One of the most effective ways to clean your home is to work from top to bottom. This ensures that whatever dirt or dust is lurking above falls down first, so you're not forced to redo any of the hard work you've already done below.
In the past, roof inspections mostly focused on what could be seen from the outside. Contractors looked for broken shingles, worn flashing, or areas where water might enter the roof. The problem is that roof damage does not always show clear signs right away. Water can move through roofing layers before it becomes visible inside the home.
The leap from a "functional" network to a professional-grade infrastructure is the difference between a dirt path and a multi-lane highway. As we integrate more high-bandwidth technology-from 8K streaming to AI-driven home security-the "consumer-grade" hardware typically provided by service providers is reaching its breaking point.
When we decided to build our tiny home in late 2024, we had no building experience whatsoever. Simone had never even painted a wall before. Thankfully, ChatGPT had arrived at the perfect time. We spent our evenings asking it about almost everything. While AI was genuinely helpful during the building process, we quickly learned we couldn't rely on it alone.
Plug-in solar systems, one or two panels with power inverters that connect to a standard electrical outlet, are less expensive—80-97% less than traditional rooftop installations, according to Bright Saver. And they don't require a technician to install. Once set up, they reduce the amount of electricity that users take from the grid, generating enough to power small appliances like the fridge, washing machine or computer.
If you're looking to whip your home into shape, this list of clever organizing finds is just what you need. Every single item is backed by the Bustle shopping team, who spilled all the tea on what makes these products absolute must-buys. Ahead, discover items that will take your entire home from cluttered and chaotic to streamlined and tidy. Think game-changing finds designed to transform closets and cabinets, cut back on waste, and simply make your everyday routine so much easier.
Appliance power mapping means measuring each appliance's actual electricity consumption rather than relying on manufacturer estimates. Using tools like plug-in electricity monitors (such as a Kill-A-Watt meter) or whole-house energy monitors (like Sense or Emporia Vue), you collect real data on how much electricity each device draws-while running, in standby, and when nominally "off."
Add a cheerful touch to your home with this Faux Peony Bundle from Pottery Barn. You don't need gardening skills, just set it out and enjoy. Each bundle has five blooms in bright spring colors, perfect for indoor spaces. Farmers' Market Herb Live Wreath & Garland Add a pop of color and flair to your front door a fresh look with this decorative wreath from Williams Sonoma.
There was a time when plumbing work stayed politely behind the walls, noticed only when something went wrong. That era is over. Today's plumbing contractor sits at the crossroads of infrastructure, housing stability, climate stress, and technology that finally works the way it should. The job still involves grit and know-how, but it also requires foresight, communication, and a willingness to run a smarter business without losing the human touch. That mix is what separates contractors who stay busy from those who stay booked.
Berkeley's historic homes have plenty of charms, but knob-and-tube wiring isn't one of them. Modernizing these antiquated electrical systems can add tens of thousands of dollars to the cost of home improvement projects, especially HVAC and appliance upgrades. That concern is what led to the creation last November of Mr. Poppy Electric, a Berkeley-based electrical contractor firm founded by longtime friends Tenzin Soepa and Andrei Smith, both Berkeley High School graduates.
After some investigation, I found that Home Assistant has an integration with Node-RED - a graphical tool for manipulating data and event streams. It could probably satisfy most of my needs. But from time to time I remember that I'm a professional software developer, working with event streams for many years, and for this kind of problem there's nothing better than math (and Scala's type system, which supports it very well).
The home isn't just where we live anymore. It's a mechanism for living longer. In this AD PRO LIVE report, we'll examine how residential design has become the next frontier to a healthier, longer life. Delve into the industry's expanding catalog of non-toxic materials, the architectural elements shaping conscientious builds, and the luxury amenities promoting physical and mental well-being in every room of the house.
Siminoff's vision: turn Ring from a video doorbell company into an AI-powered "intelligent assistant" for the entire home and beyond. A handful of new features that advance that goal shipped just ahead of this year's Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, including fire alerts, alerts about "unusual events," conversational AI, facial recognition features, and more. Some of these additions have not been without controversy, as consumers have to grapple with how much privacy they're giving up in favor of convenience and security.
Kohler's Anthem EvoCycle Smart Shower makes it easy to be more mindful about your water consumption. That's because when it's in "Cycle" mode, you can save up to 80% of water with a filtered, recirculated flow from the shower head. It uses an in-floor reservoir and filter in the shower base to do this, along with a closed loop system to deliver the recycled and fresh water mixture to the shower head. But you still get all the luxury that Kohler plumbing offers
All of the appliances and systems are brand-new: the HVAC, the lighting, the entertainment. Touch screens of various shapes and sizes control this, that, and the other. Rows of programmable buttons sit where traditional light switches would normally be. The kitchen even has outlets designed to rise up from the countertop when you need them, and slide away when you don't.
With costs climbing across the US, energy prices stand out, made worse by record-breaking summer heat and recent waves of scorching temperatures that have affected multiple states. Having endured several of them this season, I'm always looking for ways to reduce energy use. There are many small things you can do to shave dollars off your monthly energy bill, and they go beyond simply switching off the lights when you leave the room.
Unless you're opting for a purely second-hand mismatched design, renovating a kitchen can be a costly affair. From figuring out the layout plan to choosing cabinets, counters, hardware, and additional features, it adds up quickly. Of course, certain features are more valuable than others when it comes to how you use your kitchen on a daily basis. And if it's the busiest room in your home, you'll want to pay attention to the components that could benefit from a touch of luxury.
Apartment Therapy's January Cure is a free 20-day program that'll help you refresh your home for the year ahead. Sign up here and get all assignments delivered to your inbox. A major step for any home project is getting started - and that includes identifying all the steps and tools needed to get the job done. Today, we're going to do just that, so I'll keep the details brief!
You know what's better than a bougie home find? A bougie home find that's actually useful. And this list is brimming with tons of posh-meets-practical things. Think luxe linens, custom-look lighting, pro-level organization options, and tons of stuff that will make you feel like you're living the high life every single day. We're especially wowed by the genius design features found here, and you will be, too.
When temperatures hit below 20 degrees Fahrenheit and stay there for an extended period of time, there's a quick tip that home cooks can rely on to keep their kitchens in good working order all winter long: Simply open your under-the-sink cabinet doors at night, especially those attached to an outside wall. As it freezes, water trapped inside your pipes hardens and expands, filling the pipe with intense pressure that can create a crack at your pipe's weakest point.
Matter, the smart home connectivity protocol that revolutionized the IoT world, has done wonders to bridge the interoperability gaps between brands. For various reasons, however, Matter hasn't completely solved the problem of incompatibility in the smart home. IoT company Copilot.cx aims to change that by giving users access to different brands' devices with a single mobile app. Copilot.cx has introduced Copilot Star, a platform that enables manufacturers to builda branded app based on a single framework, connecting smart home devices running on different platforms.
They do nothing to save you power Scam "power saving" devices are rampant online. These devices plug into an outlet and promise to "improve the use of energy," "extend the life of electrical equipment," and even "avoid illegal electrical waste." Sounds great, right? Also: This USB power meter I tested is shockingly accurate - especially for how cheap it is Well, despite the bold claims and the sticker on the front of the unit, they are too good to be true.
