Expert Advice on Home Improvement

Carelessly throwing cigarette butts on the ground is not only a fire hazard, it accounts for over 30% of all the litter in the U.S. Cigarette butts take 10-15 years to decompose and can leach harmful chemicals—including cyanide, arsenic, and lead—into water supplies. Watch this video.

Danny demonstrates a simple method of determining how far to pull your car into the garage so the door will close by suspending a plastic golf ball from the ceiling with a string. Watch this video.

The plastic caps on the end of an extension ladder can scratch paint or siding when they are leaned against your house. A simple way to protect your siding is to wrap the ends of the ladder with scraps of carpet, then hold them on with duct tape. Watch this video.

Bitsy asks, “What can I do to relieve allergies and keep the dust and pollen out of my house?“

A good quality air filter on your HVAC heating/cooling system is the first line of defense against dust, dirt, and airborne allergens in your home. Watch this video to find out more. Watch this video.

High winds from hurricanes and severe storms can cause broken windows, allowing extensive damage to the interior of your home. While covering windows with plywood is the least expensive option, polypropylene plastic storm panels weigh much less and allow light into the home. Watch this video to learn more about how plastic storm panels can protect your home. Watch this video.

Garage doors can be easily damaged by high winds during a hurricane or severe storm. Metal reinforcement kits are available that attach to the concrete slab and framing above the door to provide two additional points of support, or you can make your own garage door reinforcement from 2×4s. Watch this video to find out how to go about it. Watch this video.

Portable generators are a great way to provide power during outages, but there are some important safety considerations, including carbon monoxide poisoning and electrical overloads that can damage appliances. Watch this video.

Installing a whole house backup generator on your home is a great way to power appliances in the case of a power outage due to severe weather. Watch this video to find out more about whole house generators. Watch this video.

Watch this video to find out how to protect your windows from high winds and flying debris during storms and hurricanes by covering them with special fabric storm panels or plywood panels. Watch this video.

Watch this video to find out how you can reduce the chance of scalding in the bathroom by lowering the temperature of your water heater. Watch this video.