Home Maintenance

Here's an article to show you how to replace a Smartwater filter by GE. The company sells a complete line of Smartwater filters for a variety of applications. The under sink filter shown here...

Two- and three-floor residential elevators used to be an extravagance enjoyed only by the very rich. Now with the large cross section of retirees prevailing in many areas of the country, the idea...

In most homes, the garage is the largest open space available. As such, it can be used for practicing and rehearsing with musical instrument, installing and operating power tools and locating...

Many types of events can send you looking for an instruction manual, which you may not be able to find anywhere in your house or garage. You might need instructions for an appliance that came with...

Furnace dust can spread contaminants through a room and affect the ability of air-conditioning and heating systems to function. While professionals are readily available to do thorough furnace...

Creosote buildup needs to be cleaned out of your wood burning stove regularly. Thorough cleaning in spring and fall help to keep the creosote buildup from getting too thick; a large buildup of the...

You know you've got a problem when you find yourself dining with cockroaches at the dinner table. Follow these tips to avoid such a disastrous scenario from ever happening.

Insulating the crawlspace attic ceiling can improve your home's energy efficiency while keeping your monthly energy bills low and manageable. Consider insulating not only your attic crawlspace...

A chimney fire due to creosote buildup is a danger in any home where the fireplace or wood stove is regularly used. Chemical fireplace logs designed to reduce the creosote buildup and fire danger...

House insulation is a good investment that can soon pay for itself through reduced heating bills. New technology is providing us with cheaper and more efficient house-insulation options. The good...

Many times if you replace the spout on your tub or shower the new spout will not fit properly. You will either have to cut the hole bigger or fill in the gap that is left, if the new spout is...

Caulk is an important product used to weatherproof your home. Gaps will allow cold air to get in around windows and doors in the winter, and will also allow cool air to escape in the summer. Both...

Nothing can be more frustrating then old carpet and upholstery stains. The best way to clean stains is to catch them when they happen. Once the stain sinks into the fiber of the carpet or...

It's not uncommon to see excess smears and splotches or overfilled edges of silicone caulk around a bathtub, shower or other area. Few people take the time to properly mask and clean an area when...

All caulk must be replaced at some point. In fact, it is recommended that bathtub and shower caulk be replaced once a year. Because caulk is placed in wet or moist areas, it can start to mold and...

Creosote, a thick, oily substance that builds up as a result of wood burning, causes many health and safety hazards. It smells bad and can damage your house in many ways; a creosote build-up...

With the earth's precious resources being depleted at an alarming rate saving energy has become one of the most important and crucial aspects of today's life. By bringing in simple lifestyle...

By saving electricity at the household level we can bring about a very effective and prominent change in the ecosystem and help save our planet from the dire consequences of global warming. If...

Do you have to hold the garage door button down to get your door to close? There is a fairly simple answer by following 3 short steps.

Vinyl siding is an investment toward the future of your home. When it is installed it looks shiny and new, making your house stand out in the neighborhood. After a few seasons of weather, dirt,...

Is your bath caulk looking grimy, black and mildewed? Is it peeling away from the wall and crumbling? About once a year you will have to remove and replace old caulk, particularly in very moist or...

SmartStrand carpets have gained quite a reputation for their durability and ability to resist stains. The key to SmartStrand carpets is their fiber, which is made with renewable-sourced polymer....

Bees can be terrifying because of their stings, especially if you have a severe allergy to them. Dealing with bees inside any enclosure, be it a home, shed or screened-in porch, can be a nasty...

Linoleum tiling is an inexpensive way to put down a clean and attractive floor in a modern building. The material comes in 1-foot self-adhesive squares, so they can be installed with minimal mess...

The fireplace has long been a centerpiece or gathering area for the home, providing a great source of heat and ambiance for little cost. A fireplace needs regular maintenance and cleaning to...

A pull-chain ceiling fan can add style to any room. It can also help with your heating and cooling bill by helping to circulate air. However, over time the pull-chain can lose its color, break off...

Citrus is a common element in eco-friendly cleaning products because it is a natural ingredient that cleans and disinfects just as effectively as chemically enhanced formulas. The benefit of using...

Home crawlspaces are probably the least visited areas of most homes. They are designed to provide a natural air barrier between the main floor of a house and the earth below. Due to their being...

Soldering tips have to be kept clean not just of old solder and flux build up, but of oxidization as well. The base metal of all soldering tips is copper, and copper exposed to air will oxidize....

The caulk around the base of a shower is for more than just show -- it prevents water from leaking between the shower and floor, which can cause mold buildup and even weaken the floor. That's why...

At one point or another, we have all had to replace a light bulb. This is usually an easy task, simply unscrewing the bulb and installing the new one. Sometimes the bulb breaks and then the task...

The U.S. Department of Energy reports that inadequate insulation and sealing are major causes of energy waste in most U.S. homes. Adding insulation may help save you money on heating and cooling,...

How to use everyday household items to clean your BBQ grill. You might be surprised at how well these items work and they are most likely inside your home right now.

Since the recession, people are trying to find ways to conserve money especially when it comes to their homes. When dealing with ironwork, you have to keep up with it or it can become a bill in...

Keeping your house cool when it’s hot outside can be a real challenge. Of course you can install and use air conditioning to get rid of the heat and humidity inside, but that consumes expensive...

Most of us would love to flaunt our silver jewelry or display our cherished silver ware on the shelf of our living room units. But the problem is that silverware and jewelry pieces become black...

After installation, a storm door gets just as much use as a regular door, since you must go through both to enter or exit the house. Sooner or later problems are bound to appear, so here's a quick...

Granite is a popular material used to make kitchen counter and table tops. Granite provides a beautiful and natural look to a kitchen. Granite is also more expensive than most of the materials...

Energy Star is the name of a United States government program created in 1992 to motivate businesses and individuals to reduce energy consumption. Products and buildings that carry an Energy Star...

Keeping old glass windowpanes free from water spots allows sunlight to shine into your home and lets you see the world outside more clearly. A homeowner's goal to keep old windows clean can be a...

When choosing a carpet for a room in your house, you quite often receive a carpet sample to help you choose a color and texture. When carpet is installed in your house, excess samples (or...

Acrylic finishes are often used on older tubs to make them appear new. They are used because of their ease of installation and for the wide number of color options. Applying an acrylic finish to a...

A rattling bedroom door can cause problems with sleeping and can indicate that something is structurally wrong with the door. The nuisance of a rattling or squeaking door can point to other issues...

Whether it is winter or summer, you need to seal the air gaps between your door and door jamb. By sealing the drafts you can save money on your heating and cooling energy bills. The best way to...

A halogen light bulb, or halogen lamp, is a type of incandescent light bulb. They have become increasingly more popular because they emit a whiter, stronger light, and last two to three times...

Rats are nasty vermin that have fleas that can carry diseases, so having them in a person's backyard is not a good thing. Another problem with rats being in a person's backyard is that they can...

A whole house humidifier, or central humidifier, puts moisture into the heating system so that it comes through a home's heating vents. A whole house humidifier provides an adjustable, comfortable...