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Tuesday, September 22, 2026

What This Year’s Super El Niño Actually Means for Your Home — and How to Prepare Before It Hits

Powerful storms, intense flooding and extreme heat are predicted to be hallmarks of this winter — but a little preparation could save a lot of damage to your home.

Extreme weather is set to intensify, at least through early 2027, thanks to an El Niño system that’s developing over the Pacific. Depending on where you live, that could mean floods and intense storms or drought or extreme heat.

“For homeowners, the biggest takeaway isn’t necessarily that we’re going to have a crazy winter,” says meteorologist Crystal Egger. “It’s that the potential for bigger swings in weather and more impactful storms deserves some attention now, before those storms arrive.”

Ahead, experts and home pros share what this winter’s El Niño could mean for your house — and the fixes worth making now, before the first storm hits.

What Is El Niño?

El Niño is a weather pattern that occurs when the Pacific Ocean is warmer than normal. That extra heat shifts atmospheric circulation, creating atypical weather around the world.

“As a result, some areas of the U.S. are drier than usual, and others are wetter,” says risk expert Melanie Musson. “So, you can expect huge winter storms in some places, and drought in others.”

How Are El Niños and Super El Niños Different?

They both represent the same weather pattern. However, super El Niños, like the one developing this year, have a stronger influence on large-scale weather patterns.

Why This Winter’s El Niño Is a Bigger Deal Than Usual

This year, the Pacific became much warmer than usual and earlier than usual, prompting scientists to predict that it could become the strongest El Niño ever. While El Niño is a natural cycle, scientists agree that this year’s event is likely intensified by climate change.

How El Niño Could Affect Your Region

Southwest

In general, meteorologists are predicting a wetter winter for Southern California and parts of the Southwest, with greater potential for heavy rain, flooding, mudslides and debris flows.

Pacific Northwest

Here, El Niño could mean a warmer and drier winter overall, says Egger, although individual storms cold still bring significant rain, wind and mountain snow.

Rocky Mountains

While the southern and central Rockies may receive above average snowfall, El Niño often means lower snowpack in the Northern Rockies (though some meteorologists are predicting heavy snowpack in Montana).

The South

Winter could be wetter in the southern tier of the U.S., with increased potential for heavy rain, flooding and severe thunderstorms. “When cold air is in place, some storms can also bring ice, freezing rain or snow, creating travel problems, power outages and property damage,” says Egger.

Northeast and Midwest

El Niño’s influence is less consistent here, says Egger. “Some areas can experience warmer-than-average temperatures and changes in snowfall, but local outcomes depend heavily on the individual storm track and other atmospheric patterns.”

The Home Risks to Watch For

It depends on where you live. In drier areas, wildfires are an obvious risk. Otherwise, the most significant concern is severe storms, bringing flooding, mudslides, power outages, fallen trees and frozen pipes.

“One of the most overlooked risks is water,” says Egger. “A home doesn’t have to be in a flood zone to experience water damage. Heavy rainfall can overwhelm drainage systems, expose weak points around roofs and foundations, and create localized flooding.”

The condition of a house also plays a large part in how well it will fare. “Two homes can experience exactly the same storm and have completely different outcomes, because one has good drainage and maintenance while the other has years of deferred repairs,” says real estate professional Lisa Martinez.

How to Prepare Your Home Now

Start now, before the weather turns bad. “Five minutes of preparation on a sunny day can prevent hours of headaches during a storm,” says Egger.

Maintenance tasks to catch up on include:

  • Clean gutters and add downspout extensions to direct water away from the house.
  • Inspect the roof for damaged shingles and flashing. “If shingles appear shiny or have lost their granules, it may be time for a closer inspection or replacement,” says Andrea Bessling with Allstate.
  • Check drainage around the property. Make sure you understand where water is likely to go, and redirect it away from your home through grading, French drains, etc.
  • Trim potentially hazardous branches away from the roof.
  • Seal exterior cracks around windows and doors, and inspect weather stripping.
  • Fix poorly closing doors and windows.
  • Keep materials and tools on-hand for boarding up windows and clearing post-storm debris.
  • Know how to shut off your utilities.
  • Test the sump pump and backup generator.
  • Add smart water sensors near water heaters, sinks and basement corners.
  • Re-examine your insurance policy to ensure your coverage matches your weather risks. Remember, flooding isn’t typically covered by standard policies.
  • Buy a whole home or portable battery backup system to keep essentials running (like the Anker SOLIX E10 or S2000).

