Building & Remodeling

Want to shave your electric bill by a third? Build a solar water heater! They're easy to build, easy to maintain and are great for the environment. Here's some pro's and con's to having one and a...

Thin set mortar contains latex, which allows it to be more resilient to everyday wear and tear. These additives also make thin set mortar more flexible, which is important because changes in room...

Yes, laminate flooring is suitable for use outdoors if you purchase the weather-resistant product specifically designed to withstand the elements. Each layer of the laminate flooring is...

Showers and bathtubs are the most important part of any bathroom. However, they are definitely no use to anyone if they aren't fully waterproof because their purpose is to keep water from...

Many customers go into a walk through excited and sometimes blind

Inspecting the attic of a home that you are considering purchasing can give you many clues on the condition and the maintenance that has been performed on the home. Next too the basement the attic...

It is possible to lay tile on a floor without installing backerboard, providing that certain preparations and precautions are respected. You will need to make sure that the floor onto which the...

As people get older--and especially if they live alone--even the simplest of activities can become difficult and dangerous. In some cases, this includes bathing. The risk of tripping or slipping...

Applying water sealer to outdoor wood, such as a deck or fencing, is an essential task for keeping it from quickly becoming damaged by the elements. Applying sealer is a relatively easy task, but...

Radiant heating involves pumping hot water from a conventional gas or electric water heater through pipes below a home's floor. The hot water makes the floor warm, and that in turn radiates the...

Ensuring the use of effective quality control measures in concrete projects prevents the addition of concrete to the project that fails to meet the regular standards attributed to quality...

The kitchen is one room in the house that every family member uses multiple times on a daily basis. Everyone uses the kitchen sink for cooking, cleaning, washing and drinking. Kitchen faucets...

Having an outdoor shower in the summertime is great for rinsing off before jumping into the pool, freshening up after a day in the sun, or just cooling off when there is no pool or lake nearby. ...

Culligan provides an excellent reverse osmosis system for water filtration. If the filter is changed regularly, the system should provide as much pure water as needed.

Plaster has been a part of civilization for centuries. Today, plaster of paris is used for a wide range of roles, from building to art. It is particularly useful as a coating on walls, where it...

Before you begin installing a new bathroom sink, make a list of all of the parts you will need. While different systems will have different parts, there are a few basics present in every...

A standard toilet operates by gravity. The drains continually run downhill until they reach a waste water treatment facility or a pumping station. Any toilet installed below the level of the...

Erosion is the physical reduction of soil caused by the impact of wind and water. Although erosion is naturally occurring, it can be accelerated by the actions of humans, including construction,...

With the growing green movement in America, some people have begun to install sod roofing. Sod is a great insulator that helps keep heat in your home during the winter. It also helps keep your...

A barometer uses the effect of air in the atmosphere pressing down on a fluid to measure atmospheric pressure. The pressure moves the fluid by force. As a result, the fluid in a barometer rises or...

A gravity heating system makes use of the difference between the densities of water at different temperatures. These heating systems are able to move heated water through a structure because at...

Installing a fiberglass spa tub on your own can save you hundreds or thousands of dollars in labor and installation costs. In addition to adding to the aesthetic appeal of your home, installing a...

A hot water tank, otherwise known as a hot water heater, is a device that keeps a steady supply of hot water stored up for use in your home. If you need to replace a hot water tank, or you need to...

Vitreous is a term used to describe a tile that is impervious to water. They are usually glass, ceramic or porcelain tiles. Cutting vitreous tiles should be done with a wet saw, which is has a...

Feng shui largely deals with the circulation of chi in the house. Therefore when you are building your home, you have to ensure that there is a proper flow of chi around your house. You have to...

Making a solar heater for an in-ground pool is an easy way to reduce the need for grid-powered heating elements, which can be expensive. The average homeowner can build a panel from common...

When you're repairing or replacing your toilet, the first step is to drain the toilet tank and bowl. The water must be emptied completely even for maintenance processes as simple as rebalancing...

Enamel paint is composed of a solvent (water, oil or latex), a pigment and a polymer that acts as a binder to the paint. Enamel is a hard-surfaced paint commonly used by high quality paint brands,...

Upgrading to an energy efficient dishwasher can make a big difference in saving water and electricity, and will go a long way in lowering your monthly energy bill as well as your family's carbon...

Removing water from a toilet bowl is one of the first steps you must take before removing and replacing a toilet bowl. In order to successfully remove a toilet bowl, the toilet must be empty and...

Kohler is one of the largest and best known toilet manufacturers in the United States. Their toilets come in a variety of colors, shapes and styles. In keeping up with environmental trends, the...

Solar hot water panels can reduce or completely eliminate the need for heating water with grid energy. The panels are easy to construct with common home repair components. The average homeowner...

The industrial age brought about economical building methods and the prevalence of flat roof construction. It is a simple and cost-effective method to use for certain commercial construction...

A core drill bores holes through concrete using a core drill bit. Core drill bits are a hollow cylinder with square teeth along the bottom edge and an enclosed top that attaches to a threaded stud...

Any modern house comes equipped with a hot and cold water system. Typically there is a boiler in the basement that's used to heat the water, and when you turn the water dial to hot, the water is...

One of the most important things to do to a sink is to caulk around the base. Caulk is present to prevent water from leaking under the sink when it is splashed on the counter surface. Proper...

Cutting a marble countertop with a wet saw is possible but requires a bit of preparation to make sure that the countertop will not crack. Wet saws have a gliding table that is used to move a tile...

Gypsum is a mineral that is crystal-like in appearance. It grows in a thick bed that is associated with that of the sedimentary rock. An ingredient in drywall, gypsum is used as a construction...

Updating your bathroom to remove a toilet and replace it with a shower is a challenging project. Since your toilet already comes with a waste outlet and a water inlet, some of the plumbing work is...

Maintaining a great-looking wood floor is a difficult job, especially for someone who doesn't know how. Even knowing which type of cleaner to use can be frustrating, as this will depend on how...

Thin set mortar is essential for forming the bond between your tile and the underlying floor. If not mixed correctly, however, the adhesives in the thin set mortar will not be strong enough to...

Installing a shower cubicle on your own can save hundreds or even thousands of dollars on labor and installation costs. Each shower cubicle is different in both size and design, however there is a...

Air leakage causes your air conditioning system to work harder to provide properly conditioned air to the rooms of your home. Sealing the metal HVAC ducts will improve the efficiency of your HVAC...

The easiest way to remove rust from small metal objects (like nails and screws) is to use a chemical process known as electrolysis. Electrolysis works by providing an electrical current in water,...

With the combination of rising energy costs and concern over global warming, people have begun to look to renewable energy. While the concept of water or wind power is simple enough (the water or...

Heating a pool using a nonrenewable energy source can be very costly. Solar energy can effectively increase the pool season by months with an adequate system. Commercial systems, especially those...

Rather than having a single lever or button as you'd find on standard toilets, a dual-flush toilet will usually have a system with two buttons or levers, one for solid waste, and one for liquid...

Mexican tile should be cut with a wet saw, a type of saw featuring a carbide blade and a wet pan which pumps water onto the cut. A wet saw guarantees a smooth cut that will not crack or crumble...

Unlike its heartier cousins marble and granite, travertine is a rather soft stone, making it far more susceptible to chemical and physical damage. Additionally, travertine's internal structure is...

It can be daunting to even think about removing wall paper from walls, but it doesn't have to be. You don't have to go out and buy special products and tools to effectively remove old wall paper....