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You can get this outdoor flashlight and power bank on sale for $39.99 right now (reg. $62.99). It has 1,000 lumens of brightness, a 24-hour battery life, and four speed lighting modes. It's also rechargeable by sunlight with the built-in solar panel or with a USB-C cable, and has a fireplace simulator with adjustable flame settings. You can also use it as a 2,400mAh power bank for your devices with up to 15W of power. It's a great 3-in-1 gadget, and it only measures nine inches long and weighs just over a pound.
You can get this outdoor flashlight and power bank on sale for $39.99 right now (reg. $62.99), though prices can change at any time.
No one ever brags about their roof. We all have know people who actually send you photos of their perfectly manicured garden, or someone who speakings lovingly of their new kitchen backsplash. But the roof? No one thinks about their roof—until it starts leaking.
Roof leaks always happen at the least opportune moment—like, when it’s actively pouring out. If you experience the horror of water dripping from places water’s not supposed to drip from, hopefully you have a roofer in your contacts and can get them over for an inspection pronto. But before you make that call, don’t waste any time—you’ve got some roof triage to do if you want to limit the damage from a roof leak.
Your first priority is preventing damage. This is the moment to spring into action:
Move stuff out of the way. Any furniture, electronics, or rugs should be immediately removed from the area where the water is dripping.
Cover the stuff you can’t move, like a big, heavy couch or any built-in furniture. Any kind of plastic sheeting will do in a pinch. If the water leak is significant, you might also place the furniture legs in plastic containers or raise it up on risers if you’re unable to move it.
Contain the water—place a bucket underneath the stream and mop up the floor to prevent the water from soaking into the flooring. If the water leak is causing your ceiling or wall to bulge like a balloon, pop the bulge to let the water drain; otherwise, the water will just slowly soak into areas far away from the leak.
Consider keeping a roof leak diverter (or two) in storage. These tarp-like contraptions attach to the ceiling and divert the water into a hose that can be run to a drain. This way you don’t have to worry about emptying a bucket while keeping your floors dry.
Once you’ve restored order to the interior of your house, it’s time to see if you can put a temporary fix into place.
Start in the attic, if you have one. You might see the source of your leak immediately, or you might have to go hunting for it. Bring a flashlight and look for damp spots, slow seeping water, or literal holes in your roof. If you see obvious damage, you can try patching it from the inside with some roof cement or roofing tape, but keep in mind that while a successful interior patch might spare the inside of your house from further damage, the leak in your roof will still be there and will require repair.
If you don’t have an attic or you can’t see any obvious leaks from inside, your next step might be to get up on your roof. This is where you should be very careful—it’s a bad idea to head up onto your roof during a rainstorm. Wait for the storm to pass, and follow best safety practices at all times when you do go up there. When you do get up on your roof, it’s time for some detective work:
Remember that water flows, so the source of your leak might not be directly above or even near the spot where the water came out inside your house.
First, look for obvious damage: Missing or visually damaged shingles, flashing that has pulled away, stains or sunken areas, tears or cracks in the roof membrane.
If you don’t see anything immediately obvious, look at the most common problem areas: places where vent pipes emerge from the roof, where two planes meet, flashing around chimneys or skylights, and roof valleys.
Once you’ve identified one or more potential sources of the leak, you can apply some roof cement (make sure it’s explicitly for use in wet conditions if the roof is still damp or if it’s lightly raining) or even some Flex Paste. If you’re dealing with discrete damage to your roof, this might stop the leak until you can have a proper repair done.
If you can’t identify a specific area to patch (or as an added layer of protection if you do patch), you can throw a tarp over the area where you suspect the leak is. The tarp should be at least six millimeters thick, and you’ll need enough of it to extend several feet around the leaking area. In a pinch, you can just weigh the tarp down with some lumber, but ideally you would secure the tarp to your roof using roofing nails.
Finally, document the damage, especially if you have an insurance policy that includes roof coverage. If you wait until after the repairs are done, you might find your insurer reluctant to pay out on the claim. A few quick photos of the inside and outside as well as any damaged furniture or electronics will go a long way toward making that claim go smoothly. Plus, when you contact a licensed roofer about getting your roof repaired or replaced, you can send them the photos so they can determine the scale of the problem.
If you’re trying to upgrade your porch or patio, or if you have some gardening updates planned, your DIY projects can go a lot easier with some simple build plans. Having measurements and scale can help you purchase the right amount of lumber, and most plans also have suggested hardware as well. I've collected some of my favorite build plans for you—and bonus, they're free.
Your yard, deck, or patio can always be made more comfy with some good chairs. For a modern look, you can try this set of plans from The Creative Mom on the Kreg website. This project plan comes with detailed build drawings, a materials list, a cut list, and instructions. While it says this is an easy project, it does require use of a saw, a pocket hole jig, and some other measuring and marking tools. For a chair that doesn’t need cushions, you can try your hand at this one from Ana White. These plans also come with detailed build drawings, a materials list, cut list, and instructions; you can also choose to print out a PDF of the various steps involved so you don’t need to have a phone or tablet out while you’re working.
Building in some seating for gatherings or to stretch out for an afternoon nap can level up your outdoor space. This simple 2x4 bench from Construct 101 is a project you could probably complete in a day. It comes with build drawings, materials and cut lists, and step-by-step instructions with illustrations. The only drawback to the materials list is that it lists the number of boxes of screws you will need instead of the number of screws. Make sure to double check that your count is accurate before heading to the hardware store. There’s also a reclined 2x6 bench plan from Rogue Engineer that comes with drawings, a materials and tools list, and illustrated instructions. If you’d rather have a couch than a bench, you can try your hand at building this outdoor sofa from Angela Marie Made. It has photos, a materials list, detailed instructions, and a link to a video tutorial. In addition, the author regularly posts updates about how to find the right cushions for your DIY couch project.
This porch swing from Plank and Pillow has a materials and tools list, drawings, and detailed instructions. It uses a crib mattress as its cushion, making it a big, comfy swing. You can also try a simpler bench swing from Yellow Brick Home. These plans come with detailed photos, instructions, and a tools and materials list. It’s important when you're planning your porch swing to take weight and proper hanging points into consideration so that you don’t damage your porch (or injure your porch swinger).
To build a deck, you’ll need to make sure to check zoning rules and you will likely also need to dig footings. These require a higher skill level than furniture projects, but if you have some experience, they can be a DIY project. These plans from Decks.com are a good resource for detailed instructions. The plans have materials lists, instructions, drawings, and specs that are all downloadable. You can customize your deck size and get plans that fit with your particular space.
A good set of plans will either have detailed schematics and illustrations or photos that include measurements. In addition, materials and tools lists are helpful, as well as instructions. Look for plans that contain not just finished measurements, but also measurements for each cut, a cut list, and an overview of how to make the cuts with the lumber included in the materials list. If there isn’t a materials list, you should be able to easily calculate what you’ll need from the included dimensions and drawings. If the plans don’t have this info, chances are the instructions aren’t very good.
Every home comes with maintenance, repairs, and surprising challenges, which is why most of us already have the obvious essentials on hand—fire extinguishers, flashlights, basic tools, and the like. But there are a several items you might not think of as a “home essential” that are going to prove very useful to you one day. Here are the unexpected home essentials you’re going to be glad to have on hand.
The first time a contractor needs to park on your street, or your in-laws are visiting and they like to park right in front of your house or you have a broken sidewalk that could lead to a messy personal injury lawsuit, you’re going to want traffic cones. Having a few of these babies out in your shed or down in your basement will make your life a lot easier if you need to block off areas or warn pedestrians or drivers—or just save your parking spot when you run to the store for.
It sounds fancy, but an endoscope tool is just a small camera at the end of a flexible wire. Having one means you’ll be able to see inside small, closed-off spaces without tearing holes in your walls or floors, you’ll be able to discover the reason your kitchen sink won’t drain properly, where that screw wound up when you dropped it, and what is making that disturbing scratching noise in your bedroom wall. There are a lot of affordable ones that work with your phone as a screen, and you’ll be glad you have it.
Blackouts are going to happen, and pilot lights are going to go out. Rather than relying on wooden matches you forget to restock (and that can go bad over time if stored improperly) or a traditional fueled lighter that you can forget to refuel, a rechargeable lighter needs no fuel and has a flexible neck enabling you to get it into tight spots.
You might feel like spiders and insects belong outside, but they do manage to find their way in. Instead of smashing them or trying to catch-and-release with a glass or a paper plate, the Critter Catcher will help you scoop them up and deposit them back outside (without ever having to get too close).
Once you own them, you will use zip ties constantly. You’ll use them to tie stuff together, to tie stuff down, to make temporary repairs, and a dozen other ways. The simplicity, relative durability, and cheapness of zip ties makes them something everyone should have on hand in their home.
Whether it’s a couch, a washing machine, or any other large, heavy, bulky object or appliance, you need a mover’s dolly. Hang it in the garage and forget about it, and then when you need to transport your old fridge to the curb you can glide it out there with ease, or when you decide the living room needs to be totally re-arranged to encourage positive energy flows, you won’t break your back trying to move every piece of furniture by lifting it.
If you’ve ever used that blue gunk to put a poster up on the wall of your dorm room or rental, you know the fundamental nature of Museum Putty. But this stuff is incredibly useful, because you can use it to ensure that nothing ever slips off a shelf. Anything you want to display can be secured in place, and no amount of roughhousing children, clumsy guests, or earthquakes will knock it off. You can also use it to stabilize the shelves themselves if they wobble or rattle on their supports. It won’t damage surfaces and comes right off when you need it to.
We've got so many devices to charge, and all those cords and dongles need somewhere to go—installing USB outlets throughout your home will make your life easier. You won’t have to hunt around for the right adapter, you won’t have things plugged into your laptop all the time, and you’ll be able to plug in immediately if your phone or tablet (or anything else USB-powered) gets a low-battery warning. And they are easy to install even if you have no experience with electricity.
If you've ever dropped (and subsequently lost) a tiny screw or nail into a narrow opening, you need a magnetic pick-up tool like this one. Never lose a screw, bolt, or other tiny metal object again—even if it goes down your bathroom drain.
Where once it was standard to have just one bathroom in our homes, the number of bathrooms considered normal has steadily grown over the years, and the majority of new-build homes have at least two bathrooms these days. It makes sense: Why not have a private bathroom just for you and a second bathroom (or two) for the kids or guests?
This often leads us to wish for more bathrooms, for a lot of reasons: If you only have one, adding an en-suite bath feels luxurious, and having a dedicated guest bath makes your home feel more inviting. If you’re going to have a long-term guest (like a parent or close friend living with you for a while) or have frequent long-term visitors, a bathroom just for them almost feels essential. And if you plan to renovate your one existing bathroom, you might hesitate because you don’t want to run across the street to use a public restroom in your local coffee shop every day.
But adding bathrooms is expensive—it costs $90,000 on average to add a bathroom. Not to mention the non-monetary costs of time, inconvenience, and disruption. If all you need is a functioning bathroom, however, you can actually add one to just about any spot in your home for much less, without the need for plumbing, permits, or months of your life. All you need is a room. Here’s how to add a bathroom without plumbing.
First, think about where your bathroom should be. You’re not limited by the location of water or sewer lines, because you won’t need either one. A few ideas include:
Closets. If your goal is to have an ersatz en suite bathroom, a moderately-sized closet can work. You’ll need to measure out all the stuff you’ll be cramming in there, of course, but a general rule of thumb is 15 square feet for a half-bath concept, and 30 for a three-part bath. Those numbers assume you need to pull permits and pass inspection, and thus incorporate typical minimum spacing for drains and such, so you can likely go a little smaller.
Spare rooms. If you have a bedroom you’re not really using, or a flex space that was never defined, it can become a more spacious bathroom. Ideally, of course, you’d want a door—though you could always add an adjustable wall with a door to turn a bonus space or even a large landing into an additional bathroom.
A big consideration is water access. You don’t need to have water, drain, and sewer lines run—but if you want a shower in the room, it’s a lot easier if you can position it near a functioning water line like an existing bathroom or a washer hookup. If that’s not possible, you still have options, however.
Here’s what you need:
A dry-flush toilet. The most important thing to have in a bathroom is a place for you or your guests to relieve themselves. Composting toilets don’t require plumbing or a drain, but they do require a vent pipe, which would require cutting through a wall or roof. A better option is a battery-powered dry-flush toilet like this one. It uses a vacuum-sealed mylar bagging system, and can be operated literally anywhere.
A portable sink. Portable sinks can look just like regular vanities, but have two tanks inside the cabinet—one holding fresh, clean water, one holding the drained-off gray water after use. They usually require a plug to run a pump for the faucet, as well. All you need to do is dump the gray water and fill up the fresh water tank as needed.
A portable shower. To really go for it, adding a shower to your unplumbed bathroom is the real power move. The Shower AnyPlace portable indoor shower hooks up to any faucet and pumps the gray water to any drain using a hose, which makes it a great choice if your bathroom location is near another bathroom or a laundry area, or even a kitchen or outdoor space. The EMS Portable Shower from Freedom Showers operates on a similar design.
If you want to be a little more luxurious, you could also consider adding a portable tub like this one, as long as you can run the drain hose to an appropriate spot and can easily get hot water to it.
Whether you need it for a few weeks to accommodate visitors or a renovation, or want the convenience of an extra bathroom without the cost, it’s a viable option—and since nothing is permanently installed, you can always remove it later. For just a few thousand bucks, you can have a usable bathroom in just about any room in your house, without any construction or plumbing needed.
If you own a house with some trees on the property, you probably don’t think about them much unless they require maintenance—and in those moments you think of them as expenses. Sure, those trees have value due to their natural beauty and shade (or possibly the fruit they grow), but few people think about the trees in their yards in terms of having a monetary value.
But you should, because trees on your property actually do have value—and that value is often substantial. First of all, maintained trees in good condition add property value in general—as much as 15%. But some species of tree can be worth a lot of cash if they’ve been allowed to grow to enormous proportions in your yard—a nondescript elm tree with a 20-inch trunk, for example, might be worth as much as $30,000. And some trees have been appraised for more than six figures. Some trees are so valuable poachers actually invade people’s property to steal them.
If you’re currently peering out your window at the trees in your yard and wondering if you’re sitting on some sort of woody goldmine, here’s how to find out the tree value on your property.
The simplest way to get an idea of how much your trees might be worth is to use an online calculator like this one, which uses the USDA Forest Service’s i-Tree software, or the slightly simpler ones here. These calculators rely on you to input accurate information, so you might need to sleuth out the species of your tree and do some measurements and observations in order to get a truly accurate valuation.
It’s important to note that these tools offer a sense of the value your trees are adding to your property—by providing shade, cleaning the air, removing carbon, and cooling your home. If the calculator says your tree is worth $15,000, you probably can’t just sell it for $15,000, or add that amount to your home’s listing price when you sell your house. But these tools do offer a starting point for valuing your tree.
If you want to get a more accurate value for your tree, you’ll need to hire an arborist to conduct an appraisal, which is a real, actual thing with a lot of science behind it. You can find a consulting arborist at the American Society of Consulting Arborists (ASCA) website.
Tree appraisals are mostly used to determine insurance values in case your trees are damaged, destroyed, or improperly removed from your property and you need to make a claim. But you can sell a tree from your yard if the tree is valuable enough, and if you can find a nursery or other entity interested in buying it. And if you have a lot of hardwood trees on your property, you can find companies like Sell Your Trees that will pay you for them, then come and remove them at their own expense (making an appraisal even more important so you know you’re getting fair value for your trees). If your trees are valuable and mature (meaning they’re fully grown and not a sapling, like the trees you buy at a nursery), you can also sell them on an online marketplace like Re-Tree, which can also give you an idea of how much that specific tree is worth.
The most valuable and easiest to sell trees (based on Re-Tree’s catalog) include:
Japanese Maple. These majestic and colorful trees can sell for $400 to more than $8,000 depending on health, maturity, and specific type.
Flowering dogwood. Whether pink or white, these beautiful trees can be worth as much as $4,500.
Tricolor beech. This ornamental tree changes colors with the seasons, making it a beautiful addition to any landscaping project, and can sell for as much as $8,000.
Gingko. These slow-growing trees are terrific shade trees, and can sell for $5,000 to $6,000 each.
Black Walnut. The wood of the Black Walnut is valuable for furniture makers, and can sell for as much as $2,500.
Even if the trees in your yard aren’t super unique and rare, you can still often sell them for a few hundred bucks if they’re healthy and mature. If you’re looking to monetize your trees, it’s worth having them appraised and seeing what the market will bear.
Getting your spring garden into shape, doing some pruning, or planting might call for some new tools. If your tools have been stored outdoors, they might have some rust, or your tools might be worn out after years of service. Even with meticulous maintenance, shears, mowers, and other equipment will wear out over time. Gardening equipment generally need replacing after about six years, although with good maintenance can last as long as 10 to 12 years. If you're running into trouble with some of your gardening tools, Fiskars—known for their high-quality scissors—makes tools with a good reputation for durability and sharpness. Here are some of the best sales on offer this week from Amazon.
For cuts up to ⅝ inches thick, a pair of Fiskars bypass pruning shears will do the job. The pruners are on sale for $9.98 right now, 52% off their regular price. You can also get a set of pruning shears that comes with the bypass pruning shears as well as a pair of micro tip pruning shears on sale right now for $24.40, 40% off their usual price. These are good quality all-steel shears and they come with a lifetime warranty from Fiskars.
For precision trimming your grass around landscaping features, outbuildings, or hedges where a string trimmer won’t work, a pair of Fiskars grass shears is a good solution. These grass shears are on sale right now for $17.99, 44% off their regular price. This set of grass shears has a rotating head to allow both vertical and horizontal cuts to save your wrists when you’re getting into tight spaces or odd angles.
The Fiskars lopper for trimming tree branches up to 1 ½ inches thick is on sale right now for $17.99, 42% off their regular price. The handles of these loppers are extendable from 24 ½ inches up to 37 inches to give you added reach as well as leverage.
If you’re looking for a quieter, zero-emission mower, you can go with a walk-behind push mower. The Fiskars 17” push mower is on sale right now for $171.58, 24% off its normal price. In addition to being quieter and having no emissions, this mower uses no power source besides you, so it’s also the cheapest to run.
If you’re doing some spring planting and find that you need a new garden trowel, the Fiskars ergo trowel is a good buy. It’s a heavy duty trowel that’s designed to be comfortable to hold while you’re digging and it’s on sale right now for $8.79, 32% off its regular price. It has an aluminum head, so rust won’t be a problem, and it’s lightweight as well.
Cutting overgrown weeds and vines can be a challenge—plus, machetes are fun. Fiskars has an 18-inch curved blade machete ax that’s on sale for $39.58, 52% off its normal price. A machete is good for cutting back dense brush and thick, overgrown areas, and the sharp, curved tip can also be used for trimming small branches and cutting through roots.
If you’re anticipating having some bounty from a vegetable garden, a container for harvesting will come in handy. The Fiskars harvest basket is on sale for $21.59, 42% off its usual price. The basket has three compartments, one large one that can double a colander for rinsing produce, one small compartment with smaller drainage holes, and one compartment with no drainage for collecting flowers or other plants you want to keep fresh in water.
