Home And Yard

This page is dedicated to our DIY home and yard projects.  Our home was built back in 1999 and at that time we took on several projects to help save money.  We did all the electrical and installed tile and hardwood flooring, just to name a few of the biggest.  It took some research and lots of hard work, but it all turned out very well.  Since then we realized that there were many projects we can do ourselves.

The articles on this page will highlight the projects we’ve taken on.  We’ll show you some of the tools you may want to invest in to make these, and future projects easier to tackle.  There are also a variety of tools, equipment, and appliances that are very helpful to help keep your investment looking good.  We’ll show you some of this equipment and demonstrate how it can save you time and money.  Hopefully, we can convince you that “average folks” can take on some of these DIY home and yard projects!

Cast Iron Burners vs Stainless Steel

Coleman Gas Grill Spring is here and it’s time to give the old gas grill a good cleaning, so she’s ready to go for the summer. However, our grill is looking like it might be on its last leg. That means it’s time to start looking for a new grill ...
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Safe Roof Snow Removal

Did you just receive a nice big snowfall and know you’re going to have to go out and take care of all that snow? Well, after you’re done plowing, snow blowing, and shoveling don’t forget there is one more area that you may want to consider doing some snow removal ...
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Suet Recipe For Birds

One of our favorite things to do during the cold winter months is to feed and watch the birds in our back yard. It is amazing how many different species of birds that you can attract. Here is a simple and inexpensive suet recipe for birds that you can make ...
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How To Convert A Gas Dryer To Propane

Recently we decided it was time to replace our old clothes dryer. Our old dryer was gas, so we opted to stay with gas for the new dryer. Because we live in a rural area, and natural gas isn't available, meant we had to convert the new dryer to propane ...
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Roomba Maintenance

Clean Me!! If you read our first article on the Roomba, you would know it does a great job of controlling pet hair. We've owned our Roomba since 2015 and we use it almost every day. It is still going strong. We did finally change the battery in it at ...
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Hoover Carpet Cleaner Brushes Not Spinning

If you read our article on the Hoover Power Scrub carpet cleaner, then you know just how much we like it. We’ve had it since 2015 and it does a great job. Its perfect for both spot cleaning and powerful enough to clean an entire room. So when we found ...
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DIY Wall Mounted Metal Wine Rack

DIY home projects don’t have to be large or complicated to be considered a success. Even smaller projects can make a big impression, especially if it has some sentimental value thrown in. See how we transformed a plain wall mounted metal wine rack into something that was extra special to ...
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Learn The Best Way To Wire A Receptacle

Weather Resistant-Tamper Resistant Receptacle If you need to replace or install a new electrical receptacle, it's important to know the best way to wire a receptacle. Keep in mind, if this is a replacement, it may not be the same connection that was being used. There are three typical ways ...
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How To Clear A Clogged Drain

A clogged drain is one problem every homeowner will face at one time or another. The key is knowing the fastest and easiest way to clear that clog. You’re in luck! I’ve had to clear many clogged drains and in different areas of the drain piping. I would like to ...
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Fall Protection Basics Can Save Your Life!

As homeowners, there are many jobs and repairs that require the use of ladders. When working from heights it’s important to be able to recognize the hazards and know how to protect yourself. In this article, we’d like to share with you some fall protection basics that you can use ...
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Truck Bed Loadhandlers Can Save Time And Your Back!

Have you ever had a pickup truck full of landscaping material that was going to take you 30 or 40 minutes to unload with a shovel? How would you like to cut that time down to 30 seconds?! Get yourself a Loadhandler truck bed unloader and give your back a ...
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Golf Course Bathroom Update

During a meeting at our local golf course (Eagle Glen Golf Course, Farwell, MI) it was mentioned that the women's bathroom could use a makeover. It hadn’t been updated in several years and was in need of a little “TLC”, so I volunteered my time and ideas to spruce it ...
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How To Keep Your Carpet Clean

Having new carpeting installed can be exciting. It can really transform your home’s appearance. Keeping it looking new depends on a few factors and can require a little work. Here's a quick and dirty list that will help you keep your carpet looking good for years. Give them a try! ...
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Ladder Safety Tips

How often do you use a ladder at home? Are you taking your time and using it correctly? In this article, I'd like to share with you a few tips on selecting the right ladder for the job and cover some basic ladder safety rules. These two things can save ...
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iRobot Roomba Vacuum | How to Control Pet Hair!

