DIY Life

Ceiling fans: how cool are they?

Bill Volk — 2008-05-09T14:00:00+00:00

Filed under: fix-it, household hacks, in the kitchen, miscellaneous, seasonal, weekend projects, electrical, kitchen, outdoor, staying green, ventilation, lighting, remodeling

I live north of Atlanta, Georgia where it tends to get a bit hot and humid from June through September.

My home has a number of temperature-stabilizing facets to it, the best one being that I have high-efficiency windows with argon-filled, low-e, dual paned glazing. Right now, in fact, I have the windows partly open, and even with an outside temperature of about 88 degrees, it's a very comfortable 71 degrees inside.

But ... there's no airflow through my home office (lucky me, to be able to work from my home, however.) Although I have ceiling fans in four other locations, in- and outside of my home, I have been slow (lazy?) to put one in the office; that ended today. Let's take a reasonably detailed look at how to install a ceiling fan. (Kudos to Kelly Smith for his nice article on this same subject.)

Follow the sequence of the gallery to get a good idea of how simple it is to hang one of these babies.

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WARNING -- ENGINEERING CONTENT FOLLOWS: if this doesn't interest you, skip over it.

Ceiling fans, in the Summer, don't decrease the air temperature in your home. What they do is increase the evaporation rate of your skin ("wind chill") to make you feel cooler. In the Winter it's a tad different. When the fan direction is reversed, the upward airflow from the fan moves the stratified (your word of the day; look it up) hot air from the ceiling down along the walls to the living space where it hits the cooler air nearer the floor, in a somewhat crude mixing pattern, transferring the warm air to the cooler, via forced convection.
More fan blades don't equate to more air moved. Too many blades restrict the amount air that can be drawn through the blade area; additionally, extra blades increase the motor load, upping the power use, and reducing the motor RPM, thus reducing the airflow. Many fans have 5 blades for aesthetic and balance reasons; I have four, five, and a six blade fan in my home; I really prefer the four blade fans for reduced noise versus optimum airflow.
Pick the correct fan size for a specific room; don't get the same fan for different sized rooms. A bunch of research has been conducted to determine optimum size -- go with it.
The optimum pitch of the fan blades is between 12 and 14 degrees, with increasing efficiency, and increasing motor size and power requirements, above that range. While you can generally choose some facets of the fan's design, like the number of blades, pitch is pretty much not your call. That said, my experience is that an 11-13 degree blade pitch fan is more than suitable for the majority of home installations.
The distance the fan is from the ceiling, and the floor, is quite important. As you might imagine, the closer the fan is to the peeps in the room, the more breeze you'll feel. Most installation codes (and common sense) require that the blades have a clearance of at least 7'. I mean, if all your NBA pals are wandering about the family room, do you really want to get sued? On the other hand, a minimum of 12" distance is recommended from the fan blades to the ceiling, in order to achieve optimum air circulation. So, you'll have to know the ceiling height in order to ensure that the blades are 8-9' from the floor. That distance will then dictate whether you will require a flush mount, or down rods, available in various lengths.
Fan power consumption is minimal -- fans use only 10% of the energy of an air conditioner, or about that of a 100 watt bulb (what a deal!) The general consensus is that for every degree you increase the set point on your a/c thermostat, you can enjoy a 6-8% power savings. (Look for an Energy Star fan for the most efficient model.)
Ensure that your prospective fan has a reversing switch. Except for a real "cheapo", I suspect that most fans do, but it doesn't hurt to check. HINT: some boxes indicate that the blades are reversible; this means that they can be turned upside down to have a choice of color schemes.
A final note -- be sure that you have your fan rotation properly set for the appropriate season; in the summer, you want the airflow to be down, so the fan should be set to rotate with the leading edge up. The reverse is true for the heating season.

Alright, enough nerd stuff; on to the fun.

There are a bazillion options for fans and light kits and remotes. I bought my fan at a "home store" and was very satisfied. This is the third fan, from the same maker, that I have installed, and I have two of the same model -- 52", four blade, three-speed reversible, sealed bearings, 12 degree blade pitch, three lamps, pull chains for the fan and lamps.

