Working with a Tree Removal Pro
CREEEAAK, CREEEAAK, CREEEAAK... The sound of trees swaying in the wind can be pretty ominous, especially if they sometimes come crashing down within inches of your painstakingly renovated home. Just ask Sandy Herbert, a lawyer who lives in a ... [... more]
This Old House |
How to Give It a Shellacking: Overview
For 90 years, the Clear finish on the maple banister had survived the touch of countless hands without ill effect—until a recurrent drip from a leaky roof bleached and discolored the surface, leaving one ruined spot on the otherwise pristine ... [... more]
This Old House |
Get Ready for Fall
A rented gas-powered aerator, which removes plugs of earth, can improve the drainage of a soggy lawn. Leave the extruded plugs alone; they'll soon decompose on their own. Before planting a shrub, make sure the hole is at least twice the diameter ... [... more]
This Old House |
Getting Professional Help
A good way to examine a roof from down below, Tom says, is to use binoculars—or better yet, a camera with a telephoto lens, which you can use to create a lasting record. Every basement has things that can leak, such as a furnace or water heater. ... [... more]
This Old House |
Fall Fertilizing
Roger Cook says a last dose of fertilizer before the winter can make all the difference next spring. Fall is here and it's time to fertilize. Why now? Taking the time to fertilize in the fall will strengthen your plants' and lawn's roots, giving ... [... more]
This Old House |
Hurricane Insurance Update
The three big tropical storms in 2005—Katrina, Wilma, and Rita—collectively left behind a staggering $55.9 billion in insurance claims, according to the Insurance Information Institute, which tracks industry statistics. Now, as we begin another ... [... more]
This Old House |
Aerate The Lawn
This Old House landscape contractor Roger Cook gets started on his fall yard chores. If rainfall pools on the grass, it's time to aerate compressed soil so water and nutrients can reach the roots. A garden fork can do the job on a small yard, but ... [... more]
This Old House |
Good Wood Fires
Before you succumb to your primal urges and set even a single log ablaze, be certain you've taken the steps required to make the fires you start this season as successful—and safe—as possible. Mark Schaub, of Chimney Savers in Hillsborough, New ... [... more]
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How to Choose and Use a Leaf Blower
Small to medium yards where you need the power of a gas engine. Air speeds higher than 150 mph and noise levels less than 70 decibels. (Check local ordinances: Some areas limit noise to less than 65 decibels.) Antivibration system and ... [... more]
This Old House |
How to Put Your Lawn Mower to Bed: Overview
Maintenance is easy and will prolong the life of your machine, but it can be a messy job Gas-powered lawn mowers and trimmers take their share of abuse during the warm months, so some care at the end of the season is vital to keeping their parts ... [... more]
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How to Divide Daylilies: Overview
You're working with plants that are already a part of your landscape Use care when making divisions and working with root clusters The daylily is one of the easiest perennials to divide. "Daylilies are bulletproof—they can take a lot of abuse," [... more]
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Norm's Notebook: Rakes
To break up clods, pull out small stones, and move lots of material, hold the handle at a 45-degree angle. For finish grading, smoothing the soil, raking out bark mulch, or spreading out an inch or two of gravel, go with a steeper handle angle, ... [... more]
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