Having grown up in a house without air conditioning, I know what it’s like to sweat through hot nights and loud fans. This was a time before the efficient, quiet fans now common; back in the day, we put loud, plane-propeller-size units in the window and on the floor hoping for a bit of air movement, just enough to pass out.

Luckily, I’ve found better way to keep cool. I still don’t have air condition, mind you, but I like it that way; besides, I’ve found a more efficient, less energy-taxing solution: the ceiling fan. Installed the right way, in the right place, these inexpensive and easy-to-install devices will keep you cool and save you cash.

Unlike energy-hogging A/C units, electric ceiling fans don’t actually cool the air; rather, they move it around, which helps evaporate moisture, on your skin and on surfaces in your home, making things feel cooler. Ceiling fans also help draw up warm air, mixing it with cooler air for more moderate room temperatures, so you get gentle warmth without the frigid, synthetic feel of air conditioning. (In winter, switch blade direction and the fan will push down warm air rather than draw it up.)

Installation

Putting up a fan is as easy as installing a ceiling light—right? Not quite. Screwing into the existing junction box might not provide enough stability. After all, some of these fans weigh more than 30 pounds standing still; add in the pressure and vibration created by the spinning blades and you’re left with a dangerous spinning blade—to say nothing of an eyesore.

Instead of affixing directly into the existing junction box, attach the fan to something—a beam—that will securely handle the weight and motion of the fan. Of course, it will need to be hooked up for power, so if you’re at all unsure how to safely connect, especially if your fan is also a light, hire an electrician to come in for a quick, inexpensive inspection.

Right place, right fan

Ceiling fans aren’t one-size-fits-all; there are ceiling fans for every type of decor; ceiling fans operable by remote control; fans designed for sloped ceilings; fans with blades as big as canoe paddles—you name it, it exists. Unless you want to recreate the plane-blade scene in Raiders of the Lost Ark, the first consideration here is ceiling height. If your ceiling is less than eight feet, it’s too low for a ceiling fan. Also, the blade span should be no closer than two feet from the wall to allow for airflow.

The final consideration is noise. Put it this way, you could spend $25, but do you really want to live with a fan worthy of the exhaust system at KFC?

This Sunday is Father’s Day, and while not every dad pines for tools, nothing says “I love you, Mr. Fix-it” quite like a new tool.

But rather than getting him a tool he won’t use or that’s beyond his abilities—hey, let’s not embarrass him on his one day to be king—look for a simple-yet-cool tool. Here are the Top 3 slightly ridiculous, over-the-top tools for Father’s Day:

Titanium Hammer: You’ve heard him mention “titanium” in reference to golf clubs, but this lightweight yet tough-as-nail material is not limited to sports equipment. This 15-ounce hammer feels as light as a squash racquet but packs a punch. Take a close look and you’ll notice a few special features, including a side nail puller and a magnetic nail starter. But the best part of this gift is you can tell him, “Honey, this hammer has 10 times less recoil than steel.” Go ahead, tell him that.

Solar Robotic Lawn Mower: When I was a younger I wanted an Omnibot 2000, a robotic servant that could carry drinks on a tray. While I never got one, I am pretty sure it was pure novelty anyway.

That said, robots have come a long way since ’83. Husqvarna, best known for chainsaws, recently unveiled its Automower, a fully automatic mower that operates itself by following a path set out by an invisible wire. What’s more, this mower runs on a rechargeable, solar-powered battery; when the mower require more power, it simply drives itself to the charger and basks in the sun till it’s time to get back to work.

SawStop Table Saw: There’s nothing funny about losing a finger to a saw blade, and yet finger-cutting accidents are common whether your dad’s a pro or Mr. Butterfingers. Luckily, there is a solution in SawStop, an electronic detection system that detects human flesh in a millisecond, stopping the blade as soon as contact is made. The website features a video showing what happens when a hot dog hits the blade. Now that’s progress.

