Undeniably, fences can make or break your home’s curb appeal. In this day and age, they are no longer just for establishing boundaries or securing space. Instead, fences are now commonly used to frame gardens, create a focal point in a front yard, and enhance landscape design. From wood, metal, bamboo, and vinyl to lattice, picket, dog ear, and shadow box fences, there are many options to choose from. Selecting the right fence amongst nearly endless fence designs, styles, materials, and ideas is crucial.

When you own land, there are so many tests and evaluations that need to be done, that some of them can get lost in the mix. One such often overlooked important test for homeowners is the percolation test, or perc test, and it is quite important.  Perc tests are done by drilling a hole into the soil and filling it with water to determine the absorption of the soil.

If your garage door begins to have issues closing, there is usually a simple fix. Although this can be frustrating, you may be able to troubleshoot the issue without contacting a repairman.

Have you ever dreamed of having a  pool in your backyard but don’t want to pay for the expensive costs associated with installing one? Putting an above-ground pool in the ground may be the best solution.

It’s no secret that garage floors get dirty quite quickly. Dirt, dust, rust, debris, oil, and grease stains are common in any garage, and they can be tough to get rid of. Many homeowners understandably struggle with how to clean a garage floor.

A chain-link fence offers many benefits, curb appeal not being one of them. While it helps keep your dogs in your yard and mark off your property, it won’t do a whole lot to raise the aesthetic of your home.

To the uninitiated, a mower engine is the same no matter where you look. After all, it fulfills the same purpose, right? Well, the truth of the matter is that there are big differences between the different manufacturers that can impact performance.

Cooling off and splashing around in the pool is one of the highlights of summer. But it’s not so cool if you’re dealing with green pool water or a cloudy pool. In this article, we’re going to focus on the reasons your pool water is cloudy.

Having your own private pool on your property is an amazing bonus, and likely makes you one of the most popular neighbors on the block in the summertime. Maintaining a pool, however, can be a bit costly when you use a professional cleaning service. This is why many pool owners try their best to treat and clean pools without the help of professionals. But sometimes regular pool maintenance is not enough, and your pool can look dirty or stained. When you notice your pool tile is starting to stain, how do you clean it?

Outdoor curtains have become an increasingly popular choice for outdoor seating areas. Whether you are looking to  relax on a patio, a deck, or in a pergola, curtains provide shade and privacy. They come in all forms, from sheer to printed to fully light-blocking.

Part of the reason why having a riding lawnmower is so beneficial is that you can cut your grass in half the time it would take with a push model. However, because these machines are relatively complex, they can experience a wider array of issues. One problem you may encounter is that the mower will not move while in neutral. If that happens, it can be tough to maneuver the machine, whether you’re trying to store it or roll it to a new spot.

Nothing is worse for bulbs than soggy soil. Soil can become soggy due to overwatering and excessive rain, but it’s often a drainage issue. Some soil simply retains too much water and drains it too slowly.

When using a gas lawnmower, you become accustomed to the loud revving the engine makes. However, what happens if you notice a sound that isn’t supposed to be there? In some cases, you might hear a loud, clanking sound while mowing. If you do, it could indicate one of a few different problems.

When you’ve had a riding lawnmower for so long, one thing you’ll start to notice is that it will get slower. When that happens, it will take longer to mow the yard, meaning that your machine is working less efficiently. If you have a hydrostatic mower, you might want to increase the speed so that you can get the job done in less time.

Usually, mowing the lawn is a regular task, like taking out the trash or cleaning the gutters. However, in some cases, you may go years before touching your riding lawnmower. Whatever the reason may be for such neglect, one this is certain – your mower probably needs to be inspected before starting it.

Shaded porches serve as both an oasis and an entry to your home. Finding the right plants that can thrive in the shade is easier said than done, however. So, what are the best plants for a shaded porch?

Adding a palapa to your patio or backyard setup is a fantastic and often affordable way to add tropical ambiance to your space. Palapas originated in Mexico, but you can now find them at nearly every tiki bar, resort pool, and beach bar all over the globe. Building a palapa yourself is certainly possible, and the materials are relatively affordable. But when you build one, you should follow several steps to ensure you build a palapa that will last a long time.

If you love gardening but live somewhere with cold temperatures for most of the year, you have learned over time that your options are limited. Many flowers, shrubs, and fruit trees that thrive in many climates simply don’t survive in some places with short growing seasons. The same is true for vegetables. But if you live somewhere with a short growing season, you will be happy to learn there are several vegetables that you can still harvest successfully.

Fences serve as functional decorations for our yards. They offer privacy, protection, and also add a new dimension to your home. There are so many reasons why installing fencing is a good move.

With the summer winding down, many are rushing to get in the last sessions with their outdoor grill before the nights get colder. Many barbecuers who want to cook at a steady temperature swear by the pellet grill. The pellet grill is a modern innovation that drops pellets of your hardwood of choice to maintain a specified temperature.