First off -- safety: you're working with electricity here, so extreme caution is called for. Throw the circuit breaker(s) and test the line(s) before you go to work. Don't just "slap" the wire to see if you get a jolt! Please note I mentioned circuit breaker(s) -- some of you folks may have fans that are wired into two wall switches; shut both circuits down and check both of them or you may get bitten.

The time -- took me about one hour and 15 minutes to do this installation, but I was in no particular hurry.

The tools --

flat and cross-tip screwdrivers
wire cutters
electrical tape
circuit tester
ladder
work light

The materials --

The fan, of course, described above; it had all the required parts except the electrical tape -- $78.
A switch to replace the old rheostat -- $.78
A suitable metal electrical box to support the weight of the fan -- $2.59
a new cover plate for the switch -- $1.06

The process --

All fans, in general, have to be installed in pretty much the same fashion, and have basically the same parts. That said, there are always nuances, so read the material enclosed with the fan. As my dad used to say, "when all else fails, read the instructions." So, here goes ...

Ensure all the power to the fan is off.
Remove the old fixture.
As necessary, replace the old electrical box if it won't support a 35 or so pound fan; better safe than sorry.
Hang the fan support bracket on the fan box.
Temporarily supporting the fan -- a helper is really valuable here -- make the wire nut connections between your house and the fan. Don't be surprised to see that you may have to tie the black house power line to the black (fan power) and blue (light kit power) leads on the fan motor. You'll also have to connect the white neutral and the green ground lines to their respective leads. You'll likely have to cram a lot of wire into a little bit of space; that's why I like to tape the wire nuts to the lines so they don't come apart in the "stuffing" phase of the project.
Lock the fan motor in place with the keeper.
Hang the fan motor cover.
Assemble the blades.
Attach the blades to the motor.
Attach the light kit, if you have have one, connecting the appropriate leads.
Install the lamp globes and lamps.
Replace, as necessary, the fan switch and cover plate.
Re-energize the circuits and test the fan.
Ensure the blade direction switch is set in the correct position.

OK, good job. Clean up the mess so The Boss doesn't disparage your mechanical acumen (yet another word of the day -- a three-fer!) by tripping over your tools and junk. (Remember that leftover parts are not always indicative that the manufacturer was overly generous with his nut and bolt inventory.)

If you find yourself with a noisy ceiling fan, Dan has some great tips on silencing it.

If you've found this article helpful, you may be interested in my features on water conservation, rain barrels, and "greening" your home.

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How to fold anything

Bethany Sanders — 2008-05-01T18:00:00+00:00

Filed under: household hacks, organization and storage, cleaning

I don't fold my sheets. There, I said it. It's not that I don't know how. I do know how; I helped my mom with laundry all the time when I was a kid. But I don't really know how to do it by myself. What do you do when no one is holding the other end? So, I just sort of do a half-hearted fold, then wrap them all up until they fit into my linen closet.

Now you know one of my deepest, darkest secrets.

Ok, I kid (about the secret, not about not folding my sheets). The truth is, neatly folded sheets just aren't a priority for me. I mean, they're sheets. When I use them, my eyes are closed. Who cares if they're wrinkled?

When it comes to other things, however, like sweaters, t-shirts, dress shirts, napkins, and business letters, folding is important. So that's why I'd like to point you to Real Simple's guide on How to Fold Anything.

They'll even show you how to fold a fitted sheet, if you're into that sort of thing.

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Three unusual uses for duct tape

Debra McDuffee — 2008-04-25T19:00:00+00:00

Filed under: fix-it, household hacks, kids, miscellaneous, pets

We all know how versatile duct tape is. From duct tape wallets, a duct tape book cover, even a duct tape top hat, this is one hard-working DIY tool. Here are a few of ways we use duct tape in our house, and I bet you haven't though of them!

Hold up your skinny kid's pants
Our three-year old has been skinny all of his life, yet very tall. Adjustable waist pants were our savior, but until duct tape came along, we found no good way to hold up his sweatpants. Simply fold over a small flap of the waistband from the inside, and duct tape to fasten. I know this is a hard explanation to visualize, so check out the gallery for detailed photos and instructions.

Make a knight's sword and shield
Our little guy also has a penchant for playing dress-up, and he loves knights and castles. We fashioned a sword and shield from man old cardboard box and covered them with duct tape to look like metal. It is much more durable than wrapping in tin foil, which I have seen done before, and it helps the cardboard stay sturdy.