If you have some garden beds to dig out, or some dirt to move, you’ll need a good quality shovel. The Fiskars digging shovel is on sale for $28.99, 37% off its regular price. The shovel blade is about 8 ½ inches wide, with a foothold on the top side of it to make it easier to push into the soil with your foot.
Upgrading your outdoor space with a TV can be a fun way to blend indoor and outdoor living, especially when entertaining. The process might seem daunting, but with the right hardware and placement, it’s actually a pretty simple DIY job.
The first thing to consider when choosing an outdoor TV is where you'll be putting it and what kind of sun exposure the area gets. TV companies sell full shade, partial sun, and full sun models, so make sure you take that into account. You can also consider the time of day you generally plan to use your outdoor TV. If it’s after dark, a screen that’s less bright will likely work, while one you plan to use under full daylight conditions will need to be significantly brighter. If you only plan to use your TV at night, you can also choose to use a projector and screen for a larger image at a lower cost. However, you will need to bring the projector indoors overnight or cover it well to keep it from getting damaged by moisture or dirt.
Mounting your outdoor TV can be as simple as mounting one for indoor use, but you should make sure that the hardware you choose is as water resistant as your TV to avoid damage from a broken hanging bracket, for example. A good outdoor bracket will be waterproof and weatherproof, and it should be able to tilt so that you can get the best view. To attach your mounting bracket, you should also make sure to use good quality screws that are intended for outdoor use as well.
Even though an outdoor television is designed to withstand some of the outdoor elements, a cover will extend its life and better protect it from moisture, dust, and debris when you’re not using it. Cutting down on rain and dirt will keep all the inputs for power and networking safe and sound for longer than an uncovered TV.
Protecting your cords can prevent electrical shorts from moisture making its way in between the ends of your cords and causing damage to your electronics as well as reducing the risk of fire. For networking, you should make sure you’re using a weatherproof cable that’s intended for outdoor use. Even if you have a TV that uses only a wireless input, you should still make sure that your power cable is protected. Where cords are plugged in to each other should be in as dry a spot as possible, and you should use a cord that’s meant for outdoor use. You can use individual covers for extension cord plugs, or you can use a larger weatherproofing connector box for multiple cords and power strips.
While you can use an outdoor TV anywhere that you can get power and a signal to it, you can greatly improve your viewing experience by placing your TV in the right spot. Keep your eyes out for the sun when picking your spot, and think about how glare will affect your picture quality at different times of day. Also, while outdoor TVs are listed as “weatherproof,” cutting down on direct sunlight, rainfall, and wind will prolong the life of your appliance. Consider placing your TV on a porch, under an awning, or beneath an overhang to keep it protected. You can install a standard door or window awning for around $100 that can give your outdoor TV some extra protection from the elements.
If you’re a tall person and find yourself struggling to live in a home that isn’t designed for someone of your stature, you might dream of a gut renovation to fix the problems vexing you most, or even a custom-built tall person house, with everything sized and scaled for you.
While those options aren't likely possible (nor practical), there are a few products you can buy that can have a huge impact on your comfort level at home, without a major renovation.
If you find yourself peering easily over the shower curtain and you’re forced to contort yourself into odd shapes in order to fit under the shower, an adjustable shower head like this one from Waterpik will change your life. Its flexible design means it can be adjusted to accommodate just about any height, so if you’re sharing your bathroom with a shorter person you can both be comfortable while taking a shower. Alternatively, any detachable shower head (like this one) will improve your situation by allowing you to at least get under the water without doing impromptu yoga poses.
The standard height for kitchen countertops is 36 inches. This works for most people, but if you’re very tall, you probably have an aching back after a short time hunched over your counter to make dinner. If raising your cabinets or renovating your whole kitchen isn’t an option, a raised cutting board can at least make food prep more comfortable for you.
If you’re living in a home designed for a much shorter person, a kneeling chair (or two, or three) will make everything a lot easier. Instead of standing, hunched, over a low counter or having to sit down on the floor to deal with your fridge or dishwasher, a kneeling chair will get you to a comfortable height, er, comfortably. Use one in any situation where you would normally crouch or kneel for long periods of time and be happier for it.
It might be obvious, but if you’re a tall person a bigger mattress will absolutely change your life. A California King is 84 inches long, which should be big enough for most taller folks—but there are several even larger choices if you can fit them into your home and need even more legroom. The Texas King is 98 inches long, and the Alaskan King is a whopping 108 inches square, which should be big enough for even the tallest people.
Standard toilets are 14-15 inches high. If you’re a tall person, using one can be a very unfortunate experience. A few extra inches will make using the toilet a lot easier, and replacing a toilet isn’t a difficult job—it’s actually something most people can do DIY. And if DIY isn’t your bag, it’s not terribly expensive, averaging less than $400 (t counting the cost of the toilet itself).
Tall folks have big clothes, and big clothes have a tendency to fall off (or be deformed by) standard hangers—but if you’re reading this, you probably know that. Adjustable hangers that can expand to fit your shirts and other clothing items prevent both of these scenarios, keeping your wardrobe looking good—and off the floor.
Finally, a small renovation can pay huge dividends. If you’re constantly dodging light fixtures and ceiling fans that seem to have been placed directly in your airspace, recessing the lighting in your home and switching out standard, head-chopping ceiling fans for flush-mounted, low-profile versions will eliminate a real danger and make your house a lot easier to navigate—especially in the dark.
If you want to create a garden retreat and have a convenient spot for hosting, or just a quiet spot to enjoy your morning coffee, a garden room is just the thing. With more insulation than most sheds, a garden room allows you to enjoy your outdoor space while having some cover from the rain—and some shade, too. Here’s what you need to know to build a garden room on a budget.
A garden room can be a retreat if you want some peace and quiet, a place for entertaining, or an alternative to your home office. You can really use it for anything you want, and you can customize it to your own purposes. Adding furniture and decor to suit the needs of your space will help to make your garden room functional, and having plenty of windows to bring the outdoors in will help to keep your outdoor space open. Since a garden room is insulated, it can be comfortable year-round, but unlike a tiny home, you don’t necessarily need to worry about plumbing or running power.
If you plan to add a garden room, you’ll need to measure your space first to make sure you can fit the size and type you want. Make sure to check zoning regulations before deciding on placement of your garden room to determine if you have enough clearance from your property line and that you’re in keeping with any other rules or ordinances—and choose a flat spot with good drainage.
There are a few options for constructing an outbuilding that are worth considering as a basis for a garden room: You’ll need to either build a deck structure or pour a concrete slab for your structure to sit on. Here are a few good options for how to build a structure on a budget.
A metal shed is one possible option for building a low cost garden room. The pros of going with a metal shed to structure your garden room are that it is an inexpensive option at between $299 and $400, and you can usually get the size you’re looking for. The downside of a metal shed is that you’ll need to cut through the metal to add windows and it doesn’t come insulated, so you’ll need to add that yourself.
Using a wooden shed kit as the basis for your garden room is a good way to build a decent quality structure while saving some money. You can get an all-wood, cedar shed kit for less than $500 plus the cost of delivery, and you’ll be able to customize it easily with some basic woodworking tools. A shed kit doesn’t come with insulation, so you’ll need to add your own, and it’s a little more expensive than a metal shed, but it’s easier to customize and can be purchased with windows already installed.
You can choose to build your own frame for your shed if you have a chop saw and some basic carpentry knowledge. Framing your own allows you to customize everything, but it requires more skill because you’ll be cutting and assembling all your own parts. A simple structure isn’t too difficult to build, and you can also choose to use a framing kit that costs around $60 to make assembly easier.
Since most sheds don’t come pre-insulated, you can use radiant barriers like the type used for garage doors, neoprene insulation, or reflective heat barrier insulation, all for around $15 dollars a roll. These insulation types can be installed on interior walls and then covered with your desired finishing material to make the inside of your shed more comfortable. Once the insulation is installed, you can use paneling or drywall to finish your interior.
Mason bees are pretty incredible: They’re docile, they are easy to raise, and they are amazing pollinators of spring flowering fruit and nut trees. These bees don’t use hives the way honey bees do, instead preferring to place their eggs in narrow holes, plugged up with mud (hence the name “mason”).
Their gentle nature and solitary habitat preferences make mason bees a great species to “keep” in your yard. That is, if you do it right. If you don’t do it right, you might be harming them more than you’re helping them.
Former evolutionary biology professor Colin Purrington took to X (then Twitter) a few years back to tell us all the ways our good intentions have gone awry, and it's worth a reminder if you want to set up a mason bee house in your yard or garden this spring.
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If you’re going to make your own mason bee house, Purrington offers his own tutorial here, along with a slew of additional reading you can take advantage of. If you’re leaning toward a store-bought variety, don’t simply grab the first cute structure labeled “mason bees” that you see. It’s important to educate yourself about the species first to understand how to most effectively help them—and not accidentally harm them instead.
The biggest problem Purrington points out with some store-bought mason bee houses is that the blocks and reeds are glued to the back of the house. That means you can’t add new nesting material each spring, greatly increasing the risk of parasites and fungus.
You’ll find some great info here on the year-round care of mason bees, including storing the nesting tubes and blocks and harvesting the cocoons.
Mason bee houses should be placed against a flat surface in an area protected from high winds, approximately six feet off the ground and south-facing, if possible. Do not hang mason houses by a string from a tree limb; allowing the eggs to be knocked around in every passing breeze isn’t helpful. They’ll also need to be close enough to pollen-producing plants (they won’t travel farther than 300 feet), as well as a good supply of claylike mud to cover up their nesting holes.
The roof of a good mason bee house will have a bit of an overhang to protect the holes from rain and lower the risk of the larvae and pupae rotting inside the nest.
If you’re now questioning the quality of your mason bee house, you can always ask Purrington directly for his opinion (hey, he offered).
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Your 3D printer can be used for all sorts of hobbies and projects around the house. While a 3D printer is great to create fun stuff, it can also be practical. Designing and printing your own components for home-improvement projects is a fantastic way to develop your skills and make your home customized for your needs and style.
Making a cable reel to store charging and other power cords to keep them from getting tangled is a simple and practical project to try with your 3D printer. Depending on the size of your 3D printer, you can scale your cable reel to fit a variety of cable types all the way up to big extension cords for use in your home workshop.
You can use your 3D printer to create custom outlet covers and light-switch plates. Printing your own allows you to match the style to the rest of your home or create something unique that’s perfect for you. To make a switch plate or outlet cover, you’ll need to take into account the screw placement as well as holes for the outlet and light switch.
If you want to hang a shelf on the wall, you can print brackets with your 3D printer. You’ll need to create a shape that has a right angle and has holes for using screws to attach it. Adding an angled support to make the bracket more sturdy is a good idea to make sure your shelf is structural.
You can 3D-print coat hooks, plant hooks, and hooks for hanging up Christmas lights and other holiday decorations. Make sure to use the appropriate filament if you plan to use the hooks outdoors so that they will stand up to the weather. You can also create custom designs to fit with your decor as well as making multiple hook brackets for use in a bathroom for towels, or a mud room for coats.
If you’re updating cabinets or furniture, you can print some drawer pulls with your 3D printer to customize your new look. Make sure to take note of sizing if you choose to use a pre-made file instead of one you customize yourself. You can use your imagination to create a drawer pull that will look the best with your decor and function well with your furniture.
Keeping leaves from clogging up your downspout can be a challenge. But luckily you can print your own downspout filter with your 3D printer to keep leaves and other debris from ending up inside your downspout. While you can likely find a file that’s designed for your type of gutter, you might need to modify one for an exact fit.
To level furniture on an uneven surface and protect your floor from scratching, 3D-print some adjustable feet. Note that you’ll need to also get hardware in the right size. Once the feet are placed on the ends of your furniture legs, they can be screwed in and out for leveling.
If you’re a gardener, or if you just have an expanding collection of climbing house plants, getting the right support for growing plants or training them into the shape you want is important. You can 3D-print your own plant clips. There are a few different designs available if you don’t want to make your own file, so you can get the size and shape you’re after.
WD-40 is designed to prevent rusting by displacing the water in cracks and crevices in metal (that's what the "WD" stands for). It is also a versatile lubricant, and can even be used as a solvent—but there are some places you should never spray it.
WD-40 doesn’t have the same viscosity as traditional grease or oil, and it can erode certain finishes, and it can cause problems when used as a substitute. Though it's tempting to think it is a good idea everywhere you need to cut down on friction, here are some places you should definitely never use WD-40.
If you’re trying to lubricate a hinge on a pair of sunglasses or remove a price tag from the surface of a plastic container, you might be tempted to reach for the can of WD-40...but you should never use it on a clear plastic surface or on polystyrene or polycarbonate plastic.
Commonly labeled #6, products that contain styrene include things like toys, disposable cups and cutlery, and appliances like smoke detectors. Polycarbonate, known as #7, can be found in kitchen appliances like refrigerators, clear packaging, plastic lenses, and safety gear. Because of the chemical makeup of WD-40, it can cause damage to these plastics and ruin things like sunglasses with plastic lenses. If you’re in doubt, it’s better to avoid using WD-40 on plastic.
WD-40 can dissolve wax finishes. If you’re using WD-40 to clean, you should keep it clear of wood floors and furniture. Since wax creates a water resistant barrier that protects woodwork from water damage, it’s better to leave the wax where it is. Also, because WD-40 can seep into the grain of unfinished wood, it’s generally not a good idea to use it on any wood surface, not just waxed ones.
Because WD-40 is good for lots of cleaning tasks, you might be tempted to try it on stone tile or countertops. But natural stone is porous, and you shouldn’t use WD-40 to clean it—WD-40 can soak into the surface of the stone and stain it. Also, many stone surfaces are treated with wax polish, and WD-40 can dissolve wax finishes.
Some appliance companies recommend using WD-40 to clean stainless steel, but you should never use WD-40 on surfaces that will be in contact with food. While a streak-free shine is a powerful motivator, WD-40 obviously shouldn’t be consumed. and while incidental contact with food isn’t a big deal, surfaces where food is in frequent or prolonged contact should never have WD-40 on them.
You should never use WD-40 on electronics, which can react with some plastics as well as attract dust and other particles. Getting WD-40 on your smart phone or laptop can not only damage the screen, it can ruin the buttons or make its way into the internal components. It’s best to use a cleaner specially formulated for electronics.
Although WD-40 is sometimes used as a stand-in lubricant, it's not a good substitute for bike-specific lubricant. It doesn't have the right viscosity to be used as a chain lubricant and it can allow dirt and fibers to stick to it over time. While you can use WD-40 to clean your bike chain, it's not a good idea to use it as a lubricant, and if you do decide to use it to clean your chain, you should reapply your regular chain grease afterwards.
This should be obvious, but unfortunately requires saying: In spite of persistent claims to the contrary, WD-40 will not help relieve arthritis pain or creaky, stiff joints. While there are plenty of ways that WD-40 can help lubricate things, your joints will not respond to it the same way as a stuck bolt. Human bodies definitely don’t use the same lubricant as engine parts, and medical professionals recommend against using WD-40 to treat any type of medical condition.
Many gardeners like to use raised beds to grow their bounty—they create a lovely border, limit weeds, and are easier on your back—but they can also be quite costly to fill, especially if they’re more than a foot high. You don’t need to buy several bags of soil to get good quality, nutrient-rich material for your seedlings, though. Follow these tips to get cheap (and sometimes free) fill for your raised beds.
A good place to start if you’re looking for free or cheap soil is your local municipal waste disposal. If your community has a composting program, you might be able to get compost for free or at a deep discount. You’ll need to mix your municipal compost with coconut coir ($9.99/1.4 pound brick) or peat ($23.98/3 cubic feet), as well as some vermiculite ($16.34/8 quart bag) to get a good consistency and absorbency for growing plants.
While you’re there, keep an eye out for mulch from tree branches and garden-quality straw to lay at the bottom of your raised bed, underneath the soil.
To get free mulch for lining raised beds or for use to control moisture and weeds on the surface of raised beds, you can use wood chip mulch. Wood chips and scraps are also great for growing mushrooms. There’s a free service available in many areas called chip drop, where you can request wood chips, logs, or pieces from trees removed by local arborists and tree care companies.
It’s the same quality as the bagged stuff at the hardware store, but if you can haul soil in bulk from your local garden store, you’ll save a lot. Just be sure to use only garden grade soil for filling raised beds—using unmixed topsoil can starve your plants of nutrients, and using soil that contains weed seeds or invasive funguses will make for extra work for you in the future. You can often find bulk grade steer manure compost ($2.47/cubic foot) from hardware stores or garden centers for cheaper than other types of garden soil.
Hugelkultur is a gardening technique that originated in Germany. The idea is to fill the lower parts of your raised bed with organic material you can get for free: Tree limbs and branches, mulch, and even tape and plastic-free cardboard can be used along the lower layers of your raised bed to minimize the amount of soil you’ll need. Begin with the largest chunks of material and work down to smaller bits. Mulch and other tiny pieces should go toward the top, underneath your soil. You need about 8 inches of soil to plant your garden, so you can fill the first foot—or even two feet—of your taller raised beds with other organic material, saving you several cubic yards of soil.
Another way of getting free material for raised garden beds is through neighborhood gardening forums. Sometimes people are willing to give away unused soil, mulch from fallen tree limbs, or community-run compost. By connecting with other gardeners in your area, you might find some materials for free or get information about local deals.
Be sure to use materials that won’t import fungus or pests into your garden soil, though, and make sure to check any free soil you get for weed seeds. If there are a lot of seeds, you might rather pay for soil that doesn’t have seeds—unless you enjoy weeding, that is.
Your cell phone is often as much of a tool as your impact driver if you use it for keeping notes, playing music, or looking up specs, but if you're like me, you tend to go through charging cables and Bluetooth devices at a rapid pace. The new line of DeWalt cell phone accessories has a tougher design and construction to stand up to some abuse while also being convenient for use around tools. Here are a few of their products and how they stand up to a day in the shop.
DeWalt has a few chargers that are designed to adapt a DeWalt battery for use as a phone charger. The most practical kit they offer is the battery/USB charging kit that comes with an adapter that fits all 20 volt MAX and FlexVolt DeWalt Batteries and can charge the battery from a standard outlet as well as allow the battery to be used as a charger for cellphones and other devices. Because the adapter works with any device that can be charged using a USB cable and also allows the battery to be charged using the adapter, it’s a good deal at $65.87.
DeWalt also offers a wall charger for $32.99 that can accommodate two devices at once, including a USB-C and a USB-A port. The wall charger allows you to charge two devices at once and has a rubber coating that makes it a little tougher than your average charger, making it great for use in a shop or garage.
DeWalt makes two types of earbud-style headphones that are designed to withstand some worksite abuse. I’ve found that I tend to break headphones at an accelerated rate when I’m working in the shop not just because of the added wear and tear, but also because of exposure to sawdust and because I drop them so frequently. The neckband style wireless headphones ($49.99) are a good solution to this because the earbuds are attached to a stiff band that stays at your neckline, allowing you to remove your earbuds without dropping them. They can pair with your phone via Bluetooth, and work well as a hands-free unit for taking calls as well. The control on this system is simpler to use than on the behind-the-neck headphones ($37.99), and the neckband version is less prone to getting snagged or tangled because the neckband is stiff. Overall, the neckband style DeWalt headphones are a more durable option because there is less exposed cable to get damaged—and they’re also waterproof.
