This tool is a system for eliminating squeaky floors. There are several versions available; I used the Squeeeek-No-More for carpeted floors.

Essentially, the kit inclues the following: a tool for finding joists under the floor; a tripod depth stop and square-drive driver bit for the drill; and square-drive screws which are grooved at the top of the threads.

First, you locate the joist by chucking the joist finder, which is a long screw threaded only on the end and has a hex end for the drill/driver. Pick a place and go for it. If you are over a joist, once the screw is down a couple inches, when you back it out it will push itself out. If you’re not over a joist, it spins freely. It’s pretty easy to tell even when the screw goes in if you are on a joist.

Then you set the tripod stand over the joist and drive a screw through the center into the floor. The screw goes through the carpet, through the sub-floor, and into the joist. Once a few screws are in place, you can use the side of the tripod to rock the screws back and forth to break it off where grooved. The screws’ depth is set by the tripod so that they break off slightly below the surface of the sub-floor.

After a little brushing with your hand, the carpet reveals no evidence of the screws.

After seeing an add in the back of a magazine, I bought a set. When I saw it, I did not expect the system to work, since I was expecting a dual-pitch screw that would pull the subfloor to the joist. The screws are just like wood screws with a groove. We had a large area about 1′ x 3′ in our bedroom that squeaked a lot. You could feel the give in the floor.

I put about 15 screws into the area, about every 4″ in three different joists. Now it is almost completely silent. This was only a few days ago, so I’m not sure of how long it will last, but so far so good.

The Belkin Mini Surge Protector Dual USB charger is a neat little gadget that provides three regular outlets and two powered USB ports, all while protecting anything attached from potential surges. It is extremely useful when traveling as it allows me to reduce the number of adapters I need to carry with me, while also ensuring there are outlets necessary for laptop, camera, etc. I also use them in several rooms in my house where I frequently find myself charging devices. I keep accumulating more electronic devices and these little and inexpensive accessories make managing them and their cords much simpler.

Recently, my $10 shower liner from Ikea became mildewy despite my best efforts (like most other cheap curtains before it) and needed to be replaced. Instead of buying another cheap liner I did a bit of research and discovered an improved alternative.

I’ve been using the Utility Shower Curtain, a simple but brilliant upgrade to an everyday object, for the past few months. It is, very simply, a shower curtain with four draining pockets sewn on the inside and two towel loops on the outside. What once was a shower crowded with shampoos and conditioners (I have two roommates) is now considerably tidier.

I’ve previously tried the suction cup shower storage units, and always found them to be finnicky (they always seem to come unstuck). That doesn’t happen with the draining pockets which can hold up to eight shampoo bottles. At first I was worried about the extra weight, but the shower curtain rod hasn’t faltered (although I did have to add a bit of wax to reduce the added noise/screech from the hooks). So far I’ve found it to be an essential upgrade for those with smaller bathrooms.

The Utility Shower Curtain is made here in the US with better materials that other shower curtains/liners I’ve tried. The 200-denier Oxford nylon is water resistant (it’s not waterproof like a liner, but still prevents any water from getting through), and dries fast, minimizing mildew. Unlike the cheaper plastic liners, it can be cleaned in the washing machine when it does start to get dirty.

While the Utility Shower Curtain is more expensive than a throw-away liner, I have a feeling it will be around a lot longer while minimizing my shower storage woes.

[Note: For those who aren't looking to upgrade their shower curtain but who are handy with a sewing machine this is definitely a potential DIY upgrade.--OH]

We heat our home with wood, and this has made my favorite fall/winter tool a Stihl MS260 chain saw. But if the chain isn’t sharp, the saw is tiring and dangerous. The best tool for keeping a sharp chain is the Pferd Chain Sharp: a device that files both the saw teeth and the depth gauges in one operation.

It’s not only time-saving, but it also makes sure the depth gauges are at the right height. This is something that’s easy to ignore since most chain saw sharpening are designed to hold only the saw tooth file. But if the depth gauges are too high, they’ll prevent sharp saw teeth from engaging the wood correctly.

I’ve been using the Pferd Chain Sharp for 5-years, sharpening my saw chains every second tank of gas. Since I’ve started using the Pferd, I have never had to take a chain to be sharpened “professionally.”

[Here is a PDF that illustrates the best sharpening technique.--OH]

Soap nuts are a dried fruit with laundry-cleaning properties. Skeptical? Don’t be, because these work great and have freed us from commercial detergents and softeners.

We purchased Laundry Tree’s starter package for $14.95. In the package you receive a bag of soap nuts, some cotton drawstring bags, a small bottle of essential oil to provide a scent, and a small cotton drawstring bag already filled with six soap nuts.

All you need to do is place the bag directly in your washing machine with your laundry. The first time I used this product, my dirty clothes contained some white socks I had worn outside while digging a trench, so they were covered in soil. And in previous washings using commercial detergent, the dirt in the socks had become ingrained to the point where they looked like an old pair of fading, black socks.

One cycle in the wash with the soap nuts and they were white again. Two caveats: the company says to put 3-to-5 soap nuts into the drawstring bag. Make that 5-to-7 if you want really clean clothes. Second, while the the nuts are reusable, don’t expect to get more than 2 or 3 loads of laundry before replacing the soap nuts. Other than that I have no reservations about recommending this wonderful product.

The Laundry Tree starter comes wrapped in a small basket so you can proffer it as a housewarming present for your more ecologically-minded friends.

[Genus Sapindus has useful cleaning properties due to its production of a natural surfactant. For more of the science behind the Soap Nut check out this article.--OH]

We purchased this air mover over a year ago to deal with a fairly damp basement. We live in the Northeast US where the weather was quite rough during the past year. We have had to deal with the worst snowfall on record, Hurricane Irene, and persistent heavy rainfall. We also live in a high water table region so we are prone to flooding. We are lucky because we have a floor drain and a sump pump in our basement. However the sump pump cannot help when the power in our area goes out.

During Hurricane Irene we were fortunate: we only lost power for eight hours. This air mover really helped dry out our basement quickly. In order for any surface to dry there should be air circulating constantly. In a basement this can prove to be a tricky thing. This air mover is extremely powerful. Damp floors usually dry in an hour or two, while small bits of standing water take a couple of hours to fully dry.

We also used it to dry our old wooden floors when we polyurethaned them recently, cutting the job time by half. When it puddles up on our concrete patio I just move this unit outside and the puddles are gone. Although not one of it’s recommended uses, I also blew everything-including leaves, twigs, debris and some small neighborhood children-off of our driveway for easy collection.

The machine is a beast. I have had this one running for days at a time, and it continues to work just fine. In a basement it has to be moved every couple of hours so the air stream can cover the affected areas. Recently it became covered in hydraulic cement, both inside and out. I thought the machine was finished, but after cleaning some gunk out of the engine it started right up. I have never tried any other air movers so I cannot make any comparisons with it’s competitors, but I bet this one blows the rest away.