Mike McClintock

Thermostats used to be mechanical. When you turned the dial, parts moved inside, including a glass vial holding a blob of mercury. The almost Rube Goldberg on-off switch worked, but...

House siding is like tree bark — a tough exterior skin that takes a beating to protect thinner-skinned materials inside. But there are so many sources of damage. A stray...

Pressure washers are portable pumps that boost the household flow of about 50 psi up to 2,000 psi with electric models, and 4,000 psi with gas models rated for DIY...

For $10,000 and up, you can ride out power outages with an automatic, whole-house electrical backup system. But for most homeowners these days, an investment of $300 to $400 is...

Wood floors need a sealer to protect new wood when it's installed, and again years later after resanding. Finishes like shellac, lacquer and linseed oil don't qualify even though they're...

We all know the ups and downs of our homes by heart. But approach an unfamiliar set of steps and most people look down to check the first footfall. After...

Lint filters in clothes dryers are clog-prone bottlenecks — on purpose. Without them, lint drifts through the exhaust duct. It can lodge on protruding screws used incorrectly to join metal...

Deck girders, joists and planks are nailed and tied together with hardware into a nearly indestructible framework. The interlocked timbers may need cleaning and resealing after a few years, but...