One of the new DeWalt phone accessories is their wearable speaker ($54.49) that can be clipped to your clothing or tool bag and will pair with a device via Bluetooth. This speaker can also be used as a hands-free device for calls. If you’re working on your own or in an environment where you can agree on what to listen to, a speaker can be a safer option than headphones because it allows you to keep your ears open for input. The clip-on system can be great for when you’re moving around a lot or working on a larger project because the speaker will go with you without needing to be hauled around. DeWalt also offers a larger Bluetooth speaker ($54.99) that is small enough to be hung from a tool bag and has resistance to both water and dust, making it a good choice for shop and garage use, but it doesn’t work for hands-free calling.
DeWalt makes charging cables that are a little tougher than most and have braided coating with a reinforced core to resist damage from kinks and tension. Their six foot USB-C charging cable is durable and will survive being tossed into a tool bag, tugged on, and even run over with rubber casters. There’s also a 3-in-1 multi-device retractable adapter that has the benefit of being as short or long (up to three feet) as you want it, and has the capacity to charge devices that use USB-C, micro USB, and lightning cables. The reel that it comes on keeps the cable out of the way when you’re not using it and protects the cable from damage from being dragged, run over, or stepped on.
As long as you know where to place them throughout your home, fans can be an invaluable tool in fighting the heat during the summer, saving you money on cooling bills and keeping your place livable. I use fans all year round to combat the the sweltering conditions caused by my ancient radiator, which my landlord controls and under which I suffer, so I know a thing or two about the best ones. Here are some great fans to keep you cool.
If you are looking for a big, heavy-duty fan that can cool a large room, here are some solid options.
Could this be the summer you finally pull the trigger on the expensive, but effective, Dyson? Dyson's whole deal is air, whether using it to suck up dirt from the carpet or curl wet hair, so they are trustworthy when it comes to fans. A Purifier Cool Gen1 TP10 is $329 and a Cool AM07 Air Multiplier is $359.08—or you could nab a Hot+Cool AM09 Jet Focus for $424, using it to cool down in the summer and heat up in the winter. In addition to looking sleek, these things work and are convenient: Reviewers praise the magnetic remote controls that stick right to the machine, as well as the ease of cleaning.
The Vornado Silver Swan Alchemy ($179.99) is praised by the New York Times for being an "upgrade" over other fans because it is high performance, pretty quiet, and oscillating (plus it has an "attractive retro design" that makes it look cool in your home, pun intended).
Up until last week, I had this Lasko oscillating tower fan ($64.99), and it lasted me a commendable seven years. It would have lasted longer if I hadn't knocked it over so often and neglected to clean it as well as I should have, but even when the vents were full of dust, this bad boy blasted cool air far and wide. At 42 inches tall, it's a little cumbersome, so only pick it up if you have the space for it and the willingness to clean a bunch of tiny slats on the back. It's no-frills (save for a convenient remote control that enables you to change the speed and toggle on the oscillation from across the room), but it does mean business.
I replaced that Lasko with the Antarctic Star tower fan ($49.49) and am personally very happy with it. Like other models here, it has a remote control, oscillates, and has three different intensity speeds. It was easy to set up and what I really like about it is the light pink color. If aesthetics are important to you but you still want something powerful, give it a shot.
If you want something that has a wide radius, consider a Levoit tower fan ($59.97), which advertises that it can cool up to 25 feet. Reviewers have put the claim to the test, demonstrating that it actually does reach 25 feet, which is great news for anyone with a large room that needs some air circulation.
Sometimes, you just need a little fan for some direct cooling or help in a confined space. Try these.
I picked up this Conbola desk fan ($22.94) a few months ago and can't believe how much I like it. I use a small fan on my nightstand to generate white noise at night and while this is much smaller and sleeker than the behemoth I had before, it's just as powerful and just noisy enough for bedtime. What drew me to it was its pink color, of course, but what made me love it was its features: It only needs a small USB cord to function and when plugged in, it's also charging, so it can be moved around and doesn't need to be tethered to an outlet at all times.
For a simple desk fan, try the Black + Decker tabletop box fan ($14.07), which has rave reviews on Amazon from people who praise its tiny size and ability to fit on a windowsill. If you're short on space but big on heat, this might be the move for you.
Conbola, to which I have become strangely loyal after the great success of my little pink fan, also makes a bladeless desk option ($37.79) for those who want that Dyson look without the Dyson price. You get three speed options, touch controls, and the ability to charge it and move it around. The nice thing about bladeless fans is how easy they are to clean: Wipe out the inside and use a dust cloth on the vents without ever having to take it apart.
Keeping track of what you weigh is pretty important, even though there are reasonable arguments against keeping track of it too much. There are all kinds of scales out there that can help you, no matter how serious you want to get about it or how much you want to spend. Here are some great ones.
These have additional or cool features like body fat measurement—though you should probably take those figures with a grain of salt—that go beyond just telling you your weight.
I have this iHealth Nexus Smart Scale ($39.98) and love it so much I bought another one for my boyfriend. The price is accessible, but it still comes with a ton of features. It connects to your phone via Bluetooth, it assesses your weight, BMI, and even makes some estimates of things like muscle mass and bone mass. What I like about it is how easy it was to sync it with my other apps, like my health and calorie-tracking apps, and that it makes graphs that show my weight and other metrics over time.
If you're a Fitbit user, grab the Fitbit Aria Air ($49), which syncs directly with your Fitbit dashboard. It's relatively simple, only showing your weight and BMI, but really, that might be all you need. It's lightweight, "sleek," and "minimalist," according to reviewers, so it's not a bulky addition to the bathroom, either.
The Shapa scale ($120) is an innovative smart scale that shows you colors, not numbers, so you don't get too caught up monitoring your exact weight. The colors refer to your average weight over time and if you see blue on your app, you're losing weight. Teal means you're starting to lose weight, green means you're maintaining it, light gray means you're starting to gain, and dark gray means you are gaining weight. That's it. It's popular on Reddit, where users praise it for helping them get over scale anxiety.
This Renpho smart scale ($59.99) is cool because it lights up, either to remind you periodically to weigh yourself or to serve as a nightlight, depending on your preferences and needs. It's a versatile option that's great for small bathrooms.
Don't need the bells and whistles? That's fine. You can pick up an inexpensive one that just shows you your weight, easy peasy.
The basic scale I use when I'm not using my iNexus isn't available on Amazon anymore, but this HomeBuds digital scale ($14.39) is very similar: There's an easy-to-read, bright LED display and the machine turns on automatically when you step on it.
This GE digital scale ($21.59) is inexpensive, but shows you your weight and BMI.
Earthquakes can be a real bitch. These seismic catastrophes are the most deadly of all natural disasters, claiming an average of 60,000 lives per year. But if you manage to hunker down in the right place when the ground starts shaking, you might be able to save yourself.
Many/most earthquake deaths could be prevented through wider implementation of earthquake-resistant buildings—but even if you live in a shake-proof structure, there are still steps you can and should take to be as safe as possible.
The absolute safest place to be during an earthquake is probably in the middle of an open field with no trees around because the main danger from quakes is falling debris. But since you will have no advance warning of an earthquake, staying safer may involve quick thinking, wherever you happen to be.
In general, earthquake survival is based on protecting yourself from falling debris and not falling down yourself. So if you are inside when the earthquake hits, think: “drop, cover, and hold on.”
Drop: Get down on your hands and knees when you feel the first shake. This way you won’t fall, and you’ll be ready to crawl under a nearby desk or table. Don't try to run or walk for a safer area because you're likely to fall. Exception: If you are in bed, stay there. Put a pillow over your head and wait it out.
Cover: Put one hand over your neck and head, because you must, as the Wu Tang Clan taught you, Protect Ya Neck. Then crawl under a strong desk or table if one is nearby. If there isn’t one handy, crawl toward an interior wall, not an exterior wall. Exterior walls have windows and windows are not good in this situation. Stay on your hands and knees with your hand covering your neck and to protect both your skull and your vital organs.
Hold on: Hold on to your desk or table with one hand and keep the other over your neck and head. Be ready to shift with the desk or table you’re clutching onto for dear life. Think to yourself, “how long can this go on? Surely it must stop soon!” but wait until it’s really stopped to move.
If you are in a wheelchair: Lock your wheels. Cover your neck. Hold on.
Do not stand in a doorway. This once-common advice is terrible. In modern homes, doorways are no stronger than any other part of the house, and if you rush toward one, you’re likely to fall.
Do not run outside or into other rooms: Remain inside if you are inside and outside if you are outside. Generally, moving about is liable to make you fall, but it might make sense in some situations (see below) if it can be done safely.
The “find something to hide under” strategy usually doesn’t apply if you’re outside, driving, or at the beach.
Outdoors: Move to a clear area if it is safe to do so, away from power lines, trees, signs, and any other potential hazards. The most dangerous place to be is outside, next to a building, as windows and decorations can fall from the sky. Still drop, cover, and hold on, once you’re away from structures.
Driving: Pull over safely. Set your parking brake. Avoid overpasses, bridges, power lines, signs and other hazards if you can. Stay in the car until shaking stops. Then drive home slowly with your caution meter set to 9,000—there could be any number of hazards on the road after a quake.
At the beach: If you’re near the shore when a quake hits, you probably won’t need to worry about falling debris, but you may need to worry about tsunamis. When the shaking stops, head to high ground. Right away. Don’t wait for any kind of official confirmation, just go.
Realistically, there is only so much you can do when an earthquake hits, but there’s a lot you can do to prepare for one before the ground starts moving. Making sure you’re ready for the “big one” (and the less-big ones) means making a plan: preparing your home for the quake and knowing what to do when the shaking is over.
Earthquakes are more common in some geographic areas, but as the recent 'quake in the Northeast proves, even places that are generally seismically stable, with few past earthquakes, can experience an occasional trembler. So no matter where you live, you should take the time to make your home safer in the event of an earthquake.
In the United States, most earthquake-prone areas have building codes designed to prevent the structural collapses that take the most lives and cause the most injuries in earthquakes—but even if your walls and roof hold up, a house can still be deadly in a quake. The danger comes from falling or flying objects. In California’s Northridge quake in 1994, only 1 percent of injuries were caused by buildings collapsing, while 55% were caused by unsecured items in the home.
Start by looking around your home and imagining it shaking back and forth and up and down violently at a rate of several feet per second. How many things could be shaken loose that would kill you? That unsecured bookcase is a deathtrap; the heavy-ass, glass-framed painting over your couch could cut you to shreds if things get shaky.
Now take a little time—maybe do one or two thing a weekend—to secure everything. Literally everything.
Here are some specific things to think about, according to California’s Earthquake Country Alliance:
Hang plants in lightweight pots with closed hooks, well secured to a joist or stud and far away from windows.
Install strong latches on kitchen cabinets.
Use flexible connections where gas lines meet appliances.
Remove or lock refrigerator wheels, secure to studs.
Secure valuable electronics items such as computers and televisions.
Keep breakables in low or secure cabinets with latches.
Move heavy plants and other large items to floor or low shelves.
Hang mirrors and pictures and pictures on closed hooks.
Secure free-standing woodstove or fireplace insert.
Keep heavy unstable objects away from doors and exit routes.
Place bed away from windows or items that may fall.
Secure knick knacks and other small valuables with museum putty.
Brace overhead light fixtures.
Place only light weight/soft items over bed.
Secure top-heavy furniture to studs.
Secure water heater with metal straps attached to studs.
Trim hazardous tree limbs.
This is not a complete list by any means.
Once you’ve taken care of securing all the potential deadly projectiles in your home, gather these emergency items:
Store fire extinguisher (type ABC) in easily accessible location.
Keep several flashlights in easily accessible places around the house.
Keep wrench or turn-off tool in water proof wrap near gas meter.
Know the location of your main electrical switch (fuse box or circuit breaker).
Have your emergency plan accessible and discuss with all family members.
Know whether you live, work, or play in a tsunami hazard zone.
Obtain a NOAA Weather Radio with the Public Alert feature to notify you of tsunamis and other hazards.
Keep flashlight, slippers and gloves next to beds.
Keep gas tank at least half full.
Keep an emergency backpack with copies of important documents near the door to grab and go.
Store emergency food and water supplies in a dry, accessible area. Include first aid kit, extra cash, portable radio, extra batteries, medications and other necessary supplies.
Unless you are psychic, you will not have much warning that an earthquake is going to hit, but you might get a five-second or so head start if you subscribe to an earthquake warning system like California’s My Shake app. (Apple, Android) A few seconds may not seem to be much time, but it’s long enough to scramble under a heavy table, brace yourself, and say a quick prayer.
When the earth stops shaking, the danger is not necessarily over. If it was a big quake, it’s probably going to be a really bad day.
If you are trapped: If you are trapped by your collapsed home or something, protect your mouth, nose, and eyes from dust. Try to signal any way you can, whether it’s with your emergency whistle (that I’m sure you carry at all times), a cell phone call, or loud knocking. Knock three times every few minutes on a solid piece of the building so rescuers can find you.
Head to high ground if you are in a tsunami zone: Earthquakes often lead to tsunamis. Check out my guide to surviving a tsunami for detailed info on how to not be swept away by a tsunami’s water. Again, do not tarry or wait for anything. Move quickly as soon as it is safe.
Tend to the injured: If anyone in your home is hurt, perform first aid. Call for an ambulance if you need one, but don’t expect one to show up right away. They will be busy.
Fires: Fires are a huge secondary danger from earthquakes. If there’s a small fire in your home and you’re uninjured, know what you’re doing, and remember where your extinguisher is, put it out. If it’s a large fire, evacuate. Call for help, but don’t expect the fire department to show up any time soon. They’ll be busy.
Check for signs of leaking gas: You should only close the gas valve if you suspect a leak—if you see a broken pipe, smell gas, or see the meter spinning quickly, turn off the gas. If not, leave it on.
Check for damaged wiring: If there is damage to your house’s wiring, shut everything down at the main breaker.
Don’t use candles or a lighter: Use flashlights only after a quake. You could start a fire accidentally or, even worse, blow yourself up if there’s a gas leak.
Note other hazards in your home: The massive upheaval of tectonic plates is likely to rearrange your environment significantly. Take a moment, take a breath, and access the damage. There is likely to be broken glass everywhere, spilled liquids of all kinds including chemicals, broken masonry, and other terrible destruction. Don’t be dumb and hurt yourself after the quake.
Let people know you’re OK: Everyone is worried, but your cell service might go down, so make a call to someone out of the area so they can tell others you’re doing alright. Conserve your cell batteries.
Check on your neighbors: Especially if they’re older or have any disabilities. (This implies you like your neighbors, of course. If not, eff ‘em.)
Determine if your house is safe: If you’re worried that your home is unsafe, don’t chance it. FEMA is already setting up their shelters, and they’d love to see you.
Stay informed: Keep up with local radio and television reports on where to get emergency food, clothing, shelter, and first aid.
Food and water: If your power is off, eat frozen and refrigerated food first, canned food last.
Document: Take pictures of your messed up house so you can file insurance claims.
Hopefully, civil society will be restored in your community relatively quickly. When it is, make sure you post pictures of your damaged home on social media. Promise you will rebuild! Ask yourself why you even moved to San Diego in the first place. Marvel over how strangers came together to help strangers, or curse uncaring humanity for its indifference (depending on your experience). Consider all the ways your earthquake plans failed, and either vow to do better next time, or decide that you are too small to fight fate, and that the Great Earthquake of Death will claim you no matter how many battery-powered radios you own. Hopefully, your earthquake trauma will fade and become a funny story you can tell at a bar. Until the next one hits.
If you want to upgrade your outdoor space, you can get a prefab pergola shipped right to your door and assemble it yourself. These kits are convenient and can save time and stress if you want to add some shade to your yard. But there are some potential pitfalls if you’re tackling this type of improvement for the first time, so here’s what you need to know before you buy a pergola from Amazon.
There are lots of styles of pergola to choose from, including wooden and aluminum types. In addition to materials, your pergola can come with a roof, a sunshade, or a trellis top for climbing vines. You can also choose between a freestanding pergola or one that attaches to the side of your house. If you choose a pergola that adjoins a house or other structure, make sure the existing structure can hold the extra weight before choosing one.
In order to make sure your pergola will fit in the space you have, you should measure the open space first, then look at the manufacturer specifications for the widest measurement of the pergola. In most cases, the roof of your pergola is the widest part, so make sure the roof fits within your intended footprint. You will also need to measure to place the footings for your structure, making sure you have space to position your pergola in your desired orientation.
In some cases, local ordinances prevent structures from being built within a certain number of feet from a property line or adjacent structure. There might also be rules about how tall an outdoor structure can be without requiring a permit, or the total area that a structure can cover before needing a permit. Check with your local town hall or municipal permitting office before you choose your pergola to avoid a hassle or potential fines down the road.
Installing a pergola requires footings to hold the posts that support the roof. Your kit will likely come with footings, but you’ll need the proper tools to dig a hole to anchor them. Check what type of footings your kit has to help you determine what tools you’ll need. Always remember to dial 811 before you dig to avoid costly and dangerous incidents with utility lines.
If your pergola is supported by the wall of another structure on one side, you’ll need to attach it to the second floor rim joist for it to be structurally sound. The rim joist is a horizontal board that holds the floor joists for the second floor. In most cases, your pergola kit will come with hardware to attach it, but make sure that the screws that come from the manufacturer are long enough and sturdy enough to attach your brackets to the rim joist. Since this is a project that involves some knowledge of framing, it might not be a beginner DIY job.
If your pergola has a roof, you should make sure that either the roof is retractable or that your footings and hardware are designed to withstand wind gusts. If you have a wooden pergola, you can add hurricane brackets or hurricane ties to reinforce the connections between your roof beams and cross members. With a welded metal framed pergola, it will usually be rated to withstand wind of up to 130 miles per hour.
If you’ve got a desk, you’d probably benefit from equipping it with a lamp—the lights from your computer screen can feel harsh in the dark, after all. But the best one for you to choose will depend on your specific needs and the features you’ll benefit most from, whether you need charging ports, mobility, or something with a small footprint. Here are several options to check out—all for less than $40.
I have this Jostic LED lamp ($27.02) and personally love it. It has a wireless charging pad for my phone, 10 brightness settings, five color modes, and a USB port, so I can make it bright and white to focus during work and dim and yellow to relax at night, all while it charges my phone and powers my desk fan through the USB port.
A Gondsily LED lamp with a USB charging port and holders for your pens and pencils ($23.99) is a cost-effective way to keep all of your materials organized, especially if you do a lot of work on real-deal paper.
A Wanjiaone lamp ($35.99) has the same features as the one above, plus a few extra for just $12 more: A clock face, calendar, and nightlight are built in, making it perfect for staying on track without having to look at your phone (and get distracted).
A Mubarek lamp ($20.91) is the opposite: If you want to keep an eye on your phone, it has a holder built right in, plus it comes with the USB port and holders for other tools.
Instead of sending light down on your workspace from off to the side, the KableRika desk lamp ($24.99) sits behind and well above your computer or materials, casting light more evenly.
