Projects & Tip Videos

Garden Calendar – Week of Jan. 12

From Lisa Johnson, Dane County UW-Extension horticulture educator: Trees and shrubs: Be careful about using deicing salts on your driveway or sidewalk if plants are nearby. Evergreens in particular can be damaged or killed by salt pellets tossed up by snowblowers or snow shovels. Excess sodium in the soil leads to reduced water infiltration and […]

Back By Popular Demand …

There is a downside to the warm-up we’re currently experiencing. Homeowners with pipes which froze during last week’s cold snap discovered the damage when the pipes eventually thawed out over the weekend. Also, those beautiful icicles hanging from roof eves are the beginning of a possible ice dam which could cause major damage to your […]

Is A Heat Pump A More Efficient Way To Heat Your Home?

When it’s cold like this, many homeowners think about more efficient ways to heat their home while saving money. In this video from the Carrier Consumer Education Series, Larry Hacker and Stuart Keith discuss how a heat pump works to both heat and cool your home. Check back often for home building, remodeling and maintenance […]

If You Have An Ice Dam Problem …

Because ice dams are such a timely topic in the news due to our recent bitterly cold weather, we’re re-posting a video we ran last month. In this episode of Today’s Home Remodeler, we show How to Remove Ice Dams with the professionals from Hustad Roofing. Check back often for home building, remodeling and maintenance […]

Protect Your Home From Frozen Pipes and Ice Dams

About Frozen Pipes • Pipes can freeze anywhere due to exposure from cracks or holes in siding or because of pipes being placed in outside walls with inadequate insulation. • When it’s especially cold, let the hot and cold faucets drip overnight and open cabinet doors to allow heat to get to uninsulated pipes under […]

Garden Calendar – Week of Jan. 5

From Lisa Johnson, Dane County UW-Extension horticulture educator: Christmas trees: If you had a live Christmas tree and are disposing of it, you may want to cut off some boughs to use as winter protection for broadleafed evergreens such as rhododendrons, small boxwoods or mountain laurels. Don’t place the boughs directly on top of the […]

How Is Your Furnace Holding Up?

How IS your furnace holding up? Many times homeowners try to “make do” by fixing their old furnace only to have it fail when it’s needed the most – on the coldest day of the year. If that’s happened to you – or if you just want to make sure your home is comfortable while […]

Monthly Home Maintenance Tips For January

General walk through: Check for heat loss, weatherstripping, loose or open storm windows or doors. Check window function and locking mechanisms. Lubricate locks with WD-40 if sticky. Change/clean air filter in furnace. Check temperature and pressure gauges if you have an older heating system with a boiler. Check/add salt to water softener. Check roof along […]

Garden Calendar For The Week Of December 29th

From Lisa Johnson, Dane County UW-Extension horticulture educator: Trees and shrubs: If we have heavy wet snow, gently use a broom underneath the branches, pressing up rather than down to dislodge snow and ice from evergreens such as arborvitae and soft-wooded trees such as birch that may bend and snap under the weight. Bulbs: Over […]