Home Improvement
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How to keep furnace running properlySep 29, 2015 1:00 am - Q. It is going to be heating season fairly soon. I have my furnace serviced every two years for efficiency. Is there any do-it-yourself maintenance I can do each fall to...
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Winter is time for nontoxic home improvementsSep 27, 2015 7:15 am - As the days shorten and the winter holidays approach, many homeowners decide to freshen up walls, floors and furniture. But the effect isn't always fresh. There are many...
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Replacing old shower pan is not the end of worldSep 27, 2015 1:00 am - Q. We have an acrylic-type shower floor that is about 30 years old. Since we have a well and septic system, the floor gets a lot of abuse from iron in the water, and it ...
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Women empowered in Habitat for Humanity build in West ChicagoSep 22, 2015 1:00 am - Liz Rangel was among the many women lined up outside a DuPage Habitat for Humanity build in West Chicago, anxiously waiting her turn to learn how to use a power saw. The...
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Reader asks for recommendation on replacement doorSep 20, 2015 1:00 am - Q. I love your column in the Daily Herald and make a point to read it every week. I am looking into replacing our old single-pane patio door and am confused by the many ...
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Contemporary bathroom design is all about simplicitySep 20, 2015 1:00 am - The first thought that comes to mind when pondering this year's smash movie "Fifty Shades of Grey" is probably not the aesthetics in the bathroom. Yet, if you're going f...
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Today's fireplaces offer a wide range of optionsSep 11, 2015 6:00 am - “Life always works around heat and food,” says Susan Prestia of Interior Directions in Kansas City, Kansas. “Shelters had fire pits. Single-room houses had a fireplace, ...
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How to add a little extra security to a front doorSep 11, 2015 1:00 am - A standard door lock may keep some people from getting into your home, but if you want to add some extra security to your doors, there are some inexpensive and easy ways...
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How to fund that major remodelSep 06, 2015 1:00 am - After 11 years in their Annandale, Virginia, home, Mike and Cherie Jacobs were ready for something bigger and better. But sacrificing their super-low mortgage rate to pa...
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How smart homes can help you with your health, security
Sep 05, 2015 11:00 pm - Steve Lee knows when his mother gets up in the morning, walks into the living room, opens the front door to get the paper and takes her medications in the kitchen. Nothi...