DIY in Home & Garage

Only DIY: the latest headlines first, then BRO’s own DIY stories and video. All of Home →

GuideWes Dunbar22 Sept 20265 min

Find the draughts first, then spend money on insulation

Most people insulate the wrong thing in the wrong order. A cold afternoon, a stick of incense and about $60 will tell you where your heat is going.

GuideWes Dunbar22 Sept 20265 min

What your home inspector won't check, and what you should

A standard inspection is a visual, non-invasive look at a house on one dry morning. Plenty of expensive problems sit just outside that scope.

Ask BRO

What should I wear to this?

Ask it

GuideWes Dunbar22 Sept 20266 min

The paint job that still looks right in three years

Most rooms don't fail because of the paint. They fail at the caulk line, the patch you didn't prime, and the coat you called good enough.

Names.com — The name is the first thing you sell

PartnerNames.com

6 min read

Find Your Shutoffs Tonight, Not At Two In The Morning

A burst supply line puts out hundreds of gallons an hour. The difference between a mop and a claim is whether you already know where the valve is.

Poll

What was your first ever job?

GuideWes Dunbar22 Sept 20266 min

Five house repairs you should stop paying someone else to do

A running toilet, a blocked sink, a hole in the wall, a dead switch, failing caulk — all of them are an evening's work with tools you already own.

GuideWes Dunbar22 Sept 20266 min

Ten tools that cover ninety percent of household repairs

Most jobs around a house fail for want of the right tool, not the right skill. This is the short list that handles nearly all of them.

CancerDefying.com — The research, protocols and reading in one place

PartnerCancerDefying.com

Hang a Pre-Hung Door So It Doesn't Drift Open at 2 a.m.

Most bad door installs get decided before the first nail. Diagnose the opening, set the hinge side first, and the latch takes care of itself.

Quiz

Is your money actually in order?

Six questions. No email required, no sales pitch at the end.

Guide100 ThingsWes Dunbar23 Sept 20267 min

100 Things Every Homeowner Should Check Every Year

One walkthrough, one Saturday, one list. Most of these take five minutes and save you a four-figure repair.

GuideGuides & ChecklistsWes Dunbar23 Sept 20267 min

Winterize the house and the truck in one Saturday

Pipes, gutters, furnace and the vehicle, done properly in the right order, with a printable checklist and a self-check at the end.

Ask BRO

Rewrite my CV so it actually gets read

Ask it

GuideHow ToDean Shaw23 Sept 20267 min

How to Change a Car Battery Without Frying Your Electronics

Negative comes off first, goes on last. That one rule prevents most of what goes wrong, and the rest of the job takes twenty minutes.

Coconut.com — Tell us when. We find where the sun is.

PartnerCoconut.com

GuideCan You Fix ItDean Shaw23 Sept 20266 min

A warm fridge is usually dirty coils or a dead fan

Work the problem in order, with a thermometer, a nut driver and a shop vac, and you'll fix most of them in an afternoon for under fifty bucks.

Poll

Where does your phone charge overnight?

GuideGuides & ChecklistsDean Shaw23 Sept 20266 min

What Your Car Needs at Every Mileage, Oil to Timing Belt

Your odometer is a maintenance calendar. Learn to read it, and you'll spend money on parts instead of tow trucks.

GuideHow ToWes Dunbar23 Sept 20266 min

How to Shut Off the Water Main When a Pipe Bursts

Find the valve, turn it clockwise, kill the water heater. Do it in under two minutes and you save a floor instead of replacing one.

Shirts.com — Design it with AI. Wear it this week.

PartnerShirts.com

GuideCan You Fix ItWes Dunbar23 Sept 20266 min

Straightening a Leaning Fence Post Without Tearing Out the Fence

Most leaning posts don't need replacing. Find out which kind you have with a screwdriver, then fix it in an afternoon for under fifty bucks.

Quiz

Does your wardrobe actually fit you?

Five questions, honestly answered, and a plan for the next fortnight.

Guides & Checklists6 min

The Home Maintenance Checklist That Actually Gets Done

Garden & Yard5 min

Light Your Yard So It Looks Good and Nobody Tries the Door

Ask BRO

Give me something to do with my kids this weekend

Ask it

GuideCan You Fix ItWes Dunbar23 Sept 20266 min

What to check when the hot water quits

Start at the breaker or the pilot light, not at the parts counter — a step-by-step diagnosis for gas and electric tanks, and the point where you stop.

GermProof.com — An invisible germ barrier on your skin for hours

PartnerGermProof.com

Can You Fix It6 min read

Fix a Flat and Dial In the Brakes on Every Bike in the Garage

Four bikes, one Saturday morning, about sixty dollars of tools. Diagnose the flat before you patch it, and never skip the brake check.

Poll

Where does your phone charge overnight?

Older articles