I never understood range hoods. It’s that one appliance in the kitchen that’s always sort of there, but unlike a lot of other kitchen fixtures, I never really questioned why. Especially since a lot of the ones I’ve had have been pretty old and ratty, to me they’ve always been those things you turn on if your pasta boils over. But if you’re wondering whether or not you

One of the most common energy-saving tips out there is that you should replace your regular thermostat with a programmable one. It’s good advice – advice that pays for itself in just a few months, and can rack up significant savings long term. And they aren’t just good for your pocketbook – it’s good for the earth, too. As much as half the energy used in your home goe

If you live in a place that has very hard water – especially if you aren’t able to install a whole-house water filter – you probably have a problem with limescale residue and unsightly buildup forming on your faucets and in your shower. As the water dries or evaporates, minerals are deposited on the surface and in the nozzles of your fixtures, clogging them and hardening on the s

Have you ever been in the kitchen, making dough or cookies or cutting raw chicken, and been stuck needing to wash your hands but not wanting to put your gross gross hands on your nice clean faucet? Especially with things like raw meat or eggs, you want to be careful not to contaminate the very fixtures you use to stay clean. That leaves you with two options: spend a lot of time and energy cleaning

In ancient Rome, bathing wasn’t merely about getting clean. Elaborate, ornate public bath houses were cultural and social hubs in most large Roman communities, places where you could come and soak and socialize in various heated pools and steam rooms. Everything from business transactions to political meetings to the ancient equivalent of a lunch date transpired within the bathhouse walls, a

Do you have a really old, crusty, gross shower head? Or maybe just one that’s jut okay, but doesn’t really give you the kind of shower you enjoy? If you’re putting off replacing it because you don’t want the hassle of calling a plumber, you’re in luck. Swapping out shower heads is one of the easiest jobs in the bathroom. Even if you’ve never done it before, it s

For Blog Action Day (which coincides with this year’s World Food Day), I’d like to do something a little different. I’d like to talk about food. I spend a lot of time thinking about food, from planning meals to worrying about additives in processed foods, to trying to eat sustainably while struggling, at times, to find the money to make smart food choices. Heck, I spend a lot of

I’ll admit, I was thrilled beyond belief the first time I moved into an apartment that had a dishwasher. After years of hand drying and bickering over dish duty with numerous roommates, that one slightly undersized appliance seemed like a godsend. But having lived in several dishwasher-free places since, I realize I haven’t missed it. You see, I’m a pre-washer. Even when I had a

Ah, the laundry sink. That big, ugly plastic-tub-on-legs that, if you have an older home, is probably lurking somewhere next to your washer and dryer, probably in the creepiest part of your basement. If you know what I’m talking about, it probably comes as no surprise that laundry room remodels are on the rise. But if you’re looking to turn your dank, damp, cobwebby basement laundry co

Laying tile used to be arduous and time consuming – something that took quite a lot of skill and effort as well as time to produce something beautiful, to say nothing of cost. But modern materials and techniques have moved tiling solidly into the realm of the DIYer. While laying tile flooring is something probably best left to a pro if you haven’t had any prior experience, installing a