A kitchen remodel can be expensive, especially with renovation costs predicted to stay stubbornly high for the foreseeable future. But getting more out of your kitchen doesn't take waiting for interest rates to go down. Here are five simple DIY projects you can undertake to improve your kitchen while spending less than $100.

Hang some shelves

While replacing cabinets can be expensive, if you have some wall space, or even some space in front of a window, you can add some shelves for less than $100—you just need these brackets ($49.99) and a 1x12 inch board ($33.28) to make a three-shelf fixture with a spot for hooks ($6.99) to hang kitchen utensils or mugs.

Since the bracket width is adjustable, these shelves are also perfect for spanning a window, like the one over your sink, to add storage in a tight space.

3 level Wall Mounted Iron Floating Pipe Shelves

$49.99 at Amazon

Get Deal

Get Deal

$49.99 at Amazon

Update your light fixtures

While you might not be able to overhaul your whole kitchen lighting system, you can update your fixtures easily enough. If you have a metal fixture, you can paint it with spray paint ($11.48) to give it a new finish. You can also try swapping out the shades ($31.99 for 6) or globes ($43.75 for 3) for an update to an existing light fixture.

When choosing new shades or globes, double check that you are getting the right size and attachment type for your fixture, and be wary of any products that don’t include that information in the product description. If you want something totally new, you can also swap your old fixture for a new one ($58.89).

Maximize your cabinet storage

Making the most of your existing cabinet storage can make your kitchen more practical without costing you much money. Choosing customizable hardware, like this pots and pans organizer ($20.98) will make it easier to fit your kitchen utensils in your existing storage space. You can also try these adjustable shelf pull-outs ($35.99) to make it easier to keep things at the back of your cabinet organized, and make it simpler to use all of your storage space.

To wrangle smaller items like spices and utensils, you can try these stackable storage baskets ($39.99) with a pull-out drawer design. Adding functionality to your kitchen can improve your daily experience while keeping your budget in check.

Stackable 2-Tier Under Sink Cabinet Organizer

$39.99 at Amazon

Get Deal

Get Deal

$39.99 at Amazon

Refinish your countertops

While you might not be able to replace your countertops for less than $100, you can give them a makeover.

Using a countertop refinishing kit, you can add an epoxy finish to your existing countertops. Refinishing kits come in faux granite ($66.76), patterns ($89.95) and solid colors ($49.98). Most kits will cover a 25 to 50 square foot area, but check the product label for coverage details so you get a kit that will work for your space. (While this project is definitely DIY accessible, you should be prepared to not use your countertops for three or four days to allow for proper curing time.)

Give your furniture a new look

Whether you have bar stools at your kitchen island, chairs at a kitchen table, or a bar cart for drinks, you can give your current furniture a makeover for much less than replacing it. For metal furniture, a can of spray paint ($6.04) can go a long way—just make sure to clean your surface and sand it with a fine grit sandpaper ($9.66) in order to create a good surface for your paint to bond to. You can revitalize wooden stools or table tops by adding a stenciled detail or some stripes.

To stencil your wooden furniture, choose a stencil ($15.99 for two) and some paint ($16.48), then use a stencil brush ($8.99 for three various sizes) to apply your paint. To get a clear outline from your stencil, tape it in place with some painter’s tape and use a dabbing motion with your brush. (If you’re not sure how your image will come out, you can practice on a piece of cardboard first before tackling the furniture.) For repeating patterns, make sure you get at least two stencils to make lining them up easier.

While most acrylic or interior latex paint is okay to use on wood furniture, using a product that’s designed for furniture, especially in a kitchen, is a good idea. Alternatively, a stenciling project is a good way to use up leftover paint from another project, so you can also opt to add a clear coat ($16.48) to seal your surface when you’re done painting. To add a stripe, use a straight edge to run a line of painter’s tape ($4.49) to each side of where you want the stripe. Then, use a brush ($7.95 for five various sizes) to apply your paint between your tape lines.

There are all kinds of things that can affect air quality, including smog being trapped low to the ground by atmospheric conditions, industrial accidents, dust storms, volcanic eruptions, and wildfire smoke. While there’s nothing you can do to avoid breathing the air, you can be prepared for an air quality event and put together a kit to keep yourself and your family safe.

Find your local air quality monitor

You can access up-to-date air quality information on airnow.gov. The site can either use your device’s location or you can enter your zip code to find your local air quality. There are two features on the site—a dial and an interactive map—but the map is the more important feature because the tools it uses to analyze air quality are sometimes more advanced than the simple dial. You can also tune in to local news and weather to get updates on your air quality forecast.

Keep your doors and windows closed

If you determine that your local air quality is bad, you can help to mitigate the effects on your indoor air quality by keeping doors and windows closed. Limiting the circulation of outdoor air into your home can help to improve the air you’re breathing inside and allow HVAC and air purifiers to work better to clean the air.

Build an air quality emergency kit

To prepare for an air quality emergency, you should build yourself a kit that has items you will need and keep it in an accessible area for quick access. Your kit should include: 

• A few N-95 masks or P100 respirators for use when you’re outdoors

• Two to three extra MERV-13 HVAC filters

• A HEPA filter portable air purifier

• Safety goggles and gloves for clean-up

When building your kit, masks and respirators should have a NIOSH N-95 or P100 marking somewhere on the package to ensure that they are genuine. Make sure that the air filters and air purifiers you’re using are labeled with a MERV or CADR rating. These markings will tell you what type of particles they can handle and how big of a space they can function in. Choose an air purifier that’s designed to tackle the size room you’re using it in.

Honeywell HPA300 True HEPA Air Purifier

$221.16 at Walmart

$249.99 Save $28.83

Shop Now

Shop Now

$221.16 at Walmart

$249.99 Save $28.83

Make a health plan

If you or a family member have lung or heart conditions, it’s important to have a plan for dealing with smoke and other air quality events. Because of the increased risk, you might choose to evacuate to a safer area, or you might have a specific room with extra precautions like an air purifier to retreat to in the event that your air quality becomes dangerous. Consult with your physician about the use of masks or respirators to come up with a plan in case you need to be outdoors.

Clean-up

Removing ash from wildfires or dust from a storm can cause particles to become airborne and pose a hazard to your lungs. Use gloves, an N95 mask or P100 respirator, and safety goggles to keep irritants and debris from posing a health risk. When cleaning up, you should wet down or dampen ash to reduce its likelihood of becoming airborne. You should also avoid using leaf blowers that can kick dust and ash up into the air. If you have ash in your yard, lightly watering your lawn will stick the ash to the ground and keep it from inundating storm drains. For cleaning up indoor areas, use a vacuum with a HEPA filter to keep from kicking particles up into the air. You might need to change your HVAC and vehicle air filters after an air quality event, as they can become clogged more quickly.

It’s easy to love your roof when it’s relatively new and doing its job. How long that honeymoon period of roofing affection lasts depends a lot on the type of roof you have over your head—while some roofing systems, like metal roofs or slate tile roofs, can last for more than 50 years with proper maintenance, those of us who have flat or low-slope roofs on our homes aren’t so lucky. While flat-roof systems have an official lifespan of about 25 years, anyone who actually has a flat roof knows you’re lucky if you get a decade out of them before they start to leak and otherwise show their age. There’s a reason roofing companies always offer a 10-year warranty on these roofs, after all.