Also, have a plan of action in place, for when a storm does arrive, including:

  • An evacuation plan and way for your family to stay in touch if cell service goes out (like this emergency communications kit from Midland).
  • An emergency kit, with essentials including water, non-perishable food, a first-aid kit, valuable documents, and more.
  • Documentation of what’s in your home, like a room-by-room cellphone video, to help with insurance claims.

Should You Be Worried, or Just Prepared?

Just be prepared.“Don’t go into the rabbit hole of dread,” says Musson. “If you’ve done what you can to protect yourself, you should enjoy your fall, winter and spring without ruining them with stress.”

Egger agrees. “A strong El Niño doesn’t mean every homeowner is going to experience a disaster,” she says. “The best approach is to understand your local risks and take simple steps before the weather becomes a problem. You can’t control the weather, but you can control how prepared your property is for it.”

About the Experts

Sources

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10 Ways to Make a Small Bathroom Feel Bigger

Frameless Shower Door

Shower curtains and framed doors can act like an extra wall, making a small bathroom feel even more enclosed. New York City–based interior designer Alyssa Alon recommends a frameless glass door to maintain uninterrupted sight lines. Clear glass keeps the space feeling open, while textured or frosted options can block light.

Large Mirror

Don’t be afraid to go big. “One of the best ways to make a bathroom feel more open is to install a large mirror above the sink,” says Daniel Jensen of NYC Interior Design. In rooms with low ceilings, mounting the mirror higher on the wall can create the illusion of extra height.

Floating Vanity

Exposing more floor creates the illusion of added square footage. “Vanities often take up a lot of room under sinks,” says Jensen. “If you’re willing to compromise on storage, a floating vanity will open up floor space.”

Wall-Hung Toilet

Like a floating vanity, a wall-hung toilet reveals more floor. “Being able to see tile instead of a bulky porcelain throne creates the illusion of space,” says Alon.

Large-Format Tile

Larger tiles mean fewer grout lines, making walls and floors look less busy. Alon recommends large-format tiles in soft tones, paired with matching grout for the most seamless appearance.

Right-Size Fixtures

Oversized vanities, sinks and toilets can overwhelm a small room. “Select fixtures that are the right scale for the space,” says Jensen. Before buying, sketch your layout or use painter’s tape on the floor to visualize how everything will fit.

Continuous Flooring

“Sectioning off the bathroom with different patterns and tones can make a small space feel crowded,” says Alon. Use the same flooring throughout the bathroom—and into the shower—to create a seamless look.

Light Colors

Light colors reflect more light and make walls appear to recede. “Light, soft and neutral colors open up any small room,” says Alon. Extending the color onto the ceiling minimizes visual breaks.

Minimal Clutter

“Keeping surfaces clean and storing away bottles makes your bathroom feel bigger,” says Alon. Store everyday items in dedicated drawers or cabinets, or move backup supplies to a nearby linen closet or other storage area to keep visual clutter to a minimum.

Strategic Stripes

Horizontal stripes make walls appear wider, while vertical stripes draw the eye upward, making ceilings seem taller. Whether they’re created with paint, wallpaper or tile, keep the contrast subtle so the pattern enhances the space instead of overpowering it.

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Does Aggressive Driving Really Drain Your EV Battery Faster?

The appeal of electric vehicles is pretty obvious: seemingly effortless acceleration, quiet operation, lower running costs, and zero tailpipe emissions. But an EV battery still wears down over time, and new research suggests aggressive driving may speed up that process.

A new Scientific Reports study found that aggressive driving was associated with greater model-predicted battery capacity fade than eco-driving.

Learn why driving style matters and how EV drivers can reduce unnecessary battery stress.

Does Aggressive Driving Drain an EV Battery Faster?

Yes, aggressive driving can use an EV’s stored energy faster and may also contribute to faster battery aging over time. Range and battery aging are separate effects, with driving habits influencing both in different ways.

