New Car Payments Just Hit a Record High of $777 a Month — Here’s Why

It’s no secret that everything is getting more and more expensive. Americans now have over $1.6 trillion — yes, trillion, with a T — in car debt. Pricier cars mean larger down payments, larger loans, and larger monthly payments. According to Edmunds, for the third quarter in a row, the average new vehicle monthly payment just hit a new high of $777. Additionally, more and more buyers are opting for longer loan repayment plans. Nearly a quarter of new vehicle buyers are on an 84-month or longer repayment plan.

Why Is the Average New Vehicle Monthly Payment So Expensive?

Edmunds found several factors are contributing to high monthly payments. First, while the prices for new vehicles continue to rise, “the average down payment on a new-vehicle purchase continues to sink.” The average amount financed for a new-vehicle purchase has reached $44,156 (a new all-time high), while the average down payment dropped to $5,815.

This mismatch in down payment versus amount financed plays a large role in the rise in average payments, but interest rates have an effect as well. Edmunds found only “1.2% of new-vehicle buyers secured a 0% APR loan in Q2, down from 2.6% in Q1.” To give that number additional context, “the share [of buyers who secured a 0% APR loan] peaked at 24.2% in Q2 2020 amid pandemic-era incentives and has not reached 4% share since Q4 2021.” Overall, the average interest buyers pay over the life of the loan “climbed to a record $9,811,” while APRs “ticked back up to 7.0% in Q2.”

Why Are Buyers Opting for Longer Loans?

With those numbers for context, the trend of longer loans starts to make sense. Sure, higher APRs mean a more expensive loan if you pay it off in 84 months instead of 60, but when there’s an average difference of nearly $40,000 between the down payment and the size of the loan, many buyers seem to be willing to make the trade to lower their monthly payments wherever possible.

Edmunds found that “36.5% of all financed new-vehicle purchasers in Q2 took on a loan of 73 months or longer…[and] 23.9% of Q2 financers signed on for loans of 84 months or longer.” Both of these numbers represent new records.

What Does This Mean for Me?

If you’re in the market, you might want to consider a used vehicle. Edmunds found that they’re also more expensive that in previous years, but they may still be cheaper than a new one. If you are committed to a new vehicle; take extra time to run the numbers. A longer loan isn’t the end of the world, but it is more expensive in the long run so before you sign up for that make sure it makes sense for your budget.

Source

Nearly 1 in 4 New-Vehicle Buyers in Q2 Stretched Loans to 84 Months or Longer, a Record According to Edmunds, Edmunds, 2026.

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How I Created a Cleaner Gaming Setup by Hiding Lights in Plain Sight

Install a lighting strip on the TV

Installing a lighting strip on your TV is a must to achieve that game room feel you’re looking for. This brings out the game’s action when you sync it to the game’s audio or set the perfect ambient color scheme. We’ll be taking the TV off the wall or mount to install the strip. The light strip we’re using is meant to fit a range of TV sizes (55- to 65-inch) and is split into short and long LED sections, with a cable connecting them. This keeps the lights flat on the back and close together, without causing the strip to raise up and bunch in the corners.