This past Saturday was deck teardown day at my parents’ house. They’re replacing their 20-year-old wooden deck with a larger version, and called on me to remove the built-in benches and floorboards while retaining—not smashing—the underneath base. Since the deck was built in 1988, the long, four-inch nails used to secure the floorboards were rusty and impossible to pull out, which meant removing the 12-foot boards without damaging the deck base would require hefty and time-consuming work.

But that’s when I discovered something: building a new deck can be fun work, but tearing down an old, decrepit deck is even more of a joy, especially with brawny, well-designed demolition tools. While I don’t often write tool reviews (leave that to the advertisers), Stanley’s line of multi-functional demolition bars—especially the 30-inch, 8.5-pound version turned gruelling, prisoner-worthy work into something much more manageable, even fun.

Forged from a single piece of high-carbon steel, these four-in-one tools feature an oversized striking face coupled with a serrated extracting claw perfectly sized to grab two-inch-thick lumber. But it was the tool’s pry-bar end that really came in handy; I’d wedge the tool between the joist and floorboards and, using my weight, pop up the board.

The shorter, lighter versions (15 inch and 18 inch) were useful for more finicky work, especially around corners and along the house wall, and for prying nails. While I certainly don’t need all three in my toolkit, the longest version certainly found a permanent place in my demolition line-up.

OK, so earlier in the week we covered the beginning stages of an exterior paint job. If you’re still with us and actually want to go through with this grueling work, then read on because there are a few more steps involved.

Step 3: Washing, Sanding and Priming

Once the old paint is removed, fire up the ole power washer for a quick deep cleaning. As the name implies, these washers are extremely powerful, strong enough to rip apart wood, so don’t set it to high and start blasting. The idea is to remove any surface dirt and leftover paint. Once finished, allow two or three days for the wood to completely dry before sanding.

Sanding smoothes the surface and removes any loose, splintering material, which is especially important if you’re going to be walking on the wood. For small surfaces such as windowpanes, a palm sander (electric or manual) works well; for larger spots, use a random orbit sander (rentable). To avoid clogging up the machine, start with coarse, 100-grit sandpaper, moving on to a finer grit (120-grit) as you sand down.

Once sanded, wood needs to be primed to protect against moisture. There are two main primer types: alkyd primer, also called “oil base,” is usually used on wood trim and siding, treated lumber and metal surfaces. Alkyd primers are good for blocking stains, can be diluted using mineral spirits, and usually dry within a few hours or overnight. Apply with a natural bristle brush.

Acrylic, or latex primer, is similar to alkyd primer and can be used underneath any type of paint, even oil-based paint. Unlike alkyd primer, acrylic primer can be diluted using water and—the real benefit—has a reduced drying time, about four hours max.

Step 4: Picking Paint

Finally, time to get painting. But what’s better for exteriors, oil or latex? The answer used to be oil for its durability, but the quality of latex paints (and primers) has improved to the point of equality, with latex leading the pack for its ease of use and better environmental properties. Moreover, some contractors believe oil paint chokes wood, not allowing the material to breath and making it prone to moisture problems whereas latex allows moisture to pass through without causing the paint to pull away from the wood and peel or crack.

I’ve been using the word “paint” but really I’m talking about paint or stain, and when it comes to exterior wood, stain is usually your best bet for two reasons: one, it allows for the natural beauty of the wood to shine through, showing off the grain patters; but even more importantly, stain tends to penetrate deeper into wood whereas paint just coats the outside. Unlike paint, however, oil-based stain tends to stand up to exterior abuse better than latex-based stain, but if you prep the wood properly, the difference between the two is negligible.

The combination of stained wood with painted accents (windowsills, trim, and so on) is timeless, so consider adding some splashes of colour.

As for choosing a brush, there are two basic types: those made with natural bristles, used for applying alkyd or oil-based paint; and those with synthetic bristles, which can be used to apply all types of paint. As for quality, look for tapered ends (the centre bristles should be slightly longer than those at the edge to help lay down the paint smoothly. Also, choose a brush that is at least half-again as long as it is wide (e.g., the bristles on a two-inch-wide brush should be at least three inches in length).