Even on a flat roof, the most common sources of leaks are the seams—spots where there are changes in plane, flashing, skylights, or vent pipes. If your roof starts leaking those are the places where you begin your inspection, so it makes sense that if you eliminate the seams, you eliminate the problem. If you have a flat roof on your house that needs to be repaired or replaced, it’s worth it to consider what’s known as a seamless roof system or a monolithic roof.

What is a seamless roof systems?

A seamless roof system (sometimes called a “monolithic” roof) is just what it sounds like: A roofing membrane that is one continuous layer without any seams. These systems are self-flashing, meaning they don’t require any additional seals around vents or chimneys. It’s typically applied in one of two ways:

• Liquid. Many seamless roofing systems are applied as a liquid (silicone, acrylic, or urethane), often using reinforcing materials made from fiberglass to increase strength. The liquid is rolled or sprayed onto the roof surface and worked into all seams and gaps, then dries to a seamless and waterproof finish.

• Spray foam. Another approach is sprayed-on polyurethane foam, which expands into all voids and seams, sealing them off, then dries to form a sturdy, waterproof layer.

It’s important to note that these aren’t just the roof coatings you can buy at a hardware store that can help extend the life of your flat roof, which are applied like paint. While the application process can be superficially similar, they’re complex systems that need to be installed precisely in order to get a truly seamless and waterproof result.

When installed as new, many seamless roofing systems involve layers of reinforcing membrane that are sandwiched between liquid applications. But these roof systems can also be applied over an existing flat roof, if the roof is still in decent shape, including shingled roofs, metal roofs, or rubber roofs—as long as they’re low-slope or flat. Roofs with a lot of pitch can still have a seamless system applied, but the results are usually less than ideal, as these systems are designed for flat areas. Companies like Kemper System and Everseal have roofing systems that involve repairing and reinforcing an existing flat roof and then applying a monolithic coating that seals everything into a seamless installation, typically with a warranty between 20 and 50 years.

Benefits

Seamless roofing systems offer a lot of advantages over traditional roofs:

• Durability. As noted, warranties for seamless roof systems can be as long as 50 years, and typically last at least 20 years without the need for notable maintenance or repair. Seamless roofing systems are flexible—they expand and contract in the heat and cold along with your roof, which reduces the chances of cracking or other leaky damage.

• Energy efficiency. These roofing systems act as reflective barriers that keep your roof cool and protect the roofing deck from damaging solar radiation. This extends the life of the roof and also helps keep the house cooler, reducing energy costs.

• Costs. The low maintenance and long life of a seamless roofing system usually translates to a lower cost over time, since you won’t need to have roofers come by every few years to fix up leaks, or replace the roof every decade or so.

When you buy something, you can do what you like with it—within reason. When it comes to our property, we might assume that “within reason” generally covers anything that doesn’t impact someone else’s property or safety, so when you get the urge to go digging around in the dirt, it’s no one’s business but ours. But whether you’re establishing a garden, trying to remember where you buried the ransom money, or launching a spectacular landscaping project, you shouldn’t just run out there and start digging. And, legally, you can’t. The reasons you should think twice about digging on your own property go beyond your local laws and involve your health, your safety, and your insurance premiums.

It’s harder than you think

First of all, digging is very hard physical labor. Sure, TV shows make it seem like digging a 6x6 hole in the ground to hide bodies is something one person can accomplish in a few sweaty hours, but the truth is very different. Just like shoveling snow, digging is a workout; in fact, digging a hole in your yard can be even harder than shoveling snow because your yard is not just a big cube of uniform dirt. It’s laced with roots, rocks, and man-made infrastructure (more on that below), which means you’re likely to hit something more challenging than mere dirt. You should learn about proper digging technique while also making sure you hydrate, wear protective gear (e.g., gloves and a breathing mask), and protect yourself from direct sunlight while you work.

You probably need a permit

Laws vary from area to area, but chances are really high that you’ll need to get a permit before you dig—even if you’re digging on your own property. Most local governments require digging permits for the same reasons they require permits for a lot of other projects. The permitting process not only alerts the local authorities that you’re doing work with the potential to impact the rest of the community, it also triggers the inspection process that ensures you’ve done the work to the correct standard.

Utility lines

One of the main reasons you shouldn’t just go digging on your property, though, is because of buried utilities. Gas lines, water lines, and even electrical lines may crisscross under your property, and if you hit one with your spade, auger, or other tool, you could cause a lot of damage, disruption, and even injury.

Just about every area of the country legally requires you to “call before you dig,” usually by calling 811 (or using an online equivalent). The utility companies will send out an inspector who will mark the location of utility lines with different paint colors so you can avoid them when you actually commence your digging project.

Even if you think you can get away without checking on this, you shouldn’t. Many utility lines are just a few feet underground, which makes them very easy to hit accidentally. If you flood your neighborhood or cause a gas leak, you might be held liable for damages, and if you failed to call 811 before digging, your own insurance probably won’t cover the claim.

Other buried stuff

It’s not just utility lines you have to worry about, either. At least when you call 811 those lines get marked for you—there can be a lot of stuff under the ground on your property that you may or may not be aware of, like:

• Storage tanks

• Septic systems

• Irrigation or sprinkler systems

• Swimming pool pipes or wiring

• Old oil tanks

If you aren’t the original owner of the property, you may not be aware of old stuff like this, especially if the home was switched to community sewer or went from oil to gas heat at some point. You can try to do some research to find out what might be out there, but regardless, you should proceed with caution and never assume you’re just digging into dirt.

Another potential danger you might encounter when digging on your property is pet graves. Laws vary, but people often bury beloved pets on their property, but over time, grave markers can get washed away, leaving you to stumble on a gruesome surprise. Few people will disclose a pet cemetery on their property, so if you’re not the original owner, you should take the possibility into account before you break ground.

Shifting and subsidence

Finally, digging always carries a risk of ground shifting or subsidence. If you’re digging a hole that’s deep enough to stand in, you’re digging a hole that might collapse and entomb you. Again, the movies make digging deep holes look stable and straightforward, but the fact is you have no idea how the ground on your property will react to having a large portion of it removed.

If you’re thinking of adding a tree to your landscape, whether you want to create shade, provide an animal habitat, or just for looks, there’s a better alternative you might not have considered. Rather than just one, why not plant a few trees spaced closely together? A "pocket forest" like this can add increase the biodiversity of your yard, provide runoff control for water, and cool the surrounding landscape. Here’s how they work, and how to go about planting one.

What is a pocket forest?

A pocket forest is a densely planted mini-forest that’s made up of multiple native species of trees. The goal of this compact forest is to add dense plants for shade, animal habitat, and erosion control to your yard. (If you don’t have space for trees, you can grow a thicket, or a densely planted grouping of native shrubs.)

Mini forests are also nice to look at, and they can improve the view and enjoyment of your yard without the intense maintenance required by a lawn. Although the initial investment in a pocket forest might be more than a lawn, they can save you money and time on maintenance while using less water.

How much space do you need for a pocket forest?

A pocket forest can be planted in as little as 200 square feet of space, and though common wisdom says that trees can damage nearby structures, this is not always true, and depends on the species of tree and the growing conditions. With a little pruning, you can safely plant a variety of species relatively close to buildings as long as the trees are properly maintained.

