Know Where Your Main Water Shutoff Is Before You Need It
· Mark Mendenhall
The worst time to learn your shutoff location is while water is pouring through the ceiling.
Tips & Tricks
Articles
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Keep the Refrigerator Smelling Fresh the Simple Way
· Mark Mendenhall
An open box of baking soda, replaced on a schedule, plus a quick spill habit keeps fridge odor gone.
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What to Do When Your Pipes Bang and Knock
· Mark Mendenhall
Water hammer is a pressure shock wave. A few simple steps calm most noisy pipes.
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Check Your Washing Machine Hoses Before They Burst
· Mark Mendenhall
Rubber washer hoses are a top cause of house floods. Five-year-old hoses are on borrowed time.
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Vacuum Your Refrigerator Coils and Cut Its Work in Half
· Mark Mendenhall
Dust-blanketed fridge coils are a hidden energy hog, especially in homes with pets.
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Clean Grill Grates With Half an Onion
· Mark Mendenhall
A cut onion on a hot grate scrubs off char and seasons the metal the old-fashioned way.
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Keep Paint Off Hardware With Foil and Tape
· Mark Mendenhall
Aluminum foil molds around doorknobs and hinges faster than tape and comes off clean.
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Swap a Showerhead in Ten Minutes With Teflon Tape
· Mark Mendenhall
A new showerhead is the cheapest bathroom upgrade there is. The tape is what keeps it dry.
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Get Clean Paint Lines With Tape and a Damp Rag
· Mark Mendenhall
Sealing the tape edge with a damp rag is what separates crisp lines from bleed-under messes.
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Re-Caulk a Bathtub Seam Like a Pro
· Mark Mendenhall
Painter's tape on both sides of the seam is the secret to a clean caulk line.
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Test Your Sprinkler System Monthly and Save the Water Bill
· Mark Mendenhall
One broken sprinkler head can waste thousands of gallons a month. A monthly walk-through catches them.
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Store Seasonal Stuff in Clear Bins With the Label Facing Out
· Mark Mendenhall
Clear bins and big labels end the open-every-box routine for holiday and seasonal gear.