers to break down because they haven’t been properly maintained.

Yeti is one of the most trusted brands when it comes to reusable drinkware. With their quality and effectiveness, this shouldn’t come as surprise. But there’s one important question that is shared by many Yeti cup users: are Yeti Dishwasher safe?

Throughout the day the pressure in your boiler fluctuates, but always remains at a level that is not too high and not too low. Proper functionality is indicative of a boiler system that is somewhere between 1 and 1.5 bar. Though, the optimal range may differ slightly depending on your particular boiler.

Having animals in the attic is not only frightening to deal with, but it is an invasion of your home’s privacy. Sure, it may only be a furry critter, but animals stuck in your attic create noise disturbances as well as a sanitary risk. Most homeowners’ first instinct when they hear an animal in the attic is to reach for the phone and call a service to get it removed.

Not many years ago, a microwave in the kitchen was considered a luxury item.  Now, if you find a kitchen without a microwave, it would be a rarity. With the explosion in the popularity of microwaves has come an equally large problem of their disposal.  How do you dispose of a microwave?

An electrical outlet (also referred to as an electrical receptacle) is the place where you plug in all your appliances and electrical devices. When functioning correctly, these will stay at room temperature.

Basil is a popular herb used in kitchens around the world, known for its intense flavor and sweet smell. Although originally found in tropical Africa and Southeast Asia, this member of the mint family has given birth to several varieties that we use worldwide. Sweet basil, or Genovese basil, is more commonly used in our kitchens today. Basil is easy to grow in your home or garden, but beware of any basil leaves turning black.

Whether you just purchased a new car, moved to a new state, or got a fun new vanity plate you want to show off, you need some screws for a new license plate. Unfortunately, the screws on license plates are not a simple singular size across the board. In fact, most brands tend to use different screw types and sizes.

There’s nothing quite like being cozy during the winter. Depending on the space you live in, it could be an entire HVAC system or something as small as a space heater. The latter can be quite effective for heating small spaces.

Whirlpool makes a ton of different household appliances. From stoves to refrigerators and everything in between, you can walk into millions of homes across the United States and find a Whirlpool product somewhere.

If you are on the hunt for a new TV, you have probably noticed prices can change pretty significantly in the course of a month or two. Television prices seem to be in a constant state of flux. As you embark on your search, you will likely want to get the highest quality TV within your budget at the deepest discount available. But when it comes to getting the lowest price on a TV, what is the best month to buy?

When you’re excited about tackling a home project, it can be very tempting to jump in and get it done quickly. However, if you skip vital prep work, you might end up with shoddy work and wasted time.

Mold can be one of the most troubling things that you will find in your home. The spores travel everywhere, and mold can actually be quite dangerous if left unchecked. You can find spores from mold all over your house; however, mold spores really love to flourish in warm, moist areas, like your bathroom.

When you first got your fireplace, you probably were wondering how to use it. This is particularly true with ignition. You might have had an ignitor in your design, or you might not have. Either way, when you want to use a fireplace and don’t seem to have a proper way to light it, it can be frustrating. So, what can you do?

If there’s one thing that took me by surprise, it was the sheer variety of fuels that are used to heat up a regular home and provide power to it. Two of the more common fuels that you can use are home heating oil and kerosene. Both are used to bring up heat in a home, so some people might feel the need to pool the two together. But, is this really a good idea?

A water hammer occurs when there is a sudden increase in a pipe’s water pressure when the water is suddenly forced to stop. This occurrence often creates a loud banging sound. Water hammers do more than create an annoying level of noise. These abrupt changes can severely damage a piping system.

When it comes to comfort, no other mattress beats memory foam mattresses. This is due to the ability to adapt to your body size and shape. However, memory foam mattresses can also get dirty, and if you’re looking to clean them, one question will cross your mind; can a memory foam mattress be steam-cleaned?