How to choose trees for a pocket forest

In order to plant a pocket forest, you’ll need enough one and two-year-old native tree and shrub saplings to plant your area while leaving two to four feet between each specimen. If you plan to plant near a building, make sure to choose saplings that don’t have invasive root systems.

In order to determine what plants are native to your area, you can consult your local university extension. Your municipal government might also have listings for trees that are native to your location, and be able to recommend trees that are less likely to cause damage if you plan to plant them near a building.

When to plant a pocket forest

Planting should happen during the dormant season in your area to allow plants to establish themselves. Dormancy occurs at different times of year and depends on seasonal temperatures and rainfall in your area, so consider this another opportunity to consult your local university extension for information particular to your climate.

If it’s not dormant season now, luckily there are some things you can do to prepare, like removing existing plants and planning your space.

A timeline for planting a pocket forest

Four months before planting

Choose your space and measure it to plan for how many saplings you’ll need. Plants should be placed between two and four feet from each other, so you can estimate your plant spacing based on that. It’s a good idea to contact your local nursery at this point to let them know in advance approximately how many plants you’ll need and to make sure they have some in stock. At this point, you can also begin removing any existing plants from your chosen area to create optimal conditions for future planting.

Three months before planting

Three months before planting, you should use the “lasagna method” to prepare the ground for your saplings and kill off any remaining plants. To accomplish this, lay down a layer of cardboard over the whole area, followed by a layer of leaf compost or leaf mold. Cover the compost with two to three inches of wood chips.

One month before planting

Now’s the time to pick your plants. Choose native plants that are appropriate for your area, keeping in mind the size of their root systems and sun needs. Since you’ll likely have a pretty big order, getting your plants a little bit ahead of time is a good idea.

Planting

Lay out your plants and arrange them so that they are between two and four feet apart to plan spacing, then then dig your holes and plant your saplings. Though small saplings only require a shovel’s depth hole, you can still save yourself some time by arranging your plants in their containers ahead of time so you don’t run out of space while you’re planting.

After planting

Once your saplings are in the ground, make sure to mark them with a surveyor stake or another easily recognizable marker for future identification and weed removal. This will help to keep from getting your sapling confused with a weed. You can also add some compost to the soil surface or use compost tea to improve the soil to give your new trees a boost.

You should perform structural pruning on your saplings as they grow, removing less healthy, lower branches and branches that are not able to support their own weight. Otherwise, your trees can be left to grow on their own. You can choose to take a hands-off approach to watering your growing pocket forest, knowing that a few of your saplings might die, or you can improve their chances by watering them for the first two or three seasons they’re in the ground. You shouldn’t need to water your native trees once they are established (that is, after the first three years).

Brick is some seriously durable stuff—clay bricks commonly endure for a century or longer, and there are plenty of examples of brick structures that are much older than that. If you have a brick home or a brick facade, you can expect decades of service without much worry.

But nothing lasts forever, and everything has a weakness. In the case of your brick walls, that weakness is the mortar—the cement-like “glue,” visible in the joints between the bricks, that keeps your bricks together. Mortar has a much shorter lifespan—20-30 years, on average—because it’s much more susceptible to weather, especially moisture. Over time, water seeps into the mortar and freezes, cracking the mortar with its expansion. Eventually, the mortar starts to fail, and allows moisture to penetrate behind the brick, leading to eventual failure of the entire system.

If you have a brick wall that is starting to look pretty janky, the good news is that the fix is probably pretty easy and inexpensive: You just need to repoint.

Repointing

When masons refer to “pointing,” they’re talking about the mortar laid between the bricks. “Repointing” is just what it sounds like: removing damaged mortar and putting in fresh mortar to replace it. The process is pretty straightforward, and can be a pretty easy DIY project if you’ve ever worked with masonry tools before.

1. Determine the type of mortar you need. Modern mortars use portland cement, resulting in an extremely hard cure. That’s fine for modern bricks, which are similarly hard. But older bricks are softer and require a softer mortar that “gives” a little. You can make a good guess using the age of your home—if it’s 50 years old or less, you can go with a standard modern mortar for your repointing project. If it’s older than that you might need to do some research or consult a real mason.

2. Scrape out the old mortar. Using a cold chisel, a grout saw, or a joint raker, remove a layer of the old mortar. You should remove about twice the width of the vertical brick joint, typically about half an inch. You don’t want to remove too much or you can undermine the structural integrity of the brick.

3. Push in fresh mortar. Now you refill the joints with fresh mortar and tool it until it’s tamped in well and fills all the voids. Finish the exposed face of the fresh mortar so it looks good.

That’s it—while it takes some patience and a little skill, it’s not a difficult job. Note that you might also hear the term “tuckpointing,” which is a similar process—in fact, the term is often used interchangeably with “repointing,” although they are slightly different. Tuckpointing involves using two mortars of different colors to achieve an aesthetic effect. If all you’re worried about is maintaining your brick, you probably don’t need to worry about tuckpointing.

When to repoint

Even though repointing is relatively easy and inexpensive, you still don’t want to go through the trouble unless you have to. Here are some basic ways to tell if your brick needs to be repointed:

• Age. If your brick is a few decades old, it very likely needs repointing—or an inspection, at the very least.

• Crumbling mortar. Look at the mortar joints. Have they eroded noticeably (more than a quarter inch)? Are they crumbling into a dry, sandy mess? They need to be scraped out and repointed.

• Cracks. If you can see noticeable cracking in the mortar and the brick, it indicates moisture penetration, so repairing the mortar is likely necessary.

• Gaps. Can you see spots where the mortar has totally separated from the brick? If so, it needs repairing.

If you’re uncertain, you can perform a quick test: Take a knife or similar tool and scrape the mortar joints. If you can easily remove some of the mortar, it needs repointing, even if it looks superficially okay.

If you've put any amount of work into planting outdoors, the last thing you want is for pests to take up residence and use your yard like their own personal pantry. Unless you take an active approach to warding them off, animals like deer, rabbits, and raccoons can quickly decimate your flowers, fruits, and vegetables.

You probably don't want to spray your space with a bunch of chemicals that can harm you, your plants, or even pests—so try one (or several) of these safer strategies instead.

Build a physical barrier

A fence may be the most effective approach to keeping critters away from your plants, as they can't eat them if they can't reach them. Deer fencing is tall—typically 7 feet—with a narrow weave and can be made of wire or heavy plastic, while chicken wire can keep rabbits away. Make sure your wire fence is at least 4 feet tall, buried 6 inches deep to deter burrowing, and bent away from the garden to prevent jumping and climbing. You can also use domes or chicken wire cages over the tops of your beds. These aren't the most attractive solutions, but they work.

Growing in greenhouses or fenced-in raised beds with high walls can also limit critter damage. Or, if you want a more natural physical barrier, put a spiky bush or hedge native to your area around the plants you want to protect.

Finally, tall grasses and shrubs around the edges of your yard or garden can create a natural barrier to entry while also providing a low-stakes snack option for pests. If they fill up on these plants, they may do less damage to the ones you care more about.

