Extreme How To - DIY Home Improvement

Q: I seem to have a lower water pressure in an upstairs faucet. How can I fix this? A: If the water performance is a problem only at one faucet, then it is more likely a “low flow” problem than is measured in pounds per square inch (psi). Flow is the amount of water that passes through an outlet such [...]

Extreme How To

Extreme How To - DIY Home Improvement

Q:I like the look of floating shelves for my kitchen. How do they mount to the wall without shelf brackets? A: Floating shelves are basically made of flat, hollow boxes that have no visible mounting hardware. Depending on the method of construction, the hollow shelf mounts to either metal rods or a wooden cleat that fit inside the rear of [...]

Extreme How To

Extreme How To - DIY Home Improvement

Q: I’ve noticed some cracks in the block retaining wall adjacent to my driveway. Is this a sign that the wall is failing? A: The answer depends on the nature of the cracks you’re seeing. Small shrinkage cracks in the mortar or binding material are typically harmless because they don’t penetrate the entire depth of the wall. However, vertical cracks [...]

Extreme How To

Extreme How To - DIY Home Improvement

Q: I need to move some electrical lines to make room for built-in bookshelves. Can I get away with tucking the lines beneath one of the shelves with cable staples, or is that against electrical code? A: You should always check with your local code official to determine what is acceptable in your area. However, a safe rule of thumb, [...]

Extreme How To

Extreme How To - DIY Home Improvement

By Rob Robillard           A client recently asked if I would replace her badly worn-out roof deck. This wooden deck was built over her screen porch and on top of a flat roof. It’s not really flat: It’s pitched 1/4 inch per foot, but without a spirit level you can’t really tell. Years of neglect and [...]

Extreme How To

Extreme How To - DIY Home Improvement

Garage door backup-battery dead? Here’s how to bring it back to life By Bruce W. Smith       Garage doors with backup batteries are a common site in homes across the country where storms bring frequent power outages. But the backup battery doesn’t live forever, despite the built-in battery charging systems found in many of the better systems. Long [...]

Extreme How To

Extreme How To - DIY Home Improvement

              Oneida Super Dust Deputy Oneida Air Systems’ new Super Dust Deputy can turn your inefficient single-stage dust collector into a super cyclonic collector. This molded, patent-pending, static dissipative plastic cyclone separates more than 99 percent of waste before it reaches your collector. This prevents filter clogging and keeps airflow high and consistent. There’s [...]

Extreme How To

Extreme How To - DIY Home Improvement

When it’s time to hit the hard stuff—tile—keep these tips in mind for a successful installation. By Matt Weber       Tile has been around for thousands of years, and modern materials provide hundreds of design options. Not only does tile afford the installer a lot of creativity in the finished look of the project, but as a flooring [...]

Extreme How To

Extreme How To - DIY Home Improvement

  KANSAS CITY, KAN. – Public online voting is now available for the DaVinci Roofscapes® “Shake it Up” Exterior Color Contest. From May 13 – 26, 2013 people are encouraged to visit the DaVinci Facebook page at http://on.fb.me/10LLET8 to select from one of five finalists in the contest. The winner, which will be announced on June 2, 2013, will receive [...]

Extreme How To

Extreme How To - DIY Home Improvement

May 1, 2013- Sure Drive USA, a division of Pan American Screw and a member of The Marmon / Berkshire-Hathaway Corporation, is very excited to announce that it has acquired the patents and manufacturing rights from Ty-Lan Enterprises for its complete line of hidden deck fasteners. Ty-Lan Enterprises’ hidden deck fastener program includes Shadoe®Track, The Hidden Link® and Mantis Clip® [...]

Extreme How To