Basic 614 Model A Dogs Perspective Buster and I have heard the old saying “dog is man's best friend”, but, from a dog's perspective, do you know what the new saying should be? Its “the iRobot Roomba vacuum is dog's best friend”! Actually, we should share the saying with all ...
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Raised Garden Beds

Do you like gardening but don't have the time or space to do so? Have you ever thought of down-sizing your garden and building a raised garden bed? Not having enough room is only one reason for not having a garden. Another common problem is not having an area that ...
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Tips To Maintain a Healthier Home

Every house has its own mini ecosystem and it's up to you to maintain a healthy home environment. You have to keep it warm in the winter and cool in the summer. Sometimes the humidity is too high and sometimes it too dry. Then there are dust, dirt, and pollens ...
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How to Eliminate Unwanted Pests At Home

I am fairly certain that every home has them. Those creepy, crawly, flying, biting, gnawing, hole digging, yard tunneling pests!! Maybe they're not in your home or yard yet, but they are always nearby trying to figure out how to get in. Our home is no exception. I'd like to ...
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Basement Ceiling Options For Your Mechanicals

Are you finishing your basement and having problems with deciding how to finish the ceilings? Here are a few easy basement ceiling options we used to finish off our basement ceilings. These options went up quickly, were fairly easy to do, and we're not any more expensive than traditional ceiling ...
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Know What To Do: A Power Brownout Can Cause Damage

We all love our creature comforts. Air conditioning on a hot summers day; our furnace on a cold winters night and, one of the most important, indoor plumbing! All of these things have one thing in common... electricity. All of your home's major appliances, like the furnace, air conditioner, refrigerator, ...
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Hoover Power Scrub Deluxe: Every Home Should Have One

Hoover Power Scrub Deluxe As homeowners who have raised 2 children and 5 dogs, over the past 35 years, we have come to appreciate the things that have made this process easier. One such item is a good carpet cleaner. It helped us clean up after the kids and dogs, ...
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How To Make A Suet Log Bird Feeder

Bird watching is a great pastime on a cold winter day. Why not stay inside, where it's nice and warm, and watch the birds. Enjoy a hot cocoa or a cup of coffee and watch them come and go. It's very relaxing! What's the best way to attract birds? They're ...
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DIY Home Electrical Wiring Basics

Doing our home electrical wiring was the most challenging home project I've ever undertaken. As I mentioned on the “About Us” page, I am a controls technician, so I am familiar with home electrical wiring basics and circuits. I also have a very good understanding of wire current ratings and ...
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Our Kitchen Countertop And Backsplash Make Over

Original Countertop Kitchen Countertop and Tile Backsplash After 15 years in our new home, the signs of wear and tear were starting to show on our kitchen counter-top. So my wife and I decided it was time for a kitchen makeover. The laminate countertop was starting to show its age, ...
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Revitalize Your Garage Doors with Gel Stain

Faded Aluminum Garage Door Are you tired of looking at your faded, chalky, aluminum garage doors? Revitalize your garage doors with a gel stain. Gel stains come in several colors and provide a nice finish that will last for years. We used a Minwax gel stain on our aluminum garage ...
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I Love My Little Smoker For Making Smoked Meats

I've had my Brinkmann smoker for over 20 years now and I hope I get to use it another 20 years. In that time I've made all kinds of smoked meats with it. It was a basic charcoal model smoker and it was a great smoker for beginners. I knew ...
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Install Veneer Stone Or Brick And Save Money!

Veneer Stone Fireplace Have you ever wanted veneer stone installed around a gas fireplace? How about veneer brick on a faux chimney? Those are two things we decided on when we built our home several years ago. It's these types of finishing touches that can set your project apart from ...
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