Top 5 Hygrometers Best Display: ThermoPro Jumbo Digital Touchscreen Hygrometer Easiest To Read: ThermoPro Digital Hygrometer Best Smart Features: Govee Digital Hygrometers Best Installation Options: AcuRite Digital Hygrometer Best Value: JEDEW Two-Pack Mini Hygrometers Best Display: ThermoPro Jumbo Digital Touchscreen Hygrometer This digital hygrometer has a large four-inch LCD with a backlight and touchscreen navigation, giving homeowners easy access to indoor temperature and humidity readings. This hygrometer refreshes its temperature and humidity readings every 10 seconds to provide users with accurate data....

What Is Mortar Repointing? When mortar starts cracking, receding, and falling out of the joints, it’s time to chisel out the old stuff and trowel in the new, a process called repointing. This is a simple job, but it has to be done with care, using the right tools and the right materials to avoid damaging the brick and permanently compromising the integrity and appearance of the wall. For me, that means using hand tools and lime mortars similar to the ones masons employed 100 years ago....

The first step is to prep and paint the entire wall. Next, tape off and paint the gallery wall section and molding pieces. Lastly, adhere the molding to the wall and add photos, painting, or artwork. Check out the full entryway gallery wall tutorial on sherwinwilliams.com or learn more about the paint and supplies used to create this makeover by visiting your neighborhood Sherwin-Williams Paint Store!

The vision of this house really began in the heart of it all—the kitchen. “In the open floor plan, the kitchen is central to a 44-by-22-foot great room. So it was important that the spaces had a cohesive feel, but also that they had their own personality,” says Sandy. To accomplish her vision, Sandy teamed up with a friend, kitchen designer Karen Berkemeyer of Karen Berkemeyer Home. Says Karen, “We were looking for something different: warm and inviting; sort of rustic-meets-industrial, with a fresh, modern feel....

There are several floating floor materials available, but if you want real wood, the best choice is engineered flooring. This sandwich of wood veneer glued to layers of pine or plywood looks like solid wood and is very stable. Although engineered flooring’s thin veneer can’t be sanded as many times as solid wood can, its thick factory-applied coating is more durable than one applied in your home on solid wood, and it will be ready for furniture in just one day....

Two years ago, Robertson signed up for a pilot program to install a Tesla home battery system called the Powerwall that’s based on the same lithium-ion technology the company uses in its electric cars. In blackouts, the battery provides backup power. The current cost, including installation work, is $15 a month for 10 years. The battery is the size of a small bookcase and can recharge either from a house’s own solar panels or from the grid....

How electrical circuit breakers and GFCIs work

Why Changing Your Filter Is Important Air filters trap pet hair, dust, and other irritating particles so that your air conditioning system delivers fresh, clean air back into your home. Eventually, the filter traps so much dust and debris that air can’t properly filter or travel to the HVAC unit, leading to: High energy bills—When an HVAC filter is clogged, your system has to work harder to pull air through to cool or heat the room....

What You’ll Need to Bleed a Radiator The tools you’ll need are simple. Many bleed valves require just a straight screwdriver to operate. Make sure yours is properly sized though. Using too small a screwdriver can wear the slot to the point that you won’t be able to turn the screw, and then you’ll need to call the plumber. Older radiators may require a radiator key. These come in several sizes, and selections are available at old-fashioned hardware stores, home improvement stores, and plumbing supply houses....

Our design incorporates classic touches such as profiled rafter tails, alternating wide and narrow boards for the seat and backrest, and trellis sides to let your favorite climbers ascend to the overhead structure. Or you can let the bench remain free of greenery—it’s eye-catching enough on its own. Follow along as This Old House senior technical editor Mark Powers puts it all together. Western red cedar: Find a dealer near you at RealCedar....

Luckily, metal boxes attached to armored, or BX, cable—a type of wiring commonly found in old houses—generally are grounded; the cable’s flexible metal jacket serves the same purpose as a dedicated ground wire. Outlet Versus Receptacle: What’s the Difference? Outlet—Anything that has a power current taken out and utilized. For example, appliance outlets, smoke detector outlets, and lighting outlets. Receptacle—Is an outlet. A contact device is installed at the outlet for the attachment of an attachment plug....

Because of their intense cut, anvil pruners are stronger and great for cutting dead wood or bulk material. However, that strong cut can also damage the tissue of live plants, so it shouldn’t be used for delicate pruning. What is a Bypass Pruner? Bypass pruners, on the other hand, can cut in a way that doesn’t damage the tissue of the plant and are perfect for precision cuts. When pruning, Jenn recommends looking for V’s in the plant and making the cuts there until the plant is shaped and healthy-looking....

Color Wash Tint Wood Steps 1. Paint on a Thinned Base Coat Apply chalk paint thinned 3 parts paint to 1 part water, pushing the solution into the wood grain. Tip: On brand-new wood, thin the paint less, say, 4 or 5 parts to 1. 2. Wipe Off Paint Follow right after with a rag, wiping paint off flat areas; color will remain in crevices and corners. Let dry. 3. Apply Dark Wax With a round wax brush, apply dark wax in a circular motion, about 1 square foot at a time....

What to Know Before You Start Cutting Granite Countertops Caveat #1: Use a Professional This is a significant caveat. While the actual cutting of granite may be DIY-able, layout and templating kitchen countertops is generally not the domain of the DIYer. In fact, for pros, it is generally reserved for a specialist. Even the most carefully framed kitchen wall against which the counter will go has undulations and nuance, and invariably an inside corner that isn’t 90 degrees, especially in an old house....