Use smells and tastes they detest

If you're going to plant things critters like to eat, you should also plant some they don't—highly fragrant plants can work well. Rabbits dislike flowers like lilac, zinnias, daffodils, lavender, and snapdragons as well as onions and garlic. Sage and other herbs can also keep critters away. For deer, try placing containers of mint around the edges of your garden, as they are repelled by the smell. Anything textured or spiky can also act as a natural deterrent.

Aside from plants, there are other smells and natural substances that can repel critters. Farmer's Almanac has a long list of suggestions for rabbits (and another for deer) but some of the most common are talcum powder, Irish Spring soap, and cayenne pepper, which can be mixed with water and sprayed around your plants or garden beds. Peppermint oil applied to hard surfaces or mint tea bags placed near plants may repel deer. Make sure you reapply after it rains.

Scare them away (gently)

Startling critters when they enter your yard or approach your garden may deter them from getting close to your plants. Motion-activated lights and sprinklers that can easily be moved to different locations are a good option, such as solar-powered lights that stake into the ground. If you have a rabbit problem, try small mirrors or jars filled with water in and around your garden may scare them off. Ultrasonic devices can also deter deer without hurting them.

Keep your yard tidy

A neat yard offers fewer options for critters to take up residence. Consider keeping compost in a closed bin, and clean up piles of brush and leaves. Fill in holes that could be rabbit dens, and block entry to the space under your deck or porch.

Of course, none of these methods are foolproof, and some may work only temporarily or in combination with one another. It's best to be realistic about the problem and effectiveness of solutions.

Finally, keep in mind that some creatures can actually be beneficial for your yard, as they both enhance the diversity of your outdoor ecosystem and keep harmful pests at bay. For example, birds can be effective pollinators and provide pest control services by eating mosquitos, aphids, and even rodents. Toads, frogs, lizards, and worms can also help your garden grow.

Though you probably don't think about yours often, a chimney is a vital part of keeping your home safe and healthy to live in. A house produces a lot of dangerous stuff, from fireplace smoke to exhaust from gas appliances, and the chimney is how they leave the building (and your breathable airspace). A failing chimney isn’t just an eyesore, it’s a danger to your health—every year more than 400 people die from carbon monoxide poisoning, and many of those deaths are attributable to a chimney in need of repair.

That makes chimney maintenance an absolute priority, including periodic inspections and seasonal preparation. But even if you do everything right, there’s a good chance your chimney will eventually fail—and knowing the warning signs could possibly save your life. Here are the signs that your chimney needs attention.

Bad smells

Your chimney is where a lot of the bad gases produced by your house are supposed to go. They rise up and out, so you aren't bothered with bad odors or smothered you in your sleep. If you have a wood-burning fireplace, a smokey smell is pretty normal (and kind of nice), but if you’re smelling smoke all the time, or if you smell sulfur or a more “chemical” smell like burning plastic, your chimney might be blocked or your liner might be cracked. That means dangerous gases and fumes are leaking into the house, and your chimney needs attention.

A more subtle sign that your chimney might need repair or maintenance comes when you dry your clothes. Your dryer should be vented separately from your chimney because of the danger of lint buildup and fires, but if that vent is located close to your chimney and your house fills with the damp scent of dryer sheets every time you dry your clothes, it might indicate a cracked flue or liner that is allowing those fumes to infiltrate back into the house.

Moisture

Your chimney is obviously located on your roof, and is open to the elements to some extent. It should have a cap on top that keeps rain from pouring down into your home, so any signs of water infiltration around the area is a sign that your chimney is in trouble. There are a few ways this can manifest:

• Peeling wallpaper: If wallpaper in an area below your chimney starts to peel away from the wall, it might indicate that your chimney isn’t venting properly and moisture is getting trapped in your walls. This can be a lot more subtle than a full-on water leak but can still damage your walls, cause mold—and absolutely indicates your chimney needs an inspection pronto.

• Water stains or leaks: If you see water stains or leaks below your chimney, the problem could be as simple as repairing the flashing on your roof, or it could mean that your chimney is cooked and is letting water penetrate. Getting a professional roofer to inspect the area is your best bet.

• White staining on chimney masonry: If you look at your chimney’s exterior and see what staining, it’s probably efflorescence, which is a deposit left behind when moisture evaporates. Efflorescence by itself is pretty harmless, but it usually indicates a problem with your chimney’s seal—water is seeping into the brick. This needs to be addressed before the water seepage does real damage.

Crumbling masonry

Another sign that your chimney is going to betray you—or already has—is its physical integrity. If you take a look at your chimney and can see any of the following signs, you should schedule an inspection immediately:

• Spalling. Spalling bricks are never a good sign. Spalling occurs when moisture is getting into the chimney bricks, freezes, and expands. Large sections of the brick then turn to dust and crumble away, leaving behind visible damage.

• Shaling. If your chimney has a clay flue liner, one sign of a serious problem is finding thin slices of the liner in your fireplace or anywhere around the chimney base. This indicates that the liner is cracked and deteriorating, so it’s no longer doing its job to protect your chimney and may be leaking fumes into the house.

• Mortar damage. If the mortar—the cement-like stuff between the bricks—on your chimney is missing or crumbling, the structure of your chimney has been compromised and it needs immediate repair and possible replacement.

Rust

Another clear sign of chimney problems is rust anywhere in your fireplace, especially the damper (the mechanism that opens and closes the chimney to your fireplace). Rusted components indicate that moisture is getting in where it shouldn’t, which means some aspect of your chimney has been compromised. It might be that it needs a new cap, or it might mean the masonry is leaking and needs to be repaired and sealed. Whatever the cause, it’s time to call for an inspection.

Animals

If you’ve ever had an adventure with an animal getting into your fireplace or inside your walls—a squirrel, raccoon, or possum, for example—you might be tempted to write it off as a one-time incident. But you should stop and ask yourself how the critter got in there in the first place. If the animal was discovered inside the chimney, or if there’s no other possible entry point that you can identify, then your chimney’s cap may be damaged or missing, or the structure of the chimney may have degraded to the point where your animal friends can find their way inside. Either way, it’s a serious problem and your chimney needs some serious attention.

Every mattress has a useful lifespan, and if you’ve ever kept an old mattress around for too long, you know the consequences: an aching back, sleepless nights, and an overall grungy feeling. A fresh memory foam mattress is a life-changing experience, but it leaves you with a fresh problem, too: What to do with your old mattress?

Just throwing away memory foam so it can sit in a landfill forever is a terrible idea—especially because that old foam still has a lot of use left in it even if it’s no longer up to the task of being a mattress. You can donate or recycle your old mattresses, of course—but if you’ve got an old mattress or topper that you’re replacing, there are a lot of ways to upcycle it, even if you’re not particularly crafty and have zero sewing skills. All you really need is a serrated knife of some sort (a bread knife will do the trick, or you can pick up an insulation knife). If you’re feeling fancy, an electric knife or a hot knife will make the work very easy.

Once you’ve got your tool, it’s time to get creative. Here are some easy ways to upcycle your memory foam mattress.

Pet bed

One of the easiest ways to upcycle old memory foam is to turn that old mattress into pet beds. This doesn’t have to involve major sewing skills—just cut your foam into an appropriate size for your pet and cover with a small fitted sheet, large pillow case, old sofa cushion cover, or any other material you have on hand. You can also shred your foam into small pieces by hand to stuff inside your covering material if you’d rather not take the time to measure and cut.

