Floor squeaks happen, and when they do, most of us just tolerate them as a part of the “charm” of living in an older house! But as annoying as squeaking floors can be, they have a rather simple cause and solution – and squeaks rarely indicate a structural problem forming under foot.No matter what kind of finish flooring you may have — carpet, vinyl, tile, or hardwood — unless your home is built on a concrete slab, underneath it’s wood.

When basements leak, people panic. The good news about these unplanned indoor pools is this. While wet basements are often thought of as one of life’s biggest home repair headaches, basement water problems are generally easy and inexpensive to fix. Yes, that’s right–easy and inexpensive!The basement is one of the greatest untapped spaces in any home.

Protect your pipes from freezing this winter! Discover essential tips to prevent burst pipes and costly water damage with our expert advice.When the mercury drops, your water pipes become increasingly vulnerable and may freeze and burst. When water freezes, it expands, and the force of that expansion can split a copper pipe wide open.

When you have a pool in your backyard, testing the water on a consistent basis is crucial to keeping up with the changing water chemistry. With an outdoor pool, all of the elements around it affect the water inside of it, and it’s your responsibility to keep the chemicals in check during the season. ©Eveniya Sheydt / Adobe StockA pool water testing stripCommon questions among new pool owners are about how often to test pool water.

You never think it will happen to you, but sometimes it does. I’ve heard some wacky stories in my pool maintenance career; some are more common than others. In this article, I cover some of the most common mishaps that I see in the wonderful world of pool ownership, and how to gracefully handle them with as little panic as possible.

If you’re going to be responsible for an expensive investment into your staycation wonderland, you’re going to want to know how to keep your swimming pool clean, and how to keep it safe and protected. ©Rocklights / Adobe StockA pool isn’t a self-sustaining environment with an ecosystem and natural water chemistry to keep it in check.

Swimming pool maintenance can be intimidating to someone who may be new to pool ownership, and it can be even more intimidating to go to a pool store seeking out help. To make your life a little easier, this Cheat Sheet offers some helpful tips so you can become a mindful pool owner.Calculating your pool sizeBefore you can go shopping or test your water, you need to know the amount of gallons that your pool can contain.

Vintage solid-wood pieces that are 50 to 99 years old are ideal for restoring. These items are well made and feature quality artisanship that’s worth preserving. ©John Wiley & Sons, Inc.A refinished chair, before and after the workBut before you do any restoration or refinishing, you need to determine whether the piece you’ve found is worth saving.