Try a wearable lamp, like this one from Glocusent ($18.99) if you like to read in bed or work from different locations around the house. It sits around your neck like a reverse necklace, casting light in front of you and slightly downward.
If you're looking for something cute, try this Aluocyi lamp ($23.99) that features a heart-shaped mirror at the base, plus a pen holder and a USB charging port. Lamps don't have to be boring or ugly.
Another portable and even more economical option is the Woputne desk clip on lamp ($9.99), which can be used on a desk, a headboard, a table, or wherever else you need it—and it has 10 brightness modes, so you won’t keep anyone up with the light, wherever you are.
Americans love our stuff. We love our stuff so much we’re willing to rent small rooms far away from our homes just to store all the stuff that won’t fit anywhere else—about 20% of the U.S. is paying for a storage unit. Most of those people are using their storage units exactly as intended—they’ve packed them with furniture, boxes of stuff, and even larger items like vehicles or appliances.
But a storage unit can be much more than just a place to dump all that junk you can’t squeeze into your tiny dwelling. In fact, a storage unit can be the ideal place to do a lot of other things. They’re secure, climate-controlled, and relatively private. Not to mention cheap: They cost an average of $185 per month. As long as you familiarize yourself with your local laws and read your rental agreement carefully, a storage unit can be a cost-effective place to do a lot more than store things.
First things first: There are a lot of laws covering storage units and what they can and can’t be used for. These will vary from area to area, but there are a few constants. For one, you absolutely, positively cannot live in a storage unit—so don’t imagine you can throw down a rug and a futon and crash there every night. You also can’t use a storage unit as an office in the sense of literally running a business out of it (although you can use it for a business, as we’ll see).
And if you read a storage facility’s agreement, you’re also probably prohibited from storing food or animals in there. There may be a lot of other restrictions, so if you’re contemplating a storage unit as anything but a dumping ground, you should read the rental agreement carefully—violating it could get you evicted.
If you’d rather not go to a gym every month and get sweaty in front of total strangers, or if you have a bunch of great exercise equipment you can’t fit comfortably in your current home, a storage unit can be a terrific place to set up a small personal gym. It gets all that equipment out of the house and gives you a quiet, private space to work out.
Not every storage facility will allow this—local zoning laws may prohibit it. But a lot of facilities won’t object as long as you’re not staying there overnight or trying to store gym snacks in there. Your best bet is to speak directly to the facility’s management before renting the unit to make sure it’s legal and that they have no objection.
You can’t run a business out of a storage unit in the sense of sitting at a desk and listing the unit’s address as your business address. But you can use that storage unit as a place to get stuff done. Whether as space where you conduct phone calls or video meetings in perfect privacy (as opposed to sitting in a coffee shop with your laptop balanced on your knees while you scream over the crowd) or just a place where you bring your laptop every day to work in peace (most storage facilities offer complimentary wifi), a storage unit can help you present a calm, professional face to existing or potential customers and clients.
Another way a storage unit can help your business is by using it as a warehouse. As long as the stuff you’re storing there doesn’t violate your rental agreement (if you need to store food products in there, this won’t work) you can avoid having your inventory piled up in your house. This is ideal for folks who sell stuff through Amazon or eBay, Etsy, or other online portals, but any business can benefit from having a place to store spare parts or supplies.
A storage unit is also a great place to store your business’s documents and unused equipment. If it’s a seasonal business like landscaping, for example, a storage unit might be a cheap and safe way to mothball your lawn equipment during the winter months.
Storage units are just boxes of empty space. Within legal limits, you can really use that space in any way you like—as long as the rental agreement allows it. One great way to use one is as an art or music studio or rehearsal space.
You’ll need to check with the facility to ensure there are no objections, but a storage unit can be an ideal place to paint, sculpt, dance, or practice (or even record) music in a private, secure, climate-controlled area for less than $200 a month. You could also use your storage unit as a workshop—even a mechanical workshop where you work on smaller vehicles. There are some limitations here depending on how much power you need and the use of flammable or hazardous materials in your work (again, a conversation with the facility’s management is probably a great idea), but in general, you could be using your storage unit as a creative space very effectively.
A storage space can be a surprisingly calm and meditative area. If you’ve ever dreamed of having a zen zone where you can meditate or simply be, or a place where you can spread out your yoga mat, put on some soothing sounds, and flow through your favorite poses to your heart’s content, a storage unit is a great alternative space if you don’t have a spare room in your home for it. A personal yoga studio is a natural use for a storage unit in a lot of ways, available any time that works with your schedule.
Sometimes it seems like living in a society would be much better if we didn’t have to deal with all these other people all the time. If you own a home, you know that your neighbors are both one of life’s great blessings and often the biggest pain in your ass. On the one hand, sometimes you wake up and they’ve shoveled the snow from your sidewalk, and when you go on vacation they check on your cat! On the other hand, things can get really tense when disputes crop up unexpectedly—like when your neighbor’s tree hangs over your fence.
At first glance this might not seem like a big deal, but those overhanging branches can cause problems. They mess up your property by dumping leaves everywhere; they can scrape your roof shingles, smack into windows during high winds, and get tangled in power lines. Underground, the tree's roots could be worming into your sewer and water lines. That tree might be pretty, and you might enjoy its borrowed shade on sunny days, but if it starts to be a problem, what can you do?
America is not so much a large country as a collection of tiny countries standing on each other’s shoulders wearing a trenchcoat, so the laws governing trees and property will vary from state to state—you’ll have to do some local research if you’ve got a situation brewing with a neighbor’s tree. That said, there are three things that are almost certainly true about your neighbor’s tree:
It has value. Sure, it’s a tree, and apparently grows for free out of the ground as if by elven magic. But a tree on your neighbor’s property has monetary value. For one thing, your neighbor may have paid for the tree and had it planted. Then there are other benefits, like the carbon dioxide offset of that tree, the cooling effect of its shade, or fruit that it provides. The USDA Forest Service offers a free calculator that estimates the economic benefits of a tree, which isn’t definitive but gives you some idea of how someone might define its value.
It’s your neighbor’s property. If the tree’s trunk is entirely on your neighbor’s property, no matter how much it overhangs yours, it belongs to them just like anything else in their yard. If the trunk straddles or crosses the property line, it’s probably considered a boundary tree—community property. That means that you have as much say and responsibility for it as your neighbor, but you still can’t unilaterally make decisions about it.
You have the right to defend your property. If the tree’s branches cross the property line, you have the right to trim them, especially if they threaten to damage anything. But you can’t go past your property line under any circumstances.
That last bit might make this all seem very clear and simple: If the tree is causing havoc on your side of the fence, get out there and cut it back to the property line. While you have the right to do that, you should think twice for one simple reason: If you touch your neighbor’s tree and damage it, destroy its aesthetic value, or kill it outright, you could be held liable for the loss and the cost of treating or replacing it. This can run to the thousands of dollars—especially if it’s an expensive ornamental tree that’s part of a cohesive landscaping design.
So you have to be careful if your neighbor’s tree is invading and needs trimming. Here’s your best approach:
Talk to your neighbor. That liability goes both ways: Since the tree is your neighbor’s property, if it damages your property you can hold them liable. Approach your neighbor and ask if they’ll help trim the tree or grant explicit permission to do the work on your side, releasing you from liability—they might be incentivized to do so if the tree is causing damage. If it’s a boundary tree, you’ll need to negotiate with your neighbor anyway to get anything done.
Call the power company. If the offending tree is near power lines, you can probably call your local utility and schedule a free tree trimming. Most utilities have arborists on staff, and they are more than happy to clear branches away from power lines to avoid damage. That being said, keep in mind that the utility may trim more aggressively than you want. Also, keep in mind that once alerted to trees near power lines on your (or your neighbor’s property), the utility can come and trim them any time they want without your permission. Electric utilities have an easement on all private property to allow them access for maintenance and repair.
Hire a professional. The more you distance yourself from the tree trimming, the less likely you’ll run into trouble. You’ll want a company that has a certified arborist on staff, because trees are living things and they come in a wide variety of species. An arborist can identify the tree and prescribe the right way to trim it without damaging it or leaving it vulnerable to disease.
A tree growing right by your property line offers a lot of free benefits—but also free problems. If the latter is starting to outweigh the former, be careful—trimming your neighbor’s tree can open up a can of worms.
As the weather warms up, it’s a great time to get your garden set up for planting and consider anything you can do to make the most of your space. That said, new garden features and updates can quickly get expensive. If you’re not aiming for a total landscaping redo, there are plenty of DIY garden upgrades you can undertake for less than $100.
To train climbing plants along a fence line, the edge of a porch, or along the side of a pergola, you can use an expandable lattice ($36.98/ 13 by 78 inch section) to fit your lattice to your desired space. An expandable lattice can also be hung vertically along a post to train vines upwards. The lattice will shrink to a narrower, three or four foot section if you have a smaller stretch with no cutting necessary.
To build a dreamy arched trellis for your climbing plants, you can use galvanized welded fencing ($50.52 for a 3 foot by 50 foot section) attached to t-posts ($6.98/each). Drive the t-posts into the ground, three feet apart, on either side of your intended arch, then unroll your galvanized fencing over the posts, creating an arch connecting the two sides. Use the built-in metal clips or some wire ($5.93/250 feet) to attach the fencing to your posts.
You can also make a climbing trellis using hula hoops ($21.99/10), a garden stake ($26.99/25), and some twine ($4.99/400 feet). By tying the hula hoops to the garden stakes using twine, you can suspend them in the air. The hula hoops are adjustable, so you can create a graduated trellis for climbing plants by arranging them with the smallest hoops at the top and the largest at the bottom. You can also arrange the hoops vertically by hanging them from a stake, post, or fence to make a circle trellis for climbing flowers.
One of the cheapest and most popular ways to make raised beds is by using concrete patio pavers ($.48/each for a seven-inch by three-and-a-half inch by one-and-three-quarter-inch paver). You can stack the pavers in rows like bricks around the area of your bed to create an edge, then fill it with your own compost. The advantage of a paver-bordered garden bed versus a traditional box is that you can shape it however you like, or account for an existing slope in your garden.
Stock tank raised beds ($49.99 for one five-foot by three-foot by one-foot bed) are a popular choice for DIY raised beds because they’re durable and simple to install. Using a metal raised bed is a lighter and leaner alternative to wooden framed beds, but they can be susceptible to heat, so keep that in mind when choosing what to plant in them.
A raised bed is simple to build using cedar boards ($9.25/each for a three-quarter inch by eight-foot by four-inch board), “l” brackets ($3.48 each), ¾ inch screws ($6.87/box), and 1 ⅝ inch screws ($10.97/box). Cut your boards to the desired length for each side of your bed, then screw the ends onto the sides of the bed using the 1 ⅝ inch screws. Use the ¾ inch screws to add “l” brackets to the inside of each corner to reinforce the joints. If you want a taller bed, use a piece of board cut to the desired height at each corner to join the boards vertically.
You can use a metal cart ($37.02) and some flower pots ($13.99/three) to make a rolling planter/plant stand for your porch or patio. You can also use a thrifted piece of furniture and add your own castors ($11.99/four) to create a cart. A rolling planter can make it easier to water and maintain your plants, and ensure they get the right amount of sunlight.
If you want an cheaper concrete pathway, you can use a paver mold ($25.29/two) and some concrete mix ($21.88/ten pounds) to pour your own pavers. Using a mold allows you to create a path in the shape you want and save some money doing it. You’ll need some basic concrete tools ($14.99) for this project if you don’t already have some.
To make a mulch pathway, first, define your path by staking some landscape fabric over the intended area using landscaping staples ($9.99/50). Once you have your path laid out, you can either lay down store-bought mulch ($4.97/two cubic feet), or you can use free mulch from Chip Drop. (Just be aware that Chip Drop will leave your mulch in a parking space or driveway and it will be up to you to move it to your desired pathway area.)
To create some different layers, you can try a container garden. You can use almost any type of container, but something like this stainless steel tub ($54.99), this terracotta pot ($21.44), or this concrete planter ($38.41) will be durable outdoors. SOme gardeners have success upcycling old cooking pots, tool boxes, and paint cans into containers for garden plants as well. Really anything that will hold some dirt and stand up to the elements is a good candidate for a low cost planter.
Every time you plug something into a wall receptacle, you’re leveraging the awesome power of the electron to power your video games and chill your beverages—which makes knowing something about those outlets an important aspect of home ownership. Plugging an appliance into the wrong receptacle or replacing one with an incorrect choice is an easy way to destroy your property and injure yourself, after all—so here are 9 receptacles you might encounter in your house that you should know about.
Everyone knows what you mean when you say you’re going to plug something into an outlet, but technically the outlet is a location where you have access to wiring. The spot where you install a light fixture is an outlet. A receptacle is where a plug is inserted. In practice, people use them pretty interchangeably.
Power receptacles are described in terms of amperage (amps) and voltage (volts). You don’t really need to know too much about this in your role as Person Who Wants Their Toaster to Stop Tripping the Circuit Breaker, but it matters because your appliances and devices all need specific amps and volts to operate correctly and safely. You can think of volts as the “strength” of the electricity, kind of like water pressure—the force that’s pushing the power along—and amps as the “speed” or volume of the electricity. Some appliances need a lot of electricity very fast, some need less at a slower rate. Plugging them into the wrong receptacle can be exciting! But also very dangerous.
If you have power outlets in your home with just two prongs, your home’s electric infrastructure is old and needs some attention. These plugs lack a grounding prong and they’re pretty dangerous because any kind of short circuit can send electricity flowing into you if you touch it, and can even cause fires if they spark. They stopped being standard in the 1960s and were prohibited outright in the early 1970s, so even if yours have been working perfectly for years, you should seriously consider replacing them.
This three-pronged receptacle is the most common one you’ll find in your house, providing 110 or 120 volts of power with a maximum current of 15 amps to a long list of standard devices and small appliances like phone chargers, computers, toasters, and lamps. The bottom prong is the ground, which is what prevents electricity from leaping out of your power receptacle. And if you see a face here, it’s a phenomenon called pareidolia.
These outlets have a top left prong that looks like a letter “T” on its side. They provide slightly zippier amperage for appliances that draw more power than most, like your microwave oven. The amp and voltage ratings are top ends, though, so you can also plug in devices that need less power.
Larger appliances (like an electric stove) that need more power to operate will plug into one of these. You can tell a 250-volt 20-amp plug from a 125-volt plug by the right prong, which is sideways. That means you can’t plug smaller things into this receptacle because of the higher voltage.
The 30-amp, 240/250-volt receptacle (third from the left on top in the image above) has two sideways prongs. It’s intended for appliances that need a lot of power. You’ll often find one installed near the windows in your home because they’re used for large window-mounted air conditioners.
This receptacle (top line, far right in image above) has two slanted prongs and one prong that resembles a letter “L.” You’ll see these referred to as “appliance outlets” because they’re used by washers, driers, and other larger appliances in the home.
This is an industrial-strength power receptacle rarely found in a residence—there’s just really no need for it in the house. You might find one in the garage, or if the house has a dedicated workshop of some sort, especially if a previous owner had some serious hobbies, like welding. Chances are if you have one you won’t have a use for it.
Available in a range of amperage and voltage, these receptacles look very similar and offer similar functionality, and can be identified by the reset buttons on the front of the receptacle. Ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) receptacles are designed to detect when the current has gone somewhere it shouldn’t (for example, into your body) and will shut down. They’re required in damp areas like kitchens and bathrooms to prevent water from shorting out the receptacle. Arc fault circuit interrupters (AFCI) don’t prevent electrical shocks, they prevent electrical fires by detecting power leaks and shutting down accordingly.
If your house is fairly new or recently had the wiring updated, you might find a USB receptacle. This is pretty straightforward: It’s a 15- or 20-amp, 120- or 125-volt receptacle that has USB connections in addition to or instead of a three-prong plug. This can be handy if you have a lot of devices that need charging.
As the weather gets warmer, many of us are ready to get outside and grill. Elevating the al fresco dining experience by having an outdoor place to eat is a great addition for entertaining, but creating one can be expensive. If you don’t have the budget for a total patio renovation, here are some budget ideas for creating an outdoor cooking and dining experience that can boost your BBQ hosting game.
Adding an island or a counter for your grilling space can make cooking outdoors that much easier. You can upcycle a rolling cart ($37.99) into a work table or counter space by adding some countertop material to the top. You can usually get discounted scraps of countertop from cabinet or building supply outlets. You can also opt to use a finished kitchen cart ($85.49) or a thrifted set of shelves and then add some more robust casters ($25.19) for outdoor use. Having your countertop on wheels allows you to move it easily indoors for seasonal storage as well as double your work surface as a dining surface if you have a smaller space.
A small fridge can up your outdoor cooking game by giving you a place to keep food chilled while you do prep or keep a few cold beverages on hand. You can add a truly tiny fridge ($46.27) that accommodates up to 15 12oz cans or you could opt for a slightly larger, 1.6 cubic foot fridge ($98.00). Make sure you have an outdoor outlet nearby to keep your fridge plugged in.
If you don’t have an outlet for an outdoor fridge, you can still serve up some frosty beverages with an ice bucket to keep them cool. You can add a pair of simple, four-gallon ice buckets ($25.98) or you can choose to use a drop in tub ($37.50) that you can add a cutout for in an existing countertop or table. You can also opt for an ice bucket that doubles as a side table ($54.99) for some extra table space along with your cold drinks.
Adding lighting both for food prep and ambiance can help you to upgrade your outdoor space from a plain old cookout location to an outdoor kitchen. You can add some wired outdoor industrial sconces ($29.99/two) if you already have power in your outdoor area. If not, you can opt for solar sconces ($29.99) as long as you have a place to hang them with sun exposure. For ambiance, you can add a solar pendant light ($22.95), or some lanterns (29.99/two) to your seating or dining area to brighten it up.
You can add a shelf to the side of your house or shed by hanging a 12-inch board ($14.22) with some shelf brackets ($69.99 for four) or fold-down brackets ($13.99 for two) to create a surface for drinks and plates without taking up a ton of space or blowing your budget. You can also choose to upcycle a thrifted console table, shelf, or desk into a bar space by adding some good quality exterior paint ($28.04/quart) to protect it from the elements and make it easier to clean. Adding some bar stools ($61.99/set of four) can help to give your outdoor bar a more finished feel.
Adding textiles like an outdoor table runner ($5.90) or a new table cloth ($29.99) can give your old table a whole new look and make your outdoor dining space that much more inviting. If you have a table that’s showing some wear, you can choose to update the surface by giving it a good sand and some paint ($15.96) as well. If the surface is great, you can also freshen up an old piece by painting the legs instead.
In order to define your outdoor kitchen as well as give people somewhere to sit, using benches ($54.99), planters ($35.99), or a combination of both to outline your space can be very effective. Planning out the shape of your outdoor kitchen can be crucial to keeping the space feeling inviting as well as functional. If you’re handy, you can build some benches from cedar boards ($9.25 each for a ¾ inch by 4 inch by 8 inch board) supported by some wooden planter boxes ($60.99/set of two). Make sure that your bench seat has some support every two feet or so, to keep it sturdy.
Upgrade your garage workshop, lawn care, and DIY game with these deals from Amazon's ongoing Big Spring Sale, which we've been keeping our eyes on this week. If you have a project you’ve been eyeing around the house, these deals on home improvement tools can help you get it done for less.
