But putting a humidifier to work also means that it’s going to need routine cleaning. “Remember that whatever is in your water is going directly in your air,” says Sarah Drake, humidifier brand manager for Honeywell. With that in mind, here are the details for keeping your air—and humidifier—cleaner. How to Choose a Humidifier Before we tackle cleaning, finding the perfect humidifier for you—or deciding that your current model is a bad fit—is essential....

“All that rubbing isn’t a good idea,” says Brent Weingard, owner of Expert Window Cleaners in New York City. “You’re just moving dirt around from one spot to another and putting a static charge on the glass, which attracts dust and dirt. As soon as you finish, the window looks dirty again.” As Weingard demonstrates, it’s easier and more effective to clean windows like the pros do: with a squeegee and a few other readily available tools....

—Scott Thompson, Red Bank, N.J. A: Matt Tomis, master electrician, Tomis Electrical Contractors, replies: Ninety percent of the time, when a doorbell doesn’t work it’s the fault of the button on the outside because weather and constant use wear it out. But it’s also possible the chime or transformer, the other parts of a traditional wired doorbell, have stopped working. How do I know if my doorbell transformer is bad?...

Installing drip-irrigation Tools

Steps for Installing an Electric Deadbolt: Unscrew current dead-bolt plate using a screwdriver. 2. Remove the plate. 3. Unscrew back plate of the dead bolt using a screwdriver. 4. Match back plates from the kit to the current back plate. 5. Using the new back plate, insert screws into the dead-bolt mechanism and secure it using a screwdriver. 6. Match the adapter piece from the kit to correspond with the current lock, insert it into the smart lock....

In this video, This Old House plumbing and heating contractor Richard Trethewey explains how to install electric radiant heating. Steps for Installing Electric Radiant Heat Resources Several companies make these mats. We like the products made by NuHeat and here’s why: They warranty their products to be free from defects in material and workmanship effective on the date of the purchase by the original purchaser, effective for a period of twenty-five (25) years under tile, stone, laminate, and engineered wood floors....

Here’s how to create the beautiful effect of shiplap by artfully installing plywood panels to walls inside your home. How to Install Shiplap Using Plywood: Materials: Plain wood paneling is not technically shiplap but makes a beautiful interior wall with the shiplap look. You can invest in real shiplap boards for your walls, or simply use plywood paneling, which is often done on home design programs. AC plywood makes a great shiplap wall, as the A side comes pre- for quicker, easier installation....

Steps for Maintaining Steam Radiators Tools How to Repair a Whistling and Leaky Steam Radiator

Steps for maintaining appliances Tools Are your systems and appliances protected? See if a warranty is a good option for your home. Acclaimed Home Warranty Review ABC Home Warranty Review Costco Home Warranty Review Allied Home Warranty Review Axiom Home Warranty Review

Steps for making geometric planters: Step 1: Set the saw Set the bevel (tilt) of the miter saw to 30-degrees (to create a 6-sided hexagon). Because most saws don’t have a positive stop at 30-degrees, take the time to get the adjustment just right. If the adjustment has a little bit of play, air on the high side of 30-degrees, as a sharper bevel makes a tighter outside joint bevel that’s cut too shallow....

Temperature: Is the space warm or cool enough? Humidity: Is there too much (or not enough) moisture in the air? Airspeed: Is the general air flow of the house causing the occupants to feel colder than they should? Mean radiant temperature: Are there surfaces in the room (like windows, floor tiles, etc.) that are different from the occupants’ body temperatures that are making them feel warmer or colder? How Can You Maximize Comfort with a Thermostat?...

Doorbell Replacements Can Be Complicated On the surface, replacing a doorbell might seem like a simple proposition. However, locating all of the components (inside the wall and out) can be more complicated than that. Here are the components to find: The transformer: This is a square block typically located near the electrical panel, in a closet near the front door, or in the basement mounted to a joist under the front door....

In this episode: On the coast of the Long Island Sound, the Fairfield County Farmhouse is underway. Chris talks with the builder, Jerry, about the materials he chose for framing, and how he plans to take advantage of this modern farmhouse’s amazing view. Products/Resources: Weyerhaeuser Huber Engineered Woods About the Idea House Build Series: Join This Old House Pro2Pro Editor Chris Ermides as we chronicle the build of the 2020 Idea Houses in two new video series, Idea House Build: Cottage on the Cape and Idea House Build: Farmhouse in Fairfield County....

Skylights are a cost-effective way to transform interior spaces with natural light and bring in a breath of fresh air. And ingenious Sun Tunnel skylights make it possible to bring light into even the deepest interior rooms. Read on for the ways we incorporated both skylights and Sun Tunnels to brighten up our seaside cottage and take advantage of that ocean breeze. Shown: VELUX No Leak “Fresh Air” Skylight with Light-Filtering Blinds in Misty Brown...