Types of Electric Voltage Testers Contactless Voltage Tester A contactless voltage tester is shaped like a pen or marker, and it can indicate whether a wire or outlet has voltage feeding it. They’re quick and easy to use, and they can help an electrician or homeowner locate live circuits. However, they don’t tell the user how much voltage the outlet or wire has, and they’re not always completely accurate. Full-size Multimeter or Contact Tester A full-size multimeter might be overkill for homeowners, but they can tell an electrician a lot about an outlet, switch, fixture, or circuit....

The relic—just two of its face panels survived—is now on display at the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic in Halifax, Nova Scotia. But if you want to possess your own piece of history, architectural salvage shops stock dozens of old newels—some with carvings as delicate as those on the Titanic artifact. What is a Newel Post? Positioned at the end of a flight of stairs, a newel post’s primary purpose was to support the balustrade....

title: “Kubota” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-25” author: “Raul Louque”

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The ECO Adventure Kit comes with a Tri Bento (shown in video above), a stainless-steel spork, and a clamping pot grip handle. About $36; ECOlunchboxes.com The Seal Cup Trio is made of durable steel and silicone, making it tough enough for any contractor’s lunch bag. The containers nest into each other when empty for easy transport back home. Bonus points, of course, for reducing waste by lunching with reusable containers....

Shown above: To give the house a traditional look and soften the existing gable, Troyer added a front porch. A new garage provides living space upstairs and a mudroom downstairs. A second gable over the rebuilt garage balances the original one placed over the entry. My house is not your classic Cape Cod,” says Joan Beaulieu of her home in Rye, NH, built by her father, a general contractor, in 1953....

Depending on the formula, it can be used for interior or exterior applications and is available in oil-based, water-based, or water-borne oil formulas. What is Polycrylic? A newer type of clear finish from Minwax called Polycrylic sounds like it might be a type of polyurethane, but it’s different enough that DIYers should know the advantages and disadvantages of each before choosing between the two. Polycrylic has a water-based formula, so it’s more environmentally friendly—it cleans up easily with soap and water and its VOC (volatile organic compound) levels are much lower, so it doesn’t emit the noxious fumes of solvent-based finishes....

When “social distancing” became part of our national consciousness a few weeks ago, the first thing This Old House Landscape Contractor Jenn Nawada did was stock up on seeds. “My absolute favorite thing to grow is tomatoes, so I like to build my garden around that,” says Nawada, who chose a mix of basil, lettuce, cilantro, jalapeño peppers, and zucchini seeds to accompany her San Marzano Tomato seeds. “They’re just the most amazing thing to make sauce or salsa with....

Central-air systems send refrigerant to a bulky central air handler that then blows cool air into the house through a network of ducts. Ductless systems pump refrigerant to compact indoor units within individual rooms. Each split AC unit operates like a miniature air handler, delivering cold air into its own zone only when it’s needed. Because there are no ducts, these systems don’t have the air leaks, heat gains, or pressure imbalances that can undermine the efficiency and comfort of a central-air setup....

Although most building codes are based on the International Residential Code, some locations may not have adopted the latest version of the IRC. There are variations from town to town and state to state, so check with your local building official. If you’re building a set of stairs or retrofitting an existing staircase, here’s what you’ll need to know: Put Safety First: 14 Universal Design Tips First, let’s define some terms....

In this episode: Master electrician Heath Eastman tells us what he loves most about his trade. After the planning and roughing in, Heath explains that he genuinely loves the finished work. He appreciates this stage of the work, from installing electrical outlets and switches to fixtures and lighting because it’s the first time the homeowner gets to see progress. Next, we meet host Kevin O’Connor and painter Mauro Henrique in the shop for a lesson on patching cracks in plaster and drywall....

In this episode: Host Kevin O’Connor takes us on a house call of historical proportions to talk about wallpaper restoration. When visiting the Franklin Pierce home, Kevin speaks with museum staff about restoring the home, more specifically, the 200-year-old imported wallpaper in one of the rooms. After discussing the origins of the wallpaper, professional paper restoration experts show Kevin the painstaking process that goes into restoring this work of art. Next, we meet Kevin and master electrician Heath Eastman back at the shop to talk about GFCI outlets....

In this episode: A prominent feature of most three-decker houses is the layout of porches on the back. They stack one on top of each other and provide nice outdoor space for city dwellers. But these porches were built to 1905 standards. Kevin O’Connor finds Tom and Charlie Silva and Russ Gibson bringing them up to 21st-century code. A lingering smell is one of the biggest problems faced by victims of a house fire....

In this episode: The project house is an 1864 Dutch Colonial in Saratoga Springs, NY—a town attractive for its springs. A new attraction was built just a year before the house was built and has been a hit ever since—the Saratoga Racecourse. Kevin O’Connor visits the course and gets a tour from Glen Kozak to learn more about the track and its history. With demolition comes discoveries. At the house, newspapers from 1918 were found stuffed between the wall framing for insulation....

In this episode: The crew is back in Massachusetts on the Eastern seaboard to start a new project in the town of Newburyport, where shipwrights and sea captains once lived. Tom Silva and Kevin O’Connor meet Jenn Nawada out front. Jenn gives her thoughts on the landscape, hardscape, and plans to update the entryway. Inside, Kevin and Tom meet homeowners Palen and a close friend of This Old House, Melissa, whose desire is to turn their modest 1902 Victorian into their forever home....

A diamond in the rough­—“with emphasis on the ‘rough’!” That’s how This Old House host Kevin O’Connor summed up the 1890s Queen Anne in Narragansett, RI, when he first toured it last spring. Just under a year later, the house has been transformed, with a state-of-the-art 21st-century interior and a pristine, faithfully restored exterior. New Meets Old Painting contractor, exterior: Dennis Moffitt Painting; Paint: Sherwin-Williams; New windows: Marvin; Roof: CertainTeed; Vapor barrier: VaproShield; Siding: SBC Cedar; Garage door installation: Garage Headquarters; Garage door: Overhead Door; Garage door opener: LiftMaster; Lawn equipment (not shown): Kubota The elaborate shingle and trim details on the mudroom/garage addition precisely match the carefully restored historical facade on the original portion of the house....

What is the Main Purpose of a Foundation? A proper foundation does more than just hold a house above ground. Building foundations also keep out moisture, insulates against the cold, and resists movement of the earth around it. Oh, and one more thing: It should last forever. No wonder builders like This Old House general contractor Tom Silva take foundations seriously. “Without a good one,” he says, “you’re sunk.” What Makes a Good Building Foundation?...