Look for Openings Do a sweep of your home’s exterior, and look for openings a mouse could slip through—that means spaces as narrow as 1⁄4 inch. Likely locations include utility entry points, loose-fitting attic or exhaust vents, damaged weatherstripping, and the gaps beneath doors. Your Guide to Mice Removal Seal Up Points of Entry Once you’ve identified potential entries, close them up using mouse-proof material. Skip sealants and spray foams, which mice can easily chew through....

Hanging a front door in an existing frame Tools

Steps for hanging drywall on a ceiling Tools You may choose to rent a drywall lift to make things easier.

You’ll need to be comfortable using a drill to install a deadbolt yourself. To ensure proper placement use a speed square to check the drill is square in all directions as you use it, as shown in the video. How Much Does It Cost to Install a Deadbolt? Prices for deadbolt locks are typically between $25 to $300 depending on the the quality. Deadbolt installation typically costs between $75 to $400, depending on if you do it yourself or hire a professional to help you....

What is a French Drain? Although they sound quite European, French drains are in fact named for a New Englander, Henry French. French drains are a simple way of removing unwanted groundwater and consist mainly of a gravel-filled trench and some perforated drainage pipe. Water, either from the surface or in wet soils, is collected by the gravel and seeps into the pipe which carries it away. Steps for Installing a French Drain The steps include digging a trench whose bottom slopes, and that is long enough to lead to a discharge point....

How to Replace a Stair Railing

How to Install an Electrical Receptacle on a Kitchen Island Note: In this case, the original electrician ran a wire from an electrical box to the island and terminated both ends in electrical boxes. If that’s not the case, it may be necessary to run new wires through the floor to the new island. Resources Heath installs a receptacle to a kitchen island without an existing receptacle. He explains at least one receptacle is necessary for any island or peninsular countertop to be to code....

Mauro first explains the options to the homeowner, explaining that he can either tear all of the tiles down and rebuild or paint the tiles. In light of budget and time, the two decide to paint the existing tile. How To Paint Tile You don’t always have to remove tile for a new look. It can be painted with the right steps and materials. Resources Mauro helps a homeowner, Brian, repaint his 1950s avocado green bathroom tile with a white epoxy tile paint....

First, Check Under the Carpet If your carpeted stairs are flanked by pieces of hardwood, chances are that the hardwood flooring does not extend beyond the edges that you can see. Builders commonly recreate the high-end look of more expensive full-length steps by installing pieces on the edges instead of complete hardwood risers. This means you’ll either need to replace the risers entirely or install new carpet and padding back into the sections after you’ve removed the old carpet....

What is the best way to remove paint from wood? Three common ways to strip paint from wood are heating, chemical stripping, or sanding. There are a handful of different products to choose from for each of these methods. To help you decide what approach to take, we’ve laid out options below. And, we’ve shared step by step instructions to guide you through each stage of the process. Steps on How to Remove Paint From Wood 1....

Steps for repairing a porch post: Tools

Steps: 1. Shut the hot- and cold-water shut-off valves underneath the sink. 2. Disconnect the sink trap from the sink’s tailpiece (vertical drainpipe) by hand. 3. Use an adjustable wrench to disconnect the hot- and cold-water supply lines from the shut-off valves. 4. Slice through the old caulk around sink bowl using a utility knife. 5. Pry the old sink bowl from the vanity top. 6. Use a drill/driver to unscrew the vanity top from the vanity cabinet; remove the top....

Steps for repointing a brick foundation Tools

But before taking that drastic step, they spoke with Danny Lipford, owner and president of Lipford Construction in Mobile, for advice. According to Lipford, the Johnsons’ deck was in better shape than many others. “This area of the country is tough on decks,” he says. “I’m sometimes asked to replace pressure-treated decks that are less than eight years old.” He adds, “Most of these decks are victims of neglect. With regular maintenance, a deck will easily last for twice as long....

Upgrading a mantel, hearth and surround Tools:

In This Episode: There’s been a lot of progress at the house since Chris’s last visit. He meets Russ, a Cape Associates contractor who is installing a compass rose design above the garage door. The installation process is more like a puzzle, and Chris helps him complete the process. Inside, a blower door test is being run to assess the tightness of the house. With an extremely efficient home in mind, the team is hoping to come in below the code requirement....

But portable heaters raise a number of questions as well. Among them: Do portable space heaters actually reduce overall energy bills? And, given how hot they get, are they truly safe? We decided to investigate. Cost of Portable Space Heaters We wish we could tell you unequivocally that turning down your furnace and using a portable heater will save you money, but the reality is more complicated. Some folks will save money, others won’t, depending on the price of fuel in their area, the climate they live in, the size of their home, its insulation levels, and the age and efficiency of their furnace....