Before: A Desolate Yard The yard was desolate when we moved in: neglected, weedy, with just some leggy rhododendrons, Norway maples, and a lone purple coneflower still standing. The previous owner, who’d been there for 30 years, hadn’t been able to keep up the place. Not only did my husband and I need plantings to bring the yard back to life, we also needed to build in privacy from neighbors on both sides, mask traffic noise, and fence in our dog....

How to Repair a Frozen Air Conditioner Resources Air filters on HVAC equipment should be changed or cleaned periodically. Replacement air filters come in many sizes and can be purchased at home centers. Reusable filters should be cleaned at least once per season, more regularly in homes with pets. Outdoor units should be cleaned with a vaccum brush attachment and kept clear of bushes and other obstructions. A professional HVAC contractor can help assess if a system may be oversized and need replacement or if the refrigerant is recharged incorrectly....

Has more time at home given you ambitions for upgrading your surroundings? Maybe you’re yearning for a “sanity shed” where you can take undisturbed work calls in the backyard. Or you have visions of a family room refresh that also creates space for a family study hall. Ways to Pay for a Home Remodel Once you’ve talked to contractors and worked up a remodeling budget—with room for unexpected expenses, of course—the next step is finding the funds....

How to Prevent Wood Rot For the most part, rotting wood is preventable, but it requires keeping water away from the house as much as possible. This means installing gutters and maintaining them, preventing the wood from coming in contact with the ground, and adequately flashing any openings that water could sneak into. Also, seal any outdoor wood surfaces like fascia, window sills, and trim with a sealer or primer—don’t forget the backs!...

Hooking up the wiring to the main box and adding a switch - for that, you should hire a licensed electrician, but there’s no reason you can’t install the post and run the wiring yourself. There’s even some added satisfaction for your effort: Your guests will thank you for your hospitality that much more when they can actually see their way to your front door. How to Replace a Lamppost [VIDEO] Step 1: Lamppost Overview You don’t want a lamp that leans like a prizefighter in the 12th round—it must stand tall and straight....

With customizable speeds and closing power, this system is worth the upgrade. But, it’s not as easy to install as a spring-loaded hinge. Here is everything you need to know about how to install an automatic door closer. How to Install an Electronic Dead Bolt Tools and Materials for Door Closer Installation Utility knife Painter’s tape A pencil Tape measure Speed square Safety glasses Gloves Drill driver Drill bits #3 Phillips bit or screwdriver Hex keys...

What Smells Do Mice Hate? “Some smells repel mice for a short period of time, like cigarette smoke and certain colognes,” says Ron Harrison of Orkin Pest Control in Atlanta. “But mice are extremely curious. A strange odor isn’t going to keep them away when they’re looking for food or a place to nest.” Do Dryer Sheets Keep Mice Out? Don’t expect your box of Bounce to work any pest-control miracles....

But if you have brick walls in your home you may feel the wall-mounted TV ship has sailed. Luckily that’s not the case. We’ll go over the tools you’ll need and how to drill into your brick wall to mount your TV securely. Supplies for Mounting a TV on a Brick Wall Hanging a TV on a brick wall is well within the capabilities of a DIYer; you’ll just need certain tools and supplies:...

Practice Safety When Testing for Lead Before you begin, test the railing paint for lead with a kit such as 3M LeadCheck, which is sold at paint stores and home centers. If you find a lead layer, don’t proceed until you’ve read the EPA’s online guide “Steps to Lead Safe Renovation, Repair, and Painting” and have put into place the protections it stipulates for safeguarding yourself and your home. Before You Get Started If the railing is lead-free (like the one I’m working on above), spread drop cloths over the stairs and nearby areas to capture the paint chips....

How to Find a Roof Leak If you have an accessible attic, that’s the place to start to look for the leak. As most roofs are pitched, where the leak appeared on your ceiling and where it entered the roof are probably two different places. Look for Wet Spots on Sheathing or Rafters Bring a flashlight and use it to detect any shiny or wet spots on the underside of the roof sheathing or rafters....

Toilet Seat Standards Toilet seats come in two standard varieties: oval and round. All oval toilet seats will fit oval toilets, and all-round seats fit round toilets. The spacing of the bolts that hold these seats to the toilet are also standard, so the only consideration to think of is the shape of the toilet. How to Replace a Toilet Seat How to Remove Corroded Toilet Seat Bolts Resources Richard demonstrates how to replace an old or damaged toilet seat....

Expert assistance for this project was provided by Kelstrom Landscape, Inc. of West Roxbury, MA and Nawada Landscape Design. Tools:

In this video, This Old House’s electrician Scott Caron shows us how he does the job. Steps to Run Power to a Shed: When the job is complete, the shed has both interior and exterior lighting, outlets, and is set up to add a future electric car charging station. Tools: Note: If you have a lot of earth to move, and a shovel is too small for the job, consider renting a gas-powered trenching machine from Home Depot....

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, radon contamination causes nearly 20,000 deaths a year. Thing is, you can test for and “fix” this very serious problem quite easily. Here’s what you do. How Do You Test for Radon? All homes should test for radon, regardless of geographic location; homes with elevated radon levels have been identified across the country. If you haven’t checked for radon in the past two years, or if you’ve done some remodeling since the last time you did, pick up an Accu-Star certified radon test from your local home center....

Greenworks 40-Volt Electric Lawn Mower This electric lawn mower has a five-position height adjustment with a range of 1 ¼-inches to 3 ⅜ inches and a lightweight 16-inch cutting deck that allows you to easily maneuver it through your lawn. This mower is entirely cordless and can last for up to 45 minutes on a full charge, saving you from the hassle of connecting it to an extension cord. Furthermore, it features a useful two-in-one function for mulching and bagging....

They explain different insulating techniques, including using shrink wrap, weather stripping, and caulk. Anything you can do to decrease airflow and leakage will drastically increase comfort and energy savings. Try Sealing Air Leaks Before Upgrading Windows Windows usually have an R-value of 1 to 2—walls generally have an R-value between 13 and 20. Before incurring the expense of buying a new window, homeowners should try to seal any air leakage around the existing window’s frame....

In this episode: The 1890s Victorian, once owned by the first black postmaster of Atlanta, had been neglected for many decades. The back bump out, sinking due to rot, has since been replaced with a new two-story addition with a stem wall foundation. Builder Jerry Davis gives Kevin O’Connor a tour of the new inside spaces and layout made possible by the addition and shares discoveries made during demo. Richard Trethewey meets up with homeowner Jonathan to check out the progress of the HVAC installation....