HowTos

How To – Insulating Foundation Walls

There are 2 basic ways that you can insulate your foundation wall and doing so is important if you want to have a comfortable living area in your basement.

The first method is to install foam insulation board on the exterior of the foundation after it has cured but before it has been back filled with dirt. This step can only be done at the time of construction.

Note: When installing foam board insulation on the …

How To – Picking The Right Wheel Size For Your Car

When you want to add upgrades to your vehicle after putting in a better sound system your car’s wheels and tires are usually next on the list.

There are a variety of reasons to upgrade your OEM Wheels and tires other then visual appearance most of the time its for better handling on or off road. You might also install aftermarket wheels if they are lighter then the OEM version to improve your ride and …

How To – Foam Concrete Forms

A growing trend in form building for residential and commercial concrete foundation and above grade walls is the use of polystyrene or foam forms.

The products are simple to use and install and because they are light weight there is no need for boom trucks or breaking your back lifting heavy aluminum panels when building your foundation forms.

An added benefit is that the Foam panels that are used to create the form for your concrete …

How To – Connecting Cast Iron And PVC Waste Line

Whether you are replacing damaged pipe in your home or you want to make use of Cast Iron and PVC pipe to reduce noise there will come a time when you need to join both materials.

Only a few years ago this would have meant using a special PVC pipe and lead to seal the joint but today there are less toxic materials and methods that you can use to create a tight and dependable …

How To – Should I use Beer To Kill Slugs?

garden lettuce

Everyone has probably heard this tale about using a bowl of beer in your garden to attract pests like slugs.  What is the real truth about this and should you give it a try?

Its probably not a great idea to use this method if you really value your plants.

The truth is you are probably more likely to get your cat drunk then really cure your pest problem with bowls of beer throughout your …

How To – Review Self Cleaning Ovens

The most important aspect of any kitchen tool is it’s ability to let us get our work done faster.

If you are making a salad for yourself then chopping everything up and using a hand grater for your carrots is a lot faster then pulling out the food processor and cleaning it afterwards. On the other hand if you are feeding a family of 6 a food processor may …

How To – Corn and Pellet Stoves

Wood Burning for Heating is the Number One Alternative Energy Resource in the USA. It far outweighs any other fuel source with over 60% of the market. Solar, wind, geothermal are all less then 5% of the alternative energy market so when you look at fireplaces and wood burning you should remember they are green resources of renewable energy.

Today you can still purchase wood burning stoves that look …

How To – Silver Polishes

Owning Silver items means you need to care for them often to restore and maintain their natural finish. Oxidation can cause tarnish and foods such as coffee can cause stains so what is the best way to care for your silverware and other household items?

Here we will cover a few different products that can make your job easier.

The first thing you should do is use a mild detergent …

How To – Outdoor Holiday Lighting

As the Holiday season approaches quickly most of us will want to decorate our homes with outdoor lighting. This HowTo will cover some of your options and some safety tips that will keep your holiday happy.

First and most important is that you always look for an outdoor UL rating on any outside light that you install. This is true for holiday lights or basic landscape lights. Testing by …

Paint Products – Manufacturers Guide

When painting your projects you always want to use professional grade products.  Skimping on the finish after weeks of hard work is always a bad idea.

The following list of manufacturers may not provide direct sales so look for a distributor in your local area.

This list will be updated as needed. Also see our Directory.

Kirker Automotive Finishes – Provides a specialty line of paints at discount prices. Pre-selected factory fleet line is wide enough to provide a good section along …