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How to Winterize a Refrigerator

Winterizing a home is the act of preparing to leave a home empty during the winter. It requires that all water be purged from the system and the main flow be turned off. Some people forget that appliances such as refrigerators and washing machines also contain water that can freeze during the winter, resulting in severe damage. The refrigerator is one of the quickest appliances to winterize. The entire process can be completed in less than an hour.

Homemade Sound Absorbing Materials | HomeSteady

Creating a music room or recording studio doesn't need to involve costly expenditures on high-performance studio sound treatments. Everyday objects around the home and affordable alternatives available from home supply and hardware stores provide you with great ways to absorb sound in your space. It might not look as good, but you can achieve high level sound reduction with homemade equipment. In many cases, these homemade treatments create results as good as those achieved in a similar space with professional sound absorbing materials.

How to Make Stairs Out of a Box

A box stair works for low transitions, such as two or three steps to a deck or doorway. Box stairs have the advantage of being easier to build. They are also sturdier than traditional steps. While traditional stairs use stair stringers as a basis for steps, box stairs use a series of pressure-treated wood boxes, in which one box equals one step. The number of boxes you need depends upon how many stairs you want to build.

Type of Sander Needed for a Pine Floor

Pine is a soft wood that requires a more delicate style of sanding. While several types of sanders can be used, each must be used with a specific technique. Sanding pine as you would hardwood will result in scratches, bumps and gashes that may be irreparable. When you choose between possible sanders, practice on pine scrap wood before beginning on your floors. Belt Sander Pine wood must be sanded more gently than other woods.

How to Repair a Section of Exterior Composite Siding

Exterior composite siding is made from sawdust or wood chip fibers mixed with glue and bonded together using heat and high pressure. Some composite boards are formed with the addition of Portland cement to help ward off termite infestation. Composite siding is designed to last much longer than standard wood planks. Repair a Section of Exterior Composite Siding When installed and maintained properly, they offer complete protection from the elements.

How to Use Bronner's for Automatic Dishwashers

Dr. Bronner's Castile soaps are vegetable-oil-based soaps, as opposed to animal-fat-based soaps, with no blends of detergents. The company claims its products are more environmentally safe because their pure formulation does not create a hazard when it runs off into streams or other waterways. Dr. Bronner's soap comes in several varieties, including peppermint, orange, lavender, unscented and tea tree. It has a multitude of uses as a personal cleanser, but is also used for household cleaning, including as an automatic dishwasher detergent.

The Average Cost of Fencing

Chain link fences, three-rail fences, picket fences and private fences are some of the most popular types of fencing on the market. Private fences prevent your neighbors from seeing what's on your property. Three-rail fences can be for decoration but are widely used to keep livestock within a specific area. The costs can vary depending on what kind of fencing system you want. Material used and height of the fence are the largest cost factors.

How to Make a Schoolbus Out of Cardboard

If your child is about to start school for the first time, you can make the transition easier by providing your child with crafts projects related to school. For example, you can help your child understand what a school bus is by making a school bus with him out of cardboard. You can make a school bus craft out of a shoe box and art supplies. Things You Will Need + Cardboard shoebox Cardboard Scissors Craft glue Acrylic paint Paintbrush Silver squeezable puff paint Once the bus is finished, your child can play with the school bus to get used to the idea of riding in one.

How to Use Lime to Remove Algae from Ponds

A pond can add great value to your property or home. Along with the responsibility of landscaping around the pond comes the task of keeping the pond clean, fresh and clear. Algae blooms have a tendency to build up on the surface of ponds when excessive nutrients have been introduced to the pond water, usually through plant and animal decay and debris. Removing this algae for good requires safe use of hydrated lime (calcium hydroxide), a powerful corrosive that must be handled with care and kept out of the reach of children.

How to Fix a Zipper Off the Track on a Lunch Box

While there is never a good time for an off-track zipper, a broken lunch box zipper can be a special sort of annoyance. When it comes to keeping your food fresh, there's not much room for error. Frustrating as it may be, always keep a cool head when dealing with an off-track zipper. Off-track zippers completely separate from one side of the track. Once you learn to reset a broken zipper, you can apply the skill to all sorts zippers, not just those on lunchboxes.