Freshen cushions

If you have old throw pillows, couch cushions, outdoor pillows, or other cushion-y things that have seen better days, your old memory foam mattress will make them feel like new. The old mattress might not have the support you need for a good night’s sleep, but it almost certainly has enough support left in it to make your old cushions feel like plump, brand-new replacements. All you need to do is cut the old foam to size, yank out the old stuffing, and push it into place. As with the pet bed, shredding your memory foam might make it easier to stuff inside.

Headboard

If you have some plywood, spray adhesive, extra fabric, and a staple gun, you can create a cool custom headboard for your bed. Just cut the foam and plywood to your desired shape and size, glue the foam to the plywood, cover with your fabric, pull tight, and staple in place. Then just mount your new headboard to the wall behind your bed and enjoy a slightly fancier bedtime.

Camping pad

If you like to head out to the wilderness and camp out, sleeping in a tent with a sleeping bag (or drive out in your camper), you know that one of the biggest drawbacks of the outdoor lifestyle is the ground: It’s just not meant to be slept on comfortably. Cutting your old foam mattress into camping pads that slide under your sleeping bag will make an enormous difference in your comfort when you’re out enjoying nature. Your new camping pad can be rolled up inside your sleeping bags, too, making them super easy to transport and deploy.

Garden kneelers

If you love to garden, your knees are probably suffering. You can buy garden kneelers, sure, but why spend the money when your old memory foam mattress can be fashioned into garden kneelers with just a few minutes work? The old foam might not be up to the task of keeping you comfortable all night, but it can definitely give your knees some respite and make your gardening—or any chore or DIY project) that requires a lot of kneeling a little more pleasant.

Packing materials

If you need to ship or store some delicate stuff—holiday ornaments, unused glassware, or your grandmother’s china, for example—you can cut your old memory foam mattress into strips to protect it all. Cut a section to go in the bottom of a box, place your delicates on it, then layer another section of foam over them. Repeat until the box is full—and now your fragile treasures will survive just about anything short of a tornado or earthquake—even the United States Postal Service.

Travel seat cushion

Travel is educational, healing, and a lot of fun—but sitting in cars, buses, vans, planes, and trains for hours on end isn’t. Sitting for long periods can cause back pain, neck pain, and circulation problems, You can turn your old memory foam into a neck pillow, and some memory foam inside a pillow case makes an excellent low-effort seat cushion for long flights or car trips. After thirteen hours in basic economy right next to the bathroom, you’ll be glad you didn’t throw your old mattress away.

Memory foam is some amazing stuff, and has a plethora of uses. If your old mattress is done for, a little time and creativity can give it a useful second life.

This Nix Mini 2 Color Sensor can scan and read the color of just about any surface—great for matching paint colors, like having a color-dropping tool in real life—and it’s on sale for $59.97 right now (reg. $99) through May 12. It was featured at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) this year and is a gadget assists designers, DIYers, and photographers working on home or art projects by simplifying color grabbing and matching. The Nix Mini 2 scans a surface to get matches to brand-name paint colors or sRGB, HEX, CMYK, or LAB colors. The scanner works by sending the color information right to your phone via its app and makes it easy to organize your favorite colors or palettes for future reference—or share with friends or customers to get their opinions. The Nix Mini 2 makes accurate readings even if you’re in direct sunlight capturing the hue of a flower or in a dark room scanning a wall, and it blocks out ambient light and uses its own pre-calibrated light source.

You can get the Nix Mini 2 Color Sensor on sale for $59.97 right now (reg. $99) through May 12 at 11:59 p.m. PT, though prices may change at any time.

Remembering to change the filters in your HVAC system can be harder than it sounds. In addition to changing them on a regular schedule, per manufacturer instructions, you might need to change filters more frequently if there’s an environmental factor that clogs them up faster. But knowing when to change your filters or keeping up on the date of your last filter change can sometimes fall off your radar. Smart filters for your HVAC system can remind you when they need to be changed—so there’s one less thing you need to keep track of.

Why you need to change your HVAC filters

The filter is designed to remove particles from the stream of air your HVAC system draws into your home for heating and cooling; over time, these particles become lodged in the air filter. They will eventually make it more difficult for your HVAC system to drive air through it, causing the fan to work harder. This can make your whole system less efficient, causing an increase to your energy bill, and it can also shorten the lifespan of your HVAC fan motor because it will run hotter and cause more wear.

Why you would need to change your filters early

Most manufacturers recommend that you replace your HVAC filter at least every 90 days, but to get the best air quality, some recommend swapping filters every 30 days. If you live in a place with high pollen counts, you might need to change your filter seasonally to keep up with the extra particles; if you live in an area that experiences wildfire smoke or excessive smog, your filters might need to be changed after a smoke event to keep your system running smoothly. Another common reason to change your air filter more frequently is if you’ve done construction in your home that caused extra dust. Those particles can clog your filter more rapidly than under normal circumstances.

What is a smart HVAC filter?

Smart HVAC filters have a sensor that reads the air pressure in your HVAC system, detecting the drop in pressure as air moves through the filter. The more debris and particles the filter catches, the lower the air pressure will be on the side of the filter opposite the fan. A smart air filter will keep track of the movement of air past your filter and use an algorithm to determine when it's time to change your filter. Smart filters for your HVAC system will send a signal through an app to your phone or tablet to alert you when it’s time to swap out your filter, and in some cases, can monitor your air flow and give you a timeline for how much longer your filter will last.

Where to find a smart air filter

There are currently two types of smart air filters available. One system is from Filtrete and connects to your phone via Bluetooth to send notifications about your air filter. This system can predict how much longer your air filter will last as well as notifying you when it’s time to change it. The downside to this system is that it doesn’t work with Google Home or Alexa, so you’ll need a separate app to use it that you can download from Google Play and the Apple Store. The other smart filtration system available is from Woosh; this system is designed to be paired with your existing smart thermostat through an app you can download on Google Play and in the Apple Store. The Woosh system will also automatically order a replacement filter insert for you when your current filter needs replacing. Of the two systems, Woosh has a higher initial cost of $149, but then costs $22 per filter insert to replace. Filtrete has a lower initial cost of between $25 and $35 for two filters and the smart device that attaches to the surface of the filter. However, if your goal is to create less waste, the Woosh system uses a frame that’s meant to last a longer time with filter inserts that are smaller and create less waste, while the Filtrete system requires the whole filter to be replaced while you keep only the smart device that attaches to it.

When it comes to home upgrades there are always a lot of obvious targets—whether you’re looking for affordable changes with a big impact, DIY renos that don’t require a lifetime of construction experience, or energy-smart changes that will save you money (and, possibly, the world). But there are some home upgrades that aren’t commonly thought of, that can nonethless have a huge impact on your enjoyment of your property.

Flapperless toilets

Your standard toilet—no matter how fancy—most likely uses a flapper-style mechanism. If you look inside the tank, you’ll see a chain running from the handle to a rubber or plastic disc-shaped flap that covers the egress valve. When you push the handle, the chain lifts the flapper, and water rushes into the bowl, initiating the flush. The flapper is one of the most common points of failure in a toilet—they get old and crack or warp and your toilet starts to leak and run all the time.