“As with conventional vehicles, the efficiency and driving range of electric drive vehicles varies substantially based on driving conditions and driving habits,” according to the U.S. Department of Energy’s Plug-In Electric Vehicle Handbook for Consumers, published through its Clean Cities program.

Researchers from Shanghai Dianji University analyzed real-world data from 15 battery-electric vehicles in Guangzhou, China, using a physics-based model to separate driving behavior from other factors.

Those researchers found aggressive driving was associated with more than 2.5 times higher model-predicted capacity fade than eco-driving. The study didn’t track years of directly measured capacity loss, however. Its battery-aging findings came from a semi-empirical model, and all vehicles were the same model, so the results don’t establish how every EV battery will respond.

Hard acceleration requires the battery to deliver more power, while higher speeds increase the energy needed to overcome air resistance.

“High driving speeds reduce range because more energy is required to overcome the increased air resistance,” according to the handbook. “Aggressive driving—rapid acceleration and deceleration—reduces range compared with smooth acceleration and deceleration. In addition, hauling heavy loads and driving uphill reduces range.”

Other factors affect battery aging, too. Experts cite temperature, charging and discharging rates, storage conditions, and cycling patterns among the variables that influence battery life.

How EV Drivers Can Reduce Battery Stress

Drivers don’t have to avoid every hard acceleration. The bigger concern is regularly speeding up and slowing down aggressively.

A smoother driving style can help. Gradual acceleration puts less demand on the battery, and keeping a steady speed can help an EV use less energy. Leaving more room in traffic can also cut down on hard braking followed by another quick burst of acceleration.

Many EVs also have eco or efficiency modes that make the accelerator less sensitive. Drivers can use those settings if they find it difficult to keep acceleration smooth. Following the vehicle manufacturer’s recommendations for charging and battery care can help, too.

The study didn’t examine what happens after a single hard acceleration. Its findings instead point to overall driving style as something that may affect battery aging over time.

Sources

Hao Cheng, Zhongwei Gu, and Wangqiang Gao, “Physics-aligned causal inference of driving styles on electric vehicles battery aging”
U.S. Department of Energy Alternative Fuels Data Center, “Plug-In Electric Vehicle Handbook for Consumers”

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Monday, September 21, 2026

The Telltale Signs You’re Looking at a Flock Camera

A recent Family Handyman article reported on a growing backlash against Flock cameras, which are Automated License Plate Readers (ALPRs) manufactured by the company Flock Safety. They are marketed as crime-fighting tools that can, among other things, help authorities track down stolen vehicles. The reason for the backlash is that Flock cameras have the potential to be used as privacy-infringing surveillance tools.

“From a data perspective,” says security expert Aimee Simpson, “a record of these cameras could map out someone’s entire life. When they go to work, the route they take, if they go to the gym, what super market they go to, where their friends live, etc. Having that extensive travel history is a little unnerving without full transparency about what that data is used for and where it’s stored (and who can access it).”

With the help of Texas attorney Kevin Henrichson, who specializes in commercial vehicle and car accidents, this article explains where to look for Flock cameras, how to recognize one when you see it, and what information it records and stores.

What Does a Flock Camera Look Like?


A Flock camera is a small black or dark gray box mounted on a thin pole shorter than a regular streetlight. In some cases, it could be mounted midway up a streetlight or traffic light pole. “The most distinctive feature,” says Henrichson, “is the small solar panel installed right above the unit. Red light and speed cameras rarely have that feature.”

Where Are Flock Cameras Usually Installed?

Municipalities, HOAs and private business, like retailers and apartment complexes, typically erect these cameras at the entrances and exits of neighborhoods and along roads that have high crime and accident rates. Because anyone can install a Flock camera, some intersections may have several, says Henrichson, each belonging to a different organization.

Flock cameras are also increasingly common in parking lots. Large retail outlets, like Home Depot and Lowe’s, employ them in selected locations to record the entry and exit of every vehicle and log the times. Churches, schools and apartment complexes also deploy them for security.

How Are Flock Cameras Different From Regular Traffic Cameras?

Henrichson explains: “Red light and speed cameras activate only when the violation happens, and their sole purpose is issuing the ticket. Flock cameras log every vehicle that passes by, and the data is never used for citations. It’s used for searching the footage against watchlists or for a particular investigation.”

What Information Do Flock Cameras Collect?

