Innholdsfortegnelse for April 2020 i Family Handyman

My goal for every issue of Family Handyman is that you learn something that makes you a better, smarter homeowner. As a part of that effort, I get smarter too, learning from the editors and experts who build this magazine. Here are a few things I learned this month. EDITOR-IN-CHIEF 1 MICE ARE AMAZING (IN A BAD WAY) Pest control guru Joe Stampley met with us to share his tools and tips. When we asked Joe to name his toughest adversary, he didn’t hesitate: mice. They can get into just about any house and go anywhere within the house. They can squeeze through openings just ¼ in. wide, climb walls and jump 12 in. straight up. (That would be like a person jumping up two stories!) But Joe knows how…

SHARE YOUR HANDY HINT WITH US! submissions@familyhandyman.com Catch detergent drips To keep detergent from dripping all over your laundry room floor, add a wire handle to the cup. Poke two holes in the cup, thread wire through the holes, and hang the cup from the spout to catch the drips. CHRIS BOULE INSTANT INK REMOVER Alcohol-based hand sanitizers do a good job of removing permanent marker ink. They reactivate the ink, allowing you to easily wipe the stain off. Cover the entire ink stain with hand sanitizer. Let it sit for about a minute and then wipe off the ink with a soft rag. RAY WESTERHOFF DIY EDGE-BAND CLAMPS I could buy clamps ready-made for gluing on edge banding, but I came up with a way to make my own…

You may already own a jigsaw, but if yours is like mine, it likely has a cord attached. I wanted to find out how cordless models stack up against the corded type I’ve used for years. Using a range of blades and various types of cuts in different materials, I put eight cordless jigsaws through their paces. At the end of this article, I’ll give you a rundown on how they compared with one another. D-handle or barrel grip? I’m a devout D-handle guy—no two ways about it. That’s not to say I don’t recognize the benefits of a barrel grip jigsaw; it’s just not for me. And that’s the point. With jigsaws, it really comes down to what is comfortable for you, the size of your hand and how…

IT’S HARD TO CATEGORIZE THE HEAT GUN; it’s just so useful in so many ways. It’s basically just a fan blowing air over a heating element, but a heat gun is an essential tool for pros and DIYers alike. It’s amazing what can be manipulated with the application of a little heat: Glue and caulk can be softened, plastics and metal bend to our will, and of course marshmallows can be turned a toasty, golden brown! 1 MANIPULATING PLASTIC, PVC OR RUBBER Sometimes we need a little help to make that new radiator hose fit, or maybe we need to bend that PVC pipe just enough to make it work. Whatever your situation, a heat gun can often provide a little persuasion. Selecting a heat gun Heat guns can cost…

Carpet excels at holding dirt. Even with frequent vacuuming, it’s hard to remove dirt deeply embedded into the matted fibers. Recently, I came across Mohawk Air.o hypoallergenic carpet, flooring that claims to release more dust and dirt with each vacuuming, thanks to its unique design with better airflow. This sounded like a great concept to test, so I bought a two-yard sample of the Air.o ($2.51 per sq. ft.) and a comparable standard carpet ($1.69 per sq. ft.) and got them dirty. The homeLAB test I cut a sample of both carpets, then fastened foam pad to the standard carpet (the Air.o has an integrated felt pad). I weighed each sample on a food scale, poured 7 oz. of sandy dirt on them, massaged it deep in the fibers, then…

Small inverter generators are surprisingly versatile. They’re capable of powering a slew of electronics, devices and power tools. They’re also lightweight and portable and quiet enough to not drive your neighbors crazy. However, with so many options to pick from, it’s hard to know where to start. I chose five popular models within the 2,000-watt range, costing $499 to $1,049, to test their noise, features, ease of maintenance and portability. After comparing them, I’ll tell you my top choices. What’s an inverter generator? Standard portable generators create “dirty” power, an unsteady current that could damage sensitive electronics such as TVs, cell phones and computers. An inverter fixes that problem. The generator produces raw AC power, and the inverter turns that into low-voltage DC power, and then back into clean, stable…

Joe Stampley does battle with home invaders every day. And wins. Some of it is dirty work: crawling under decks, squeezing into attics, cleaning out traps and removing wasp nests. But there is a lot more to pest control than dirty work. Joe’s skills in identification and prevention and his experience outsmarting pests are what really make Joe successful. To help you win the war, he opened his toolbox and shared some tricks of the trade. MORE SMARTS = LESS CHEMICALS “It’s more practical than spraying a chemical.” Joe uses chemicals as as a last resort—only about 10% of the time. IDENTIFICATION IS KEY Understanding what you’re up against is the first step to getting your pest problem under control. MICE ARE THE WORST Joe’s toughest foes are mice. They…

The water you cook with can affect your family‘s health, so consider installing a filtering system to eliminate pesticides, algae, heavy metals and chlorine. You’ll reduce your exposure to toxins and gain peace of mind. In-line filter or reverse osmosis? I’ve always considered reverse osmosis (RO) to be the more effective water treatment system, but it does have some negative aspects. When I had well water, it was certainly the best choice, but RO systems can waste up to 5 gallons of water for every gallon filtered, and they can remove beneficial minerals as well. In the city, where I pay for every gallon used, I wanted to find a better alternative. In recent years, in-line filtration systems have really stepped up their game and boast similar filtration statistics without…

Fast & easy ceiling makeover These Armstrong WoodHaven Ceiling Planks easily install right over a suspended ceiling system. The clever Easy Up clips snap onto the grid and into grooves in the planks. The only nails you need are for any trim against the wall. You can go from bland accoustical tiles to a beautiful planked ceiling in a weekend without breaking the bank. WoodHaven Ceiling Planks are available in several styles and colors and start at about $2.50 to $4 per sq. ft. For more information, visit armstrongceilings.com. Compact square A rafter square is standard cargo in most tool belts, and until now, you actually needed a tool belt to carry one around. Enter the Milwaukee 4-½-in. Trim Square. This is a precision-milled aluminum rafter square that will fit…

WHAT IT TAKES TIME 2 days COST $800 SKILL LEVEL Intermediate TOOLS Circular saw, cutting guide, miter saw, drill, Forstner bits, handsaw, metric tape, nailer If you’re tight on living space or you want your guest room to double as an office, here’s a piece of furniture you’ll want to check out. This bed quickly converts to a desk without increasing its footprint. When you switch it back to a bed, the desk stays level, so you can leave all your stuff on it! A company called Hiddenbed sells bed kits with all the parts precut and ready for assembly. You can also purchase just the hardware kit, which includes the plans, and that’s the option shown here. Building the bed yourself instead of buying the precut kit can save…

HEED THE WARNINGS ON PESTICIDES The labels on insecticide and rodenticide products have important information on how to use them safely, including where to spray, when to spray, how much and how often. Keep yourself, your family and the environment safe by strictly following these guidelines. ASK GOOD QUESTIONS OF POTENTIAL EXTERMINATORS When hiring a pest control service, ask: ▪ How do you plan to identify the pests?▪ What removal methods do you use, and how do you keep pests out?▪ When do you decide to resort to chemicals, and what products do you use? The answers can help steer you to a professional, safety-minded company. For more info about hiring a pro, visit pestworld.org. DON’T EXPECT INSTANT RESULTS Pest control is a process, not a set-it-and-forget-it solution. Joe often…