Home Improvement

Renovation advice, repairs, and upgrades for every room.

Home Improvement

How to Test and Winterize Your Sump Pump Before Winter

How to test your sump pump, clean the pit and check valve, choose a battery backup, and avoid the mistakes that cause a flooded basement this winter.

Claire Bennett · Oct 26, 2026

Home Improvement

How to Get Your Fireplace and Chimney Ready for Winter: A Pre-Season Safety Checklist

What to check yourself before the first fire, the signs that mean you need a professional chimney sweep, and the safety steps too many people skip.

Claire Bennett · Oct 12, 2026

Home Improvement

How to Prevent Ice Dams This Winter (Before the First Hard Freeze)

Why ice dams form, the attic fixes that actually stop them, safe short-term options for this season, and what to do if one is already damaging your roof.

Claire Bennett · Sep 25, 2026

Home Improvement

How to Get Your Furnace Ready for Winter: A DIY Maintenance Checklist

A safe, step-by-step pre-season checklist for gas and electric forced-air furnaces: filters, vents, condensate, thermostat, detectors, warning signs and when to call a pro.

Claire Bennett · Sep 18, 2026

Home Improvement

How to Winterize Outdoor Faucets and Prevent Frozen Pipes

Disconnect hoses, shut off and drain hose bibs, tell frost-free faucets from standard ones, add covers, and know what to do if a pipe freezes or bursts.

Claire Bennett · Sep 12, 2026

Home Improvement

How to Clean Your Gutters Safely This Fall

When to clean gutters, the ladder setup that prevents falls, how to clear debris and downspouts, what to check while you're up there, and when to hire a pro.

Claire Bennett · Sep 6, 2026

Home Improvement

How to Weatherstrip Doors and Windows for Winter

Find drafts, pick the right weatherstripping for each gap, install it so it lasts, and know when a leak needs caulk or a frame repair instead.

Claire Bennett · Sep 1, 2026

Home Improvement

How to Paint a Room in the Right Order

The sequence for ceiling, walls and trim, how much paint to buy, which sheen goes where, prep that prevents problems, and fixes for streaks, bleeding and lap marks.

Claire Bennett · Aug 27, 2026

Home Improvement

How to Unclog a Drain Without Harsh Chemicals

Clear slow and blocked sink, tub and shower drains with a plunger, stopper cleaning, a drain snake and the P-trap, plus when natural remedies help and when to call a plumber.

Claire Bennett · Aug 18, 2026

Home Improvement

How to Caulk a Bathtub Like a Pro

Remove old moldy caulk, choose the right sealant, and lay a clean, watertight bead around your tub, with tips for wide gaps, curing times and keeping mold away.

Claire Bennett · Jul 31, 2026

Home Improvement

How to Fix a Running Toilet in 15 Minutes

Find out why your toilet keeps running with a dye test and a look inside the tank, then fix the flapper, chain, float or fill valve step by step.

Claire Bennett · Jul 13, 2026

Home Improvement

How to Patch a Hole in Drywall and Paint It Like a Pro

Fix nail holes, dents, doorknob holes and larger damage in drywall: which method fits each hole size, how to feather compound, sand, match texture and prime so the patch disappears.

Claire Bennett · Jul 1, 2026