Have you ever been faced with a gaggle of light switches placed side by side in a large home or building and wondered just what each one was for? Sometimes a newer home or office space can have 4, 5 or more switches without labels on a single plate! Even if it’s your own home…
Tag Archives: DIY
26
Nov
Nov
Whether you’re building a backyard chicken coop or a DIY storage shed, you’ll want a roof that keeps your stuff out of the elements and that looks good, too. If you’re lucky, that new roof would even be made of something that was cheap and readily available. Even better: that new roof could be made…
25
Nov
Nov
Deciding to re-model a room, space or overhaul the whole of your home is a big move, but it is an exciting opportunity to be creative. While you may have big ideas, your budget may not match your creative inspirations and when this happens, we can be tempted to put off our plans. However, there…
20
Aug
Aug
This infographic from DirectBuy provides great DIY information for all of us who love cooking in an outdoor kitchen. Source: DirectBuy
13
Dec
Dec
Blog writer James Vasanth has written to share his insights with readers on the daunting DIY task of building a solar concentrator for solar hot water. He writes, “In this post, I’ll discuss some key points including how to build your own 2-axis parabolic concentrator.” Thanks, James. The “how-to” steps are welcome, however, a ready made version sounds even better after counting all the steps.
23
Aug
Aug
Home repair and maintenance is one of the most important changes you can make to reduce your family’s environmental impact; but it can be intimidating if you’re not an experienced DIYer. Fortunately, many of the big offenders in your home are easily and cheaply fixed. Here are a few solutions for the biggest energy wasters in your home.
19
Feb
Feb
Recently, we’ve talked about how to live simply and decrease your carbon footprint living in a tiny house. Even better than buying a tiny house is making your own, and Michael Janzen is blazing a trail with his free tiny pallet house. Not only is his house made out of recycled shipping pallets, it isn’t…
02
Jun
Jun
Editor’s note: Just like our friends at Low Impact Living, we’ve got passion for saving water… so we were very happy to see this post about a new technology for homeowners interested in doing just that! LIL writer Jason Pelletier originally published this post on Wednesday, May 28, 2008. I’m often pleasantly surprised at how…
<p><img src="/files/images/coldframe-b.png" border="0" width="230" height="217" />This weekend we got the first tantalizing taste of spring as the weather was clear and bright and temperatures rose well above freezing for the first time in months. Snow melted (though not entirely yet), and started the <a href="/blog/2007/03/13/lets_talk_about_it_sustainable_gardening_tips">thoughts of summer gardens</a> in mind. But nighttime temperatures are still falling below freezing, and it's far too early to put plants in the ground, unless you provide a little assistance.<br /><br />If your garden has a spot with good access to the sun throughout the day, you can use a cold frame to start your plants earlier in the year than you would otherwise. A cold frame is a very simple item. It is really just a small greenhouse. Daytime sun will warm the air and the ground inside, making it easier for plants to start growing. Nighttime temperatures inside the cold frame may fall back close to outdoor ambient temperature, but the extra heat gained during the day and the wind protection the encosure provides will help keep the plants alive even if there is an overnight frost.<br /></p>