That’s been my experience too, especially trying to retrofit smart tech into a house built before electricity was even standard. I’ve found that the “...

I’ve definitely had that “just tighten this” moment spiral out of control. Last winter, I tried to snug up a compression fitting under the kitchen sin...

Had to laugh at the squeegee collection bit—my neighbor’s got glass and I swear he spends more time cleaning than swimming. When we redid our pool are...

CAN’T TRUST THE “ECO” BADGES MUCH EITHER I hear you on the label detective work. I’ve been restoring a 1920s bungalow for years, and trying to keep t...

Can’t count how many times I’ve found a “little” leak that turned out to be a rotted mess. In my old place, I run through a quick checklist every coup...

That’s pretty much my approach, too. I’ve been swapping out switches and thermostats as the old ones finally give up. One thing I’m wondering—have you...

You're spot-on about life getting in the way of strict inspection schedules. I've owned an older home for years now, and honestly, I've never managed ...

Guest houses can get pricey fast, especially with older properties. When I built a small workshop behind my historic home, the foundation alone was a ...

Totally agree about the vent fan—did something similar in our old historic home cellar. Moisture absorbers were okay short-term, but the humidity alwa...

Insulation definitely helps, but honestly, I've found that heavy furniture or bookshelves don't do much for bass frequencies. Those vibrations travel ...

I had a similar experience with my old belt-driven opener. It wasn't as loud as a chain-drive, but the vibration through the ceiling joists was enough...

Still counts in my book, backwards handles and all. Next time, mark the hot and cold clearly before you disconnect—learned that the hard way after a s...