Energy requirements for Hot water can account for 20% of an average homes fuel use but with Solar Hot Water Heating you can reduce or eliminate that cost from your budget. The average home even in northern areas can expect to reduce their heating costs by 50% or more with average paybacks within 15 years.
The only downsides of Solar Water Heating is the initial expense. However there are a number …
Although there are many parts that you can get to fix your sink faucet sometimes you get to the point where it is best just to replace everything.
If this is your situation then performing the work yourself is not that big a deal. You will need a few common tools and the appropriate faucet to fit your sink. Once you have everything ready the work should take you …
While you are saving money by installing insulation, florescent lights and adjusting your thermostat we thought you might need some help saving gas. This Article is reprinted courtesy of www.JobZoneUSA.com and lists 8 budget cars that you can use as a second car or as a replacement for the SUV you drive alone to work every day.
An old Beater that gets you 35mpg can look pretty nice if you get a $150 paint job and clean the interior. Lets face …
Decks and Porch additions require that the joists be connected to the home with a Ledger Board and joist hangers. On the opposite side (away from the home) you rest the joists on top of a beam that is supported by posts.
In this HowTo we will cover the steps for installing the posts and building the beam for our deck project.
When designing your deck you will know its dimensions in our project …
Constructing footings for your deck or porch project is relatively easy if you take time check the span charts for your beam and measure the locations correctly.
Some contractors will install beam posts directly in the ground with a small footing at its base and surround it with concrete. This is probably not the best way to build a deck because the concrete surrounding the wood post will eventually rot the lumber. Even pressure …
There are many times when you will need to add or upgrade electrical, cable tv, telephone or other services in your home. To do so you need to understand both how circuits are designed and how your home is constructed to fish the wire through walls and make proper connections.
In other HowTos we will cover wall construction in more detail but lets take a look at the components of an average wall so we know how to …
Whether you are wiring your whole home or just making a custom cable that runs from your wall outlet to your television the steps and tools you need are the same.
In this HowTo you will learn how to strip cable ends and use crimp connectors.
Tools you will need
RG-6 Crimping tool
Utility knife or stripping tool
Wire Cutters
RG-6 Crimp Connectors
See the bottom of the HowTo for Tool Links
First …
Since about 1995 there has been a strong movement to increase insulation in all areas of our homes to reduce heat loss and lower energy costs. For most of us this has meant increasing the amount of insulation in our attics and adding insulation to exterior walls if the home is old enough that it was not built with insulated walls.
New construction has seen a variety of different products and methods that …
Carpet is a large investment for any home owner and the product you pick will have a lot to say about what decisions you can make for other furnishings in your home.
Other then the choice of wall paint or coverings the type and color of your carpet will will have the biggest influence on how your home looks from the inside. Other factors such as the ability of the carpet to absorb noise will give …
In this HowTo we will extend a downspout from our roof gutter under a concrete pad that is near the front doorway of our home.
Managing rain runoff from your gutter system is important for many reasons. In the summer months when rainfall can be heavy you need to have the water diverted away from your pathways and entrences to your home for comfort and safety. In the winter months when water can …