For size, a four-inch brush with tightly packed bristles, about ¼-inch thick, is best for exterior painting, and an angled one-inch sash brush is great for painting trim and window frames. Lastly, don’t skimp on quality. Well-made brushes create a deep, smooth finish that naturally fends off mildew and dirt.

Step 5: Are you sure you want to do this?

Unlike indoor painting, exterior jobs require a lot of work (especially if you’re up on a ladder all day) and require about a week’s worth of dry days and nights. Depending on the size of the job, scraping, sanding, priming and painting can take up to a week, with three or four days of drying time.

Depending on where you live, the best outdoor painting weather is spring or early fall. The middle of summer might seem dry, but the hot, humid weather creates bad conditions for the paint—it simply won’t dry in high humidity; and in extreme heat, paint will dry too fast, causing uneven drying and even wood warping— to say nothing of the painter.

If it’s a small job, like refinishing a deck or painting a garage, this is certainly doable for most seasoned DIYers; if it’s painting an entire house, hire a pro and don’t waste your holidays.

When I was a kid one of my summer jobs was painting and staining decks and cottages. I’d arrive in my little tin boat and spend a day scraping off peeling paint and stain, maybe sanding a few rough edges before slapping on a new coat of finish. Two days work, easy cash. After all, what’s so hard about painting, right? Pick your colour and get rolling, or brushing or spraying. Done and done — if you can make the decision.

But not quite. I bet most of the exterior paint jobs lasted a season or two—at best; more likely, the finish was coming off before Thanksgiving closedown. Unless you want to repaint every year or be left with a spotty, craggy finish, exterior painting requires both mental and physical prep work, as Katie at Besotted Cottage found out. Here’s the scoop.

Step 1: Wood Inspection

Before you argue with your spouse over which hue of green best matches the dog’s fur, trek down to the hardware store and purchase a $30 moisture meter. These simple-to-use (think of those BBQ fork thermometers) devices check the moisture level of the wood. If the wood is too wet, paint won’t adhere properly. As a general rule, if the wood has more than 16 per cent moisture, it shouldn’t be painted. If this is the case, wait until later in the summer, when the wood is dryer from summer sun.

Step 2: Scrape

Scraping is perhaps the most straightforward task. For really loose paint, a simple flanged scraper works well; for harder-to-remove surfaces, use a sharp hook-type scraper. Scraping quickly dulls the blade, so if you’re working with a large area, keep checking the blade to make sure it’s not dull, and keep scraping until the old paint is removed.

For really stubborn areas, you can use an electric heat gun, but make sure you’re wearing a proper face mask to prevent against inhaling dangerous fumes from old oil and lead paint. As well, be aware that a heat gun can burn the wood, so keep water on hand to douse any flames.

Also, a word of warning: don’t fiddle around with sandblasting or chemical paint removers. These are professional-level tools that can easily ruin the wood if you don’t know what you’re doing. If the job requires this level of removal, consider hiring a pro.

Up next in Part 2: Washing, Sanding, Priming and, finally, Painting!

Somewhere along the way, I’ve developed a reputation for barbecuing food; king of the grill, fire champ, if you catch my drift. It seems wherever I go, I’m expected to drop my drink and take care of the ‘cueing, while everyone else sits around relaxing and watching me like I’m some master chef. Not that I mind, so long as everything’s in perfect order. A champ cannot perform well in bad conditions.

Problems always arise with out-of-tune grills, barbecues with hot and cold spots, low heat, flare-ups or just plain dirty grilling surfaces. But during the outdoor season, the barbecue acts as your kitchen, and how long could you put up with an oven that didn’t work? People live with these issues as if there’s nothing that can be done, but barbecues, like all tools, require yearly maintenance to keep working at top form. That said, the fixes, like everything BBQ, are easy.

Before I continue, I should clarify: I am talking about gas-powered barbecues, not the traditional hibachi or other charcoal cookers. If you’re a traditionalist and consider gas a sin, skip this lesson. For the rest of us, read on.