In theory, Flock cameras are only supposed to only record data visible on license plates. In practice, they can collect much more, including the make, model, color and condition of the vehicle.

“The system is designed to identify the vehicle, not the person who is driving it,’ says Henrichson, but if any occupants are visible to the cameras, it could potentially record identifying features such as race, hair color, tattoos and clothing style. According to the ACLU, the cameras also record heat. They can generate a heat map that helps authorities track the movements of vehicles of interest.

Who Can Access Flock Camera Data?

This is the $64,000 question. The data collected by Flock cameras goes into a database controlled by the owners of the cameras, and they are the only ones with the legal right to access it. “Most people think that once the footage exists, it’s easy to access,” says Henrichson. “But each agency determines their own access and retention policies. My team spends a lot of time requesting information like this, but there is no guarantee it will be obtained.”

There’s also no guarantee that leaks, data breaches or cooperative sharing with third parties won’t occur. As Simpson explains: “If Flock aggregates this data, it could be extremely valuable in the wrong hands, both making Flock a target for hackers and for third-party agencies to try to buy data from.”

Can You Find Out Where Flock Cameras Are Located?

Henrichson says that some agencies run transparency portals that may include locations, “but there are no standards. Availability of this information relies on whether the agency or property owner wants to release it.”

DeFlock.org publishes a crowdsourced database of Flock ALPR locations throughout the U.S. As of August, 2026, it had identified 133,729 such locations.

FAQ

What do Flock cameras look for?

Each camera records the license plate, description of the vehicle, time and date. “Every read is compared against watchlists: Stolen vehicles, wanted plates, Amber and Silver Alerts,” according to Henrichson.

Do Flock cameras take pictures of drivers?

No. You’re thinking of red light and speed cameras. A Flock camera captures only the rear of the vehicle and the plate. It is not equipped with facial recognition technology.

Can Flock cameras track your car?

Yes. Each read goes into a database to be potentially compared with other captures of the same vehicle. Anyone searching this database can obtain a record of the vehicle’s movements over time.

How long do Flock cameras keep your data?

“Things are changing as we speak,” says Henrichson. “Flock has reduced the default retention period from 30 to seven days. However, that’s just a default which can be changed by each user or agency; they each have their own policy regarding the length of time the data will be retained. Some of them keep the data for much longer than others. For example, the city of Dallas keeps a whole year of data.”

About the Experts

  • Kevin Henrichson is a Board-Certified personal injury attorney with 25 years experience. He is a partner in Byrd Davis Alden & Henrichson, LLP, the oldest personal injury law firm in Austin, Texas.
  • Aimee Simpson has years of experience in the security industry—including areas such as identity security, insider risk management, insider threat, data loss prevention, and security awareness programs. She is the Director of Product Marketing at Huntress.

Sources

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Those Lines on Your Car’s Rear Window Aren’t Just for Decoration — Here’s What They Do

Cars are full of weird, quirky mysteries. There are small panels on the bumper, hairs on tires, and shark fins on the roof. Another detail many drivers have probably noticed without giving much thought to is the set of thin brown or orange lines running across some rear windows. Here’s what those lines actually do, why they sometimes stop working, and what can damage them.

What Are the Lines on a Rear Window and How Do They Work?

Those lines are part of the rear defroster. When it’s turned on, electricity runs through them, warming the glass enough to clear fog, frost, and light ice. Some vehicles also turn on heated side mirrors with the same button.

Ford Motor Company advises using the system while the vehicle is running. “Make sure the engine is on before operating the heated rear windows,” according to Ford.

The front windshield usually clears differently. Warm air from the car’s heating and ventilation system blows onto the glass, so most windshields don’t need the same visible lines.

Heated windshields do exist. AGC Automotive makes versions with very fine wires built into the laminated glass. Some heated windshield designs can target areas such as where the wipers sit.

Why Rear Window Defroster Lines Can Stop Working

The thin lines can get damaged, especially when something scratches the inside of the rear glass. A break in one line may leave a strip of fog or frost behind while the rest of the window clears. Sharp tools, rough cleaning, and removing decals can all cause damage.

A broken line doesn’t always mean the entire rear window has failed. If none of the lines heat up, the problem may be elsewhere in the defroster system rather than with the lines themselves.

