Home DIY

Carbon monoxide (CO) is a colorless, tasteless, odorless gas - and it can kill you. A carbon monoxide detector can help protect your family, but how does it know when CO is in the air?

By Angela Black

You need to make a snap decision to stay or leave when a hurricane hits. Building a hurricane shelter near (or inside) your home would make your choice much easier to make.

By Kathy Price-Robinson

So you want to make your home as environmentally friendly as possible. You set up your compost bin, install low-flow toilets and buy energy-efficient appliances. But when it comes to your floor, is bamboo the greenest you can go?

By Tiffany Connors

Here's the classic definition of boredom -- sitting around and watching paint dry. But if you knew exactly what happens during those minutes and hours when paint morphs from a sloshing liquid into a thin, glossy film, you'd be fascinated.

By Kathy Price-Robinson

Discussing what goes on in the bathroom is considered taboo in many social circles, but you should be having frank discussions about your waste if you own a septic tank. What's the protocol for dealing with fecal matter?

By Josh Clark & Melanie Radzicki McManus

It's a dark and stormy night, and you hear mysterious creaking noises in your home. Perhaps you explain them away by reassuring yourself that your house is just settling. But is that a more plausible explanation than paranormal forces at work?

By Josh Clark

They're supposed to make your home smell like a spring day. But there's nothing fresh about low-grade pollutants. Do air fresheners lighten the scent in the air, or do their cancer-causing chemicals bog down people?

By Cristen Conger

You catch it out of the corner of your eye -- a dark creature crawling up the wall behind your couch. Then the unspeakable -- it dives at your hair. Good grief, it flies? And why is it here?

By Cristen Conger

Experts have linked electromagnetic fields (EMF) to leukemia and other cancers in children. Could this happen from radiant floor heating, too?

By Charles W. Bryant

Formaldehyde, PCB, asbestos: You don't want these words associated with your living space. So open the windows and get a breath of fresh air before reading this article.

By Jennifer Horton

Some people dismiss wall-to-wall carpeting as a dubious decorating choice, especially when it harbors dust mites, pet dander and mold spores. Does carpet also have ramifications for your health?

By Jennifer Horton

There's no place like home -- unless yours has been overrun by cockroaches, mice and ticks. When the exterminator is on vacation and you need an immediate fix for your pest problem, what can you do?

By Josh Clark

Their mission is covert and highly dangerous -- they've just got to heed their insatiable hunger for cellulose. But what happens when termites claim your house for dinner?

By Josh Clark

You don't have to buy an alarm system to prevent burglaries. If your home looks lived-in and if your neighbors seem nosy, you're preventing crime.

By Cristen Conger

Think your home is a safe haven? Think again. With all the hazardous chemicals people use in their homes, it may be more polluted indoors than outdoors.

By Cristen Conger

There's a reason a natural gas leak has a rotten egg odor. That stink is meant to signal danger. Any spark - a match or even a light switch - could cause a serious explosion.

By Cristen Conger

Can the same stuff in my placemat make wood floors? What does bamboo have to do with green building?

By Stefani Newman

Insulation might look like cotton candy, but it's a little more practical. It's great for keeping your house warm, but some say it's just as bad as asbestos for your health.

By John Fuller

Your home is your castle, but it's also a huge financial investment. It won't hurt to use a little elbow grease and spruce things up -- starting with your cabinets.

By Charles W. Bryant

It's not just a homeowner's nightmare -- toxic mold can damage your lungs and suppress your immune system. Where does it come from, and how can you keep it out of your home?

By Josh Clark

Asbestos can be hazardous to your health, but removing it from your home can expose you and your family to the material. What's the safest way to deal with asbestos?

By Josh Clark

What would happen if you stopped taking care of your house? Would it completely fall apart? How long would it take?

By Josh Clark

Locking your doors with deadbolts should be your first line of defense against home invasion. But what if that isn't enough? How can you keep your home safe?

By Josh Clark

Vinyl makes many consumer goods safer and more affordable. However, polyvinyl chloride (PVC) releases toxic fumes and when burned, it produces hazardous smoke.

By Josh Clark

When you sell your home, you want to maximize its value, but be careful -- you could end up spending more than you get back. Choose your home improvement projects wisely.

By Josh Clark