Cordless tool combo sets are a good way to build a new kit if you don’t already have one, or upgrade if you have older, corded tools. Bosch has a 12-volt drill and driver combo kit that comes with two batteries, and charger, and a case that is on sale for $106.99, 40% off its usual price. This set is good for small projects and repairs around the house, but isn’t suited for larger projects like decking.
Dewalt has a heavier duty 20-volt drill and driver combo kit that comes with 2 20 volt batteries, a charger, and a case along with the drill and driver for $139, 42% off its regular price. You can upgrade the kit and get a bundle that also comes with an impact bit set for $156.49, 40% off the regular price.
For a more comprehensive kit, you can find the DeWalt five-tool combo kit that comes with a drill, impact driver, oscillating tool, reciprocating saw, circular saw, two batteries, a charger, and a tool bag for $449.00, 30% off its regular price.
Since batteries and chargers can be an expensive part of a cordless tools system, getting a deal on new batteries can be a game changer. DeWalt has some deep discounts on its tools, including a set of two 20 volt, 2AH MAX batteries for $129, 46% off the regular price. For larger batteries, the two pack of 20-volt, 6AH MAX batteries from DeWalt are on sale for $178.76, 38% off their usual price.
If you’re doing wood or metal working (or if your DIY projects just need a sturdy clamp), vises, bench mounted tools, and accessories can help keep you fingers safe and your parts steady while you work. The Craftsman 15-amp benchtop planer is on sale for $299, 36% off its regular price. It can accommodate boards up to 12.5 inches wide and can adjust to cut as thick as 6 inches.
The Wilton utility bench vise with a 4-inch opening and 4.5-inch jaws is on sale for $101.57, 58% off its regular price. The utility vise also has a small anvil work surface for metal working.
For larger projects and more versatility, the Wilton reversible bench vise has 6.5-inch wide jaws and can open to 12.75 inches when reversed. It also has pipe jaws that can accommodate up to a 3-inch pipe and two anvil surfaces for metal working. The reversible vise is on sale for $257.80, 56% off its usual price.
Adding to your hand tool collection can up your repair and DIY game. Luckily, there are some deals that can help you expand your set for less. The Craftsman socket extension and adapter set is on sale for $49.98, 36% off its normal price. It comes with several extension adapters as well as an angle adapter for tight spots and quarter, three-eights, and half-inch drive sockets.
The Craftsman quarter-inch drive extension set is also on sale for $9.98, 56% off its usual price. This set comes with one driver handle and three sizes of driver extensions for getting into tight spots.
The Sunex three-eighths inch drive imperial socket set is on sale for $31.30, 62% off its usual price, and has 13 deep sockets and a keeper.
The General Tools pipe cutter is on sale for $13.90, 35% off its regular price.
Measuring and marking accurately can make all the difference on your next DIY job, so a few tool deals to help you build with accuracy are vital. If you can get past the obnoxious "gadgets for men" descriptor on Amazon, the General Tools contour gauge for tracing tile, flooring, and molding cuts is on sale for $10.04, 56% off its regular price. The General Tools depth and angle gauge is on sale for $4.56, 79% off its regular price.
Having the power you need when working in the shop or outdoors is indispensable, but cords and tools can get expensive. Here are some deals to up your electrical game. The Southwire 50-foot outdoor extension cord is on sale for $29.60, 33% off its regular price.
The Woods 25-foot, multiple outlet outdoor extension cord is on sale for $23.80, 30% off its normal price.
The Woods one-to-three splitter is on sale for $20.30, 32% off its usual price. It can spread as far as 20 feet between ends, and each cord measures approximately 13 feet.
The Kasa outdoor dimmable smart plug is on sale for $17.99, 40% off its regular price. It’s compatible with Google assistant, Alexa, and SmartThings.
The Astro Multimeter for testing continuity, voltage, and resistance in electrical wiring and components is on sale for $26.98, 37% off its regular price.
Attention, coffee (and tea) drinkers: Whether you love the simple pleasure of picking up your java on the way to work or you take brewing at home very seriously, you should pay attention to Amazon’s Big Spring Sale. There’s quite a bit of discounted stuff for you there. Here are some of the best deals for casual sippers and connoisseurs alike that I've found so far.
If it’s time to upgrade your brew setup or drinkware, give these a shot.
If you like to grind your own beans, the Shardor electric burr grinder is marked down to $33.99 (originally $39.99). A bit of advice: Before you pick one of these up, make sure you’re familiar with how to clean it so your coffee doesn’t start to taste bad.
Keurig is having a lot of deals during this sale, like the K-Express single-serve coffee maker, which is on sale for $69.99 (originally$89.99). This is also the kind of machine you'll want to know how to clean regularly, because they can get pretty gross.
The Mueller drip coffee maker is on sale for $23.78 compared to the typical price of $34.99. This one lacks some higher-end features, like the ability to schedule batches for the following morning, but it's a cheap, solid pick if you need something simple.
This bag of Four Sigmatic coffee is an organic, half-caf blend that's usually a little spendy at $17.09. During the sale, it's down to $14.52, but be aware that it comes pre-ground. Given the lower caffeine amount, it might be a good bag to have on hand when you need a little afternoon pick-me-up, but still want to be able to get some sleep that night.
Busy bees, you are not forgotten. Whether brewing at home and taking a cup for the road or stopping by your local cafe, here are some deals on items you can use.
Grab a 20-ounce vacuum insulated travel cup for $9.62 instead of $13.99 so your coffee stays hot (or cold, depending on your preferences) while you're out and about. Reviewers say it holds more than the usual to-go mug and maintains temperature well. It also comes with a metal straw and a cleaning brush for when the aforementioned straw inevitably gets gross.
CamelBak’s popular 16-ounce Horizon tumbler is also on sale, down to $17.26 from $22. Reviewers have been praising this camping mug for years.
If you prefer your coffee cold and like a fashionable but sustainable option to drink it from, Simple Modern’s insulated tumbler with lid and straw is $20.79 instead of $25.99. It’s chic and comes in multiple colors, but not all of them are included in the Big Spring Sale, so double-check the prices before you buy.
If you like a hefty cup of java, pick up a Seven Sparta car cup holder expander for $19.99 instead of $24.99. To see it in action, check out this review, which concludes that it’s a quality product that solves a very specific—but annoying—problem.
The JavaPresse manual coffee grinder is discounted from $46.99 to $27.98. This grinder is small and uses a manual crank, which makes it ideal for someone who’s particular about their coffee, even when they’re camping—or simply can’t stand the thought of skipping a cuppa during a power outage.
Spring is upon those of us in the Northern hemisphere (even if it doesn't feel like it), and if we're lucky enough to have an outdoor space, we're probably thinking about sprucing it up. But whether you want to make your porch or patio more comfortable, or just give it a fresh new look to usher in the season, updates can be pricey. Luckily, there are a few things you can do, even if you don’t have the budget for a total overhaul, to spruce up the place and make your yard, deck, etc. that much better.
If you have outdoor outlets or fixtures already, it’s simple to add some string lights ($35.99) or you can update your outdoor wall sconce ($42.65) with a new one. If you don’t have outdoor outlets, solar options will allow you to give your porch or patio a glow up. Adding a solar lantern (two for $23.99) or a set of fairy lights ($9.99) is as simple as finding a sunny spot in your outdoor area to set them up.
To make your space more comfortable for morning coffee or after-sprinkler lemonade in your bare feet, an outdoor rug ($28.95 for a 3-foot by 5-foot rug) is just the thing. You can also use a larger rug ($59.49 for an 8-foot by 10-foot rug) to delineate space for outdoor furniture and entertaining space. A good outdoor rug is waterproof and can be cleaned with a hose for convenience.
Hanging some curtains can help to create some shade and to make your space feel more dressed up. You can add weatherproof curtain panels ($13.29 per panel) by hanging some outdoor curtain rods ($17.99 for an expandable 66- to 120-inch rod). You can also choose to use roll-up shades ($49.98 for a 7-foot by 6-foot-tall panel) instead of a stiffer sun shade. Shades can also help to cut wind a little bit for a more comfortable outdoor dining experience.
Adding a large planter ($49.99) that you can plant a porch-sized tree ($44.00) in can give you a focal point and add some greenery to your patio or porch. Remember that if you plant a tree, you will either need one that’s suited to your local climate or one that can come indoors for winter. An alternative to one large planter is a few smaller ones (set of three for $58.03) to scatter some greenery ($9.99 each) or flowers ($19.47 each) through your space.
Porch furniture is a must for warm spring days, but to keep cozy when the weather is still a little chilly, you'll need reinforcements. Using some outdoor blankets ($15.99) along with some cushions ($49.99 for two) and pillows ($18.99 for four) can make your time outdoors in the spring a little warmer as well as prettier. If you have an uncovered patio, even if your textiles are waterproof, using a tarp or bringing pillows and blankets indoors when it rains will keep your furniture more comfortable without needing to wait for dry time.
Outdoor furniture gets a lot of abuse. It’s exposed to sun, moisture, and lots of barbecue guests (if you’re lucky). If your furniture is solid but starting to show some wear, you can use paint to give it some new life. Painting metal furniture with spray paint ($6.19) is a fairly simple DIY, but you’ll likely need a drop cloth ($9.99) to contain overspray and a wire brush ($3.47) to prep the surface. If you have wooden furniture, you can also use acrylic paint ($34.98/gallon) to give it some protection as well. If you don’t want to paint your whole piece, you can opt for a color dipping treatment using acrylic or latex, or you can paint some accents instead.
To freshen up a concrete floor or some old deck boards, a coat of paint can really do the trick. Using a stencil ($15.99) and some paint ($18.99), you can give your old concrete floor a pattern. For decking, you can opt for a paint color ($17.49) with added no-slip grip ($9.24) to make your porch safer as well as more colorful.
Whether it’s coffee or spirits you prefer, a little outdoor bar can go a long way to making your outdoor space more comfortable. Consider this bar cart ($39.99) for serving cocktails or lemonade, to elevate the porch or patio experience.
I love a fire feature for outdoor entertaining. You can choose to add even a small, pedestal-style fire feature ($99.99) for a little warm glow, or you can opt for a table-sized fire feature ($156.99). Remember that a fire feature needs to be kept at least three feet from flammable objects and you should observe all safety information from the manufacturer.
When the mornings and evenings are still cooler, a patio heater is a great way to get your outdoor space going in spring. You can choose to use a small infrared heater ($55.99) that uses electricity for efficient energy use, or you can opt for a propane burning heater ($99.99). Make sure to follow all manufacturer safety instructions to avoid any possibility of fire.
If you hate yard work, you might have dreamt of getting a robot to mow your lawn for you, saving you the hassle of once or twice per week mowing during the height of your lawn’s growing season. While the prospect of a robotic lawnmower might seem too good to be true, there are new models out that can mow your lawn—saving you time and, if you have a larger lawn and/or need to mow frequently, money in fuel costs over the long term.
The basic premise of a robotic lawn mower is that it will do to your grass what a Roomba does indoors to your floors. While some models operate using a perimeter wire and are set to travel until they come into contact with it and then turn, eventually covering the whole lawn, newer models like Husqvarna Automower (currently $1,499.99) use GPS and sensors to operate the mower on a planned path for your yard. Mowers that use a programmable path for optimal efficiency are more likely to save money in the long run.
The main savings from using a robotic mower over a traditional mower is in the cost of fuel. Because robotic mowers run on batteries that are recharged with household electricity, they use much less fuel than riding mowers or walk-behind models. In a study commissioned by Stihl, robotic lawnmowers performed better than their traditional counterparts when mowing took place twice a week. According to the study, a traditional mower uses about $25 in fuel to mow once per week for a growing season and $50 to mow twice per week for a growing season; a robotic mower uses about $41 in fuel for a twice weekly mow per season.
If you’re deciding between using a robotic mower or a lawn care service, the robotic mower is the more cost effective option, hands down. To hire a service to mow your lawn, it costs between $50 and $200 per acre. A robotic lawn mower can mow an acre for an entire cutting season for just $41—a significant savings.
Overall, the long-term savings associated with using a robotic mower are the real draw. While a good robotic mower for a residential lawn can cost between $1,000 and $1,500 to buy, a battery-powered push mower comes in at around $380. So the initial cost difference is substantial. But in a study from the International Journal of Sustainable Engineering that compared the total cost to operate over 10 years of several types of mowers, the programmable robotic mower that had an optimal path designed for it was less than half the cost of its closest competitor, the gas-powered riding mower. The total lifetime operating costs for 10 years of use for the robotic mower were about $6000, while the gas-powered riding mower came in at about $14,000. Importantly, the random-walk style of robotic lawnmower with no optimal path set was the most expensive mower, costing about $23,000 to operate for 10 years.
Robotic mowers are cheaper over time than regular mowers if you need to mow frequently. In addition to being cheaper, a robotic mower will save you time (if you normally mow your grass yourself). Robot lawn mowers are designed to mulch grass clippings back into your yard automatically, making your grass healthier as well as eliminating clipping waste. Since they don’t burn fossil fuels, robotic mowers produce fewer emissions than their traditional counterparts. They’re also significantly quieter than regular mowers since the blades are smaller and they don’t have internal combustion engines.
Robotic mowers are a big upfront cost and for folks who don’t need to mow frequently, they might not be cost-saving. In addition to the cost, they need a charger to be plugged in outdoors where the mower can dock, so having a place in your yard to secure the mower and charger when you’re not home is key. If you live in an area where yard equipment can be a target for thieves, your mowing robot will need an enclosure of some kind with an outlet to keep it secure. Robotic mowers often have a limit to the slope they can operate on, so they won’t work in some yards that have hills or uneven terrain.
While robotic mowers aren’t ideal for everyone now because of their price and terrain limitations, as the technology develops, the price will likely fall, and the more efficient optimal path mowers will likely become more affordable. Also, the development of better sensors and better travel equipment will likely allow robotic mowers to move over increasingly uneven yards. As battery technology improves, the rechargeable batteries that robotic mowers use will likely become more efficient and cheaper as well.
Chimneys are one of those parts of the house that are so prevalent they’re invisible—you see them all the time, and probably rarely think about them. Even if you have one in your own home, if you don’t have a fireplace you might assume that your chimney is a useless artifact poking up out of your house—but that old chimney might still be serving a purpose. Even without a fireplace, your chimney is very likely serving as ventilation for the house, letting dangerous gases from your furnace, water heater, or other infrastructure escape the house instead of killing you.
Whether that old chimney on your roof is in use or not, it’s a huge mistake to ignore it. Like everything else in your house, your chimney needs to be properly maintained, even if it’s no longer in use. There’s one obvious reason why: The cost to remove or replace a chimney is steep: About $4,100 on average, and sometimes more than $6,000. Rebuilding instead of removing will still run you anywhere from $1,000 to $10,000 depending on its size and condition. Ignoring your chimney is an easy way to damage your roof and other areas of your house—sometimes disastrously.
Unless you’re a chimney expert yourself, you should have your chimney inspected on a regular basis—annually, if you can. You’ll want to hire someone certified by the Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA), who will check out the structural integrity of your chimney, check to see if it’s clogged with debris or flammable residue like creosote, and ensure that it’s still performing its functions properly.
If the words “chimney sweep” conjures up visions of Dick Van Dyke in Mary Poppins, you might be surprised to learn it is very much still a thriving profession. “Sweeping” a chimney is basically cleaning it out—over time, every chimney gets clogged up with ash, debris, and other substances. Even if you don’t have a fireplace, your chimney can become clogged up over time, and probably needs a good cleanout.
If you schedule an annual inspection of your chimney, the company probably includes a sweeping service, or offers it at a small additional cost.
Whether your chimney is in constant use or you were recently surprised to discover you have one, it should be capped. A chimney cap is a cover that is attached to the top of your chimney to prevent rain and snow from pouring down into it, damaging the interior. Some also have mesh screens incorporated to prevent animals and birds from building nests in there or migrating down into your walls. They’re not particularly expensive—this one from Master Flow is less than $60—but they can save you a ton of money and stress in the long run. If you’re somewhat handy and follow proper safety precautions when working on a roof, installing a chimney cap is a fairly straightforward DIY job.
Your chimney pops up out of your roof, so it gets hit with all the weather and rain. Over time, water penetrating the brick and mortar will inflict some serious damage, so it’s a good idea to seal it against water intrusion using a penetrating water repellent product. This is an easy and cheap job that can help preserve your chimney structure so it doesn’t crumble and magically transform into an expensive repair.
A chimney liner is fitted inside your chimney, made of metal, clay, or a concrete-like mixture that’s poured into the chimney to set in place. It can serve two vital purposes: protecting the interior of your chimney from corrosion and damage, and making your chimney more efficient. If your chimney is too large (older chimneys sized for old-school furnaces or fireplaces can be way too big for a modern, more efficient furnace, for example), the gas outflow can cause condensation and moisture inside the chimney, which can damage masonry and other materials. A liner can “resize” the chimney so that doesn’t happen, while also protecting those materials.
If you are absolutely sure you don’t use that chimney for anything—furnace outgassing, ventilation, etc.—but you don’t want to go through the trouble and expense of removing it, you might consider closing it up entirely. This involves sealing it up at the top and bottom so that there’s no chance of water intrusion or other problems. Keep in mind you’ll still need to maintain the structure of your chimney with inspections, capping, and water sealing if you choose to do this.
Plasti Dip is a rubbery coating made to bond to most surfaces, and is commonly used on handles for tools. It’s meant to stand up to outdoor applications and extreme temperatures, and it can extend the life of metal surfaces by protecting them from moisture. In addition to adding some color, there are lots of other practical uses for Plasti dip. Here are a few of my favorites.
By far the most common application for Plasti Dip is tool handles. For this application, using the traditional dip container of Plasti Dip to coat tool handles is the best approach. In addition to adding color, Plasti Dip is an insulator against electricity and heat, making metal tools safer and more comfortable to use. For a smooth finish, you should set up a way to hold your tools in place while the handles dry. For this step, you can use a clamp or even a clothesline with some clips.
Knobs on equipment like adjustable-height tables, tool accessories, and clamps can all be coated with Plasti Dip to make them more comfortable to use. You can also use Plasti Dip on knobs for cabinet hardware, doorknobs, and drawer pulls to give an older knob some new life or to make them easier to grip. For best results, take the handles completely off and dip them without submerging the hardware that attaches them to your furniture or equipment. Steer clear of applying Plasti Dip to any moving parts or to the surfaces of screws and bolts.
To use Plasti Dip successfully on car parts, you will need the rattle can, spray-on type to cover the areas you want to target. You can also choose to use a paint sprayer with the type of Plasti Dip meant for sprayers for larger areas, although applying this type of paint does take some practice to get it right. For smaller areas, like splash guards inside your wheel well or rims, you can use a spray can after cleaning the surface thoroughly with soapy water and masking off the surrounding areas that you don’t want to get paint on. Plasti Dip can help to protect the undercarriage of your vehicle from rust, and it can also improve the look of your rims. For a more professional-looking finish, you can choose an automotive kit that comes with a specialized spray nozzle and a glossy finish spray.