The inside of a heated rear window needs a little extra care when it’s cleaned.

“Do not use harsh chemicals, razor blades or other sharp objects to clean or remove decals from the inside of the heated rear window as this could damage the heated rear window gridlines not covered by the vehicle warranty,” according to Ford.

Subaru also warns against using sharp tools or abrasive cleaners on the inside of the rear window. Drivers should also avoid scraping the glass when removing decals because that can damage the lines.

Are All Lines on the Rear Window Part of the Defroster?

Not every line on a rear window necessarily produces heat. Some vehicles also have radio antennas built into the glass.

General Motors service information for certain vehicles states that some upper lines can serve as an AM/FM antenna rather than as part of the defroster. The owner’s manual can show what the lines do on a specific vehicle.

Most of the horizontal lines covering the main part of a rear window, however, belong to the defroster and warm the glass when the system is turned on.

Sources

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Friday, September 18, 2026

Could More Green Lights Be the Key To Slowing Drivers Down?

Few things on the road are as infuriating as waiting at a red light. Especially when it happens after waiting at the previous traffic light, and the one before that, and the one before that, and so on.

It turns out, some cities are actually turning that frustration into a reason to slow down. A traffic signal strategy called “rest in red” gives drivers who follow the speed limit a better chance of reaching green lights, while faster drivers are more likely to have to stop.

Learn how rest in red works, why cities think more green lights could encourage slower driving, which cities are leading the trend, and if this strategy could be adopted everywhere in the United States.

How Rest in Red Traffic Lights Reward Drivers Who Follow the Speed Limit

With rest in red, a traffic light stays red when no vehicles are approaching. Sensors detect an approaching vehicle and can trigger the light to turn green.

“Traffic signals with ‘rest in red’ technology can display red lights in all directions during late night and early morning hours when traffic volume is light rather than cycling through green, yellow, and red the way they do normally during the day,” according to the Portland, Oregon Bureau of Transportation’s website.

Some cities also use speed sensors. Drivers traveling at or below the set speed can get a green light early enough to continue through the intersection.

In Albuquerque, New Mexico, the signal already rests on red. Drivers traveling at an acceptable speed can trigger an earlier green light.

“If you come to Albuquerque right now and you’re driving that corridor, you will learn pretty quickly that if you are speeding, you stop,” Jennifer Turner, Albuquerque’s director of municipal development, told Jeff McMurray of the Associated Press.

Albuquerque uses the system along Lead and Coal Avenues as part of a broader effort to improve traffic safety.

“The City has already implemented several safety improvements—such as Rest in Red technologies, Automated Speed Enforcement devices and traffic signal coordination at 30 MPH—that have contributed to calmer traffic and increased safety,” according to the City of Albuquerque, New Mexico’s survey announcement.

Portland has also tested rest in red on Southeast Powell Boulevard during late-night and early-morning hours. The city says reducing speeds can also make crashes less severe when they happen.

“As people travel faster, the risk of death or serious injury rises dramatically,” according to Portland, Oregon Bureau of Transportation’s website. “For example, a pedestrian struck by a person driving 40 mph is eight times more likely to die than a pedestrian struck at 20 mph. Safe speeds lower the risk of crashes. And when crashes do occur, safe speeds make it less likely that people will be seriously injured or killed.”

The approach differs from the familiar “green wave,” which times several traffic lights so drivers traveling at a certain speed can move through them. Rest in red starts with a red light and uses the promise of an earlier green to encourage drivers to slow down.

Cities don’t always need speed sensors, either. The North Carolina Department of Transportation has studied a simpler version that keeps signals red until an approaching vehicle is detected.

Will Rest in Red Traffic Lights Work on Every Road?

Rest in red works best in certain traffic conditions. Portland mainly uses the system when traffic is light and open roads can make speeding more likely. A busy intersection during daytime traffic may need a different signal setup to keep vehicles moving.

Some intersections may also need newer vehicle detectors or signal equipment before cities can use the system.

Researchers are still studying possible downsides, including whether drivers who repeatedly encounter red lights become more likely to run them. Cities will likely need more testing before rest in red becomes a common traffic safety tool across the United States.

The idea for drivers remains straightforward: staying near the speed limit could make it easier to reach the next green light instead of racing toward another red one.

