At Home / DIY

Do you know what to do if you have a frozen pipe -- or even how to tell if that is the problem? Learn how to identify and remedy frozen pipes or, better yet, prevent them from freezing in the first place.

According to The Old Farmer's Almanac, this upcoming winter will be a season of unusually cold and stormy weather. While homes in the north are more likely to experience longer durations of cold temperatures, homeowners in the south shouldn’t ignore the potential for one or two cold spells. During the cold winter months, frozen pipes are a serious risk to your health and home. With Old Man Winter right around the corner, now is the time protect your home and prevent frozen pipes.

Set a fantastic and festive table with vintage doilies. Rachael Ranney, host of Buildipedia's {Re}habitat, takes you step by step through this easy project, perfect work for a chilly evening.

Create a beautiful table runner using vintage linen and cotton doilies to bring some unique flair to your holiday dinner parties. I have often come across large collections of these linens at antique malls and flea markets. You may have to begin acquiring them one or two at a time, but try to buy them in bulk from an individual dealer: you’ll probably get a better deal.

Meet Jeff Wilson, construction industry expert and host of more than 200 episodes of home improvement shows. Get the inside scoop from Jeff right here on his Everyday DIY blog – and join in the conversation yourself!

I know you’ve been diligently following my DIY Video Series on the At Home Channel here at Buildipedia.com... I mean, c’mon, who would miss all of the excitement of home renovation “as seen on At Home?”

It’s no fun to end up with wet feet when you step into your basement, not to mention the fact that extensive flooding can cause real damage. Even if you have a sump pump, it is a piece of equipment that can fail just when you need it most. Find out what your options are for a backup pump and what it will cost.

"An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." — Benjamin Franklin

Houses with in-ground basements, if they were built after the 1980s, commonly have AC-powered sump pumps installed. The sole purpose of such a pump is to discharge groundwater that is collected in a sump, then direct it outside and away from the foundation. The anticipated life span of a pump depends on how often it’s used, as well as the size, type, and quality of the pump installed. Unfortunately, there is no definitive duration of time that one can expect a sump pump to last; it may operate for 5, 15, or even 30 years. No matter the age of the pump, it won’t operate during a power failure, and such failures are common enough occurrences during severe storms. For these reasons, a sump pump’s failure to operate cannot be planned for. The best work-around is to put in place a preventative measure, such as a battery or water powered backup sump pump system, to insure that groundwater is collected and removed.

Don't be afraid to try your luck at an auction. Rachael Ranney, host of Buildipedia's {Re}habitat, shares some insider tips for making your first auction experience a successful one.

Let me start by admitting openly that I love, love, love auctions! The moment I score a great deal on that one-of-a-kind, beautiful piece is an unassailable thrill. Listening to a great auctioneer generate buzz and excitement about the wares he is selling will never cease to entertain me.

Replacing old appliances really can save energy – and money. How much money? These calculations, based on Energy Star labeling, help you find out.

Over the past decade, many Americans have seen the need to reduce their energy consumption. Some people have chosen to pursue this lifestyle change in order to live green and save the planet. In many cases, though, this reduction in energy consumption is driven by the savings that can be achieved by decreasing energy costs. Opportunities to deliver these energy savings occur throughout a home: replacing old appliances with new ones can create a significant return on investment (ROI).

Adding a finished surface to your basement wall will make it feel more like a "real" room. Learn the how-to steps here and find out what material choice would work best for you.

An unfinished basement can be a dark and damp place that is rarely used for anything other than storage. Although the basement is commonly left unfinished when a home is built, at some point during the life cycle of the home the residents usually require additional living space; the square footage of a basement typically provides ample space for a family room, home office, or even a playroom. A key component to finishing a basement is applying finishes to the exterior foundation walls. Understanding what types of finishes are available will assist you in creating a fully habitable, comfortable, and healthy living space.

Find out, step-by-step, how to make an old chair new again with a small investment in second-hand leather belts in this DIY project that anyone can do.

A sturdy old chair, $70 worth of thrift store belts, and a little upcycling resulted in this lounger, a truly unique eye-catching piece that looks good from any angle. Rachael Ranney, the host of {Re}habitat on the Go Green channel, shows how she gave an abandoned chair an entirely new lease on life.

Does your home repair to-do list seem to be taking over your life? Jeff Wilson, host of Buildipedia's At Home channel, sympathizes and offers sage advice for how to tame that ever-present "Honey-Do" list.

Every aspiring handyman (or handywoman) has a List. Not the list you make when you head out to the home improvement store for materials, or even the short list of things you need to accomplish this weekend. I’m talking about THE List.

Replacing an old wooden door is an easy afternoon DIY project, and you probably have the basic tools required. Watch our easy solution in 60 Simple Seconds.

Exterior wooden doors are subject to weather extremes and often deteriorate long before the door frame. Rather than tear out the entire door and frame, you can replace the old door by matching up the existing hinges on a new door and installing it on the existing frame. Watch this episode of 60 Simple Seconds for a quick look at how to replace a wooden door.

Have a leaking toilet? Fixing it is easier than you think. Watch our easy solution to a leaky toilet in 60 Simple Seconds.

Finding water all over your bathroom floor from a leaky toilet is never a good situation. Fortunately, fixing the leak is only a few flushes away. One of the most common causes of a leaky toilet is the wax ring that sits between the toilet and the drain. Replacing a leaky wax ring is a quick DIY job that should be done when you first notice the leak. Watch this episode of 60 Simple Seconds for a quick look at how to replace a wax ring and fix that leaky toilet.

Clean your bathroom grout to get your bathroom looking tiptop. In this episode of 60 Simple Seconds, homemade grout cleaner is an effective way to do this dirty job dirt cheap.  

Is dirty grout diminishing the look of your tile floor? Grout, especially in ceramic tile floors and bathrooms, collects dirt and grime. Sealing grout can help to keep it clean, but it’s important to get grout clean before sealing it annually. There are many methods for cleaning grout and some depend on the type of tile you have. Before spending money on an off-the-shelf grout cleaner, try a grout cleaning solution that can be made by using basic household supplies like baking soda, ammonia, and white vinegar. Watch this episode of 60 Simple Seconds for a simple method of cleaning grout.