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Resources: Mark demonstrated a variety of masonry trowels, which were all manufactured by The Bon Tool Company.

Tom also shares some tips for identifying a load-bearing wall, but ultimately cautions that a structural engineer is the best person to consult. Tools:

What Can I Use to Cut Fiberglass Insulation? You can use a sharp utility knife to cut fiberglass batt insulation. You’ll also want to have a scrap piece of plywood handy to help speed up the process and produce a clean, neat cut every time. How to Cut Fiberglass Batt Insulation How to Install Fiberglass Insulation How to Insulate an Attic with Fiberglass

And if you’d rather not fuss with the installation, you can opt for a free-standing swing or a seat that hangs from the ceiling via a piece of hardware. Either way, make sure your securing indoor option to a sturdy framing, and using these tips for outdoor installation: The 5 Best Hammocks (2022 Review) Look for healthy hardwood trees at least 38 inches in circumference. The trees should be spaced so the hammock is taut when you hang it—a distance at least one foot longer than your hammock should suffice....

Whether you’ve spent the last few months diligently tending a veggie patch or were too busy to even begin, this advice will help you get an autumn garden going. Go ahead and sow some fall-friendly seeds now, and you may be harvesting as early as homecoming and perhaps still picking by the holidays. What to Know Before You Start As a general rule, fall crops flourish when daytime temperatures are 70 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit and nighttime temperatures in the 50s....

Steps for Quieting a Steam Radiator: Shopping List: Furniture pads, used as shims to level tilting radiator Air vent, for replacing the existing air vent Teflon tape, for sealing the threads on the new air vent Tools: The Pros and Cons of a Steam Heating System

Where Do Glass Scratches Come From? Window scratches can come from just about any wear and tear your home sustains. Often, scratches become apparent over time, and their source is a mystery. No matter what their origin, however, you can repair light scratches easily. If the damage is deep—for example, if there is a groove in the glass you can feel with your fingernail—you may want to consult a professional glass repair service....

How Do You Keep Outdoor Spigots from Freezing in Winter? With your average spigot, the washer sits on the outside of the house, so in the winter, water is prone to freezing if it is not shut off and drained. Instead, Richard advises using a frostproof spigot. It has a longer stem that reaches inside the house, meaning the washer end is far enough away from the outside, so it is safe from the cold and will prevent a frozen pipe....

About the Basin Wrench Invented by plumber Arthur Andree in 1920, this wrench enables plumbers to reach otherwise inaccessible nuts in the tight spaces under sinks. Its single jaw applies torque in only one direction, but because the jaw head pivots, the tool can both loosen and tighten. Resources: Richard installed a Pfister Pasadena faucet in a brushed nickel finish. The faucet also came with a stopper, drain pipe, and an installation tool to do all the work....

Steps for repointing a stone foundation Tools

Steps for retrofitting a home for accessibility

Those wishing for a fast, easy, non-toxic way to get it done may be considering steam cleaning, which has become a go-to technique for cleaning (and disinfecting) lots of household surfaces. So, can you effectively steam clean your oven? The answer is possibly—depending on the type of oven you have, the steam-cleaning method you use, and the amount of gunky buildup you’re contending with. Read on for three approaches to steam cleaning the oven....

Resources: Richard installed the InvitaTM Wifi Thermostat 564, which is manufactured by Tekmar Controls. Shopping List: Smart thermostatThermostat wire Tools:

In this episode: Chris meets Matt at the Cape Associates millwork shop to see the process for assembling the Lifespan window and door trim, then takes a deep dive into the strength and efficiency of the pocket hole joinery system. Back on site, he and project manager Josh Piper install a large Sierra Pacific window, and then mount the pre-assembled trim unit. Up on the roof, GAF’s ice barrier system, underlayment, and American Harvest shingles are installed....

As you may know, Norm Abram announced in May that he is hanging up his toolbelt. To give him a proper sendoff, we will be pre-releasing the one-hour tribute special, The House that Norm Built, to Insiders on September 29th. Norm has been a special part of the This Old House family, and we will certainly miss him. Along with Norm’s departure, the New Yankee Workshop license agreement is expiring soon, which means members of This Old House Insider will no longer be able to watch New Yankee Workshop or download NYW plans through Insider as of September 6, 2022 at 12:00am....

Light Bulb Basics: Wattage and Lumens Two things to consider when choosing a light bulb are watts and lumens. A light bulb’s wattage measures how much energy it uses. Lumens, on the other hand, measure a light bulb’s brightness—the higher the value, the brighter the light. Back when nearly all light bulbs were incandescent (prior to 2012, when this style began to be phased out of the marketplace in favor of more energy-efficient options), the only thing you had to consider was a light bulb’s wattage....

If you’re hesitant about working with electricity, don’t worry. We’ve greatly simplified the process by safely tapping into an existing garage circuit and by running the wires through surface-mounted metal tubing, called conduit. This technique speeds the installation by eliminating the need to blindly pull wires through walls and ceilings. All of the supplies required for this project are sold at hardware stores and home centers, including the thin-wall metal conduit, which is referred to as EMT for electrical metallic tubing....