Explore 1,000+ articles designed to guide you through every stage of your home improvement project.
Siding
How Sunlight Can Cause Problems for Brick and Stucco Siding
Moisture problems often arise from external factors like ice, rain, sleet, and snow, making it essential to protect your home. However, homes with masonry, stucco, fiber cement, or concrete exteriors may face a lesser-known issue called inward solar vapor drive. This occurs when cool, air-conditioned interiors cause condensation inside the house wrap, while rain-soaked exterior…
Siding
Does Liquid Protectant Work for Vinyl Siding?
Vinyl siding may be durable, but it struggles against the sun and rain. Prolonged sun exposure can cause fading and, in extreme cases, even warp or melt the siding. Rain doesn’t help either, especially in shady, humid areas where moisture encourages algae and mold growth, leaving behind permanent stains. That’s where a liquid protectant comes…
Other Home Projects
Homeowner 101: How to Patch a Drywall Hole
Patching a drywall hole is a skill that intimidates a lot of people—I know because I used to be one of them. But don’t worry, because patching a hole in your drywall seems tougher than it actually is. No matter what your experience level is with home repair, this is something almost everyone can do.…
Roofing
How Do I Install a Decorative Cupola on My Roof?
Love decorating? Why focus all your attention on your home’s interiors? A cupola adds a classic and unique twist to exterior surfaces, making it a loving update that really shows the world just how much you care about your home. Plus, it’s easy enough for a moderately experienced carpenter to install one, too. Read on…
Windows
Design a Glass Curtain Wall That’s Beautiful and Energy Efficient
People who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones — but they shouldn’t have to suffer through high energy expenses either! Rising interest in large glass installations is changing the way architects, builders, and homeowners think about walls and windows. The trend right now in homebuilding is toward more glass: large picture windows, sliding or…
Roofing
7 Unique Roof Styles You May Not Know About
If you’re building a new home, one of the first choices you’ll get to make is picking an elevation — simply put, that means what the outside of the house looks like. Play close attention to whether those elevations come with different roof designs. If you are custom-building a home, then you will have even…
HVAC
How to Change the Oil Filter on Your Home Furnace
When it comes to heating repairs, some jobs are definitely better left to the pros. Is your HVAC unit smoking? It’s probably best call in a contractor for that one. But minor maintenance tasks, like changing and cleaning the filter on your oil-burning furnace, can be accomplished by almost anyone with a wrench and a…
Solar
What Kind of Solar Hot Water Heater Is Best for My Climate?
By now, you probably know that hot water heating eats up a big part of your energy budget. In fact, the Department of Energy pegs that number at around 17 percent of a home’s energy expenses—that’s a huge chunk of your utility spending. So how can you get a unit that won’t bulk up your…