A flapperless toilet is exactly what it sounds like: It doesn’t use a flapper. Instead, it has a container in the tank that’s filled with water. When you push the handle, the container tips and starts the flushing process, then refills. It’s quieter. uses less water, and eliminates the failure-prone flapper from your life.

Tandem showerheads

Whether you’re a couple who always finds showering together much more romantic—and comfortable—in your head than in reality or you just want the luxury of multiple showerheads without the major plumbing project, a tandem shower head attachment will instantly upgrade your shower from blah to spa. You can find these in different configurations and different styles to match your design preferences, but the end result is the sort of shower you find yourself wanting to live in.

Tandem Shower by Boona

$249.00 at Amazon

Shop Now

Shop Now

$249.00 at Amazon

Under-bed nightlights

Nightlights are nothing new, and these days you can get some fancy (and cheap!) motion-activated ones that make stubbed toes and that uncanny sense you’re being followed to the bathroom a thing of the past. But here’s what you’re missing: a motion-activated night light under the bed. Not only will this mark the end of barking shins as you creep into bed hours after your partner, it also means that if you wake up in the middle of the night for a bathroom break or glass of water you won’t have to fumble in the dark until you make it to your first nightlight. Also, again: monsters. Why not ensure none are under there without even having to look? It’s just common sense.

TV backlights

If you’ve never installed a backlight behind your TV or computer monitor, your life is about to change. Screen backlights reduce eyestrain and improve picture quality—and just looks cool. Plus, they’re pretty cheap and easy to install, although you can get fancy and choose a system that actually syncs up the colors with whatever’s on your screen at the moment for a truly spectacular effect. As more and more of us prefer watching movies at home instead of in loud, uncomfortable theaters surrounded by sociopaths and influencers, a subtle upgrade like this pays off big time.

Power Practical LED Strip Lights Backlight

$22.75 at Amazon

$27.99 Save $5.24

Get Deal

Get Deal

$22.75 at Amazon

$27.99 Save $5.24

Soft-close toilet seats

Sure, everyone likes soft-close cabinetry—it’s easy and cheap and eliminates noise from your life. But why stop there? There’s another room where every interaction is punctuated by a loud, startling, soul-shattering banging noise: the bathroom. At least, in my house that was the case, because my wife would slam that seat down with a vengeance every time she went in there.

That’s why a soft-close toilet seat is so great. It does exactly the same job, is just as easy to install, and looks just like any other toilet seat—it’s just quieter, providing you with a more peaceful home life.

Hidden storm door closer

If you have a storm door on your home (and you definitely should), you know the torture of the pneumatic door closer. Calibrating those things is tricky, and you’ll spend a few weeks or months getting spanked by your storm door as the closer seems to randomly decide when to transition from a slow, graceful closing to a SUDDEN AND ALARMING speed.

The worst part is how ugly they are. That’s where a hidden door closer comes in. You can buy a storm door model with one built in (like this one from Larson), or you can add one that sits above the door (and thus can be added to most existing doors) like this one. Either way, you’ve just made your life a little nicer.

Double drawer dishwasher

At first thought, having two dishwashers or a double-drawer dishwasher like this one might seem unnecessary. But the upgrade here is efficiency, because you can load one drawer as you use dishes at all times, then extract clean dishes from the other as you need them. And if you frequently have small loads because you’re living alone or just don’t use a lot of dishes, you can run just one drawer without feeling like a monster.

Hidden kitchen step stool

Step stools are often a necessity in your kitchen, because for some reason wall cabinets are often completely unreachable by normal-sized humans. If that’s you and you have room in your cabinet layout for a pull-out spice rack (like this), then you also have room for a hidden step stool like this or this. Now you can reach everything up high without having to find a place to keep a clunky step stool. plus, it’s like a magic trick when you pull it out in front of guests.

I’ve previously shared the Good News about mosquito dunks, which stop mosquitoes from being able to breed in standing water. Recently I used dunks to create what’s sometimes called a “mosquito bucket of doom,” a trap that entices mosquitoes to breed in standing water that you have (muahahaha) poisoned against them. 

Not only is a bucket of doom easy to create—it took about five minutes, and my elementary-aged daughter did most of the work—it’s also more effective than other mosquito control attempts, like mosquito foggers. 

Why the bucket of doom is more effective than other types of mosquito management

There are three main ways of dealing with a mosquito problem in your yard: 

• Keep the mosquitoes away from you personally, with box fans, bug spray, and barriers like screening. They’re still out there, but at least they aren’t biting you.

• Kill adult mosquitoes, for example with foggers. Those individual mosquitoes won’t be able to bite anymore, since they’re dead, but the small amount you’ve managed to kill is not much of a dent in the mosquito population. This is the least effective strategy.

• Kill larvae or interfere with breeding. This is where the bucket of doom comes in. You’ll eliminate breeding sites in your yard, except for that very special bucket. The bucket will kill the baby mosquitoes before they can grow up. 

The first and third options are the ones that will make a difference: box fans and bug spray for yourself, mosquito breeding control for your yard. If you’re interested in trying to kill adult mosquitoes, read up on adulticides. They can be toxic to other insects like bees. They also don't tend to help mosquito problems unless you can manage to kill a lot of the adult mosquitoes, which can be difficult and expensive.

The bucket of doom is an easy and effective form of breeding control, but be aware that it works best in places where there aren’t other breeding sites for the mosquitoes. If you live next door to a swamp, the bucket may not help much. On the other hand, if you’re in a place where you and your neighbors are good about cleaning up stagnant water, the bucket will be more effective.

How a mosquito bucket of doom works

First, you need to understand the mosquito life cycle. (There are different species, with different preferences about who to bite and where to breed, but the same basic facts apply.)

Just as butterflies have a larval stage (the caterpillar), mosquitoes also have a larval stage and an adult flying stage. Females lay their eggs in or near water, and the larvae are aquatic. If you’ve ever looked into a bucket or pond and noticed wriggling wormy things near the surface, those were mosquito larvae. They hang upside down, breathing through a tube in their butts (I promise I am not making this up) but can swim around to hide or to look for microscopic bits of food to eat. 

They pupate (like caterpillars) and emerge from the water as adult mosquitoes. Male and female adults drink flower nectar (!!!) which is enough to keep them alive, but when a female is ready to breed, she needs protein. That’s where the biting comes in. She needs a “blood meal” to be able to build those little baby mosquito eggs. So she bites you, drinks a drop of your blood, and then a few days later she lays her eggs. Then the cycle can begin again.

The entire life cycle only takes a few weeks, so mosquitoes will breed (and bite) continuously all season. We’re going to disrupt this process by poisoning the water that the larvae live in. The eggs will hatch, but the larvae will die.

Is a mosquito bucket of doom safe? 

One of the things I love about the bucket of doom is that it targets mosquitoes and doesn’t affect most other insects, nor people and animals. 

The “poison” that we’re using is actually just a naturally occurring bacterium with the scientific name Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis (often abbreviated Bti). This type of bacteria makes a toxin that can kill mosquitoes, fungus gnats, and blackflies, but Bti is nontoxic to mammals, birds, and fish. Insects that don’t breed in water aren’t affected by dunks, so butterflies and bees are safe. 

