GFCI Outlets, often referred to as GFI outlets or just GFIs, are used to reduce the risk of significant electrical shocks and injury. If you used a hair dryer this morning, you probably plugged it into a GFCI outlet. We’ve all seen GFIs in our homes – they’re the electrical receptacles with the ‘test’ and […]
Maintenance
How to Convert a Fluorescent Fixture to LED Lighting
I was within minutes of ordering my fluorescent fixture replacement bulbs and ballasts when it hit me. There must be a way to retrofit highly efficient LED lighting to existing fluorescent fixtures. I mean – if there isn’t, let’s start that company right now, right? So, I went to Amazon and immediately found a number […]
Summer Lawn Fungus Disease
2020 Update — Originally Published August 2014 This has been driving me crazy for a few years now, as I’ve really been trying to cultivate the most beautiful lawn possible. You can call it pride, or maybe you’ll want to say it’s a “guy thing,” but when I come home from work at the end of […]
How to use a Submersible Pump to Remove Excess Pool Water
2020 Update — Originally Published April, 2018 We all knew there was going to be maintenance with owning a swimming pool, but I honestly never considered the non-Summer efforts; it turned out I also needed a reliable, long-lasting submersible pump for the off-season months. To drain excess water. Chemicals, algae, filter, heater, chlorinator, skimmer and […]
Paver Walkway Burrowing Pest
2020 Update — Originally Published September, 2011 A few days back, we noticed a small sliver of stone was missing from our front paver walkway. As I took a closer look, I realized there was a hole underneath where the stone had been – and it looked kind of deep. I didn’t want to reach […]
7 Tips for Maintaining a Redwood Swing Set
2020 Update — Originally Published April 19, 2011 It’s 1999. My wife and I just moved into our new home with our 3-year-old daughter and infant son – and we pretty much plan to stay here forever. So naturally, we want to do everything right. And setting the kids up with a killer play area […]
How to Refresh a Stone Landscape Bed
All mulch and stone landscape beds require periodic maintenance, well beyond weekly weeding. Maintaining a stone landscape bed, in my experience, warrants less overall effort than a mulch landscape bed. (And that’s a really good thing because overhauling [or refreshing] a stone landscape bed is a much heavier job!) For me, I’d say I address […]
Recent Comments