Step 1: The Burner

Hot and cold spots, flare-ups and other griller eccentrics are almost always related to the burner, the griller’s engine. Depending on how often you use your grill (year-round for me, 52% of other Canadians, according to a recent study by the makers of the fine Weber grills), it eventually burn out and need replacing.

Simply lift off the grills, pull aside the coals or “flavour wave” and lift out the burner. Not all burners are the same size or fit, so wrap it inside a small bag (so it doesn’t make everything dirty) and take it into a hardware store, where you can show it to the guy and get a replacement. For about $40 you’ll have, essentially, a new ‘cue.

Step 2: Spiders and Rust

Spiders and rust … sounds like an Iron Maiden album. New barbecues come equipped with “spider guards” that prevent these small critters from entering the venturi tubes (the metal connectors that feed gas to the burner). This tends to happen over the winter, with spiders and their webs, plus other dirt and debris, clogging up the pipes.

While you’re at the hardware store, pick up a $4 venturi brush, which is basically a long, skinny pipe cleaner with a bristled end. Then simply push the brush through the pipes till they’re clean and free.

Still in a cleaning frame of mind? Now’s the time to get rid of any rust buildup around the venturi tubes, burners and grates. Fine steel wool (#000 or #0000) and some light machine oil should get rid of any surface rust; if the decay runs deeper, you might need to replace a part, but here we’re usually talking about the burner, which should be replaced every two to three years anyway. Same goes for the rubber gas hose similar to the hoses under your car hood; if it’s cracked, replace it.

Rusty propane tanks should not be tinkered with. As a general rule, these tanks last about eight to 10 years. (Quick tip: get two tanks so that if one empties while you’re cooking, you can quickly hook up the full tank without ruining the meal.)

Step 3: Add new coals

Most gas barbecues don’t require charcoal coals because they come with what’s often referred to as a “flavour wave,” which reflects and directs flames while creating smoke from dripping juices and oils. However, that said, you can certainly add charcoal coals to your ‘cue, just make sure you replace them every season or so.

Besides coals, you can also play around with pieces of soaked wood (apple wood smoked ribs, anyone?), such as hickory. Use your own, or buy specially soaked shavings from a specialty food store.

Step 4: You’re Done

That’s right, there is no Step 4. See, I told you, barbecuing is easy living done well, or in my case, medium rare.

Lately I’ve been enjoying the ramblings of Ohio blogger DIY Diva, a self-described “power tool wielding badass” in Ohio. When she’s not shredding legal documents or dreaming of owning a mini-lathe, this ripped jeans–wearing woman is busy remodeling her 80-year-old house.

I mention the Diva because she’s the one who turned me on to Handyguys Podcast. If you’re not familiar with podcasting, basically it’s a downloadable audio or video program, like a TV or radio show, that you can watch or listen to on your computer. Handyman’s Podcast is a weekly advice show (posted every Thursday) put together by two guys with ample reno experience.

The show covers questions sent in by listeners, as well as general how-to advice on everything from deck refinishing to spring cleaning your lawnmower to head-to-head tool tests. It’s a great show led by two entertaining and informed DIYers.

Handyman’s Podcast isn’t the only home-reno show in the blogosphere. Podcasting works well with renos because you get to hear from real people about what they went through and how to solve problems in a way that doesn’t always work in books or magazines. Here are some other remodelling podcasts:

Podcast Directory lists several building-related podcasts, including shows on tiling and insulation.

HGTV (Home and Garden Television) offers tons of podcasts covering everything from basement makeovers to home wine storage.

If you read Popular Science magazine, you’re already familiar with The Toolmonger, a guy who tests and reviews tools like a one-man Consumer Reports. The podcasts feature The Toolmonger offering his opinions and advice on buying and comparing tools.

Of course, with all online content, please use caution when deciding who’s an expert and who’s blowing hot air; not everyone’s the expert they claim to be.

