Household Appliances

You probably don't need to change your ceiling fan direction if you only use it to cool the room, but you can switch the direction for a wintertime hack.

By Sascha Bos

Winter time often means hauling out the humidifier to improve air quality. But ignoring the cleaning instructions could add to your health problems.

By Alia Hoyt

When you're whipping up your famous paella, the thought of saving money and energy probably isn't at the front of your mind. Yet you could be saving money every single time you cook --if you have an energy-efficient stove.

By Stephanie Watson

Traditional air conditioners are huge consumers of energy. Could magnetic air conditioners keep our homes cooler inside without making temperatures hotter outside?

By Beth Brindle

Electricity may seem like the cheap, green way to go, but natural gas is also a popular choice for energizing many common indoor and outdoor appliances. This fossil fuel is efficient, reliable, economical and environmentally friendly.

By Marie Willsey

You want your new kitchen to look nice, but you also want it to do everything you need a kitchen to do quickly and easily. Would getting all of your appliances from the same manufacturer solve both problems?

By Ed Grabianowski

Long a staple of any modern kitchen, stainless steel has been cast off as old news by a vocal band of outliers. Is the ubiquitous appliance material a thing of the past?

By Chris Opfer

A buffer can bring a beautiful shine to your floor. But using the wrong pad can do serious damage. What polishing tools are the right fit for your needs?

By Allison Wachtel

Throwing away a broken vacuum cleaner is bad for the environment. Learn more about what to do with a broken vacuum cleaner.

By Josh Peterson, Planet Green

Vacuums have come a long way since they were first introduced, but the ones on the market today have really made some strides.

By Sara Elliott

If your HVAC system or furnace or car A/C or heater is letting you down, the problem could lie in the blower motor. Fortunately, you can learn all about blower motors and how to repair them right now!

By HowStuffWorks.com Contributors

If you're planning to do renovations in your home, it's important that you can distinguish the many types of outlets. This article will help you learn how to understand electrical outlets and avoid unexpected hazards.

By HowStuffWorks.com Contributors

Most people would like to make their appliances last longer. Learn about how to make appliances last longer in this article.

By HowStuffWorks.com Contributors

Air conditioning has fundamentally changed how people experience the world. When it's hot outside, walking into an air-conditioned house is like walking into another season. How do air conditioners keep us cool?

By Marshall Brain, Charles W. Bryant & Sara Elliott

Yes, you do have to clean the machine that cleans your clothes! Fortunately, it's easy to do.

By Alia Hoyt & Zach Taras

If you notice that your water heater is not functioning properly, it probably needs draining. While you can hire a plumber to do it for you, you can also learn how to drain a hot water tank yourself. Read on to save money and protect your water heater.

By HowStuffWorks.com Contributors

Does your washer-dryer combo dominate the laundry room? Is the kitchen cluttered with giant machinery? Is your dishwasher cramping your style -- and your space? Things don't have to be so cluttered, and there are gadgets out there you don't have to force into your home.

By Heather Kolich

A clear bottle depicting a pristine artesian well (presumably with some of its contents inside) versus the metal tap in your sink -- which is more enticing? But are those popular plastic conveyances really the smartest choice?

By Colleen Cancio

They've been bringing us relief from the heat since the late 1800s, but do you know how ceiling fans really work? And, did you know they can help keep you warm in the winter?

By Jessica Willis

Instead of throwing away trash, many people use automatic composters to recycle garbage into garden-friendly fertilizer. But are the high cost and potential odors worth the benefit?

By Sarah Grace McCandless

Cleaning out your gutters can be a tricky, dangerous project. Climbing up ladders and heaving large piles of leaves only increases your risk of injury. What if you had a robot that could clean your gutters for you?

By Meghan E. Smith

If you have different remotes for your TV, DVR, stereo system and DVD player that are cluttering your coffee table, a universal remote that controls all your electronics may be just what you need.

By Rachel Oswald

If you unplug any appliance in your house, there's a 98 percent chance than the two flat prongs have holes in them. Find out the reasons for these holes.

In today's economy, with rising fuel prices and dwindling resources, homeowners are looking for ways to save money wherever they can. And some are taking a lesson from the 1970s and turning to solar power to heat their homes.

By Heather Kolich

Humidity is bad enough when it's outdoors. When it seeps into your home, that moisture-filled air can make you uncomfortable or even ill, as well as cause damage to your home. How can a dehumidifier prevent this?

By Nina Holmberg