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On the Level with Bob Vila - Latest Entries:

• An End to Clogged Sinks

  I like to think I have a pretty strong stomach, but even I start to gag when cleaning a clog from my bathroom sink plumbing. The first time I had to do so--at my old apartment--I wasn't prepared for the stomach-churning stench that fell from the P-trap. Or the clumps of hair, used toothpaste, grime and grit that spilled into the catch bucket. Over my lifetime I've had to clean a clog from a bathroom sink three or four times, and it doesn't get any easier. I don't remember exactly, ...

• The Case of the Spraying Cat

  As I move through the years I find myself believing less and less in "coincidences." Things happen for a reason. For example, just last week I was reminiscing to my co-workers about the cat my family used to have when I was much younger. He was a friendly tabby named "Woody." An indoor cat, through and through, and more or less well-behaved. When we moved from Pittsburgh to the home in Durham (where my folks still reside), however, something happened to Woody. He ...

• FSBO: The Waiting Game

  The good news: Our Open House was successful! It was a beautiful, sunny day (as shown in the picture) and we had over a dozen couples come to see our place. My husband hosted the hour and a half showing and said there was tons of great feedback. One woman didn't realize that he was the owner and turned to him saying, "Wow, these people are neat freaks!" Ha! If she really knew me. Another couple thought our pictures online were so good, they came to get staging tips because they are looking ...

• In the Market for a Generator

  My folks recently came off a good five day stretch without power to their home in Durham, NH. The combination of heavy, wet snow and wind speeds well over 50 mph downed trees, limbs and powerlines all over their region. It wasn't a hurricane or a Nor'easter; it was just a perfect combination of conditions that led to widespread and relatively long-term power outages. It was also enough for my normally thrifty parents to begin seriously considering a generator. It may have ...

• FSBO: Getting Started

  As I mentioned yesterday, my husband and I have decided to sell our Boston condo ourselves. We have a little bit of experience (and a lot of luck) doing this with one other property, and depending on how this sale goes, we're about to think we're pretty amazing -- or pretty dumb. We have worked on getting our house ready since January 2nd. Mostly, this is because we have a one year old boy who doesn't sit still and likes to empty boxes once we've filled them. So, we limited our work to ...

• FSBO: Am I Crazy?

  My husband and I have decided to sell our Boston condo -- ourselves. I have to admit that I'm a total stress case about it, but my personality would have the same stress level if we were with an agent. Except maybe I wouldn't be doubting our every move. Here is why we decided to go FSBO (For Sale by Owner): Most importantly, we'd be taking a financial loss if we paid the required 5% commission to Realtors. With the state of the economy, our place just hasn't appreciated very much in 2.5 ...

• The Jetson Family Found Living In...Finland?

  For some reason I pictured the house of the future to have more rounded edges and moving parts--you know, sleek, curved furniture and conveyor belts to move you from room to room. But no. It's really just a house like yours and mine, with a few more wires, maybe. The home in question belongs to Jari Arkko and sits near Helsinki, Finland. It's a pretty smart home. In addition to giving the Arkkos access to stored media in the home and allowing them to monitor home health ...

• TD Bank to Pay Off One Lucky Homeowner's Mortgage

  I've never been prouder to say I am a TD Bank customer. The East Coast commercial bank is going to pay off the mortgage of one lucky homeowner (up to $250,000). Anyone who applies for a TD Bank mortgage between March 7 and April 30 will be entered into the drawing. (Existing TD Bank mortgage customers are automatically entered). The bank is also going to award $2,500 to six weekly winners, to go towards a mortgage payment. I wonder if the $2,500 HAS to go towards the ...

• Has the ENERGY STAR Fallen?

  Has the ENERGY STAR Fallen? Last week's Washington Post article on ENERGY STAR called into question the legitimacy of the program's "high standard" when more than half of the products in an ENERGY STAR-eligible category qualify for the label. Some product categories see ENERGY STAR market share at well over half, like television (79%), dehumidifiers (75%) and dishwashers (67%). The program should be evaluating its standards and, in many cases, raising them, the article ...

• The Backyard Putting Green

  Think your backyard is cool? Take a look at this guy's. These light fixtures for a backyard putting green were a candidate for our upcoming Outdoor Lighting Gallery. Although the company will install the illumination for your at-home golf course, our goal is to inspire readers towards the attainable... thus, this particular project fell to the cutting room floor... where I snatched it up. It's too good not to be seen by the world. The lights are from Unique Lighting's ...

• The New BobVila.com Kitchen Budgeter

  Few people have the luxury of undertaking a kitchen remodel without first establishing a budget. For most, the remodel can't happen without one. But coming up with a budget is challenging, particularly for those without remodeling experience. Sure, you may know what you have to spend on the total project, but how do you allocate those funds? Most kitchen remodels are going to require x amount of dollars on essentials, like drywall repair, plumbing, permits and demolition. This cuts ...

• USGBC Release "Top 10 Green Building Bills"

  You may not be the political type, but anyone who appreciates our country's move in a greener direction will find the U.S. Green Building Council's (USGBC) "Top 10 Green Building Bills" an interesting read. The Council has compiled a Top 10 list for both House and Senate legislation that "advances green building and the economic activity and jobs that come with it." Atop the list for the House sits the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, which allocated over $22 billion for energy ...

• Forget Parachute: What Color is Your ROOF?

  Got a few minutes to kill? Then take a look at this fun little tool from Owens Corning called the Roofing Color Compass. By answering 9 simple questions, the Roofing Color Compass can tell you what kind of roof will best fit your personality. Yeah, it's not exactly the Myers-Briggs, but we are talking roofs here. It's a big purchase. Probably a good idea to pick the right one, right? According to the quiz, my "perfect" colors are brown and green. (Note: we're not ...

• A Heated Walkway

  As much as I loved snow days as a kid, I hated spending the day off from school shoveling the driveway and walkway. I think that's why I like the idea of the HeatTrak, the plug-in heated mat for walkways, stairs and rooftops. The video above tells all. No more shoveling! Take a look at the different options on their product page. I like the stair mats, personally, although $60 for a single mat seems a bit steep. The mats plug into standard 120 V outlets and melt ...

• Bettering the Bathroom Space

  Do you want a bathroom makeover but fear the high costs? Sentrel's wall paneling may not be the answer for a whole-room remodel, but it can add sophistication and customization to the bathroom space. Essentially a printed paneling product, Sentrel's composite panels utilize high-resolution imagery sandwiched between a PVC backer-board and a polyester top cap. Installation requires a jig saw, miter saw for miter cuts, a plane, and an assortment of hand tools and adhesives. The ...

Press Releases/News - Dewalt, Carhartt, Wenger:

DeWalt

• April, 23 2006 - Kenseth Regains Points Lead With Strong Run In The Desert
• February 21, 2006 - DEWALT Introduces Self-Leveling Exterior Rotary Laser
• January 21, 2006 - DEWALT Launches New Line Of Accessories
• January 18, 2006 - DEWALT Unveils Heavy-Duty SDS MAX Combination Hammer
• January 15, 2006 - DEWALT Offers Framer Combo Kits