Innholdsfortegnelse for March 2021 i Family Handyman

Sometimes you find treasures! Whenever I tear into an old wall, I feel like a kid opening a present. What will I find inside? Usually, the only gift is pathetic plumbing that I’ll have to replace. But every once in a while, I get a treasure or at least an interesting mystery: What the heck is this thing? How old is it? How did it get here? Those riddles help keep my mind occupied while I’m lugging buckets of plaster out to the trash. And before I close up the wall, I always try to plant a perplexing present for the next remodeler. Too good to be true When I saw this in a recently remodeled basement, I thought: What a great way to add a drain line! No need…

The Airthings Wave Plus monitor ($300 online) sends realtime air quality data to your phone with six sensors that monitor: ■ TEMPERATURE. The ability to check your home’s temperature while you’re away—especially if you relocate in the winter—can prevent a plumbing pipe catastrophe. ■ HUMIDITY. Keeping your home at an optimum humidity level wards off mold from too much moisture. It also reduces your household’s susceptibility to flu, colds and allergies from air that’s too dry. ■ AIR PRESSURE. Knowing whether air is escaping or infiltrating, and at what rate, is important for energy efficiency. ■ RADON. Radon is a known cause of cancer, and unsafe levels must be mitigated. Also, many states require full disclosure of unsafe radon levels with the sale of a house. ■ CARBON MONOXIDE. Carbon…

It seems like almost everything is Wi-Fi enabled now. Computers, printers, home security systems, digital home assistants, even lightbulbs! While this can make life convenient, it’s incredibly frustrating when things go wrong. I’ve discovered the solution usually isn’t complicated or expensive. Here’s a number of easy, low-tech tips for eliminating Wi-Fi dead spots and improving your home network. MEET THE EXPERT Jay Cork is an associate editor at Family Handyman. One of his many past professions was installing home telecommunications, network and audio systems. TEST WI-FI STRENGTH WITH YOUR PHONE With the help of a Wi-Fi analyzer app for your phone, you can determine the strength of the Wi-Fi signal throughout the house. I use a free one from olgor.com, and it’s a really great tool. To use it, simply…

GOT A DIY QUESTION? Finding answers is easy at familyhandyman.com. Just use the search box at the top of the page to get expert step-by-step help with your projects. GOT A HANDY HINT OR TIP FOR US? To share your idea with us, submit a copy of your original contribution, including photos and/or sketches, by email to: submissions@familyhandyman.com Or mail to: Family Handyman, 2915 Commers Drive, Suite 700, Eagan, MN 55121 Please include your name, mailing address and email address if you have one, and indicate to which department you are submitting. We reserve the right to publish your submission in any appropriate department, or elsewhere. Contributions will not be acknowledged or returned. RIGHTS By submitting material to us, you grant Home Service Publications, Inc., its parent company subsidiaries, affiliates,…

Work Shirts That Actually Work Any builder knows the value of a solid work shirt; durability, affordability and comfort are absolutely nonnegotiable. Thankfully, long gone are the days of women having to wear men’s shirts in the workshop for lack of choices. March is Women’s History Month, and what better time to celebrate the many companies that now make highquality work wear for women: Dovetail, Carhartt and, my personal favorite, Duluth Trading Co. True, Duluth Trading’s entire catalog is pretty spectacular, but the women’s flannel shirts really stand out. They’re comfortable, stylish and built for movement. They seem like they’re genuinely me—that may be why I own 10 of them. Go to duluthtrading.com or check out one of its brickandmortar stores. Plan to spend $35 to $70. If you shop…

Every kitchen could use a little more organization, and these drawer projects deliver a lot! Easily accessible pots and pans, a charging drawer and much more. The projects are also easy to build: butt joints, glue, and nails or screws. I built all but the knife rack from Baltic birch plywood. It has attractive raw edges that don’t need edge banding. Or, you could use standard plywood or solid wood and apply wipe-on poly for a clean, high-end look. MEET THE BUILDER Brad Holden, a senior editor at Family Handyman, has built custom cabinets and furniture for 30 years. 1 CUSTOM SILVERWARE TRAY Store-bought silverware trays never fit the drawer perfectly. They shift and slide around and leave awkward space around the tray. Custom-fit partitions maximize the storage space and eliminate…

Is treated lumber safe for vegetable gardening? Many articles online claim that it isn’t safe to grow edible plants in containers made of treated lumber. But read closer, and you’ll see that they’re talking about wood treated with arsenic (CCA), which was banned for residential use back in 2003. The treated lumber sold today contains no arsenic and is considered safe for food contact and growing food. Some common types of treated lumber are ACQ, CA and MCQ. AN EXTINGUISHER CAN SAVE YOUR HOME A fire extinguisher can make the difference between no damage and total destruction and loss of life. Experts recommend that you have an extinguisher on each level of your home, and in your garage. Just remember that household extinguishers are meant for small fires. With a…