To give the bottom of your carpet a non-slip coating, you can use super grip Plasti Dip spray. Prep the surface by vacuuming the rug and use a drop cloth outdoors to apply the coating. Make sure to tape off the edges of your rug as well as any tassels to avoid accidentally spraying them. Once the coating is dry, your rug will no longer slide about, preventing tripping and slipping accidents.
For use on almost any type of glass, from jelly jars to windows, clear Plasti Dip can be applied for a safety coating. In addition to providing a little bit of resistance to breakage for glass bottles, a Plasti Dip coating will hold shards of glass together in the event the glass is broken, reducing the danger. Applying Plasti Dip to glass needs proper ventilation and masking, but you should also make sure that the glass can dry in a fairly low wind environment to get the best possible finish. Be aware that using Plasti Dip to coat glass, even if it’s clear, will at least partially obscure the glass—it isn’t a fully transparent layer.
While there’s no foolproof method for keeping everything on a wireless network completely secure, there are some things you can do to make it safer. In addition to setting up devices that don’t depend on a wireless network, you can use a few other tools to discourage hacking and keep your wireless network more private. Taking a few practical steps can give you some peace of mind when using your home security system or your wifi network.
Wireless cameras for home security are convenient and cost-effective, but it’s a good idea to include some devices that don’t depend on a wireless network—just in case. Because any wireless network is vulnerable to jammers, using devices that don't use a wireless signal is a good backup measure to take. These can be as simple as window alarms, or can be as extensive as a wired security camera system that records to a DVR. For most people, one or two wired cameras at key entry points like the front and back doors or focused on a garage entrance is sufficient.
In addition to hardwired security devices, you can also choose to use an ethernet internet connection with a firewall to prevent sensitive information on your home computer from being accessed without physically connecting to your network. Ethernet is a wired internet option that is often faster and less glitchy than a wireless connection, and it has the added benefit of being resistant to jamming and hacking as well.
Wifi jammers work by interrupting a particular signal frequency. Changing the frequency that your network operates at can help to prevent jammers from latching onto your signal. Frequency-hopping spread spectrum devices are an option that will automatically change the frequency of your wifi signal, making it more difficult to use an RF jammer to disrupt the wifi connection to your home security devices. While FHSS is considered an older, outdated technology for many wifi devices because more modern wifi protections are geared to data protection, it's useful for preventing jamming attacks. Consumer Reports tested several home security systems for jamming resistance, and there are a few devices that tested well for resistance to frequency jamming including the Honeywell Smart Home Security System. If you're considering a home security upgrade, you should look for devices that use FHSS technology or a similar frequency changing feature to deter jamming attempts.
When you set up your home wireless network, your router likely comes with a password for initial access. Additionally, the administrative password is also generated by the manufacturer as a way to access the settings on your router. These passwords are notoriously easy to discover and are not intended to be a long term solution for network security. Create a password that’s different from the one that came with your device and that also doesn’t contain things like birthdays, addresses, or important dates that could be easily discoverable to strangers.
When you install a new wireless networking device, it likely has a name it was given by the manufacturer. This is a placeholder so that you can set up your network, but you should come up with your own name that isn’t associated with your name or address once you activate it. This will help make it more difficult to find and break into your wireless network.
Most routers have the option to change settings remotely, allowing you to manage device permissions and settings from a computer not hardwired to the device. In addition, many routers also offer universal plug and play, letting any device that’s plugged into the router access its settings without using a password and WPS (wifi protected setup), allowing you to press a button on your modem for instant connection without entering a password. While all of these features can be convenient, they’re also great ways for someone looking for valuable data or access to security devices to access your network without your knowledge. Disabling these features can help make your wireless network more secure.
Encrypting your network is as simple on newer routers as selecting WPA 3 personal or WPA 2 personal on your network settings. Older routers don’t have these options and are much less secure than newer ones as a result. Using an outdated router makes your network less secure because they aren’t capable of higher level encryption.
While it’s convenient to stay logged in to your wifi administrator account, you should log out once you’re done setting it up. That’s because anyone who has access to your device—even remotely—can use the administrator account to change your wifi settings and access connected devices including your home security system. If you’re logged out, a would-be hacker needs your password to get into your wifi settings.
One default setting that your router usually comes with is actually good to leave the way it is, and that’s the firewall. Most routers come with a firewall that’s already switched on to help protect your wi-fi network and connected devices. You should check to make sure it’s on to improve the security of your wireless network.
A home that’s warm and cozy in the winter and cool in the summer is a place you can relax—a refuge. A home that’s too hot or too cold all the time will never be comfortable, and can be a drain on your pocketbook: Up to 70% of the energy you pay for in your home is used to heat or cool it, and heating your house likely accounts for about 30% of your utility bills.
How well your home is insulated has a huge impact on its energy efficiency, and on your monthly bills. Adding more insulation to your home can cut heating and cooling costs by an average of 15%, making it a no-brainer home improvement project. Typically homeowners focus on adding insulation inside the house (in the attic or inside the walls), but there’s another strategy to make your home even more energy efficient and comfortable: adding insulation to the exterior of your home.
Considering exterior insulation makes sense if you’re going to be removing or adding siding or cladding to the house; the exterior of the home will be exposed anyway, making it the ideal opportunity to improve your home’s overall insulation economically.
Exterior insulation is like putting a sweater on your house, creating an additional barrier to heat loss or gain. It’s a straightforward concept: Once your home’s exterior walls are exposed, you can affix a material like rigid foam insulation or mineral wool batts to the walls, seal it, then cover it with the siding or cladding of your choice. If your home is always chilly in winter or too warm in summer, adding this extra layer of insulation can potentially offer a dramatic improvement.
The benefits depend on the R-value you’re adding, and the climate zone you live in. If you live in Nebraska, for example, you’re in Climate Zone 5, and if your home has 2x6 exterior walls, you’re shooting for an R-value of 19-21. R-values are additive, so any insulation you add to the outside of your house will improve its overall R-value—and a single inch of foam insulation can increase the R-value of your home by 5. If your home already has an R-value of 20, that would represent a 20% increase.
One huge benefit to adding insulation to the outside of your home is that you can avoid disruption inside the house. You won’t need to drill holes in your walls or remove the drywall entirely. All the mess and trouble stays outside while the interior of your home remains clean and undisturbed. If you are replacing your siding or cladding anyway, the project shouldn't add to the disruption at all.
There are a few things to consider before you jump into adding exterior insulation, however:
Cost. The cost of adding insulation to a siding project will depend on how much wall you need to insulate. For example, a 4x8 polyisocyanurate board from Johns Manville costs about $26, so you can measure the square footage of your exterior walls to get an idea of how much the materials will cost. But you also have to factor in complexities like windows, soffits, and other quirks that can add or subtract materials. And then there are the labor costs of installing it, which will vary greatly; you can expect to add a few thousand bucks to a siding project by including exterior insulation.
Thickness. Adding insulation means everything else gets bumped out by a few inches, which can have an impact on things like trim pieces around window wells or exterior outlet boxes. There are plenty of products that can compensate for these complications, but you’ll want to be sure that your contractor is aware of potential issues and has a plan to address them.
Moisture. Adding insulation between your siding and the framing of your home can improve the moisture infiltration, because it adds an extra gap between the surface and the interior. However, if you use a rigid foam board that has a vapor barrier of some kind on the outside, this can cause problems because you’ll be sandwiching the insulation between two vapor barriers, trapping moisture below the siding. That’s why it’s vital that you consult with an expert when choosing insulation materials for a project like this.
If you’re already going to be removing the siding or other cladding from your home, taking the opportunity to add some exterior insulation can make a big difference in the comfort level of your house—and the size of your utility bills, all without a lot of mess inside.
If you're looking for your next garden project and want something low maintenance that's also beneficial for the entire ecosystem, consider building a tiny wildlife pond.
Backyard ponds have a handful of ecological benefits, but even if you don't have space for a full-sized water feature, you can still increase the diversity of beneficial insects, amphibians, and native wildlife in your garden. Tiny ponds can attract and support dragonflies, damselflies, bees, frogs, birds, and more. They also don't require a pump, a filtration system, or complicated upkeep—the plants and wildlife just do their natural thing over time, ideally keeping everything in check on their own.
A mini wildlife pond requires only a few materials and very little maintenance. Here's what you'll need:
A watertight container, such as plastic liner, bin, or bucket, though you can also use a wash bin, barrel, or old sink
Gravel to line the bottom of the container
Bricks, pebbles, and stones to create surfaces at varying depths
Native pond plants
Aquatic pots
Rainwater
Note that when selecting plants for your pond, you'll need several types to keep your pond's ecosystem healthy and balanced. Submerged plants live at the bottom of the pond, emergent plants have their roots submerged in shallow water, and floating plants, well, float. Search for native pond or water plants specific to your area (do not just pick things from your yard or garden). Some emergent plants will do best in aquatic baskets, and loose submerged plants can be bundled, tied, and weighted to the bottom of your pond container.
Select a spot in your yard or garden that gets good light—it should not be full sun or full shade. You can either dig a hole and place your container in the ground or let it sit on the surface. Add gravel or small rocks to the bottom of the container, then place bricks and rocks of varying heights around the edges to create surfaces for plants to sit and birds and insects to land. If your container isn't in the ground, add a ramp on the outside so frogs and other wildlife can easily climb in and out. Next, fill your pond with rainwater and start planting. If you have to use tap water, wait several days before adding any plants so chemicals can dissipate.
For a visual demonstration, and some inspiration, Instagram user Martha @marfskitchengarden demonstrates how to build and maintain a tiny wildlife pond.
Once your pond has been planted, all you have to do is wait. The tiny ecosystem will develop on its own—you don't need to introduce frogs, fish, or other wildlife. Simply check on it regularly to top off the water (again, use collected rainwater), especially if you live in a dry climate, and remove excess debris. If winter brings freezing temperatures, you may need to bring the pond inside, but otherwise it can survive year-round.
Allergy season is right around the corner, and if you’re someone who’s affected by that, you likely don’t need to be told. There are some effective tools out there that can help you through it, though, so maybe this is the year you stock up and show pollen what you’re made of (or at least what you’re willing to buy to take it on).
First, you need to get your home in order so you’re not suffering when you’re in your place of solitude. These should help.
Humidifiers moisten the air and improve the health of your airways, which makes them a valuable source of comfort when your nose and throat are scratchy. The one I use is the Hey Dewy Wellness Humidifier ($99.95), which is prettier than others on the market (my preference) but also has a radius of 500 square feet and a 1.54-liter capacity, meaning it’ll moisten up a big room.
You’ll also need an air purifier. PC Mag recommends the Dyson Cool TP07 ($605). It’s pricey, but it’s also a Dyson, which signifies quality, and PC Mag highlights its air quality measurements, voice control support, and fully sealed HEPA 13 enclosure. I use a cheaper one, the GermGuardian ($79.99), and can confirm it’s quiet and, as far as I can tell, effective in its goal of yanking 99.97% of germs, dust, and pollen from the air.
Grab some AllerEase pillow protectors ($13.28 for two), which are made of tightly woven fabric designed to stop household particles from collecting in your pillow—and making you sneeze and cough. Reviewers say it actually works.
Finally, you need a vacuum that can actually handle the kinds of particles that are affecting you. According to Health, the best vacuum for allergy sufferers is the Kenmore Pop-N-Go ($350) because of how effectively it sucks up debris and dog hair.
Getting your home under control is one thing, but managing yourself is another. These tools will give some personal relief.
Try a Vicks personal steam inhaler ($42.98) for fast, direct sinus relief when you’re stuffy. Hold it to your nose for a blast of warm mist designed to combat allergies. You can also use it with Vicks VapoPads for extra sinus-clearing power.
Allergy sufferers and pros regularly compare tips on forums, and one thing that always crops up is nasal sprays. Flonase is a well-respected brand, and you can get a 60-spray device for $14.51. Looking for a non-medicated option? Amazon Basic Care has saline nasal moisturizing spray ($3.19) that can also help you clear out some gunk.
Itchy, watery eyes are also a major pain, but you can try a gel eye mask to relieve some orbital pressure and depuff those bad boys. Consider the Consgiji set ($11.99), which has one mask with eye holes and one without, so you can choose your coverage.
Whether you're hoping to ride out the next blackout in style and comfort, play video games in the middle of the woods, or live an off-the-grid lifestyle, a solar generator is becoming a modern must-have. They’re lighter and more mobile than gas generators, and you don’t need to keep a supply of degrading gasoline on hand to power them.
You have a lot of options for solar generators, and choosing the best one for you involves considering factors like capacity, weight, output and input options, and charging time and efficiency. But above all of those factors, your choice will come down to how you intend to use it. Whatever you buy, the solar generators on the market right now are generally better options than what was available just a few years ago—and the following are some of the best, based on different use cases.
Great for: Flexible use
With a capacity of 1002 watt-hours and the potential to charge at 200 watts for relatively fast recharges, the Jackery Explorer 1000 has enough juice to be a great short-term backup generator for the house. It has three AC outlets, a DC outlet, two USB A and two USB C outlets, so it’s capable of powering up to eight things at once. That 1000-watt output means it could run your fridge for a day or so without needing to be re-charged (longer if it’s hooked up to solar panels simultaneously), so it’s a workable solution for getting through a blackout without spoiled food.
At the same time, the Explorer 1000 weighs just 25 pounds—which isn’t exactly light, but makes it portable enough that it’s also a good solution for outdoor uses like camping or just powering your patio. It’s got a durable (and fireproof) casing designed to take a little punishment, too, so this is a solar generator that can sit at home in case of emergencies or come with you on your next road trip. The interface isn’t exactly rich, however, providing just the bare minimum of information, and the lack of a DC input isn’t ideal.
Great for: Off-grid use
The Goal Zero Yeti 1500X can charge at a 600-watt clip, and has a 1,500+ watt capacity, making it an ideal choice if you’re going to be far away from a wall outlet for a while. It can put out enough juice to run a camper, and if you invest in the panels to get that full input, it can recharge in just a few hours.
The 1500X is also equipped to integrate into your house so it can be a true home backup unit, and it can even charge off your car’s alternator, so you can top it off while you’re traveling without having to ziptie your solar panels to the roof. It’s also built with an incredibly tough exterior, making it a perfect choice if you’re going to be living in relatively rough conditions but want to be able to run a small army of gadgets and appliances while you’re out there.
It’s a little confusing to navigate the interface, but the availability of a smartphone app helps a little in that department. If you’re routinely off the grid, this is your best choice.
Great for: Blackouts
If your main concern in this life is what happens when the power goes off, the EcoFow Delta is a great choice. With 1000 watt-hours of output (the Delta 2 Max model offers 2000), you’ll never need to break out the candles again, because you’ll have enough power to light up the house and run many of your appliances for the duration. And if the blackout lasts longer than expected, it can charge up in a few hours in full sun.
It’s heavy (about 50 pounds), so you’re not lugging this one around on your camping trips, but its power, fast charging time, and ease of hooking into your home’s electrical panel (if you have a transfer switch installed) make it ideal for those occasional emergencies. Plus, it’s easily expandable with batteries chained together, which can increase your power output to 3000 watt-hours if you need it.
Great for: House backup
If you’re thinking beyond blackouts and want a whole-house solution that can keep everything humming any time you lose the grid, the Bluetti AC200Max is an ideal choice. It can punch into a transfer switch, making it easy to jump over to battery power in a pinch without having to run extension cords all over the place, and it starts with 2200 watt-hours of power—but it’s expandable to a whopping 8000 watt-hours by chaining in some batteries. It’s pricey with all those batteries, but that kind of power means you can run your whole house off of the AC200Max for a couple of days.
The whole system is controllable via an app, and it offers 16 outlets so you won’t have to agonize over what gets powered during a storm. It can take a long time to charge up if you go for the full capacity, but you can use solar panels simultaneously with an outlet to get up to 1400 watt-hours of charge and cut the charging time down considerably.
Great for: Small spaces
Maybe you want a solar generator for emergencies, but you live in a shoebox-sized apartment, and many solar generators are big enough to be problematic for storage. The Anker SOLIX C1000 provides solid power (1000 watt-hours or so) in a very small footprint, which means it’s easy to store when not in use.
A great feature that makes it a good choice for a home generator is the LED light bar, which provides quick emergency lighting. If you’ve ever been surprised by a blackout and found yourself stumbling around in the dark, you know that having an easy source of light is a very good thing. It also charges up exceptionally quickly—the SOLIX C1000 can reach full capacity in an hour in strong sunlight or when plugged in. That means if your blackout situation lasts more than a day you should be able to charge the battery back up during the daylight hours without much trouble, making it a great choice for a small place.
Solar generators are getting more powerful, more sophisticated, and more necessary every day. Buy one of the best solar generators available and sleep easy tonight.
You can get a lifetime subscription to Plantum on sale for $14.97 right now (reg. $60) until March 17. Plantum is an AI-powered plant identification and care app available for iOS devices with iOS 13 or higher. It helps identify, diagnose, and care for over 33,000 different plant species, and it's both an identification tool and a garden management app. It offers guidance on soil selection, watering schedules, fertilizing, and temperature conditions, as well as reminders for when to water a plant, rotate it, and run triage. Plantum also helps diagnose what's wrong with plants and recommends treatments.
You can get a lifetime subscription to Plantum on sale for $14.97 right now (reg. $60) until March 17 at 11:59 p.m. PT, though prices can change at any time.
There’s nothing more nerve-wracking than being pulled over by a police car, or answering the door to find the police on your front porch. Even if you’ve done nothing wrong and have never broken a law in your life, interactions with suspicious law enforcement officers are incredibly stressful. You’re supposedly innocent until proven guilty, but in these situations, the cops don't always act like it.
But that stressful situation can become a real nightmare if the police seize your property. Whether it’s cash you’re bringing to the bank, your car, or other valuables you thought were safe on your person, it’s not uncommon for the police to seize your property during an encounter—even if you’re not ultiamtely charged with a crime. Worse, the cops can often legally keep your property and cash, again, even if you’re never charged with any crime, or are later found to be not guilty.
In most of these encounters, the police rely on something called civil asset forfeiture. Initially designed as a tool to deprive drug dealers and organized crime figures of their ill-gotten gains, these laws empower the police to seize cash and property if they suspect it’s involved in a criminal enterprise—but because this is a civil action and not a criminal one, the burden of proof is much lower. In a weird twist of the law, it’s the property itself that is the subject of a lawsuit from the government—not a criminal charge against you. That’s how you can go free without being charged, but your property remains seized.
This is big business for many police departments—the Institute for Justice estimates that close to $70 billion has been seized by police in the last few decades. Laws governing civil asset forfeiture vary wildly across the country, but even when states have laws on the books that require convictions or limit seizures to values over a certain threshold, they often have too many loopholes to be truly effective. For example, New Jersey technically requires a criminal conviction for police to keep assets valued at or below $10,000, or less than $1,000 in cash. But this leaves innocent people stuck with having to prove their innocence in court as opposed to the state having to prove their guilt—and the police still have a huge incentive to seize property, because they can keep 100% of it if they secure a conviction.
Local police can also evade state laws in many cases by using a program called “Equitable Sharing,” which transfers the jurisdiction of the seizure to the federal government. This often causes delays for people trying to get their money back, as they have to figure out where to sue—delays that sometimes mean they miss legal filing deadlines. After a period of time, the federal government will return as much as 80% of the money to the local police department.
