If you have a lot of trees in your yard, the summertime shade can make spending time in your backyard pleasant. In the fall when all the leaves end up on your lawn don't consider the mess a chore, because removing and using the leaves can be helpful to your yard's landscaping. Here are four reasons that you should clean up and use the leaves in your backyard landscaping. Large Amounts of Leaves on Your Lawn Are Bad

A custom fireplace can add charm and a cozy feeling to your home. Rather than lighting your fireplace only to give the room a warm glow, there are several useful things you can do with it. Here are three ways you can put your fireplace to use this winter and get a little more out of it than you normally would. Emergency Preparedness The forecast this winter includes a lot of high snow levels and record low temperatures for several parts of the United States.

Is your flat roof constantly leaking and causing problems to your commercial building? If so, you are not alone. Flat roofs tend to be leaky, no matter what type of material is used, but there is an alternative option you could consider if you are tired of dealing with this. You could hire a commercial roofing company to convert your roof from a flat roof to one that has a pitch.

Are you having problems with your garage door? Although you might be tempted to call for help at the first sign of trouble, you might end up feeling silly if the problem was something that you could have easily diagnosed and solved on your own. Here are two things to check before you contact a garage door professional, and how you might be able to troubleshoot your system. 1: Remote Controls

Pools offer style and class to any home, but only if you take proper care of them. One aspect of pool care is choosing a custom pool surfacing. Three of the more common pool finishes are plaster, aggregate and tile. Learn about each one and discover the pros and cons of each option to help you find the best finish for your pool. Plaster Plaster is the oldest and most common pool finish, and it is cement mixed with marble dust or silica sand.

When you see a massive tower or a huge oil platform built in the middle of the ocean, it's natural to be a little bit amazed. Such extreme structures require extreme building methods. More than that, they require cranes that seem almost as unlikely as the structures themselves. These are some of the amazing cranes that build the impossible structures we take for granted. Some are unique because of where they operate while others stand out because of their sheer power and capacity.

Pellet stoves use compressed wood pellets as a fuel source, and they can generate a significant amount of heat. Unlike traditional wood stoves, these units store pellets in a hopper that feeds the stove gradually according to the temperature and feed rate settings. If you've never used a pellet stove before, you may not be familiar with the unique settings of these systems. Here's a look at what you need to do to light your new pellet stove for the first time.

If you are left dealing with a tough drain clog early in the morning or after regular business hours, it might not be feasible to call your favorite plumber or run to the hardware store for supplies. Fortunately, you might be able to clear that plumbing fixture with a few things that you already own. Here are a few household items that you can use to unclog your drains. 1: Tea Kettle

That leaky toilet you forgot to repair in the summer might be the reason your heat pump isn't performing well once the weather gets cold in the winter. A leaky toilet can create a lot of moisture or humidity in the air, especially when it leaks around the tank. If your heat pump needs to work overtime to remove excessive humidity in your bathroom, you may face higher utility bills in the upcoming months.

Your warm, cozy home provides you with shelter, a comfortable place to sleep and the ideal environment to raise your kids. Unfortunately, insects of all shapes and sizes will find any way they can to get into your house for exactly the same reasons. Instead of resigning yourself to waging an on-going war against these icky, tiny invaders, there are several, inexpensive ways you can discover more about bug-proofing your home. From your elegant patio doors to your kitchen to your bedroom and bathroom windows, here are a few easy ways to keep insects out: