Home Safety How To & DIY

Doing it yourself should also mean doing it safely. But for folks without a lot of construction experience, knowing how to keep safe while still making progress on a home renovation or repair can be one of the most challenging aspects of the job. Keep these simple precautions in mind while tackling your own projects to increase the odds of staying safe and finishing the project.

Whether it’s from a fire in the home or a wildfire nearby, put that scary memory behind you with these effective tricks for removing the odor of smoke. Here’s how.

Here’s how you can go about aging in place not just gracefully but gradually—without giving up the house you love.

Protect your home and everything inside with these simple tips to help make your garage, an easy entry point for burglars, more secure.

There are many factors to consider when choosing a security system for your home, from installation to monitoring and more. Read our guide below to find out all you need to know.

To improve your home’s security, you can rekey your locks. Read our guide on how to rekey a lock and when it's best to hire a professional.

Go beyond the weekly dust swipe-and-sweep and gear up for what pros call a "deep cleaning." Read our tips for deep cleaning your living room, bathroom, kitchen and laundry appliances.

Planning to create or redo a below-grade living space? Finished basements are vulnerable to damage from storm-water intrusions, leaking pipes and hot-water tanks, or simply high humidity. Lower the risk of mold or mildew taking hold by remodeling with materials made to shake off damp conditions

The plant-populated channels can redirect storm water to specific locations

From a burglar’s point of view, an attached garage can mean access to the entire house, even if an automatic door operator keeps it locked up tight. A whole-house security system is your best safeguard, but these DIY moves can also help defeat intruders at this potential entry point

How to toss or recycle household materials in need of special treatment. Note: Be sure to check your local laws before proceeding

Watch these common problem areas to help prevent costly household disasters

Learn the best way to reduce your use of certain household products, as well as the proper way to dispose of those you no longer need

If it's been a while since you cleaned out the basement or shed, watch out for these dangerous household chemicals hiding on the back shelves

Thousands of kids go to emergency rooms every year as a result of preventable, accidental injuries. Here's how you can lower your youngster's chances of being one of them

From fire pit clearance to snuffing out unruly flames, here are some important tips and essential rules on fire pit safety.

Discover your home's vulnerable spots before you go away on vacation, and learn how to prevent burglaries for less than $250

Mold spores are a problem anywhere it's humid, but in post-Katrina New Orleans, the scourge was hard to beat; here's how the owner of the TOH TV NOLA project did it