There are plenty of nightmare stories of people who had cash or property seized by police and spent years trying to get it back—and even when they win, they usually don’t get it back with interest, or their legal fees covered, despite being completely innocent of any crime. This is because federal law requires individuals to “substantially prevail” in court—i.e., win their lawsuit—to get legal fees covered. If it looks like you might actually win your case, the local government will often return the initially seized property in order to avoid that, leaving you with no interest and lots of legal bills for your troubles.
The Supreme Court is currently deliberating a case that could change how civil forfeiture works in the U.S., but hasn’t yet rendered a decision. Until it does, the practice goes on.
So you were pulled over, or the police executed a warrant at your residence, and your cash or valuables were seized. You were not charged with a crime, but your property wasn’t immediately returned. What can you do? Be prepared for a long fight, because until the Supreme Court (maybe) takes action, the odds remain stacked against you.
But here’s what you need to do:
Take notes. Record as much information as you can at the moment of seizure. Take photos and video. Make a note of the names of the officers involved, along with badge numbers and the precise time that everything happens. Also ask the officers what their justification for the seizure is—they don’t need much, and just about everything you do can be considered a sign of illegal activity, including having a large amount of cash on you in the first place.
Get a receipt. No matter the circumstances behind the seizure, the police are obligated to provide you with a receipt that details the property and money seized from you. Make sure you get one before you part ways, and check that it’s accurate.
Don’t sign a waiver. The police often encourage or pressure you to “disavow” cash or other property by signing a waiver that states it isn’t yours and you don’t know anything about it, which eliminates your claim to it. Often people are presented with the choice between spending hours being searched and questioned, or signing a waiver and being released immediately. Don’t do it—signing a waiver like that might set you free in the short term, but it will complicate your efforts to get your property back later.
Act immediately. Once you’ve been released, don’t waste time. Contact the local county courthouse to find out how you can petition for the return of your property, and to determine who has jurisdiction over the seizure. You might consider seeking legal advice, but keep in mind that paying for a lawyer might mean getting your money back is a Pyrrhic victory at best.
Beginning a cordless tool kit or updating your existing one can be pricey. Even if you've got a good set going, batteries tend to be expensive, and need to be replaced after a while to keep your tools running well. Getting good-quality tools is important, though—a cheap set won't last and will just end up costing you in the long run. Here are a few deals from Makita so building out your tool kit won’t break the bank.
The Makita 18V LXT Lithium-Ion Battery and Rapid Optimum Charger kit is on sale for $148.80 right now, 70% off its usual price. The set is a good deal if you need new batteries for your existing cordless set or if you want to update your existing set. It comes with a rapid charger that will charge batteries in 45 minutes, two 18 volt batteries and a tool bag.
For a good cordless tool kit, you’ll need a circular saw and a jigsaw. The Makita Rear Handle 7-1/4" Circular Saw is on sale right now for $121.42, 68% off its usual price. It’s a bare tool, so it doesn’t come with batteries or blades, but it’s a good deal if you already have a Makita battery set. The Makita cordless jigsaw is on sale for $114.95, 60% off its regular price. This is also a bare tool package, so you’ll need 18-volt Makita batteries for it to work.
A good quality drill and driver set is central to a cordless tool set. The Makita Sub Compact Impact Driver is on sale for $86.82, 57% off its normal price, and the Makita ⅜” 12 volt impact wrench is on sale for $57.99, 65% off its regular price. The sub compact impact driver is good for getting into tight spaces since it’s a little smaller than the regular impact driver. Both the driver and the impact wrench are bare-tool-only packages, so you’ll need batteries to use them. The Makita impact driver and drill kit is on sale for $347.69, 54% off its usual price. The kit comes with a drill, impact driver, charger, two batteries and a tool bag, so it’s a good deal for starting a cordless kit.
For adding to your kit, or for expendables like bits and blades that will need to be replaced over time, Makita has included some accessories in its sale. A two-pack of Impactx T27 Torx 2″ Power Bits is on sale for $3.49, 50% off its usual price. The bits are designed to drive torx screws with an impact driver, so keep that in mind. The Makita 14” contractor tool bag is on sale for $15.99, 66% off its usual price. It has a shoulder strap and a handy tape measure pocket. The Makita Outdoor Adventure LED flashlight is on sale for $43.90, 49% off its regular price, and it’s perfect for camping or for a vehicle emergency kit. The flashlight has a 160 lumen output with a rotating head so you can set it up as a lantern or use it as a handheld flashlight. The Makita ratchet and bit set comes with 46 bits and a hand held ratchet driver and it’s on sale for $24.20, 43% off its regular price.
Choosing the right security camera can be tough. Most of the time, you have to choose between running wire to power them or make sure to charge the batteries regularly to keep them going. Solar-powered cameras, however, can combine ease of installation with dependable coverage by keeping the battery charged without ever needing to be plugged in.
A solar-powered camera can be installed without running any wires and also without needing to be accessed for charging. With at least two full hours of sunlight per day, most solar-powered security cameras can keep running indefinitely, allowing you to “set and forget” your cameras. You can also stop climbing a ladder every few months to retrieve cameras for charging or battery exchange.
Solar-powered cameras usually send security images and data via a secure wi-fi connection. They can also sometimes run on a cell network, like the new Eufy 4G solar cam, or they can sometimes use a local Bluetooth connection. Since solar security cameras use a wireless signal to transmit information to your phone or local smart home device, you don’t need to run cables for that part, either.
Because solar powered cameras don’t need to go into standby mode to conserve battery life, they can record continuously instead of intermittently when they detect motion. Setting the scope of the motion detection on your battery-powered cameras to a large enough area for you to monitor pets or vehicles in a larger space can drain the batteries even faster. A solar-powered camera can allow you to take a look at what’s going on on your feed regardless of whether the motion sensor has been triggered without worrying about running out of power.
In order for your solar-powered security camera to keep working on cloudy days, it will need to have a battery with enough storage to keep it working even under cloudy conditions. Look for a battery that will run for at least one day on one charge. If you live in an area with lots of cloudy days, you should look for a longer-lasting battery. When choosing a camera system that runs on solar power, make sure to confirm that your system’s battery capacity allows it to run for a minimum of 12 hours on a single charge.
To make sure that you have enough sunlight for continuous operation, using a solar charger that can be placed on the roof or on a south-facing wall is ideal. Getting the best sun exposure will keep the batteries on your camera charged for cloudy days and overnight. Cameras should be placed with the view you want, and high up enough so that they can’t be reached and removed by strangers. Since your solar-charged cameras don’t need to be retrieved to change or charge the batteries, placing them in a hard-to-reach spot won’t present as many difficulties down the road.
To begin with, when choosing a wireless security camera, you should look for one that’s compatible with the smart home devices that you already use. Rather than installing multiple apps to access, choosing a camera that’s compatible with your existing system will allow you to integrate your cameras into the rest of your house. You should also choose a camera that has a high resolution—HD or better—so that the footage will be clear when you need to access it. The higher the wattage of your solar charger, the faster it will be able to charge your camera’s battery. Look for six watts or above for faster charging.
About a year ago, I traveled home to see my mother and was met with a strange new addition to my childhood home: All of the doors now had smart locks on them (she quickly registered my fingerprint to them so I wouldn’t get locked out of my own bedroom). She said she got them because some of her friends were being nosy when they came over, but instead of interrogating her about the people with whom she chooses to spend her time, I looked into smart locks and found that they’re extremely useful—and pretty affordable.
With a smart lock, you no longer need to stress all day about remembering if you locked the door. You can quickly check your phone to see whether you remembered to lock up, which you can do from anywhere. Plus, there’s no concern about ever getting locked out, as long as your phone is charged or you know the right passcode. If you want to upgrade, here are some great options.
First up, these locks recognize your fingerprint, like iPhones used to do, and unlock when you touch the handle. It’s all very futuristic and, in my experience, convenient.
The one I’ve used is by Gekrone ($69.99) and it has a bunch of features that justify the price point: In addition to using your fingerprint, you can also use a PIN (on a numerical pad that appears down the length of the door handle when prompted), an app, or an actual key (which is nice if the batteries die).
For something less expensie, try the Aibocn smart door lock ($49.99) which has the same features and allows you to generate temporary passcodes for guests.
If you want something a little more robust than just a locking door handle, try these, which are hefty enough to secure your front door.
The Hornbill keyless entry door lock ($58.49) is a deadbolt lock that still works with fingerprints, an app, a passcode, and mechanical keys. My mom set hers up to link with her Amazon Echos and can now command Alexa to lock her front door, which gives real Smart House vibes.
If you’re just looking to bypass keys and don’t want anything too tech-y, try the TEEHO TE001 keyless entry lock ($32.78), which unlocks with a predetermined passcode. I’ve used ones like this before and have a word of warning: Keep the real key on you just in case, because if the battery dies, you’re screwed.
The Eufy Security Smart Lock ($94.99) also packs a big punch, with an app that enables you to lock and unlock the door from anywhere, plus a keypad and physical key, Apple Watch connectivity, and Alexa/Google Voice Assistant functionality. It also pairs with Eufy doorbells within the brand’s app, so you can set routines and controls for both at once. (Eufy also sells a combination lock/video doorbell for $269.99 if you just want to bundle right off the bat.)
Schlage’s Encode Smart Wi-Fi Deadbolt ($211) has the dual honor of being recommended by both the New York Times and my mother, with the former heralding it as “easy-to-install” and “sharp-looking” and the latter calling it “great for the back door.” It comes in multiple sizes and finishes (so you can actually match it to your door), gives you the option to create up to 100 access codes for friends and family, and can be locked and unlocked from anywhere using your phone. Plus, of course, it works with your smart home devices, too.
In the hands of a skilled realtor, every confounding aspect of a home can be spun into something desirable. There’s no clearer example of this than the Juliet balcony—those narrow, not-really-a-balcony things bolted to the sides of buildings. (They're named for Romeo and Juliet, although Shakespeare didn’t actually refer to a balcony, making deception just one more crime these so-called balconies have perpetrated.) If you’ve ever gone to a real estate listing promising “private outdoor space” only to puzzle over a railing slapped over a tall window, you know the dark mystery of these “balconets.”
Any access to fresh air and more sunlight is a good thing, of course—but Juliet balconies are only marginally more effective than any old window when it comes to ventilation and natural light. So you wouldn’t be the first person to wonder how, exactly, you’re supposed to use your tiny scrap of outdoor space. Like a lot of modern “innovations” that don’t actually add much value, making a Juliet balcony work requires just a little creativity.
The most common way to make your Juliet balcony into something useful is to transform it into a garden. If you have a shallow floor to work with, some narrow planters with vertically-growing plants will work nicely, and some railing planters will add even more visual interest. If the railing has spokes, you could also consider a climbing vine to provide a natural privacy screen.
Your garden could be decorative, or you could put it to work as a vegetable garden, relying on dwarf fruit and vegetable plants (there’s even a tomato variety literally called the Patio Princess) to provide fresh food in addition to natural beauty. And if your Juliet balcony overlooks a busy city street, your lush balcony garden will hide the urban sprawl behind a much more peaceful wall of nature.
If you enjoy eating out in the fresh air but your Juliet balcony is your only access to it, you can create a comfortable dining area with a folding rail table and some folding chairs (that can also be stored out on the balcony). Open the doors or windows to your balcony, fold out the table, and set out your meal (or coffee, or cocktails). When you’re done, everything folds up and you can close your doors or window until next time.
You could also turn your Juliet balcony into a nice little reading nook. A comfortable chair, a folding table for a beverage or a pile of books, and an arc reading lamp will make your Juliet balcony a cozy spot to catch up on your reading list while enjoying the breeze.
If you love to grill, having a Juliet balcony as your only “outdoor space” is disappointing. But don’t let a narrow space stop you—get yourself a rail-mounted grill and a folding rail-mounted table and you’ll be grilling up a storm in no time. Get a folding dining table and some chairs you can set up just inside, and you can serve a feast to a guest or two without smoking up your whole apartment.
If you’re not into cooking, a rail-mounted outdoor bar cabinet can transform your Juliet balcony into a great outdoor bar area for get-togethers or a quiet cocktail after dinner on your own.
If you’re living in a small space that’s bursting with stuff, a Juliet balcony might be more useful to you as a slice of extra storage. A vertical bicycle stand, for example, will allow you to store your bike on a Juliet balcony as long as there are a few inches of floor space out there. A narrow, water-resistant deck box will let you safely store a lot of stuff out there, freeing up valuable indoor storage or floor space.
If you really wish you had a real balcony but had to settle for a Juliet balcony, consider extending the balcony into your interior space. Get some wood deck tiles, start them out on the balcony, and extend them into the room a few feet. Add some container plants and a table and chairs and you have a full-size balcony and patio experience despite the fact that most of your patio space is located indoors. It's a little unconventional, but it works.
A Juliet balcony isn’t the most useful architectural feature you can have in your home—but with a little effort it can be a lot more useful.
Have you noticed your milk getting frosty? Meat spoiling quickly? It’s likely your refrigerator is set to the wrong temperature. The FDA recommends keeping your refrigerator at or below 40° F (4° C), and your freezer at 0° F (-18° C) to keep your food fresh for longer and to prevent the growth of bacteria that could cause food-borne illnesses. Here are some more tips to help you ensure your perishables don’t perish.
Avoid the "danger zone." If you want to ensure your food isn’t developing harmful bacteria that may make you sick, keep it out of the cold-but-not-cold-enough “danger zone” in which bacteria thrive. According to Good Housekeeping, the ideal fridge temp is between 35° F (1.6° C) and 38° F (3.3° C).
Get a thermometer for your fridge. “I never trust an appliance’s self-reporting temperature; I’ve had enough ovens with hot spots to always be wary,” advises a user on the food safety forum at Stack Exchange. “With our fridge, our crisper drawer regularly frosts and partially freezes our veggies, and with a thermometer I was able to determine why: it’s significantly colder down there than the 35° F the rest of the fridge is set on. By at least 5-8 degrees.” Move the thermometer around to check for cold and warm spots, and arrange your food accordingly.
Bulb thermometers, the kind with red liquid that moves up and down, are easy to read, reliable, and you don't need to change their batteries. If you don't have one, you can still check if your fridge is too cold. Place a container of water in the back of the fridge on a low shelf (usually the coldest part) for about 24 hours. If it freezes, then that's a sign you may want to raise the temperature a couple degrees.
If you’re opening your refrigerator and freezer regularly, then keeping them stocked may help keep the temperature consistent. “With an empty fridge, every time you open and close the door you cycle most of the air in it, replacing the cooled air with warmer air, which has then to be cooled again,” say fridge enthusiasts on The Naked Scientists. “With a full fridge, there’s not only less air to be cycled and re-cooled, all the other items that have been cooled stay in the fridge. The presence of many items in the fridge may also reduce the airflow, meaning even less air is exchanged each time the door is opened and then closed.”
Keeping the fridge and freezer full is more efficient, yes—but packing it too tightly will restrict circulation and air flow, ultimately forcing it to work harder to keep things at the right temperature, according to Hunker. Another risk: jamming too much in the fridge can block air vents, leading to a host of temperature and moisture issues, and potentially causing some foods to spoil more quickly.
To expand upon that last point: Air needs to pass unimpeded between the freezer and refrigerator in order to keep the temperature steady. If you’re seeing frost in your fridge, make sure there isn’t a wayward loaf of bread stuffed up against the air vent, preventing circulation. You should be able to find a guide for your particular refrigerator model online.
“The temperature within your fridge can vary rather significantly with normal usage,” says Stack Exchange’s hobodave. “The coldest parts of your refrigerator are the back, and the bottom. The back because the cooling element is there, and the bottom because warm air rises. If items you don’t want frosty are getting frosty, then move them away from the back of the fridge.”
The fridge door is likely to be one of the warmest areas of the fridge, and a spot where the temperature fluctuates the most—so don’t store anything likely to spoil there. “The items in the door of your fridge can easily get as high as 59° F (15° C), and do so often,” says hobodave. “Putting milk and eggs in your door will significantly decrease their shelf life.” In fact, speaking to Well and Good, dietitian Lisa DeFazio recommends never storing milk, eggs, dairy or meat in the door. Instead, keep those items toward the rear of the fridge, where temperates are colder and more stable.
You know how expensive energy can be—and it’s not getting any cheaper. Bills piling up is one reason why people look into solar energy solutions for their homes, but when people think solar they tend to focus exclusively on generating electricity and getting off their local grid. And while traditional solar panels are a great idea and can have a huge impact on your utility bills, there’s another option you shouldn’t sleep on: aolar water heaters.
Solar water heaters are exactly what they sound like: water heaters that use the sun’s energy. If you’ve ever left a beverage sitting out in the sun you know that it's very good at heating up liquids, and adding a solar water heater to your home is a simple, straightforward way to cut your energy bills. As an added bonus, using a solar water heater also has a positive impact on the environment, because you won’t be using traditional energy sources.
Solar water heaters have two parts: a collector and a circulation system. The collector is mounted on the roof and stores and heats the water, and the circulation system transfers the water to your taps. The circulation system can be active, using pumps, or passive, relying on gravity or convection to move the water from one place to another.
Solar water heaters will work in any climate, but the type of collector and circulation system used is determined by the climatic conditions in your local area. For example, solar water heaters using an evacuated tube collector, which surrounds the water with a vacuum to prevent heat loss, can maintain water temperature even in very cold climates—but they’re typically the most expensive system to install. How much sun your roof gets, the likelihood of freezing temperatures, and other factors all affect which collector and circulation system is the best choice.
Installing a solar water heater will run you anywhere from $3,000 to $8,000, depending on your location and the type of system being installed. Which ain’t cheap—but as with solar panels, the up-front cost is an investment that will pay off over time in three big ways:
Bills. About 18% of the energy you use in your home goes to heating up your water. A traditional electric water heater costs about $438 per year to operate, while a gas water heater costs about $224 annually on average. Going solar reduces those costs to about zero.
Tax break. Solar water heaters qualify for a 30% tax credit, so your cost of installation will be reduced significantly.
Environmental concerns. Whether your traditional water heater is gas or electric, it’s relying on some portion of fossil fuels and other polluting sources to heat up your water. A solar water heater removes about 4,000 pounds of CO2 from the atmosphere every year.
If you live in an area that gets a lot of sunlight and you’re considering solar energy—or already have solar panels in place—a solar water heater is a great idea. Even if electricity and gas are relatively cheap where you are, that may not always be the case, and a solar water heater will save you some money in the long run no matter what. You can explore the models and available rebates in your area and other information using the government’s Energy Star website.
Your home’s windows can be a major source of heat loss in winter and can absorb heat from sunlight during the warmer months. While using shades and drapes can help cut down on heat transfer from your windows, there are times when you want to pull them open and let the light in. When you do, there’s a type of window and coating that can prevent heat transfer through your windows without obstructing the view: Low-E windows.
Low-E windows are made from glass that has a microscopic metallic coating on it that is barely visible. You likely won’t notice the coating because it doesn’t change the way your windows look very much, but it insulates windows from heat transfer by reflecting UV and infrared light. Low-E coating narrows the wavelength of light that can come through your windows, cutting down on the wavelengths of light that transfer the most heat through the glass. By preventing heat from being absorbed through the windows, Low-E glass can keep the inside of your home cooler in summer and warmer in winter.
