For those of us living in cold climates, one of the most annoying (and mysterious) problems happens when rooftop plumbing vent pipes get plugged with frost. This is called “ice capping” and the longer the cold spells you get in…
If you care about optimizing your health and energy level, you’ve probably come to realize that little lifestyle practices can sometimes deliver big health benefits over time. The energy level and pizzaz of a person in their 70s or 80s,…
Question: Can I safely leave the heat turned off in my cottage over winter when I’m not there? The floor is hardwood and I’m concerned about warping. I’m retired and don’t want to spend the $200 a month it costs…
Steve Maxwell, Canada’s Handiest Man, explains four insulation options to ensure your new home or addition is energy efficient.
Steve Maxwell, Canada’s Handiest Man, examines water wells and discusses pumps as well as the trickle system.
Aging in place in your own home is a hot topic these days, but the various pieces of information needed to make it happen are rarely found in one place online. That’s because there’s lots to cover – financial, technical…
Reciprocating saws (often called “recip” saws for short) may be the least appreciated mainstream power tool in the world. Invented in 1951 by the Milwaukee tool company and dubbed the Sawzall, advances in blade technology and batteries are helping recip…
Don’t be fooled by tricky language that makes convincing but false claims about energy efficiency. Get the basics of home energy heating efficiency here.
With the help of a friend, my wife and I finished painting the entire interior of our house a while back, and this reminded me again how great modern latex paint is. The last time we did this job was…
Steve Maxwell demonstrates the various features of multi-tools in this video.
The phrase “cold feet” is more than just something someone says when they’ve lost enthusiasm. In some houses it’s a permanent source of literal discomfort each winter. Bathrooms, basements, floors over crawlspaces and those notoriously cold bedrooms over garages are…
81-year-old Marc Smith has been making and selling specialty windows since 2000, and he’s been doing it online. He was one of the first to venture into online sales, and his windows impress me. Watch this video to see why.