Sources

Associated Press, “Some US cities have begun rewarding careful drivers with fewer red lights”
City of Albuquerque, New Mexico, “Lead and Coal Corridor Safety Alternatives Survey”
Portland, Oregon Bureau of Transportation, “‘Rest in red’ traffic safety technology”
North Carolina Department of Transportation, “Rest in Red Evaluation”

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The Car Brands Most Likely to Hit 250,000 Miles — Does Yours Make the List?

Buying a new car can be a stressful experience. Drivers want something that fits their daily transportation needs, feels roomy and not cramped, hopefully looks nice, and, of course, lasts a long time before starting the process over again with a new vehicle. That makes the car brands most likely to reach 250,000 miles especially relevant for drivers who plan to keep their vehicles for years.

But determining which cars, or brands, will last the longest can be tricky. A new study revealed some interesting findings after analyzing more than 395 million vehicles. The latest rankings show which automakers led the study, which individual models performed best, and what the results mean for drivers.

Which Car Brands Are Most Likely to Reach 250,000 Miles?

Toyota tops the iSeeCars ranking with an estimated 19.7% chance of reaching 250,000 miles. Lexus comes in second at 14.4%, followed by Honda at 13.3% and Acura at 9.5%.

GMC ranks fifth at 5.8% and is the only other brand above the study’s 5.4% overall average.

“Consumers base their car-buying decisions on a range of vehicle attributes,” said iSeeCars Executive Analyst Karl Brauer. “For buyers seeking the longest-lasting vehicles, it’s clear which brands they should focus on for their next new or used car purchase.”

The top 10 are:

  1. Toyota: 19.7%
  2. Lexus: 14.4%
  3. Honda: 13.3%
  4. Acura: 9.5%
  5. GMC: 5.8%
  6. Mazda: 5.3%
  7. Lincoln: 4.7%
  8. Ram: 4.2%
  9. Ford: 4.1%
  10. Cadillac: 3.9%

The percentages are estimates, not guarantees that a certain share of new vehicles will reach 250,000 miles. iSeeCars compared odometer readings from vehicles of different ages to estimate how likely each model was to reach that mark, then used those results to rank each brand.

“Reaching 250,000 miles is an exceptionally high bar for any vehicle, which makes the distinction among the four highest-ranked brands meaningful,” said Brauer. “Toyota, Lexus, Honda and Acura don’t just lead the list, they substantially outperform the average vehicle’s chances of reaching that high-mileage threshold.”

The separate model study shows why those four brands finished so high. Toyota, Lexus, Honda, and Acura accounted for 25 of the 27 highest-ranked vehicles.

The Toyota Sequoia ranked first among individual models, while the Lexus LS placed second. Other high-ranking vehicles included the Toyota 4Runner, Tundra, Tacoma, and Avalon, along with Honda models such as the Accord Hybrid, HR-V, Civic, and Pilot.

The results also show that high-mileage potential isn’t limited to one type of vehicle. Toyota and Honda placed trucks, SUVs, sedans, hybrids, and smaller vehicles among the stronger performers.

What the 250,000-Mile Car Brand Rankings Mean for Drivers

Brand rankings can help narrow down a search, but the condition of an individual vehicle still matters. Maintenance history, previous use, mileage, rust, accident damage, and overall condition can all affect how long a used car stays on the road.

“For used-car shoppers, the longest-lasting brand rankings can provide valuable context when comparing used vehicles with higher odometer readings,” said Brauer.

How much owners drive a vehicle also matters. iSeeCars notes that some luxury vehicles accumulate fewer miles than mainstream models, which can reduce their estimated odds of reaching 250,000 miles.

“Luxury status doesn’t translate into extreme longevity, though it’s important to remember how much the average luxury car is actually driven compared to mainstream models,” said Brauer.

For drivers hoping to keep a car for many years, the rankings offer another factor to consider alongside price, condition, maintenance history, and the needs of the household. Toyota, Lexus, Honda, and Acura led the 2026 brand ranking, while GMC was the only other automaker above the study’s overall average.

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What This Year’s Super El Niño Actually Means for Your Home — and How to Prepare Before It Hits

Powerful storms, intense flooding and extreme heat are predicted to be hallmarks of this winter — but a little preparation could save a lot ...