Why You Really Need (A) HOME IMPROVEMENT

One of the first home improvement shows to hit airwaves, “This Old House” began airing on PBS way back in 1979. Hosted by Bob Vila, Steve Thomas, and Kevin O’Connor, the series follows the remodel of a house — typically in the New England area — over the course of several episodes. The longer timeline allotted to each flip allows for an in-depth look at different aspects of the process and lends the show more of a how-to feel in comparison to many of its competitors.

• When it comes to transforming fixer uppers into forever homes, few are as skilled and savvy as twins Drew and Jonathan Scott.
• As you rotate the knob clockwise and counterclockwise, the intensity of the light changes.
• Don’t stop at motion sensor lights; install a full home security system to match.
• The set designers brought those pieces in from two specific sources.
• To keep your family comfortable and energy costs low, set your fan to spin counterclockwise in the summer and clockwise in the winter.

Equipping your fireplace with glass doors blocks heated and cooled air from escaping and amplifies the fire’s heat, which in turn reduces energy costs. Closing the damper when the fireplace is not in use will help keep cold out of your home and add to heating efficiency. Having your fireplace and chimney professionally cleaned will also improve fireplace efficiency. A cheery front-door color and a touch of landscaping can do wonders for your home’s curb appeal and make a lasting impression on guests.

Even if you’re not planning on moving, adding these can promote a sense of wellbeing. Conventional wisdom among estate agents is that kitchens and bathrooms sell homes, so if you’re thinking of improving with a view to selling on, this is a good place to start. A new kitchen can add 5% to the value of your home while a new bathroom can add 3% according to figures from Zoopla. To quickly and easily rehabilitate your existing fireplace, a gas or wood-burning insert adds energy efficiency to your home without tearing apart your hearth and mantel.

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“It actually makes the house feel bigger,” Monaghan explains. Neutrals are always a good idea for walls, but cool-toned neutrals in a small home makes walls look further away than they are, visually expanding the square footage of a space. British homes tend to be dark, and those with lots of natural light feel larger.

Raise an Adjustable Entry Door Threshold

It’s about time.Plug your living room lights into timers so it’s bright when you wake and return home. Season 21 of Ask This Old House brings back Kevin, Tommy, Richard, Jenn, and the crew, as they help homeowners tackle their most challenging home improvement projects. Look for help with repairing or making improvements to your home.

Ask a real person any government-related question for free. They’ll get you the answer or let you know where to find it. If you have a problem with a home equity loan, you should contact the lender first. If you cannot resolve the issue with the lender, file a complaint with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau . Lump sum – This is a one-time, closed-end loan that usually has a fixed interest rate.

Popularized by famous chef Julia Child, use a pegboard with hooks to hang pots, pans, and other tools. Overhead racks start at $50 and need to be installed in the joists on your ceiling to make sure they can hold the weight of your pots and pans. If the wall you want to remove isn’t below one of these beams, it’s much less likely to be a load-bearing wall. Check out your home’s basement, and where there are I-beams or wooden support beams in the ceiling, that’s where the home’s weight rests and you can’t remove walls above it. A good optical illusion will get the best of most of us, so why not use tricks of the eye to your advantage?