Simple plumbing repairs you can do to improve and maintain your home (ARA) – So you fancy yourself a “D-I-Yer” – you can paint, plant shrubs, change the filter screen in your furnace, and even put when it comes to plumbing, you are terrified. You have visions of water spewing forth from your pipes suddenly […]

(ARA) – Consider the number of times you run your hands under it quickly while cooking. What about rinsing plates or filling a glass or pot with water? When the kitchen faucet isn’t working properly, the kitchen doesn’t run smoothly.Just as there are secrets for removing red wine from carpet and coffee stains from ties, […]

Now you can add a pleasant aroma to the interior of your house with a simple swipe of the brush. Just stir in a packet of Paint Pourri to a gallon of paint and begin to freshen rooms or create fragrant moods while you paint. It can also be used to combat odors such as […]

The Newport Restoration Foundation (NRF) located in historic Newport, Rhode Island was created in 1968 because of an urgent need to save the city’s rapidly disappearing 18th century architecture. The formidable resources made possible by Doris Duke allowed a preservation effort that few have attempted before or since. These houses, all of which are still […]

Sew it yourself One of the hottest trends today is do-it-yourself decorating. Shows like “Designing Cents,” “Trading Spaces” and “The Christopher Lowell Show” provide inspiration for ways to incorporate current decorating trends into your home décor while sticking to your budget. Everyone wants their home to be stylish and reflect their personality. As these shows […]

Most homeowners are aware of the importance of insulation in attics, walls and floors, but they sometimes overlook other items, such as water heaters and metal furnace ducts, where insulation can cut energy costs.Both electric or gas water heaters can be insulated to reduce heat loss through the tank walls, reducing the need to reheat […]

For weeks we have been trying the escape the heat. Most likely, the last thing anyone is thinking about is their furnace, but when temperatures plunge homeowners might regret not thinking ahead.Dan Mihalovich, vice president of product services for Sears HomeCentral, the “Service Side of Sears,” says most furnaces are not ready for the cold […]

Get your garage ready for winterMake sure lawn & garden equipment is stored properly When we think of getting our homes ready for the cold weather ahead of us, the usual activities may come to mind: Check the furnace, weatherstrip the doors and windows and wrap the pipes, but homeowners often forget about an area […]

Ah, the virtues of carpet. It’s warm and comfy under bare feet, absorbs sound and can tie together a decorating scheme.As people spend more time at home, the importance of comfort has kept wall-to-wall carpet at the forefront of flooring options, particularly in bedrooms. No element of a room takes as much wear, conveys personal […]

What’s your junk worth?Top 10 mistakes when cleaning house You could be tossing $100 bills in the trash every time you clean out the house or garage.The values of ordinary-looking items have skyrocketed in recent years, according to Tony Hyman, host of “What’s It Worth” on CBS-TV. Because many valuables were inexpensive or look like […]