Home Safety
Understanding the Dangers of Thirdhand Smoke
Ask This Old House home technology expert Ross Trethewey and painter Mauro Henrique discuss how to remove a cigarette smell from a home and why it is important to do so.
Best First Aid Kits (2023 Guide)
In this review and buying guide, our team evaluates some of today's top-rated, best first aid kits for quality, inventory, and usefulness.
Give Back During the COVID-19 Crisis
If you have spare, unused masks, respirator cartridges, nitrile gloves, safety goggles or face shields, please donate them.
How to Deep Clean Your House
Go beyond the weekly dust swipe-and-sweep and gear up for what pros call a "deep cleaning." Read our tips for deep cleaning your living room, bathroom, kitchen and laundry appliances.
How To Wire a Portable Generator
Ask This Old House master electrician Heath Eastman explains a few different methods for hooking up a portable generator to a house.
What to Know About Household Safety
While accidents and hazards in the home seem to happen randomly, we can do a great deal to reduce their likelihood by being proactive about household safety. Read our tips for keeping you and your family safe.
How to Safely Dispose of Oily Rags
Ask This Old House general contractor Tom Silva discusses the proper disposal techniques for oily rags to prevent spontaneous combustion.
How to Safeguard Your House from Wildfires
Learn how to make your home more resistant to wildfires with This Old House host Kevin O'Connor and fire expert Dan Gorham.
Staying Safe with Natural Gas
Ask This Old House plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey and host Kevin O’Connor discuss how gas regulators work and how their malfunction caused gas explosions in Lawrence, MA
How To Retrofit a Home for Earthquakes and When To Hire Pros
Read our step-by-step guide on how to retrofit a home for earthquakes so that you can be prepared for this natural disaster. We cover costs, potential savings and more.
A Step by Step Guide To Changing Locks on a New Home
Changing locks on a new home? Learn step-by-step how to upgrade security with new locks, plus get tips on how to install new locks yourself.
3 Questions to Ask Yourself About Your Smoke Alarms
The end of Daylight Saving Time (November 4, this year) serves as an informal reminder to replace smoke-alarm batteries. Changes to fire code mean now’s a good time to consider these Qs, too
How to Install a DIY Security System to Keep a Home Secure
In this DIY Smarts, Ask This Old House home technology expert Ross Trethewey installs a DIY security system.
3 Things to Do Before a Storm
Do these simple tasks before severe weather hits to help minimize or even prevent costly damage to your home
How To Keep Your Basement Mold-Free
Learn top methods to prevent and eliminate mold in your basement. Get tips on moisture control, ventilation, and more from our experts.
How to Select and Use Hearing Protection
Ask This Old House host Kevin O’Connor discusses the importance of hearing protection when working around power tools
Everything You Should Do Before You Leave for Vacation
Learn how to protect your home from intruders, pests, and other pitfalls while you're away on vacation with our step-by-step guide.
Creating a Comfortable Home as You Age
This post originally appeared at mykukun.com
Best Air Purifiers to Get You Through Allergy Season
Some people love the warm weather that comes with spring. But allergy sufferers dread this time of year. Here are a few doctor-approved home air purifiers to help you through the season
Whole-House Battery Backup
Home battery backup systems could be part of our energy future. Learn more about how they work, their cost, and what benefits they bring.
How to Prevent Holiday Fires
Ask This Old House host Kevin O’Connor travels to UL Laboratories to learn about preventing fires from holiday decorations.
How To Monitor a Home With a Smart Phone
In this edition of DIY Smarts, Ask This Old House host Kevin O’Connor shows general contractor Tom Silva a new home monitoring device that works with a smartphone.
How to Create a Drainage Swale
The plant-populated channels can redirect storm water to specific locations
How To Stop Garage Break-Ins by Securing Your Garage
Secure your garage from thieves with our expert tips. Learn about vulnerable areas, upgrade locks, and use smart sensors to protect your home.
A Personal Story on the Dangers of Carbon Monoxide
Ask This Old House plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey shares a personal story on the dangers of carbon monoxide and how an operational CO detector could be the difference between life and death..
Upgrade to a Smart Smoke Detector
Standard-issue detectors have saved countless lives, but those battery-powered sentries can drive you crazy with false alarms and middle-of-the-night chirps ("Help! my battery needs changing . . . now!"). Some new smartphone-connected smoke and carbon monoxide detectors offer fixes for that—and more. Here’s a sampling.
Really Smart Homes
There are a lot of choices these days in the way of connected devices for a safer, more secure, and more convenient home. Maybe too many. To help you figure it out, here are 5 starter kits tailored to 5 very different types of homes and homeowners
How to Install Your Own Security System
Ask This Old House host Kevin O'Connor helps a homeowner install a wireless alarm system.
19 Easy Home Upgrades for April
Simple ways to improve your home this month
How to Install a Fire Escape Ladder
Ask This Old House general contractor Tom Silva helps a homeowner install an emergency escape ladder
How To Safely Get Rid of Unwanted Household Items
Not all items can be thrown out in the trash. This guide covers how to safely get rid of unwanted household items, including hazardous waste.
How To Install Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors
Scott Caron, master electrician for Ask This Old House, wires an old house with new smoke and carbon monoxide detectors