Mice, though cute in appearance, are a nightmare to deal with as a homeowner. Their droppings are toxic and wind up getting everywhere. They can also do major damage by chewing through things and can even live in the innards of your car.

Owning a jacuzzi is a fun way to enjoy the night air in the winter, or even to relax in the summer. They are extremely versatile as you can change the temperature of the water depending on the season. 

Over the past several decades, more and more kitchen appliances are surfacing. At one point, the coolest new thing to hit the shelves was the salad spinner. Now, the latest kitchen gadgets and gizmos have a lot more features than a simple spinning device. 

Concrete is considered to be one of the most affordable flooring options, also requiring very little maintenance. If you ever accidentally drip paint onto your concrete floor, it can be a time-consuming endeavor to remove. However, with the proper tools, knowledge, and patience, you’ll have that undesirable paint spill cleaned up in no time.

A plumbing trap, or P-trap, is a portion of a plumbing pipe that looks like a loop, “J,” or “C.” P-traps are extremely important as they keep gas sewer odors from escaping plumbing fixtures such as sinks, toilets, and drains. When designing a house, it can be hard to determine how far below the drain a P-trap should be.

Generally speaking, the dishwashers that we are most familiar with are installed near a sink as part of the cabinetry. But not all homes are designed to handle those built-in dishwashers that we are all familiar with.

Reusable water bottles have become more common as more people are steering clear of disposable plastic bottles. The reusable water bottles stand out as the more eco-friendly option. In the long run, you can also save more money by turning to reusable containers such as the Hydro Flask.

As someone who appreciates arts and has plenty of artist friends, I already know how bad art supplies can stain everything in sight. I mean, that’s what they are meant to do, right? Unfortunately, that’s only true when it’s on a canvas. When you have something like an oil pastel spill on your carpet, it’s normal to freak out. But, what on earth can you do with something this pigmented?

It is perfectly safe to reuse your bath towel more than once without washing it in most cases, and it can even save on your electric bill. But as a rule, you should only reuse it two or three times. After three days, most experts agree that you should swap it out for a fresh one. This will reduce the risk of bacteria growth or the dreaded smelly towel.

Many homeowners are drawn to dimmer switches because they provide any lighting options in one switch. Understandably, many of those homeowners are left confused about the difference between the variety of dimmer switches available.

A brick wall is usually known for its structural integrity. If you’ve noticed one of your brick walls has shifted, this can be a cause for concern. It is vital to fix the brick wall as soon as possible. Except, how exactly do you do that?

You should never move a fish tank with water in it. A fish tank with water, decorations, equipment, and substrate is quite heavy. The combined weight of everything can crack the glass and create a huge, dangerous mess. Moving a tank with fish in it can also cause physical trauma, and they may even die.

A ceiling fan can make for a great way to keep a room cool, particularly in the hot summer months. Moreover, it can also help to keep energy costs lower as it is cheaper to run a ceiling fan than it is an HVAC system. But sometimes you might hear the ceiling fan making a grinding noise.

The mini fridge is a useful invention, whether you simply don’t have space for an actual refrigerator or need to transport cold products.

Out of all of the different furniture materials to choose from, microsuede has a soft feel and elegant appearance. They look stylish in any home and are incredibly easy to maintain. Because the fibers in the fabric are tightly woven, it can be hard to stain a microsuede couch. 

Living in a poorly-finished house can be pretty difficult, especially when you start noticing that there are sanitary issues afoot. One of the bigger problems that can arise is a gap between a baseboard and a floor. Along with being a visually jarring issue, gaps like this can become a safe haven for critters like bedbugs and roaches. So, what can one do?

If you have taken the time to examine the toothcare aisle at your local pharmacy, you will likely notice that charcoal or baking soda is infused into more toothpaste than ever before. These two common ingredients are now in dozens of popular toothpaste brands, and with both stating they are great at removing stains and bacteria. But in a world with so many toothpaste options, you are probably wondering if either of these common ingredients are effective, and if so, which one is superior?