It’s that time of year again. No, I’m not talking about yachting season (although, really, boat drinks do deserve a full blog entry of their own). I’m talking about digging in the dirt, the perennial springtime sport of gardeners and deck builders.

Most of us have no idea what’s underneath our lawns and gardens, and unless you’ve dug up a pool or set deep deck posts, why would you? When we need to dig, we dig. Unfortunately, freewheeling digging can leave DIYers knee-deep in more than soil when their shovel accidentally jabs an underground utility line.

Luckily, someone has set up a program to help inform people how to create holes in the ground safely. The Safe Digging Month program, which begins this May, provides a website and U.S.-based national phone number to help homeowners get their utility lines marked before breaking ground. To learn more about the program, click here.

Canadian readers, there’s help for you, too. While there’s no national organization or one-stop website, utility line digging resources abound, so simply type “utility line digging” into Google, along with your location (Moosejaw, Halifax, and so on) and you’re good to go.

Alternatively, of course, there’s a tool that will do the work for you. And with that kind of investment, you may just get inspired to go in search of buried treasure.

You spend an entire month sourcing out a qualified, professional contractor to build and install new kitchen cabinets in your house. Finally you’ve found your guy: impeccable references, stunning portfolio, reasonable pricing—time to get building.

He pulls into your driveway in his Sprinter van bearing his company logo. Wearing Carhartt overalls and sporting a pencil behind his ear, he’s all class, baby. And then something happens that you weren’t expecting. While pulling out his tools—the usual heavy-duty suspects—out springs a Hello Kitty Power Sander.

If you’ve somehow managed to avoid Hello Kitty thus far, she’s that iconic Japanese character you see fixed onto everything from clothing to backpacks to jewelry, electronics …

Yes, literally everything. So why not construction equipment? Well, the obvious question is, how safe could a pink-hued, animated character-enhanced sander be? Unfortunately, exhaustive Internet searches led to zero product reviews, neither from amateurs nor professional builders. While we can’t provide a review, we can give these words of advice: if your contractor pulls out this device, kindly ask him to put it back into his Hello Kitty tool box; playtime is over.

Has anyone used this sander? Or can possibly suggest a reason for its existence?

A few weeks ago, during Easter dinner, my wife’s cousin pulled out his new iTouch gizmo. He wanted to show me some pictures he’d taken at his cottage. Pretty soon he was showing off his device, logging online through a wireless network—over turkey and wine. Then came the chainsaw videos.

YouTube, as I’ve mentioned before, is teeming with silly, sometimes dangerous acts caught on video. And while the Paris Hiltons of the world think “bedroom” when it comes to dangerous acts caught on tape, some of us think chainsaw, as in: wielding a five-pound tool spinning a chain that would sever your head in five seconds … and using it as a toy!

Dumb acts with a chainsaw: entertaining, yes; something you should try at home, no. Instead, sit back and learn from these lessons.

Lesson 1: Safety harnesses are key when climbing a tree in order to cut it down.

Lesson 2: When removing a tree, yelling “timber” isn’t enough—make sure the surrounding area is clear too.

Lesson 3: If chainsaws make you nervous, try another tool (U.S. readers only).

Lesson 4: In the esteemed words of Dean Martin, “if you drink, don’t drive. Don’t even putt.” Same goes for chainsaws.

Lesson 5: Chainsaws eliminate the need for hotdog buns.

Lesson 6: Ask yourself, does the tree really need to come down?

Lesson 7: Cutting down a tree with a chainsaw? Easy. Filming it? Not quite as simple.

Of course, it’s not all fun and games when it comes to deadly, gas-powered tools. Here’s some great video on the dos and don’ts of chainsaw operation and maintenance. And its follow-ups, how to remove or tighten the chain.

Safety equipment is a genuinely crucial component of operating a chainsaw. Especially important: how to put on chaps.

But if you’re into talking about chainsaws, learning about the difference between electric and gas, or just looking at pretty pictures of these fine-toothed beauties, the recently launched Chainsaw Blog is where it’s at. No one seems to be sporting chaps, but it’s probably because they know better.