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Screen door repair
First we had a naive dog, who didn't realize we had put the screen slider back on after the winter. Then, he decided it was a fabulous idea to make his own doggie door. Duct tape secures the screen for us until we can re-screen the door -- again. Every year. I think the dog has a Houdini complex.

Duct tape in one DIY tool that we can't do without in our house. In what crazy ways do you use duct tape?

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Emergency pipe leak repair

Kelly Smith — 2008-04-25T14:00:00+00:00

Filed under: fix-it, household hacks, plumbing

It's late at night and you're ready for bed. You go out to the washing machine to put the clothes in the dryer before you snooze. All of a sudden you notice water on the floor and a mysterious wet spot on the drywall behind the washer. Doesn't look good.

Do you call a plumber and shell out the big bucks for a night call? Heck no! The first thing to do is cut away the drywall where the wet spot is. And there you see it - the water supply pipe has a leak and is spraying a mist out. The next step is to grab the sacrificial garden hose and cut off a piece - just about six inches long.

Now, slice it down one side and place it over the supply pipe where the leak is. To stop the leak you'll need to snug it up. To do this, use a minimum of three hose clamps; put one right over the leak and the other two on either side of it. Presto! Now you can go catch some zzz's!

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Stripped bolt hole thread repair

Kelly Smith — 2008-04-23T08:00:00+00:00

Filed under: backyard science, fix-it, household hacks, weekend projects, tools

Few things annoy me more than bolt hole threads that strip out. I don't think any of you would disagree with me that it always happens at precisely the wrong time. Who wants to spend an hour looking for that tap and die set and then digging up a fatter bolt?

Well, the good news is that there's a cheap DIY fix! I wouldn't recommend doing this on your engine block, but it'll work like a champ in a number of light duty situations. It doesn't require any fancy tools either. The first thing to do is back out the bolt. This should be easy; it's already stripped, right?

Now fill the bolt hole with a compound, either Liquid Steel or J.B. Weld. You've got to love the folks that invented those products! Next, coat the bolt liberally with liquid soap. Crank the bolt back into the hole and wipe up the excess that squeezes out around the bolt head.

When the compound is dried, you're set! You can now screw or unscrew at will.

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DIY for Earth Day

Lisa Hoover — 2008-04-22T01:00:00+00:00

Filed under: household hacks, miscellaneous, gardening and plants, staying green, DIY Earth

Eco-friendly. Go green. Environmentally aware. Call it whatever you want, we love it when the DIY tips we give you are also good for the environment. As we celebrate Earth Day today, let's take a look at some of the ideas we've shared in in the past that can help you get green.

Nothing says "I'm helping save the Earth" more than a compost pile filled with leftover food scraps and grass clippings. Here's everything you need to know to start your own compost heap, including what kind of organic materials you can toss in (egg shells) and what you can't (meat scraps).

This long list of ideas on how to make your home eco-friendly covers everything from programmable thermostats to spark igniter pilot light systems. Even if you already practice green living, you might find one or two ideas on here that you never thought of.

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DIY for Earth Day, part 2

Lisa Hoover — 2008-04-22T01:00:00+00:00

Filed under: fix-it, household hacks, miscellaneous, preventative maintenance, gardening and plants, staying green, cleaning, DIY Earth, health

Make spring cleaning a little less onerous this year by tossing out the harsh chemicals you usually use and cleaning up with essential oils instead. Find recipes for bathroom cleanser, dish soap, glass cleaner, and more.

Many people like to celebrate Earth Day each year by planting seeds and flowers in the yard. Before you haul out the hoe and shovel, consider making seed bombs. Let 'er rip!

Have you pledged to your family and your wallet to cut down on fuel consumption and pedal around on your bike instead? Pull that forlorn bicycle out from the corner of the garage, dust it off, and then use these handy tips to give it a tune-up.

Weed killer and other pesticides can be bad for the environment and terrible for your health. Try this approach that uses a common household ingredient that you probably have leftover from Easter.

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DIY for Earth Day, part 3

Lisa Hoover — 2008-04-22T01:00:00+00:00

Filed under: household hacks, kids, miscellaneous, toys, bathroom, plumbing, staying green, DIY Earth

Water: can't live without it. Learn some painless ways to conserve it around your home, both inside and out.