Nowadays, modern automation systems have made it much more convenient to zero in on particular water usage and ideal watering times for sprinklers. While the initial sprinkler system cost – both for the system itself and the installation – is often a bit pricey, the rewards are guaranteed. These include, but are not limited to, an increased property value, long-term savings on your utility bills, and water conservation.

Many tenants will do anything to make their rental properties meet their aesthetic and feel like home. For many people, this includes planting a vibrant garden in the yard. So, are you allowed to plant a garden at a rental property?

Lawnmowers, for many homeowners, are like a best friend. They’re tools we rely on! That’s why a sputtering mower can be a nightmare for people who get attached to their lawncare equipment.

One of the most popular, resilient, and fastest-growing hedge plants is the English laurel. What makes English laurel such a popular choice is its size and growth rate. This plant can tower over your head, and grow three feet in a single year. This makes it ideal for those who want privacy fast.

You may have noticed in recent years the culinary world has introduced all sorts of plants and edible flowers to food menus. If you have dined in a fancy restaurant, you might have even found yourself faced with a familiar-looking flower on the plate and thought to yourself, “Can I eat this?” The fact is, there are lots of plants out there that you might not know you can eat. A few of these edible plants might even be in your garden.

Do you know your neighbor well? If so, it’s worth simply telling them that you wish they would cut their grass. Granted, this can be uncomfortable if you have no relationship, but it’s worth it if the tall grass is a problem.

Are birds active around your house at night? If so, you can easily scare them away with motion-activated lights. Birds get scared easily when they see flashing lights at night, especially if you put the lights in the right spots.

When I first started writing about home improvement, I talked about the “she-sheer she shed” commercial. Sheds have, since then, become a favorite part of my home improvement repertoire. I started to wonder what the deal with sheds are. Do they actually add value to a home, or is it more of a “meh” type of deal?

Adding a room above a garage is a great way to create additional space. Whether that space is additional storage or another living space is up to you. But when there is no insulation in the garage, it can lead to cold floors in that new space.

It is important to feel warm in your garage. It makes all of those cold nights working on cars a lot more bearable. But what is the best way to insulate an exposed garage ceiling?

When you swim in almost any pool, you’ll end up tracking some small amount of dirt into the pool’s water. It’s just the way things are. If you have an outdoor pool in a windy area, you might also get some dirt blown in after a particularly strong gust of wind. Obviously, that’s pretty gross. So, how can you clean dirt that’s managed to settle at the bottom of your pool?

There are all sorts of reasons to purchase an indoor tree for your home. They add a much-appreciated pop of life and color to a room, they are great to look at, and even provide clean oxygen-rich air for you to breathe. While some indoor trees require a bit of maintenance and upkeep, there are many that are resilient and require very little work to maintain. But every indoor tree needs water. If you recently purchased an indoor tree, you need to know how often you need to water it.

Installing lights on vinyl siding is a great way to spruce up the outside of your home. It’s essential to use exterior lights to keep the wiring safe from any potential moisture. These lights come with a built-in rubber gasket that helps seal the fixture against the siding. 

Gas-powered weed eaters are some of the most common yet reliable tools available for keeping your yard clean and neat. Since it is not electric, there is no need to lug around a tangled, heavy extension cord.

A riding lawn mower makes cutting your lawn a breeze because it gets the job done quickly and easily. Getting the most out of your Craftsman Riding Mower is essential, but the blade may leave bare patches if the mower deck is too low. Adjusting the mower deck’s height may take a bit of time, but the result should be worth the effort.

When you shop for a new patio set you will quickly realize it isn’t cheap. Quality outdoor furniture is costly, so you will want to get as many years out of it as time allows. If you live somewhere with harsh winters then you know the cold winter months can wreak havoc on some outdoor furniture, while others are unfazed when spring emerges.

Privacy fences and decorative fencing are all the rage these days. People value their landscaping and privacy more than ever, which means that fences are becoming very popular. One of the most popular types of fencing is fences made of vinyl.

Zero-turn mowers are enjoyable and can make cutting the yard fun. The mower operates on a hydro transmission that works the right and left sides of the mower separately. Gravely mowers are one of those zero-turns that have been around for over 100 years.

There’s something extremely satisfying about tending to a vegetable garden and growing your own food. Whether planting leafy greens, juicy tomatoes, or crunchy broccoli, it’s also a boon to your health. Mulch helps protect plants from the elements, among other benefits, but what is the best mulch for vegetable gardens?

Pools from time to time will need maintenance. Most simple repairs and cleaning tasks can be fixed with the water still in the pool. However, for larger issues, you may need to drain it. If you have to call out a professional to drain your pool, you may be wondering if you can just leave it empty until the next time you need to use it.

