We’ve just finished the guttering on our new outbuildings, and we’re now looking into buying some rain barrels for the downpipes – but are they worth fitting? Rain barrels for home use come in a standard 50-gallon size, and are a very good way of harvesting rainwater in your yard. With a special adapter kit, …
Do Rain Barrels Really Work? (14 Questions Answered) Read More »
We’ve just fitted three new outdoor faucets on our outbuildings, so the watering should be easier from now on. But will our existing hoses be easy to fit onto the new taps? Most outdoor faucets have universal external threads of either 1/2-inch or 3/4-inch, so with the correct size hose fitting from your local hardware …
How Do You Attach A Hose To An Outside Faucet? (Easily) Read More »
We’re lucky to have a few useful sheds in our backyard, so are they covered in our homeowner’s insurance or should we insure them separately? Your homeowner’s insurance policy will usually cover your shed, as it’s considered to be an ‘other structure’ by your insurance firm. Most policies give up to 10% protection of your total …
Are Sheds Covered By Homeowners Insurance? (Key Points) Read More »
We’re considering building a pool in the backyard, but what worries me are the running costs and the extra insurance. So would a pool be covered by our homeowner’s policy? Most homeowner’s insurance policies do cover swimming pools, which are considered to be ‘other structures’ by your insurance company. Most policies provide up to 10% …
Does Homeowners Insurance Cover Swimming Pools? (Really?) Read More »
My wife loves gardening and has just started bringing our house plants inside after their summer vacation on the patio. So how can you tell when it’s the right time to bring them in? You should bring your house plants indoors in the fall, when outside temperatures drop to 45 degrees Fahrenheit or below. If …
When Do I Bring My House Plants Indoors? (Quick Read) Read More »
We’ve just hung some lovely fairy lights under the eaves of our new summer house in the yard, they look amazing but we had to make sure they were suitable for outdoor use – and this meant being waterproof. Fairy lights are waterproof for outdoor use if they have an IP65 rating for hanging on …
Are Fairy Lights Waterproof? (Essential Reading) Read More »
We’ve just renewed our home insurance, and it can be a bit of a minefield if you don’t know what to look out for – especially where you stand with outbuildings like the garage. Your homeowner’s insurance policy covers all buildings on your property, including your garage, so there’s no need for separate garage insurance. …
Are Garages Covered By Homeowners Insurance? (Quick Tips) Read More »
I’ve just finished painting the concrete floor in our new workshop – and boy should I have done more research first. It turns out I didn’t use enough primer and the whole thing took ages to get right with four topcoats of garage paint. You should always seal concrete and masonry floors with primer before …
Do I Need Primer To Paint Concrete? (12 Questions Answered) Read More »
We’ve got some old cinder blocks left over from a landscaping project, so could we use them to make a fire pit? Let’s find out… Cinder blocks are cheap, light and can withstand high temperatures, so they are very good for making DIY fire pits. Cinder blocks can also be painted with heat resistant paint …
Are Cinder Blocks Good For Fire Pits? (Essential Reading) Read More »
We’ve just installed two new outdoor faucets in the backyard, so I’ve been busy joining old and still usable pieces of hose together – whilst also thinking about how to dispose of the really damaged bits. So can they be recycled? Old hose pipe can’t be recycled. While hoses may contain polyurethane or PVC, they …