Have you just gotten home from the market loaded down with organic food and don't know what to do with the plastic grocery bags? Go fly a kite!

Are ready to commit to a low-flush toilet and aren't sure how to retrofit your commode? We can help.

In many homes, the bathroom is the last vestige of privacy (unless you have kids) and also one of the most eco-unfriendly spots in the house. Here's several things you can do to change that (sorry, no advice on how to keep the kids from interrupting your bath).

For even more Earth-friendly tips, be sure to check out our sister blog, Green Daily.

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A deadbolt hack for heightened security

Kelly Smith — 2008-04-21T16:00:00+00:00

Filed under: household hacks, weekend projects, framing and drywall, recalls and safety, tools, remodeling

One of the worst kinds of home break-ins is the kind where the bad guy just kicks in the front or back door. It doesn't really matter that your deadbolt is engaged; it only extends a couple of inches at most and the door jamb doesn't take much to splinter.

But with a little effort you can greatly enhance the holding power of the deadbolt. When the wall is framed and the door rough opening is made, the opening is actually an inch or two wider than the door jamb requires. This allows for plumbing the jamb. Wooden shims are inserted between the framing studs and the jambs.

So this is what you do -

Remove the trim screwed to the jamb that receives the deadbolt.
Cut a piece of rigid metal electrical conduit about six inches long.
Use a paddle bit the same size as the O.D. of the conduit and drill through the jamb and framing studs.
Squirt a bit of glue inside the hole.
Insert the conduit into the hole until it's flush and re-install the trim.

Now, it's not just the jamb holding the deadbolt, you've got the strength of the stud working for you!

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Make a hanging laundry hamper

Anna Sattler — 2008-04-17T10:00:00+00:00

Filed under: household hacks, organization and storage, sewing

Laundry is definitely one of my favorite household chores to do. Taking something that is stained and dirty and making it come out clean and beautiful always puts a smile on my face, even when I have to dig into nasty laundry baskets to accomplish that task.

ModHomeEcTeacher on Curbly shows us how to make a hangable laundry hamper with one yard of fabric and plastic purse handles, a wooden spool to mark a round pattern and a sewing machine to stitch it all together into a gorgeous stylin' new laundry hamper that we should be proud to carry around.

I think the hangable hamper would be great for grocery shopping too, as long as you don't fill it with too many cans or plastic bottles. Check your local thrift stores for some really nice vintage fabric and purse handles; you never know what cool items you may find!

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Turn retro speakers into a media cabinet

Anna Sattler — 2008-04-14T18:00:00+00:00

Filed under: home decor, household hacks, organization and storage, weekend projects, audio and video

In a corner of my living room, sitting unused and one on top of the other, are two retro style speakers. The only reason that my husband hasn't hooked them up to his entertainment system is that there isn't any place to set them up. They have sat in the corner for almost 4 years now, waiting for the day they can blast The Beatles to my hubby's content.

Our speakers still work, but if you have an old speaker, or even a matching pair hanging around waiting for the day you will fix the broken whatever, you can turn the speaker into a stylin' new media cabinet. Here is what you will need:

A speaker
A hand saw and a rotary tool
Hinges
Claw hammer or crowbar
Paint and wooden planks
Screwdriver or power drill

GoodRubbish takes you through the steps needed to turn your old retro speakers into a handy media cabinet to store all your CDs, DVDs and VHS tapes. Be sure to read through the comments, as there is important information on exactly what digital and optical media is safe to store with the speaker magnets and what could possibly be ruined by leaving the speaker magnets in place.

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Electric guitars from old gaming consoles

Kelly Smith — 2008-04-07T16:00:00+00:00

Filed under: household hacks, recreation, weekend projects, music, audio and video, geek it yourself, electronics

If you're a serious gamer, you probably live on that gotta-have-the-next-best-thing roller coaster. But what to do with that old SEGA Genesis console? Don't trash it; build an electric guitar out of it! That way, you can still "play".

Here's an interesting site to give you some game consoles to guitar ideas. These guys are not only creative, they've got way too much free time! That being said, there are some guitar collectors out there who spend serious cash on this kind of thing. You might just finance that new game system you've got your eye on.

Besides that dust-gathering console, you'll need a few more guitar components. Pick up a set of strings, pickups, a neck, tuning machines, etc. Now who's the Guitar Hero III? You are!

