Heating Oil Tank Inspection: How to Prevent Dangerous Leaks
Steve Maxwell, Canada’s Handiest Man, urges homeowners to maintain their oil tank heating systems and avoid an environmental mess and expensive clean up.
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Epoxy Pipe Lining: How to Stop Pinhole Water Pipe Leaks
Steve Maxwell, Canada’s Handiest Man, explains an alternative option to completely replacing hot water pipes when pinhole leaks appear in high-rise condominiums.
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Should You Install a Backwater Valve in Your Basement?
In most homes connected to a municipal sewer system, a backwater valve is a smart upgrade because it allows sewage to flow out but not back in. If your area is vulnerable to sewer overload during heavy rain, it can…
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Hydronic Heating with a Water Heater: How Tank-Style Systems Can Heat a Home Well
Tank-style water heaters can do more than just produce domestic hot water. The right kind can also be the engine for spacing heating your home. Click here for schematic drawings and a video tour of how it works.
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Home Water Filtration Systems: How to Choose the Right Option
If you’re concerned about the taste, smell, or safety of your drinking water, home water filtration systems can make a big difference. The challenge is figuring out which kind of filtration actually fits your situation. Municipal water and well water…
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Tiny House Plans: 5 Smart Design Ideas for a Cozy, Buildable Cabin
Features of Good Tiny House Plans Not all tiny house plans are equally livable. Some look clever on paper but feel cramped, dark, awkward, or too hard to maintain once built. The best plans usually include a few essentials: useful…
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Are Wooden Cutting Boards Really Dangerous? What Science Says versus This Advertisement
Key Takeaways A marketing email making the rounds lately claims that wooden cutting boards are “a bacteria and mold nightmare,” that they raise food-poisoning risk by “up to 200%,” and that a stainless-steel alternative solves the problem. That’s the email…
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How to Repair a Concrete Basement Crack with Injection and Carbon Fiber
Got a crack in your concrete basement wall? Filling the gap is only part of the job. A good repair also needs to resist future movement, not just hide the damage. In this project I tested the DRICORE Pro Concrete…
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Should You Hang Drywall Vertically or Horizontally?
Learn whether drywall should be installed vertically or horizontally in a basement, why horizontal hanging is usually better, and how to improve soundproofing and moisture resistance. Key Takeaways Should drywall be installed vertically or horizontally in a basement? In most…
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UNVENTILATED ATTICS: Are They Any Good?
Unventilated attics can work well when built properly, especially when spray foam or insulated panels are used to prevent air movement and condensation. I’ve built a number over the years, and my writing office is under the roof you see…
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How to Use a Detail Sander for Wood Finishing In Tight Corners (and Cutting!)
Summer is the season you’re most likely to refinish outdoor trim, door frames, window sashes and finickity woodwork of all kinds, and detail sanders are tools I’ve come to rely on for this kind of work. Also called multitools these days because they can also cut and grind, detail sanders are not for stripping back large expanses of bare wood.
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Can Your House Make You Sick? Signs of Mold, Moisture and Poor Indoor Air Quality
Read the good news story of a young family who’s lifelong winter illness went away with the push of one button.