It is a great practice to regularly shock your pool, and timing is a big part of that. You always want your pool to be safe and clean, and it takes strong chemicals like shock to do that. It can be tempting to jump in the clean water, but how after shocking a pool can you swim?

Building an outdoor shed can be an exciting weekend project. Maybe you’re expanding your storage space, or even creating a man cave or a tiny home. In any case, a safe and long-lasting shed requires a solid foundation. But what if your shed site has uneven ground?

The gas cap on your lawnmower may seem like an inconsequential piece of equipment, but it actually plays a vital role. It helps to prevent gas leakage, saving you money on fuel costs and preventing the emission of dangerous gas fumes from permeating the air.

Strange odors in your home can be alarming, especially if it smells like a flammable substance such as gasoline. Gasoline is a part of everyday life for the average homeowner or commuter, but you never expect your house to smell like it. So, why does your house smell like gasoline?

Flowering plants and trees can have a considerable impact on your landscaping and overall curb appeal. Crape Myrtle trees are very popular, but with many different varieties, it can be difficult to know which to choose. Between the Red Rocket Crape Myrtle and Dynamite Crape Myrtle, which is the best for your lawn?

How great is it to step outside and pluck a lemon from your tree to garnish a drink or make fresh-squeezed lemonade? Fresh fruit trees are a great addition to your yard space and garden. But if your lemon tree leaves are turning yellow, you might be worried that your homemade lemonade days are numbered.

There are many different uses for a standard four-foot fence on your property. Whether you have livestock and pets on your property, or you want to keep your children from getting too close to the road, it’s important to have a sturdy fence on your side.

Sprinklers are a highly useful tool for keeping a yard or garden properly and consistently watered. They can even be scheduled and automated so that they require little intervention from the user. At the end of the day, they are quite effective for proper yard and garden care.

Mowing the lawn is an important, but often dreaded activity. As the summer heat increases, this chore can become hot, sweaty, and altogether exhausting. So, there may come a time when you have procrastinated longer than you should have, and find yourself needing to mow the lawn in the immediate future. But if the immediate future calls for rain, you might find yourself wondering if you can cut the grass when it is still wet.

Although a lawnmower is not likely the most expensive machine you have, it can be relatively costly to repair it. One of the priciest repairs is a broken or bent crankshaft. Unfortunately, it may be better to replace the whole mower instead of fixing it if that does happen.

Ticks are attracted to debris, dense grass, trees, heat, and moisture. Yards with tall trees and grass are most likely to have ticks, even if you can’t see them. The Midwest and West Coast parts of the country are especially prone to tick problems.

A juicy ripe tomato in your garden is a sign of a job well done. You have likely waited very patiently for months for your tomatoes to ripen in order to feast on them. This makes it all the more tragic when you go to your garden to pick tomatoes only to see that birds have savagely feasted on your pride and joy. In order to avoid this heartbreak, you will want to know all the ways to keep birds from eating tomatoes in your garden.

A sprinkler system is a great tool in helping to keep your lawn hydrated and beautiful. Through this seemingly complicated system, there’s the convenience of having to just program it and forget it. However, a common issue is that the sprinkler system runs twice,  but there is probably a simple solution.

Garage door openers typically don’t get much thought until they quit working.  When the garage door won’t go up or come down, things can get frustrating.  The frustration grows when you discover the garage door opener is history.

Soaker hoses are one of the most common tools in landscaping. Primarily used for watering large swaths of grass, flowerbeds, and bushes, these hoses definitely live up to their name. (Oh, they’re great for water fights, too!) However, we live in a world where water conservation is king. This means that we all have a duty to try to find efficient ways to water. So, how much water do these hoses use?

Home additions like porches and decks can increase home value and provide a fun space to enjoy the fresh air. Most importantly, porches and decks add character to your, and that is invaluable. Porch and deck railing height codes are important because they make it all possible as long as you are compliant.

The Sunshine State is one of the most popular places in America to visit, especially if you’re a fan of plant life. Palm trees, exotic flowers, and rare plants in the Everglades all make this place a horticulturist’s paradise. If you just moved to the area and want to start your own garden, you need to know what kind of soil you have. Thankfully, there’s a little research-filled guide you can refer to…ours!

If you have an outdoor project that you want to get completed, there is no doubt that landscape timbers can come in handy. These are versatile, durably constructed materials that are meant to hold up over time.

Pool ownership entails a significant amount of upkeep and effort. However, once you are into the full swing of things, you’ll develop a routine that ensures your pool is always clean and swimmable. Despite your regimen, you can sometimes get into difficulties, such as creating pool foam. But why is your pool foaming in the first place?

Most of us have experienced this situation: we enter our garage (or someone else’s) and are met with a dank, musty smell. While not the most offensive odor, musty garage smells are unpleasant and maybe a little embarrassing. They leave us not wanting to linger too long after parking our car. Why do so many of our garages smell musty?