A bucket of water can be a safety hazard for small children and for animals, just because they could fall into it and drown. If your bucket of doom is in an area where children or pets could access it, consider covering the bucket with a barrier. Chicken wire makes an easy DIY cover, but if you want something a little neater looking, use a hydroponic basket that snaps onto the top of the bucket. 

Tectsia Net Pots 6 Inch for 5 Gallon Bucket Wide Lids (6 Pack), Net Cups Hydroponic Bucket Lids, BPA-Free, DWC Basket Lids for 5 and 3.5 Gallon Bucket

$31.99

Shop Now

Shop Now

$31.99

How to make a mosquito bucket of doom

First, gather your supplies: 

• A bucket (the 5-gallon kind they sell at Home Depot is perfect)

• A package of mosquito dunks or granules that contain Bti

• Some organic matter like leaves or hay

• A lid, as described above (optional)

There’s an area of my yard where we often have a bucket or two around, and those buckets tend to fill up with rain. Obviously I dump them when I notice, but every now and then I’ve seen mosquito larvae in one of those buckets. Gross. So that’s where I decided to set up my first bucket of doom. 

I’ve seen the larvae even when there wasn’t any obvious source of nutrients in the bucket, but the instructions from university websites usually mention adding some hay, straw, or other organic matter. I asked my daughter to gather up some dry leaves from the corners of the yard and driveway. Then we filled the bucket partway with water, before adding the magic ingredient. Here are the steps so you can follow along: 

1. Add plant matter (hay, straw, leaves) to the bucket. 

2. Add water to the bucket, making a nice little pond for the mosquitoes.

3. Drop in ¼ of a mosquito dunk, or the amount indicated on the package.

In case you were wondering how big these things are. Credit: Beth Skwarecki

How to maintain your bucket of doom throughout the summer

My package said a quarter of a doughnut-shaped dunk is appropriate for controlling mosquitoes in one square foot of surface area, so we used a quarter dunk for our bucket. (Some photos online show people using a full dunk per bucket; that’s probably overkill.) You will need to add a new dunk monthly. 

I got my dunks for a little under $20 for a pack of 20, so let’s say I’m paying 25 cents per month to reduce the mosquito population. Add the cost of the bucket ($4.99 if you don’t already have one sitting around at home) and that’s less than $7 for a summer’s worth of mosquito protection. 

Make more than one bucket if you have a big yard or just want to cover your bases in multiple locations (maybe one in the backyard, one by your front porch). And remember, you still need to dump out all of your non-poisoned standing water. The bucket of doom works best when it’s the mosquitoes’ only option. 

People who use these buckets tend to report that they noticed far fewer mosquitoes in the months that followed. Mosquitoes take a few weeks to go through their life cycle, so don’t expect results instantly—but if you maintain your bucket and take care to eliminate other sources of standing water, you should notice there aren’t as many mosquitoes around this year as usual. 

Whether you need to stock up your home hobby shop, or just pick up a few things for a DIY project, you know how costs can quickly add up. If you just need a tool for a single use project, you can check out your local tool library or perhaps borrow a tool from a friend or neighbor, but some tools you’ll want to keep around for multiple projects, and others can get used up or wear out with use, like drill bits and saw blades.

In cases where it does make sense to buy, choosing a good quality tool that will last for years is a smarter investment than buying whatever is cheapest, because it will keep you from needing to replace tools and accessories as frequently. And some great tools from Irwin, a trusted manufacturer, are currently on sale on Amazon.

Clamps

Using clamps while you’re assembling a project will help keep your work steady, and your fingers away from your drill and hardware. Here are some deals on clamps that will make your home projects easier:

• This Irwin 3-inch corner clamp for light duty projects is on sale right for $10.99, 46% off its regular price. For this type of clamp to be practical, you’ll need one for each corner of a rectangular build, or you’ll need to attach each corner and then move your clamp for each attachment point, but at this price you're basically getting two for one.

• The Irwin 24-inch parallel jaw box clamp for woodworking projects is on sale for $42.78, 55% off its usual price. These clamps are good for keeping your parts level and snug while you’re attaching pieces or waiting for glue to dry.

• The Irwin 6.5-inch woodworker’s vise is on sale for $24.98, 46% off its regular price. This vise is useful for holding your parts steady for drilling, precise cutting, and chiseling on light duty projects. It can accept parts that are up to four and a half inches deep.

Vise grips

For holding pieces steady, metal working, and gripping small or hard to reach parts, vise grips are an essential shop staple.

• The Irwin 10-piece locking vise grip set that comes with multiple sizes and styles and sizes of vise grips including 10R, 10CR, 7R, 7WR, 7CR, 5WR, 6LN, 9LN, 6R and 11R locking pliers as well as a bag for carrying and storage is on sale for $131.67, 52% off it’s usual price. The set has two sizes of metal clamping grips, two sizes of needle nosed grips, and six sizes and styles of curved and straight jaw grips for a variety of projects and sizes of hardware and parts.

• The Irwin straight jaw, 7-inch locking pliers are on sale for 13.15, 48% off their normal price. These will accept about one and a half inch of material.

• The Irwin 7-inch curved jaw locking pliers are on sale for $11.49, 55% off their usual price. These pliers can accept up to about 1.5 inches of material, and the jaws are curved for better grip on hardware like bolt heads.

• The Irwin 10-inch welding pliers are on sale for $9.98, 65% off their usual price. These vice grips are designed for quick release, and to be comfortable on your hands.

Drill bits

In addition to getting worn over time, you'll often need a drill bit specific to a particular project, like a long bit, or a bit that’s designed to go through tougher or thicker material. Here are some deals on bits good for a variety of purposes.

• The Irwin 3-piece wood drill bit set comes with a ⅝ inch, ¾ inch, and one inch bit designed for quickly drilling through wood. This set is on sale right now for $9.98, 67% off its regular price. This set is good for speed, and the smaller, threaded tip will help with accuracy.

• The Irwin 15-piece titanium coated steel drill bit set is on sale for $21.55, 55% off its normal price. The bits range in size from 1/16-inch to ⅜ inch in size and have a sharp tip to help keep the bit from skiing while you’re starting your hole.

• The Irwin number 12 countersink wood drill bit is on sale for $8.01, 59% off its regular price. This tapered countersink bit will work for drilling a 3/16  pilot hole, allowing you to drive screws without splitting, and has a fluted base, making room for the head of your screw to be flush with the surface of your lumber.

Tools for measuring and marking

Here are some deals on tools for measuring and marking, which will improve the accuracy of your cuts and keep your projects on track.

• The Irwin 6-inch combination square is on sale for $9.99, 40% off its regular price. A combination square is useful for marking cuts on a chop saw, squaring up factory ends of boards, or precise marking for hardware.

• Irwin 8 oz. chalk line refill is on sale for $0.95, 57% off its regular price. Chalk is used to make straight lines using a chalk line on the surface of boards.

• Irwin 8 oz. high vis chalk line refill is on sale for $1.59, 62% off its regular price. High visibility chalk can be used to make a straight line on a darker surface.

If you own a home, you’ve probably at least contemplated making major, dramatic changes to it; having control over your shelter is important psychologically, and one way we exert that control is by changing it to better meet our needs. And we increasingly treat our homes as reflections of our emotional and mental state, often turning to renovation projects when we feel stuck or unhappy in other areas of our lives (for better or for worse).