Windows with a Low-E coating can reduce heat transfer by 70%. That means that one of the biggest sources of energy expenditure on temperature control can be reduced by 70% with a low e coating. Low-E windows can save you 12% to 33% on energy by providing reflective insulation. Depending on where you live, this can amount to an annual saving of between $70 and $500. While the initial investment in Low-E windows can be 10% to 15% more than regular windows, the savings can be worth it if you live in an area with higher energy costs or where your HVAC is running year round.
Since Low-E coatings reflect UV light, having Low-E windows can prevent sun damage to carpets, artwork, and furniture. Cutting down on UV light can also help prevent bleaching on hardwood floors and woodwork. Some types of plastic can also be damaged by UV rays, so adding a Low-E coating can save you money on replacing or repairing furniture, flooring, and textiles by preventing that damage.
Low-E windows can either come pre-coated from the manufacturer, or an e coating film can be applied on site by a homeowner. The DIY type of window film can be time consuming, and as with any window film, it can be tricky to get right. The upside to the DIY approach is that you can apply it to your existing windows for around $1.44/square foot or around $9 per window. The DIY type of Low-E window coating will last about 10 to 15 years if properly installed. While new windows with Low-E coating on them are significantly more expensive than the film, if you have older windows, they can be worth it for sealing up leaks and gaps that the film won’t fix.
Unlike other types of spectrally selective window coatings that can frost or tint windows, Low-E windows don’t need to have a visible tint. While in some cases, there can be a very slight tint, for the most part, the coating is invisible. That means you can have all the benefits of natural sunlight, plus a clear view while still keeping heat transfer to a minimum and reducing your home energy bill.
Most homes have a few imperfections or quirks that have been there for as long as you can remember: One replacement bathroom tile that doesn't quite match the others, an old doorknob that sticks, or perhaps a gouge in the wainscoting. There are also the minor defects that make you second guess your memory; more specifically, whether they're new, or they've always been there, but you've never noticed them before.
Hairline cracks in walls and ceilings often fall under the second category. It can be difficult to determine whether they're recent—and possibly a sign that something is amiss—have long gone unnoticed, or disappear and reappear seasonally based on temperature fluctuations. That's why it's a good idea to mark or document these cracks when you first see them, instead of relying solely on your memory.
Living in a rented apartment on the top floor of a nearly century-old building, I've seen—and marked—my fair share of wall and ceiling cracks. Like many apartment buildings constructed at this time, mine has lath-and-plaster walls and ceilings. Often highlighted in marketing brochures of the era for their fire- and sound-resistant qualities, plaster walls and ceiling are also more prone to cracking than those made using drywall, which are more common today. Here's how I keep track of mine:
First, I put light pencil mark at each of the crack's endpoints, and write the date—including the year—next to one of them. Though I write directly on my walls using a pencil that I know erases well, that may not be an option for everyone.
To avoid marking the wall or ceiling itself, Alexandra Cooper, an architect and interior designer at Planner 5D, suggests placing a piece of transparent tape over the crack first. "This can help prevent the crack from widening further, and also provide a clear surface for marking," she says.
In addition to marking cracks that you've noticed for the first time, you may also want to consider doing the same for those that you've been aware of for a while, in order to determine whether they grow or change over time.
Next, I take well-lit photos of the crack standing directly in front of it, as well as from a few other angles and distances. Not only are the images helpful visual references for monitoring the crack, but they also provide another record of the date and time. This is especially handy if you're a short person with tall ceilings that you can only reach using the extra-tall ladder that you have to borrow from your building's maintenance person, for instance.
If the crack appeared after some extreme weather, for example, you'll probably want to check it on a near daily basis—at least for the first week or so—to see whether there's any active movement or additional shifting resulting from the event. Once you're convinced that it's relatively stable, or if there wasn't a clear cause and you've just noticed what was probably an existing crack, check it every month or two. If you haven't observed any changes, you can probably cut back to every six months or year.
The key, at least for me, is to put reminders to check the crack in my calendar, immediately after marking and photographing it on the day I first notice one. Otherwise, if it's not somewhere directly in my line of vision, I will probably forget.
As soon as I notice that a crack now extends beyond its previous endpoints, I mark and date the new ones and take a few new photos showing the growth. I haven't seen much movement over the years, so this is the extent of what I do.
But if you are noticing changes (or just a fan of record-keeping) there are better ways of doing this. For example, Cooper recommends keeping a physical or digital document recording the crack's length and any other relevant measurements or observations, like the direction of the movement, whether it's also widening, and so on.
Also, if you notice that the crack is shifting fairly regularly, Cooper suggests making note of the temperature and humidity levels each time it moves to get an idea of whether the changes are seasonal.
Though hairline cracks in walls and ceilings typically aren't cause for alarm, it's important to know how to spot the signs of a potential problem, including those that may require professional attention.
According to Korey Gregory, a licensed general contractor and the superintendent of ASAP Restoration, the most important thing to monitor is the width of the crack. "Think of cracks in a home like a windshield," he says. "You almost expect the crack in a windshield to grow in length, but if it started to widen out and let in air while driving, you’d be concerned. Cracks in the walls of your home work the same way."
When a crack grows in width, that means there's been substantial movement, which could be a sign of structural issues. "If a crack grows from more than a hairline fracture to an eighth of an inch or more, I would be concerned and call an expert right away to be safe," Gregory says.
Unlike its width, there isn't a specific length or amount of growth that clearly demarcates when a hairline crack has become a concern, but Cooper says that significant lengthening over a short period could indicate structural movement. As Gregory points out, cracks can get longer for a variety of reasons, including years of doors closing, people walking above that area, kids playing upstairs, or even heavy winds that move the home slightly. But unless these cracks are also growing in width, they're typically not cause for concern, he says.
When you notice a crack is getting longer, pay attention to the direction of the growth. For instance, according to Gregory, a crack that continues up vertically through a doorway header could be the sign of a problem. Because doorway headers are thickened with supporting beams that tie into the foundation or slab, if you notice that the header is shifting, it means that "major issues are happening with the structural integrity of the home," he says.
Along the same lines, Cooper says that cracks near windows, the corners of a room, load-bearing walls, or where the wall and ceiling meet might also signal settlement or structural issue, and "should raise more concern."
Also make note of the direction of the crack's movement. "Vertical or diagonal cracks are typically less concerning than horizontal cracks, which could signify foundation or structural problems," Cooper says.
Additionally, if there are cracks in the walls of the second floor in a home, then it might be a sign that the builders didn’t follow the proper methods for securing the second story to the first and the foundation. With most two-story homes, the studs from the first floor extend upwards and become the studs of the second floor.
Occasionally, builders will sister in studs on the second floor which aren’t as structurally sound. In extreme weather situations, the studs connecting the first and second floor can act as a pivot point causing stress cracking. As with cracks on the first floor, and above doorways, if the width increases, you should have it professionally checked out.
According to Cooper, if what starts out as a single-line crack goes on to branch out or form a web-like pattern, it could be a sign of increasing stress on the structure.
When you first notice a crack, check to see whether there are any other new issues, like sticking doors or windows, uneven floors, or gaps between walls and floors, which Cooper says could be another sign of structural problems.
According to Gregory, the best way to fix elongating cracks that aren’t increasing in width is to use silicone caulking. "The reason for this is because silicone will stretch and shift with the crack, whereas drywall mud will eventually reveal the same crack again, especially if it is growing in width too," he says.
For cracks that are widening or growing in a concerning shape, location, or direction, your best bet is to bring in a professional for a thorough inspection of your home. If you're uncertain about the seriousness of the crack, or if it's rapidly changing, Cooper says that it's better to be cautious and consult an expert. Additionally, if you have an older home, or one with a history of structural issues, she says it's advisable to involve a professional as soon as you notice any potentially concerning cracks.
If you are looking to build out a cordless tool set, getting started can be tough. Buying the tools individually can cost more than buying a set, but buying set requires a lot of money all at once.
Right now, Home Depot is having a sale on tool sets that will make it easier to build out your own library. Here are a few of the best deals.
This 9 tool kit is $599 right now—50% off its regular price. The kit comes with a drill and an impact driver, as well as a high torque impact wrench for tackling larger nuts and bolts and driving lag bolts.
Also included are a circular saw, a reciprocating saw, and an oscillating tool; these three are a good starting point for a home tool kit, as they will allow you to handle larger, longer cuts on flat surfaces like plywood, quick cuts with the sawzall, and a variety of smaller, more specialized cuts with the sawzall.
A cut-off grinder rounds out the kit's cutting capability; you can use it for making cuts to metal and grinding off nails and screws. There’s also a light, a blower, and a tool bag, as well as a battery charger and three 18 volt batteries.
M18 18V Lithium-Ion Cordless 9 tool combo kit $599 (save $600)
The 7 tool kit is on sale for $499 (55% off) and comes with a drill and driver set as well as a reciprocating saw and a circular saw. It also has an oscillating tool, as well as a cut-off grinder for making a variety of cuts. A light and tool bag round out this set along with two 18 Volt batteries and a charger.
M18 18V Lithium-Ion Cordless 7 tool combo kit $499 (save $550)
This 5 tool kit is $279 right now, 53% off its regular price. The kit has a drill and impact driver set as well as a circular saw. It also comes with an orbital sander that’s great for finishing work. Also included with the kit are a light, a tool bag, and two batteries with a charger.
M18 18V 5-tool Lithium-Ion Cordless Combo Kit (with circular saw) $279 (save $320)
Another 5 tool kit includes a different tool combination for $379, 53% off its normal price. This combo kit comes with a drill and driver set as well as an impact wrench. It also includes a cut-off grinder and a reciprocating saw. The light and carrying case finish out the set, which comes with two 18 volt batteries and a charger.
If you just need a drill, the Milwaukee drill set is on sale for $99, 50% off its regular price. The set comes with the drill, battery, charger, and tool bag. You can also opt for an impact driver set if you’re interested in expanding your kit or just looking for a good quality driver. The impact driver set comes with the driver, a battery, charger and tool bag and is also on sale for $99, 50% off its regular price.
If you’ve ever opened up an appliance, you’re probably familiar with the frustration of screws and small parts rolling away or falling inside an opened-up machine. And for working on cars, magnetic bits and wrenches can help you keep from dropping parts into your engine. If you’re thinking of tackling a repair project that has lots of small screws, a magnetizer might be for you.
A tool magnetizer uses a magnet with positive polarity to rearrange the electrons in the metal of a tool to align with the magnetic field of the tool magnetizer. This increases the strength of the magnetic field in the metal of the tool, thus “magnetizing” it. A demagnetizer uses a magnet with negative polarity to rearrange the electrons in the metal of a tool to align with the magnetic field of the demagnetizer. This decreases the strength of the magnetic field in the metal of the tool, thus “demagnetizing” it. A magnetizer can use either a built-in magnet, arranged so that the tools will be ideally positioned when placed in the slot or hole, or it can use electricity to generate a magnetic field in order to change the magnetic polarity of your tool. Magnetizer/demagnetizers only work on ferromagnetic metals like iron, cobalt, nickel, and some steel. A magnetizer won’t work on non-ferromagnetic metals like aluminum, copper, brass, or stainless steel.
A magnetizer can be helpful when you’re dealing with small hardware like screws from an appliance or nuts and bolts under the hood of your car. Magnetizing your screwdriver or wrench can help you to keep from dropping parts while they’re being installed or removed. A magnetizer can also be used on bits for an impact driver or drill, allowing you to work with screws and nuts on a ladder without needing to hold onto hardware as much. You can also magnetize the ends of tweezers to hold onto really small parts. A magnetized tool can be used to help retrieve dropped parts, especially smaller parts that are hard to grab with your fingertips.
A tool demagnetizer can be useful to use on tools before you work on electronics that can be damaged by magnetic fields like hard disc drives, electronics with magnetic sensors like laptops, or older style monitors with cathode ray tubes. To avoid damaging your electronics, you can demagnetize your tool before using it on these items as well as around vintage media recordings on cassette or video tape.
A tool magnetizer will have slots or holes labeled either “magnetize” or “demagnetize.” You can also use a larger, plug-in model that will accommodate slightly larger tools if you plan to use your magnetizer on wrenches or other larger tools. Just put the tool through the slot with the label that corresponds with the function you’re trying to use. Once you pull the tool out, it will be properly set up for your task. You can reverse your magnetization when you’re done, if you don't want magnetic tools all the time.
Home maintenance can feel like a lot. Repairs and even routine upkeep can seem daunting —and if you aren’t already handy, completely overwhelming. But putting off repairs can lead to bigger issues down the road (and cost even more money). Even if you don’t have much experience, or just need to understand how to request the right repair, have no fear. There are plenty of things you can do to get past your anxiety and approach fixing things around your home with confidence.
One of the biggest obstacles for folks who are new to doing maintenance and repairs is getting the right advice. On top of finding conflicting opinions on social media about how to deal with a particular issue, it can be intimidating to ask for help, especially if the help is coming from someone who has authority or is dismissive of your concerns or questions. While getting past this hurdle can be tough, there are a few good places you can look for friendly, non-judgmental advice on how to tackle a particular repair.
One of my favorite sources of information on DIY and maintenance—especially for apartment dwellers—is Mercury Stardust. Her new podcast, Maintenance is a Drag, is a question-and-answer show that takes a few projects from the audience and helps walk them through a solution. For general tips, her TikTok also has a plethora of sound advice topped off with a healthy dose of reassurance—and some comedy, too. Feel free to ask her a question; she’ll often respond.
For instruction from a maintenance pro focused on empowering women to wield tools and tackle maintenance, See Jane Drill offers a variety of instructions for various projects, helpful tips and tricks, and instructions for how to operate particular tools. While her channel is geared toward women, anyone who wants to learn about maintenance can benefit from her helpful and approachable videos. You can also check out the See Jane Drill Website for articles as well as a tool database lookup and more, all geared towards beginners.
Since some maintenance is routine, like switching out the filters in your HVAC or cleaning out your dryer vent, these things can be a part of a regular plan you set up to stay on top of home maintenance. You can begin a plan like this by taking note of your appliances and fixtures and recording the manufacturer recommended maintenance schedule. Then, you can add annual and semi-annual tasks like clearing gutters or reversing your ceiling fans. Build these tasks into a calendar to make a schedule. Knowing what’s coming up can help reduce anxiety and keep your regular maintenance on track. There are apps like Home Keep that can help you build your calendar if you’re not sure where to start. The monthly subscription is $1.99/month.
When it comes to emergencies like storms or wildfires, it’s harder to predict exactly what you’ll need. However, beginning a maintenance fund, even if you only put a few dollars in it per month, can help you to prepare for emergencies and surprise repair costs. If you’re a homeowner, having a home warranty can also help to defray costs of repairs along with your homeowners insurance. For renters, getting to know the maintenance policy attached to your rental agreement can give you a sense of what your responsibilities are and what your landlord should be taking care of.
If you’re concerned about finding reputable pros to help with things you can’t do yourself, it’s worth asking friends and neighbors about their experiences. Starting with some information you trust before you need to call in a pro will make it easier to choose when you're in a stressful situation.
If you live in an apartment, you’ll need to request certain repairs from your building management or from your landlord. Repairs you shouldn’t do on your own include electrical work, leaky plumbing or water coming in from outside. These problems might require a phone call, but you should also make an official request for repairs in writing. That’s because as a renter, you are usually responsible for notifying your landlord of any problems. Once your landlord knows there’s a problem, it’s on them to fix it, so having an official correspondence is important. You can find a variety of free templates for requesting maintenance for your apartment from management if your building doesn’t have forms available.
If you have a house and you need a repair, you can check with your homeowner’s insurance about emergency-related repairs, and you can also check with your home warranty company before calling a repair professional to make sure your repairs will be covered. You should also check to see if your appliance or fixture is under warranty from the manufacturer or installer before paying out of pocket for repairs. These are some ways you can take advantage of the insurance and warranty coverage you’re likely already paying for to reduce the cost of repairs.
DeWalt has a few good deals right now on Amazon on tools that can be a good addition to your existing DeWalt set, or the beginning of a new set if you’re looking to build one. From lights to saws, here’s a breakdown of some of the best DeWalt Tool deals happening right now on Amazon.
For a work light, DeWalt has their 20 Volt MAX LED Work Light on sale for $49.99, 61% off its original price. The work light has a magnetic mount as well as a clip and movable tilt head for easy positioning. This deal doesn’t come with batteries, so you’ll need to buy those separately. If you’re looking for a strong flashlight, the DeWalt 20 Volt MAX LED Flashlight is on sale right now for $36.90, 56% off its regular price. This tool has a hook and a tiltable head, but no magnetic base. It’s a tool-only package, so it doesn’t come with batteries. These lighting deals from DeWalt are likely the best deal for someone who already owns a DeWalt set and is looking to expand it.
If you’re looking to build a set, the DeWalt 20 Volt MAX Cordless Drill/Impact Driver set is on sale right now for $139, 42% off its normal price, and it comes with the impact driver, drill, two 20-volt batteries, and a charger. The kit also comes with a tool bag to carry it. Since it comes with the batteries and a charger, this is a good starter kit. If you want to expand your existing kit, the DeWalt 20 Volt MAX Impact Driver is on sale for $70.87 right now, 49% off of its usual price. This is a tool-only deal, so it’s not a great fit for a new kit unless you plan to buy other tools that come with batteries and chargers.
To start a new tool kit, or keep up with the increasing demand of an existing one, you can never have too many batteries. The DeWalt 20 Volt MAX 2 Battery Charging Kit is on sale for $132, 61% off the original price. The kit comes with two 20-volt batteries and a charger, but keep in mind that these are not the new “power stack” batteries, meaning they have a larger profile than the newer style batteries do. For a slimmer, more powerful battery, the DeWalt 20 Volt MAX 1 Battery Starter Kit is on sale for $93.49, 68% off its normal price. This kit has one battery and one charger included.
The DeWalt 20 Volt MAX Cordless Jig Saw is on sale right now for $127, 47% off its base price. This jig saw has an LED light for precise cuts and dial- as well as trigger-controlled blade speed for multiple materials and types of cuts. This is a tool-only package, so it’s a better deal if you already have some DeWalt batteries and are looking to add to your set. For metalworking, the DeWalt 20 Volt MAX Cordless 1 ¾ inch Bandsaw can cut metal bar stock, bolts, screws, and more. It’s on sale for $185, 42% off its usual price. It comes with a 20-volt battery and charger as well as a 14/18 tpi blade and blade tracking wrench for adjusting the blade position. Since this tool comes with everything you need to operate it, it’s a good choice for someone building a cordless kit and getting into metalworking.
The DeWalt 20 Volt MAX Cordless Sander is on sale for $134, 46% off its original price. The five-inch sander comes as a kit with a 20-volt battery and charger as well as a soft carrying case. This is a good tool for someone starting a kit because it comes with everything except the sandpaper.
If you’re looking for a battery-operated finish nailer, DeWalt 20 Volt MAX 16 Gauge Finish Nailer is on sale right now for $329, 49% off its regular price. This is a tool-only package, but you don’t need a pneumatic air compressor or hoses to make it work.
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