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Tips for Shoveling Snow Choose the right tool An ergonomic shovel encourages proper form. The aluminum shaft of the 51-inch Fiskars snow shovel is lightweight, and its nonslip grips reduce hand fatigue. How to Shovel and Salt Snow and Ice Think small A heavy load can cause you to lose your balance or pull a muscle. And be wary of snow that’s wet, Dr. Forrest says, as heavy lifting can push blood pressure levels up too high....

So, are you ready to learn the fates of last year’s STOH superstars? Keep clicking. Oh, and take note, bargain hunters: As a Proud Preservation Partner of Save This Old House, Behr will help ease the way of fixing up an endangered house by providing up to 20 gallons of interior and/or exterior paint to the buyer of a house featured in 2010 in the magazine column—at no charge. For more details, write to toh_marketing@timeinc....

EGO Power+ GS001 Anti-scratch Safety Glasses Shop the Sale Now Safety glasses are a vital tool for any handyperson to ensure they keep their eyes protected while they work. These glasses are made from high-quality polycarbonate coated to resist scratching and impact. These glasses have a sporty design that’s available with multiple lens colors to fit your needs. NEIKO 01378A Magnetic Screwdriver Set Shop the Sale Now Screwdriver sets are essential tools for anyone to own to ensure you’re prepared with the proper screwdriver when needed....

10 Best Pumpkin Carving Tools 1. Dremel Pumpkin Carving Kit Dremel brings its rotary tool technology to the tradition of pumpkin carving. This battery-operated cordless tool runs at 6,000 and 12,000 rpm, allowing you to carve intricate designs quickly and safely. The tool—meant to etch glowing designs into the surface of the pumpkin, not slice through it—comes with 10 carving templates and has a two-year warranty. 2. Dremel Flex Shaft Attachment If you already own a full-powered Dremel and want to try your hand at pumpkin carving this year, this accessory may come in handy....

Keep Your Lawn Lush A picture-perfect lawn takes ongoing maintenance. This time of year, weeds aren’t the only thing standing between you and the turf of your dreams. You’ve also got to watch for pests, fungal diseases—and even Fido. Here are symptoms and remedies to help you troubleshoot common lawn problems. 12 Flowers That Bloom All Summer Consider bookmarking the TOH lawn care timeline to keep track of what you should be doing and when you should be doing it, year-round....

Painted Furniture Ideas to Try Here you’ll find DIY ideas for furniture made of wood, metal, and plastic, so before you grab that brush (or spray can), click through for inspiration, helpful how-tos, and links to complete tutorials. Stripping Painted Furniture Use Chalk Paint A big part of the DIY painted furniture craze has to do with chalk paint. It’s easy to use, adheres well to a host of surfaces with an appealing matte finish, and works great with other mediums (such as glaze and stain) as well as stencils and transfers for truly unique looks....

Mesh-screen caps How they work: A vinyl, plastic, or metal grid sits atop the gutter, letting water in while keeping leaves out. Your job: Brushing aside any accumulated debris from time to time to prevent runoff from cascading over the face of the gutter. The cost: Seamless, pro-installed systems start near $5 per linear foot, while snap-on DIY options, which are more visible, start at about 33 cents per foot....

For the price of a monthly premium and a small service fee, a home warranty will pay the cost of repairing or replacing the items that it covers. This can include big-ticket items like refrigerators, air conditioners, and plumbing systems. We’ve taken a look at the best home warranties in Los Angeles, California and ranked the top companies below. Top 4 Home Warranty Companies in Los Angeles The highest-rated home warranty companies in Los Angeles include:...

What is beadboard paneling made of? This brings us to panels made of medium-density fiberboard, or MDF—wood fiber and resin, in various proportions, melded under pressure. These sturdy, ready-to-paint sheets, typically 4 feet high and 8 feet wide, can be milled to look like the real thing. Before you gather your tools and order beadboard, here are six things to consider. 1. Choose a Style For a traditional farmhouse look, try 2½-inch V-bead (far left) or 1⅝-inch V-bead (top)....

If you need a dedicated workspace, whether for paying bills, stringing beads, or working remotely, these ideas will help you exploit the potential of those underused nooks in your home. 8 Desk Ideas Perfect for Small Spaces The underused closet Since the Covid-19 pandemic sent millions of workers home, cloffices are all the rage. Combining closet with office, a cloffice turns a closet into a workspace and gets your stuff off the dining room table....

Galley Kitchen Ideas and Layout Considerations 1. Balance Aisle Space, Light, and Storage For maximum efficiency when short on space, this layout excels. Its two parallel counters make all points of the work triangle equally accessible. Important things to keep in mind during your design are: aisle space, light, and storage. In this kitchen, concealing the fridge and dishwasher behind cabinetry panels gives the small space a tidy look. Light-colored cabinets, open shelving, and a large pass-through window make the galley open and airy....

Why Buy a Professional Kitchen Stove? Industrial-style appliances started gaining ground in the 1980s, when homeowners began hankering for restaurant ranges to get more burners, more power, and more pro features, like built-in griddles and grills. But at up to 36 inches from front to back, these behemoths didn’t fit neatly into your average cook space. They also lacked broilers and became dangerously hot. Enter the “pro-style” solution. Scaled to fit standard-depth counters, these models won’t burn down the house, thanks to beefed-up insulation....

How Does Air Conditioning Work? Air conditioners use fans to move interior air over a cold surface, usually comprised of grids or “coils” of copper or aluminum tubing. As the coils chill the air, its moisture condenses on the coils and is drained away. The coils are chilled by a refrigerant that’s pumped by a compressor through insulated lines to a condenser located outside. Refrigerants are liquids with a low boiling point, that is, the temperature at which the refrigerant turns from a liquid to a gas....

Where a mild climate allows outdoor living year round, a thoughtfully designed yard can double your living space. That was precisely the case for Kelly and Jeff Mindell, who bought their 1930s Los Angeles bungalow in part for the good-size backyard. But the existing lot was “a wasteland,” Jeff recalls—and unsafe for their young son, with a decrepit pergola and defunct in-ground hot tub. Happily, though, the existing features did suggest places for dining, relaxation, and play....

“They really wanted the bath to have a spa-like feeling,” Vreeland says. “But anything too modern would have been jarring with their home, built as a carriage house in 1869.” Gutting the space exposed the 12-inch-thick stone exterior wall, and pipe and vent stacks that couldn’t easily move. So, keeping the footprint and general fixture placement, Vreeland put a large shower where the tub had been, giving it a bright, airy look with pale tumbled marble tile and frameless glass....