Practical how-to guides for the home: DIY repairs, building and improvement projects, design, home business and home maintenance.
Alarms only help if they work. This guide covers monthly testing, battery changes, the ten-year replacement rule for smoke alarms, and what New York’s Amanda’s Law says about carbon monoxide alarms.
Running a business from home under a name other than your own? Here is what the Suffolk County Clerk says about assumed-name certificates, plus the IRS EIN and New York sales tax questions to settle before your first sale.
Lumens, color temperature and dimmer compatibility sound technical, but picking the right LED bulb comes down to three checks. Here is a room-by-room approach.
Drafty doors cost comfort every winter. Learn which weatherstripping suits which gap, how to measure, and how to install it so the door still closes.
A toilet that hisses or refills on its own is wasting water. A food-coloring test finds the culprit in ten minutes, and the usual fix, a new flapper, costs very little.
Before you build a deck, shed or addition, find out what the Town requires. Here is how to approach a permit question in Brookhaven, what the Building Division says, and why you call 811 before you dig.
A clean room paint job is mostly preparation. This guide covers patching, taping, cutting in and rolling, plus the lead-paint step every owner of an older home should read first.
A home office should work for you first and the tax rules second. Here is how to set one up comfortably, and what the IRS says about regular and exclusive use and the simplified method.
A clogged dryer vent wastes energy and can start a fire. Here is how to clean the lint trap, the duct and the outside vent, and when to call a professional.
Doorknob dents, picture-hook holes and anchor scars are quick fixes. Here is how to patch small and medium drywall holes so they disappear under paint.