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Home Improvement
Winterizing your light sources: Window and skylight tips
Sunshine and summer go together like coconut and pineapple. Yet when winter arrives with shorter days and cooler temperatures, the amount of sun that enters your home can be more important than at any other time of year. It's important to prepare for winter by taking care of the portals that allow natural light into your...
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Simple steps to care for granite, marble and other natural stone
Natural stone is one of the most sought-after upgrades in a home. Providing both versatility and timeless beauty, it's no surprise that granite is the most popular natural stone option. Though very durable, the composition of stone can make it sensitive to damage through daily use. By understanding a few important do's a...
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Garage door safety knowledge can protect your whole family
What is likely the largest, heaviest moving object in your home? Answer: It's your garage door. Do you know how to operate and maintain your garage door safely? Do your kids know the potential hazards that a garage door may present? Here are a few things to think about that will help build your knowledge of garage door s...
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Transform your space with unexpected color
For today's homeowners who are seeking easy ways to update their homes on a do-it-yourself budget, nothing transforms the look and feel of a room as quickly and affordably as a fresh coat of colorful paint.
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Make your home fall-ready (inside and out) in one weekend
With cooler temperatures on the way, there's no better time to finish checking items off the home improvement to-do list. Several projects are "must-do's" and should be completed before the harsher weather arrives. Most are simple enough to accomplish in just a couple days.
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Concrete challenges of converting basements or garages to living space
For homeowners looking to improve the value of their homes - and cope with the needs of multiple generations living under one roof - basement and garage renovations make sense. Before you dive into one of these worthwhile renovation projects, you should consider an often-overlooked logistic of working in a basement or ga...
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Tips for adjusting to busy family schedules
The kids are back in school, fall activities are starting up again and the house is empty at different times of the day, making it difficult to keep up with hectic schedules - including yours. Yet there are easy things you can to do adjust to changing family routines, while ensuring your home remains comfortable and safe...
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Tips for a thorough fall house cleaning
With the changing of the season right around the corner, most Americans are beginning to clean up the exterior of their homes by raking leaves and cleaning out the gutters, but what about the interior? Fall can be the perfect time to revisit that spring cleaning list that you never completed and give the interior of your...
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Easy carpet cleaning tips and tricks from the experts
As the weather cools and daylight hours shorten, families tend to spend more time inside. After a long summer of open windows, sticky treats and constant activity in and out the door, you might notice that your carpets are looking a bit drab. Keeping carpets clean might seem like a daunting task, but with some tips from ...
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By Andy Sullivan and Kim Dixon WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The outgoing head of the U.S. Internal Revenue Service angered Republican lawmakers on Friday by resisting their demands that he identify who at the tax-collection agency had inappropriately targeted conservative groups for extra scrutiny. But during the first hearing into a growing IRS scandal that could preoccupy Washington for months, Republicans did learn that a top official in President Barack Obama's administration knew that the IRS was looking into targeting by the tax agency nearly a year ago. ...
By Joanne von Alroth SPRINGFIELD, Illinois (Reuters) - The Illinois Senate on Friday voted to approve the use of marijuana for medical purposes, which if signed into law would make it the second-most-populous state in the nation after California to allow the drug's use for medical purposes. The bill, approved by the Illinois House in April, now moves to Governor Pat Quinn's desk to await his signature. Quinn has indicated he is sympathetic to the bill, especially as it would benefit injured veterans. "We fully expect Gov. ...
By Michelle McLoughlin FAIRFIELD, Connecticut (Reuters) - A commuter train traveling eastbound from New York City derailed near the Connecticut suburb of Fairfield during the evening rush hour on Friday and collided with a westbound commuter train, injuring up to 60 people, three critically, officials said. The collision of the two Metro North trains forced Amtrak to shut down service indefinitely between New York and Boston, the national railroad said. Three people were critically injured and 60 people were transported to area hospitals, police said. ...