Read the latest articles from Bob Vila (Page 49)

A man kneels in front of a large residential heat pump unit while holding a screwdriver.
Interior

Why Your Heat Pump Isn’t Heating—and What You Can Do to Fix It

Here’s how to identify, troubleshoot, and resolve these common heat pump problems to get the heat back on as quickly as possible.

Woman holds a wine glass over a full dishwasher.
DIY

Why Your Dishwasher Isn’t Cleaning Properly, and How to Fix It

Troubleshoot a poorly performing dishwasher with these tips and techniques.

Best Trees for Privacy: Keep Prying Eyes Out
Lawn & Garden

The 15 Best Trees and Shrubs to Grow for Backyard Privacy

If you want to keep prying eyes out of your yard, but don’t want to—or can’t—install a fence, consider planting trees and bushes that offer plenty of privacy.

A slug on a comfrey leaf.
DIY

5 Ways to Get Rid of Slugs

Slugs can do major damage to your favorite flowers and plants overnight. To keep slugs from devastating your garden, try one of these clever solutions.

Ask a Pro Home Heating Announcement Article
Heating

Tired of Spending So Much Money Heating Your Home? Our Next Webinar Can Help You Slash Your Bills

Get money saving tips on Thursday, November 14, 2024 at 2 EDT.

A group of lupine plants growing in a home landscape with a graphic overlay that says Plant Care 101.
DIY

Lupine Plant Care: How to Grow Bluebonnets and Other Lupine Flower Varieties

Monty Python character Dennis Moore famously stole lupines from the rich to give to the poor—but whatever your status, you can raise your own stately spires of colorful flowers by learning proper lupine plant care.

Only one house in a suburban neighborhood has lights on during a storm.

94 Percent of U.S. Homes Aren’t Equipped With This Important Feature—But Here’s Why You Need It

As weather becomes increasingly unpredictable, having predictable access to dependable power—in the form of a standby generator—becomes acutely more crucial.

Person raking colorful fallen leaves in yard.
Landscaping

Should You Leave the Leaves on Your Lawn This Fall?

Some kinds of leaf litter might do more harm than good.

Woman using a roller to paint a piece of white MDF a shade of green.
DIY

How to Paint IKEA Furniture

If your IKEA furniture has seen better days or no longer matches your home's decor, a new coat of paint may be all it needs to be a la mode again.

Grand foyer with curved staircase, brown wooden door, and chandelier.
Architecture

This Once-Popular Home Feature Is Falling Out of Favor

Forget the dramatic entrances—more homeowners prefer energy efficiency and extra space.

Healthy green grass next to yellow balding grass
Lawn & Garden

Top-Dressing the Lawn: Why It’s Important and How to Do It

Want a golf course-green lawn? Take a tip from Scotland’s course owners and top-dress your yard to achieve healthy, lush, green grass.

how to install a storm door
Exterior

How to Install a Storm Door

Enhance your entryway, boost home energy savings, and strengthen security with an attractive and stylish new storm door.

A group of concrete cleaners on a concrete driveway
Reviews

We Tested the Best Concrete Cleaners and Our Results Were Extraordinary

Don’t put up with a cruddy driveway or a moldy foundation when one of these quality cleaners may be able to get it looking like new.

Birds flying above a river at sunset with the moon in the sky.
Lawn & Garden

Is Your Yard a Threat to Migrating Birds?

Big lights are big problems for birds on the move. Here's how to address your landscape lighting—plus 7 more small changes around the yard that will help migration.

Milwaukee M18 Hammer Drill on workbench with white peg board
Power Tools

This Hammer Drill Outperformed DeWalt, Makita, and More in Our Tests

This hammer drill bests the competition in nearly every measurable aspect, making it worth the high price tag.

Four Chimneys Inn, Manchester, Vermont
Interior

10 Types of Fireplaces Every Homeowner Should Know

From classic wood-burning hearths to completely flameless electric fireplaces, there’s an option sure to be right for virtually any home.

A woman using a drill to drill a piece of wood into a brick wall.
DIY

How to Drill Into Brick

Are you planning to hang a garden hose reel or artwork on a brick wall in your home, and don't know where to start? Choose the right tool, drill bit, and technique, and you can bore holes in brick walls—indoors and out—in mere minutes.

A brown stink bug on the side of a house
Reviews

Our Pest Expert Says to Use This Product to Keep Stink Bugs Away This Winter

Dreading stink bug season? Effective repellents help keep these seasonal home invaders away.

Pull-out sofa with bed pulled out and wrinkled sheets and pillows.
Design

Expecting Overnight Guests for the Holidays? Here’s Where to Put Them

Caught in a space squeeze without a hideaway bed? Ensure that your overnight visitors get a good night’s sleep with these cots, Murphy beds, futons, and more.

Split image showing a magnified drain fly on the left and a magnified fruit fly on the right.
Interior

Drain Flies vs. Fruit Flies: Tips for Identification and Prevention

At first glance these two types of flies look similar. Learning to identify the species and limiting their food sources will help you control your fly issue.