Make reusable tea bags

Anna Sattler — 2008-04-07T08:00:00+00:00

Filed under: household hacks, in the kitchen, staying green, sewing

Once in a while, I forgo my great love of coffee for a cup of tea. Tea is soothing to the soul, and leaves me feeling like I just relaxed all my worries away, even if it is just for a few minutes.

If you are a tea lover, and drink the stuff all day long, all those tea bags adding up seems very wasteful. You only use them once or twice and then end up throwing them in the garbage, unless you have used Francesca's tips on reusing tea bags.

Craft Leftovers has an image tutorial that tells us how to make our own cloth teabags that can be used over and over again. You'll need a small piece of muslin cloth, string, an awl to makes the holes, and needle and thread to stitch the thread into the bag.

For those of us that are into reusing an item over and over again, making your own tea bags is a great step in our never ending quest to go green. The homemade tea bag can be washed over and over again, and the tea leaves can be added to our compost.

[via: Craft]

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A home alarm system in the blink of an eye

Kelly Smith — 2008-04-04T08:00:00+00:00

Filed under: household hacks, weekend projects, geek it yourself, electrical, recalls and safety, electronics

How familiar is this: a TV commercial comes on, showing a calm, peaceful household. A typical June Cleaver type mom is humming and doing the dishes. Cute daughter is upstairs just bedding down with her cuddly teddy bear. All of a sudden, all hell breaks loose!

Alarms start wailing, lights are flashing, and a guy wearing a ski mask is high-tailing it down the sidewalk. Cut away to a dimly-lit command center. A very serious young man is speaking to June Cleaver, "Ma'am, it's all taken care of. Help is on the way."

That's right, they're selling you an alarm system. But Max at zedomax.com will show you how to build your own alarm system in under five minutes. Just follow his instructions. Don't think he can do it? He's even got a video that proves it! Here's what you'll need:

A CB280 Start Kit
A CLCD420-B
A 4X4 Keypad
A Keypad Controller

Max also includes the source code and explains that you can customize it with menus, scheduling, etc. Bottom line, you can geek this thing to your heart's content. June Cleaver not included, some assembly required!

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Candle aquariums, aquarium candles

Billy Robb — 2008-04-01T18:00:00+00:00

Filed under: home decor, household hacks, weekend projects, crafts

Make a little aquarium with lamp oil, an old glass jar, and a few toy fish. It might take some shopping for a few supplies, like a diamond drill bit and glass tube wicks. For a basic oil candle, there isn't much to do but drill a hole in the lid, and add a wick.

Materials and tools:

Glass jar with lid
Glass tube wick holder + wick
Clear paraffin lamp Oil
Clear resin/epoxy
Toy fish and shells
Drill
Special tools: Glass and tile drill bit or diamond bit

For the instructions, please join me after the break.

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Start by drilling the lid with the diamond bit. Drill slowly and work from both sides of the hole.
Insert the wick and glass tube, making sure the wick reaches the bottom of the jar.
Once the basic candle is done, you can arrange sea shells, plastic fish, and other sea creatures in the jar. Everything has to be glued down with clear epoxy to keep it from floating in the oil. Use clear plastic cut from a soda bottle to mount the fish into an elevated position. In the pictures, earring clasps were used to hold the fish on the clear plastic, but you can epoxy them too. Let the epoxy dry completely before going further.
Fill your candle with clear paraffin lamp oil. Spend the extra $2 for the better quality stuff: it has a cleaner burn.
Set the wick just barely above the glass tube collar and light it.

Watch the glow... oooh, the flickering kind of gives it a moving water effect. Someday, I'd like to put a toy alien head inside a jar with green lamp oil....

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IKEA towel rail hack

Anna Sattler — 2008-03-28T17:00:00+00:00

Filed under: home decor, household hacks, in the kitchen, organization and storage, weekend projects

I love IKEA: I can spend my days looking and drooling at all the wonderful products that I could have shipped to my home. My husband is incredibly thankful that I am not a big spender, because I really could have IKEA packages delivered to my door every day.

If I did go on a shopping spree for IKEA products, one of the items I would buy would be this awesome GRUNDTAL towel rail, primarily made for the bathroom. It is inexpensive and can be easily hacked into something else, namely a spice and condiment stand.

