How To: Use a Multimeter

Once reserved for engineers and electronic technicians, multimeters—sometimes called “multitesters”—have come down in...

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How To: Remove Linoleum

Linoleum is a classic and resilient material, often found in high-traffic spaces like kitchens, bathrooms, and hallwa...

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Is It Time to Pull the Plug on Your Water Heater?

Are your hot showers not lasting as long as they used to? Does your bath water turn cold before it’s done filling? If you are noticing a change in the performance of your water heater, or you’ve been living with sub par hot water, then it’s time to consider changing your water heater.

Start by taking this online quiz, KnowYourWaterHeater.com, which will help you determine if it’s time to replace your water heater. The lifespan of most water heaters is 10-12 years before performance begins to degrade, but some don’t even last that long.

With the rising cost of electricity, gas water heaters are fast becoming a more viable and money-saving option. When shopping for your next water heater you need to evaluate the long-term value. Look at the annual cost of ownership, which is the cost of original equipment, installation, and annual energy costs. Gas-powered high-efficiency storage tank and tankless models deliver lower annual ownership costs than electric or heating oil models in most parts of the country.

Don’t wait on replacing your water heater as it will continue to cost you money. By switching to a new energy-efficient water heater or a new energy source, like propane, you could save hundreds of dollars each year. It’s recommended that a propane water heater is installed by a professional. Working with gas is a unique skill and requires the proper tools and equipment.

When shopping for a new propane gas-powered water heater, make sure it’s ENERGY STAR Certified.

Photos courtesy of the Propane Education & Research Council.

This post is sponsored by the Propane Education and Research Council, but all opinions and statements are from Timothy Dahl of Charles & Hudson LLC.

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Genius! Turn Any Belt into a Tool Belt

Belts have been in use since the Bronze Age almost always adding functionality to an everyday uniform—from carrying E...

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9 IKEA Bookcase Hacks

I know that IKEA furniture hacks are all the rage, but there’s a good reason for that. It’s inexpensive, and their furniture is easy to transform into something custom and stylish without spending a ton of money. Today I wanted to share several IKEA Bookcase Hacks to inspire you—there are so many ways to put your own design spin on these budget-friendly, versatile furniture pieces! You may remember when I transformed this IKEA Billy Bookcase for a fun design challenge.

 

I love this Moroccan Stencil IKEA Hack by Lovely Etc.

This Industrial Cabinet Hack by Ashley at Simply Designing is another creative way to make over a simple bookshelf.

Melissa from Polished Habitat added some fabric backing to her bookshelves, which is the perfect way to customize them!

Tania from Run to Radiance made her IKEA Billy Bookshelves look like custom built-ins and they turned out awesome! Her studio is totally droolworthy.

 

Angela from Blue i Style added some cute yellow bun feet to her bookshelf—the perfect whimsical touch in this fun kid’s space.

 

My friend Charlotte from Ciburbanity added paint stirrer sticks to the side of her shelf, along with a  custom paint treatment for a really cool and unique look.

 

Jenna from Rain on a Tin Roof turned her IKEA Billy Bookcase into an amazing dress-up closet for her daughter. How fun is that?!

 

Check out this gorgeous bookcase hack by Heathered Nest! I absolutely love this adorable room.

Hopefully these IKEA Bookcase hacks have sparked your creativity and inspired you to think outside the box when you see basic shelving! A basic bookcase may look boring or plain on the store shelf, but it can be something special and unique after you put your own DIY spin on it.

If you enjoyed this post, you might also like these 13 IKEA Curtain Hacks!

What type of makeover would you give to a plain bookcase?

You can also connect with me here:

Thanks for visiting!

-Erin

The post 9 IKEA Bookcase Hacks appeared first on DIY on the Cheap by Erin Spain.

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The Must-Have Tool Set for Every Apartment or Dorm

Whether you’re an apartment dweller or simply don’t feel the need to store a box full of tools, everyone needs some basic tools to assist in various household tasks. We’ve compiled a group of tools that won’t take up valuable closet space, but will also have you prepared for the next fix-it job around the house.

Screwdrivers
Go with the stubby variety to save the most space (a flathead and phillips head screwdriver), but for the most versatility a screwdriver with interchangeable heads will work best, even better if it’s also stubby.

Heavy Duty Scissors
Skip office scissors, which will wilt under the pressure of cutting rope or fabric. A set of contractor grade scissors has many uses from the kitchen to the workshop.

Crescent Adjustable Wrench
An adjustable wrench is a must-have in any tiny tool kit. Consider a kit that includes multiple sizes, so you’ve got all your nuts and bolt sizes covered.

Tape Measure
From woodworking to interior design, a tape measure is indispensable. A 12’ locking tape measure should handle most jobs around the house but won’t have the bulk of a 25’ contractor grade tape measure.

Level
A standard bubble level with a measuring scale is necessary when installing shelves and can be helpful when hanging mirrors or artwork. But there’s also an app for that.

Hammer
An 8 oz. stubby claw hammer will do 90% of the jobs around the house.

Pliers
If you’ve got the space then go with a 6” slip-joint and a 6” long nose pair of pliers.

If you’ve got room to spare, consider adding a mini-hacksaw or jab saw, an all-purpose sanding sponge, work gloves, eye protection.

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How to Choose Between PEX and Copper Pipe

If you’re faced with repiping your home because of a water leak, you’ll be presented with two piping options: copper or PEX. Here’s a breakdown of the pros and cons for each type.

The video above from the Twin Plumbers gives a brief overview of each type of piping, but typically you’ll decide based on the plumbing job your home is facing and which type of piping your plumber recommends and is skilled at installing.

Copper Pipe
Copper tubing has been the longtime standard for plumbing and requires a certain skillset for sweating (soldering) pipes and fittings together. This is a job you can do yourself, but it does require patience and is best practiced on a vise and workbench before performing under a sink.

Copper has natural attributes that make it ideal for plumbing. It creates a biostatic atmosphere which makes it difficult for bacteria to grow inside of it. It also resists corrosion and is unaffected by ultraviolet rays, which allows you to use it outdoors.

Copper does have a few disadvantages, though. Copper has become expensive, whereas PEX is typically about a third of the cost. It can still corrode based on the pH levels of water and if you live in a cold climate, copper can freeze and break.

PEX
PEX (or crosslinked polyethylene) was introduced in the US around 1980 and is often seen in radiant heat flooring applications, but has now become commonplace for repiping and plumbing repairs.

PEX popularity can be attributed to many factors, including cost, flexibility, resistance to scale and chlorine, and fast installation with fewer connections and fittings. PEX is also more efficient as it doesn’t lose heat like a copper pipe will. Although PEX is not suitable for use outside, it is much more resistant to freezing temperatures and bursting.

PEX is color coded based on water temperature (red is hot, blue is cold, white is any) which is a handy feature.
Installing PEX tubing can be done with cinch or crimp rings and a cinch clamp tool or compression or stab-in fittings, either technique is easier and less toxic than sweating copper.

Most DIYers will probably opt for PEX when doing their own repairs, but if you’re already adept at soldering and have the right tools, then copper remains a viable option.

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