We usually discuss home renovation projects in terms of return on investment (ROI) or the practical impact the change will have on our daily lives and our families. But there’s a crucial aspect of home remodeling that we should prioritize more: happiness. How happy will that home renovation project make you? The National Association of Realtors (NAR) has quantified this to some extent with their “Joy Score,” which asks homeowners to rate how happy a home renovation has made them. Combined with some other factors, it’s possible to come up with a list of the home renovation projects that will make you the happiest—and they’re not always the most expensive or ambitious.

Happiness-inducing indoor projects

Unsurprisingly, one of the key factors in any home renovation project is how well the end result meets the need that inspired it. If your kitchen is barely functional before the renovation and does everything you need after, you’re probably going to be pretty happy with the project (assuming no soul-killing problems like massive cost overruns or your contractor dropping an uber-expensive countertop just inches away from installation).

But the renovation projects that will make you happiest in the house are often the simplest. All of these renovations received a perfect Joy Score of 10, for example:

• Painting. Painting the whole interior of your home or even just one room can be very, very satisfying. There’s some evidence that color has an explicit impact on your mental state, and many people subjectively experience a boost in mood with the right paint colors. Plus, painting is like literally erasing mistakes. Throw in the relatively low cost, speed, and ease of this project and the happiness factor is obvious.

• Home office addition. This is all about solving problems. If you’re working from home and find yourself balancing your laptop on your knees in the bathroom, creating a dedicated office space can make you feel like you’re a professional.

• New or refinished wood floors. Like paint on the walls, that new floor shine feels like shedding the mistakes of the past (like the time you dragged the couch to a new spot and left deep gouges in your floor). Plus the durability of the final result—an improvement that will last years—is very satisfying.

• Closet renovation. Our closets are like a personal Portrait of Dorian Gray—the public-facing parts of our home might be neat and tidy while our closets are overflowing nightmares. Organizing always feels good, so it’s little wonder that creating order out of chaos in our closets makes us happy.

• Attic conversion. Conquering an area of your house currently ruled by spiders is always going to make you feel better. Not only do you turn a dark and slightly dangerous place (where you can easily misstep and fall through the ceiling) into a functional and useful space, you gain square footage and increase your home’s value.

• New insulation. This might be a surprising one, but not if you think about it: Not only does new or upgraded insulation improve your home’s energy efficiency, which feels good, it also makes your home more comfortable—which makes people want to spend more time there.

Happiness-inducing outdoor projects

Home renovations outside the house hit a little different, but access to outdoor spaces can have a huge positive impact on your overall happiness, so it’s not surprising that some of these projects score really high on the joy scale:

• In-ground pool. A pool makes people want to spend more time in their homes, and gives them a higher sense of enjoyment of the property. Not only can you cool off and get some good exercise in a pool, you can also throw some pretty epic parties around one.

• Landscape lighting. Another perfect Joy Score involves adding light to your outdoor spaces. Solid lighting design outside can turn a dark, foreboding yard into a beautiful spot you want to spend time in. It also increases a sense of security, since you can actually see what’s going on. Plus, it doesn’t have to be a complicated project—some solar lights, used thoughtfully, is all you need.

• New patio or deck. Like the pool, a new patio area or deck makes people want to use their outdoor spaces more, because they provide comfortable areas to relax. A new patio or deck turns a blank canvas into an entertaining space or a spot for decompression, cocktails, and enjoying the fresh air.

• Fire feature. Fire can have a positive psychological impact—it can be relaxing and meditative. It manages a Joy Score of 9.7 because it makes our outdoor spaces more inviting, gives them more “personality,” and increases the amount of time you can enjoy your yard, patio, or deck because it allows us to use those spaces even when it’s a little colder than we’d like.

If you’ve ever noticed that the edge of your board gets splintered while you’re cutting, you’re dealing with one of the most common problems for woodworkers: tearout. Tearout can be caused by using the wrong type of saw blade, a dull blade, or from improperly positioned lumber. But sometimes, you can do all these things correctly and still have a splinter problem. Sanding can help if your splintering is minimal, but here are some other methods to help prevent splintering from happening.

How to prevent tearout with a backer board

One of the most common ways to prevent splintering when using a chop saw or miter saw is to use a backer board. This is a simple way to support the grain of your lumber from the back side while cutting. Since the blade on a saw used for cross-cutting spins 90 degrees to the direction of the grain, the blade can tend to pull splinters out on the back side of your board. Place a scrap of wood against the fence of the saw—the part that you push your lumber up against to make your cut—before you position your board. Then, place your board against the scrap and make your cut through both the board and your scrap. The backer board will support the lumber you’re cutting, reducing tearout.

You can also use a backer board on a table saw, but you’ll need a board that’s at least as wide as the cut you’re making for it to work, making this method impractical in some circumstances. To use this method, place the board you’re cutting on top of another piece of lumber before cutting on the table saw. This can help some with tearout on the bottom side of your piece.

Preventing tearout with tape

Tape is another good fix for preventing tearout. If you’re cutting on a table saw, using a strip of masking tape or blue tape on the top side of your board above where the blade is positioned and cutting with the good side down can help prevent tearout. On a circular saw, you can use tape on the bottom side of your board, cutting with the good side up. Be aware that cutting through tape will likely dull your saw blade more quickly, but it might be worth it, depending on how precise you need the edges of your cut to be.

Preventing tearout with scoring

To keep tearout from happening, one helpful method is to score the board along your cut line before cutting. You can do this with a utility knife, a scoring tool, or any blade you have handy by making a groove with your tool using a straight edge along your cut line before making your cut. Essentially what this method does is pre-cut the surface of your board without teeth, making it less likely for the saw blade to catch on splinters as it spins and the teeth exit the board.

Reducing tearout using a router

If tearout prevention methods don’t work or are impractical, you can make a cut that’s an eighth to a quarter inch outside your cut line and then attach a straight board along your cut line and trim the remaining material with a flush trim bit in a router. Since the router blade usually spins perpendicular to your board, a sharp flush trim bit should produce very little tearout. For curved or irregular cuts, you can make a template that’s the exact size and shape of your cut, then use the router to trim your piece to the shape you want using the same method. This is also a good way to make multiple pieces the same size and shape.

Preventing tearout when drilling holes

If you’re using a drill press, clamping a scrap piece of wood onto the foot of your press before drilling can give the bottom of your board’s grain support as the drill bit exits the board. You can reduce splintering using this method with a hand-held drill, too, by clamping a scrap to the back side of your mark, making sure the clamp is clear of the hole, and drilling with the scrap in place. You can also drill a shallow hole on the opposite side of your board and then drill through from the top, reducing the exposed surface grain that needs to be drilled through.

Combining tearout prevention methods

There’s no rule that says you can’t use tape and a backer board and scoring at the same time. Combining methods, especially if you’re trying to make a very clean, precise cut, will decrease tearout even more. You should also make sure your blade is sharp and that you're using the appropriate one for the job you’re doing. If you’re making a cross cut, make sure you have a cross-cut blade on your saw, and if you’re making a rip cut, going with the grain, make sure you have a blade that’s designed for that cut on your saw.