Instructables user Frootloose used the Grundtal towel rail, attached a piece of openwork steel to it, added a few hooks to hang necessary kitchen utensils, and affixed it to his kitchen wall. The towel rail happened to be just the right size, shape, and length for what he needed.

With my tiny kitchen, I am very appreciative of Frootloose's hack. I have one space on my wall that is just begging for this shelf, and it will free up some clutter in my cabinets. What do you think you could use the Grundtal towel rail for?

[via: Curbly]

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Make an outdoor mini S'mores grill

Anna Sattler — 2008-03-24T17:00:00+00:00

Filed under: food, household hacks

Spring has sprung, at least on the calendar. There is still plenty of snow on the ground in many parts of the country, but the end of the winter season is in sight. It is time to start thinking about outdoor grilling.

Part of the fun of grilling is making S'mores. What if you don't want to start the grill every time you want the gooey chocolaty goodness? What if you don't want to build a fire just to make the wonderful treat? Making S'mores in the microwave is just wrong!

Instructables has an awesome tutorial on making a mini S'mores grill. You'll need a cedar plank, nuts, bolts and washers, stainless steel condiment cups, toothpicks, and the knowhow to make S'mores. Check out the step by step directions; I promise you won't be disappointed!

Definitely use this mini grill outside, or at least keep a fire extinguisher handy if you do use the mini grill in the house. You'll also want to put the grill on a flat surface, and supervise the kids when they use the S'mores grill.

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Epsom salt in your garden

M.E. Williams — 2008-03-24T14:00:00+00:00

Filed under: household hacks, gardening and plants

With the arrival of Spring to the Northern Hemisphere, it's just about time to get to work in the garden.

I've mentioned before that I don't have much interest in gardening per se, but that I love to grow roses. Over the autumn and winter, I heard a few tips that I've been itching to put to use. Chief among them is a suggestion that I try Epsom Salt in the soil.

There are two major reasons that Epsom Salt is said to help out in the garden. It helps with chlorophyll production by making it easier for plants to get nutrients from the sun, and it helps them absorb more fertilizing chemicals from the soil, making any applied fertilizers more effective. In some cases, an Epsom Salt solution sprayed onto a plant may even help to ward off pests.

It doesn't build up in the soil, so it's not possible to use too much. But watch out! A few plants, like sage, can't tolerate this magnesium/sulfur mixture at all. For usage instructions specific to various types of plants, and more details on why it works, visit the Epsom Salt Council's Garden Benefits pages.

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Hot garden sprinklers

Billy Robb — 2008-03-20T12:00:00+00:00

Filed under: home decor, household hacks, crafts, gardening and plants, landscaping, RECrafted

If your lifestyle is anything like my family's, you might have an overdose of candle holders and other decorative stuff filling up the closets and other storage spaces in your house. We started to take it outside in the form of sprinklers for the garden and they look a lot better than the black sprinkler stakes you can buy.

We used candle holders, lamp bases, and little garden statues to make this work; but anything you can drill a hold into and run an irrigation hose through should work. Note that wood and metals will probably age and rust, but that's part of the charm.

To build these, drill a hole into the decor just smaller than the irrigation hose so it fits snuggly into place. Run the small hose into the main irrigation feeder line. In my case I used a soaker hose. Add your sprinkler head and start watering.

These are great for making mini bird baths and butterfly watering stations. Just add some aquarium gravel or pea gravel to the basin for butterflies so they don't drown.

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Ikea shelf makeover

Anna Sattler — 2008-03-20T11:00:00+00:00

Filed under: home decor, household hacks, crafts

I love the DIY projects Derek and Lauren do on Wednesdays over at Design*Sponge. They are vacationing in Hawaii this week, but still had time to post about a great shelf makeover project straight from their friends' kitchen.

You can spruce up your Ikea shelves too, simply by covering them with woven grass cloth, or fabric of your choice, paper, or vinyl, and then applying a coat of wood stain. You'll need to follow the directions carefully, being sure that you don't staple your fingers in the process. Make sure to wear gloves, too, otherwise you'll have a hard time getting the stain off your hands.

Ikea products can be boring, so the shelf makeover is something I definitely need to try. For more Ikea makeovers posted on DIY Life, be sure to check out Francesca's Ikea bike rack hack.

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