• Disconnect the power from the TV and carefully take it off the mount. Set it down on a soft surface with the screen flat — use a blanket or towel to protect it from damage.
• A controller block is attached to the strip near the power supply plug, with a connection cable running to the first LED section. The sections alternate short, long, short, long around the TV. The short sections run the vertical left and right sides, and the long sections run the top and bottom. Only one short section has the plug that connects to the controller, so that short section is always your starting point. From the back, stick the controller block in whichever bottom corner is closest to your wall outlet, using the double-sided tape attached to it. Set it about four inches in from the side and bottom so the block doesn’t overhang the edge of the TV. Either bottom corner works; it just sets your direction of travel — start in the bottom left, and you’ll work clockwise, start in the bottom right, and you’ll work counterclockwise.
• Plug the strip into the controller and start with that first short section, running it right along the outer back edge up the vertical side of the TV. Use a couple of the included white adhesive clips to hold it in place. Keeping the strip close to the edge is what lets the light spill out and glow onto the wall behind.
• Working around the perimeter, attach the next long section along the top edge, then the next short section down the far vertical side, and the final long section across the bottom — short, long, short, long, hugging the outer edge the whole way.
• For the small section of plain black cable between the LED strips at the corners, tape it to the back to hide it and keep it from popping out the side of the TV. Each section is connected with a short four- to six-inch plain black cable. On smaller TVs in the kit’s range, like my 55-in., that cable will bunch up at the corners, so tape it down using adhesive mounts and zip ties to keep it from poking out. On a 65-in., it won’t bunch.
• Mount the TV back on the wall and connect all cables — TV, HDMI, optical, and light strip power supply.
• Do a test by going into the app, connecting to the light, and turning it on and off. For the controller, manually press the on/off button to confirm it works.

Lighting the floating shelf

Lighting your entertainment center or floating shelf is the perfect pairing to your TV lighting. Unlike the fitted strip we used on the TV, this one is a single continuous run of cuttable LED lights, so you can trim it to fit your shelf exactly without measuring out the run ahead of time. I also pulled the shelf a bit off the wall, using a few spacers, so the strip wouldn’t get smushed against the wall when I reinstalled it. Depending on your shelf and the amount of clearance your strip needs, you may or may not need to do this.

• Clear everything off the shelf — cables, components, and any decorative pieces.
• Unscrew the shelf from the wall and lay it on the floor, back facing up.
• Place the controller block inside the floating shelf, stuck to the top of the inside wall behind the door. This keeps it within reach for manual access but hidden from view when the door’s closed.
• Just like the TV, peel and attach the strip starting from the left side, then work your way around the edges of the shelf. I ran both the TV and shelf lights on the left to keep everything uniform. You can mirror it to the right if that suits your layout better.
• At the corners, use the included black clips to hold the strip in place. Because this is a continuous strip, it wants to rise up and won’t lie as flat around corners. Setting a clip a few inches out from each corner pulls it down flatter and keeps it from peeling.
• When you reach the end of your run (when the strip comes back around to where you started), find the scissor line on the strip closest to where you want it to stop. Cut on that line, then peel and press the final length into place, securing the last corner with a clip. Cutting anywhere other than a marked scissor line risks blacking out that whole nearest section, so stick to the line. Discard the leftover strip.
• Reinstall the shelf on the wall and reconnect the light strip to its power supply. To test, open your app, connect to the strip, and turn it on and off. Then push the on/off button on the controller to confirm manual control works too.

Install smart LED bulbs (optional)

This optional step lets you bring your floor lamps or other light sources into the setup to round out the gaming atmosphere. These bulbs work best as a steady ambient light while your TV and shelf strips do the active, synced lighting. You can sync the bulbs to the same system, but running everything in motion at once tends to look busy — keeping the lamps on a calm, fixed color is what makes the whole setup feel intentional rather than chaotic.

• Screw a smart bulb into your floor lamp or chosen fixture in place of the standard bulb.
• Open the bulb’s app, connect to the bulb, and set it to a steady ambient color that complements your TV and shelf lighting

Cable management

Cable management keeps everything organized and looking clean. It’s the difference between a polished setup and an obvious tangle of wires. The simplest fix is a set of stick-on cord covers, which are easy to install and hide your cords against the wall.

• Sort your cables into sections — TV cables as one group, shelf cables as another. Don’t overload a single cord cover; too many cables and it’ll bulge and won’t close properly.
• Place one cord cover centered on the wall between the TV and the floating shelf. Peel the backing and stick it to the wall, tucking the top behind the TV and the bottom behind the shelf so both ends disappear.
• Open the cover, lay your TV cables inside, and close it. Repeat with a second cover for the floating shelf cables.

Syncing

Now the fun begins. Sync the TV and floating shelf lights to your gaming audio or a color scheme. If you installed smart bulbs, set them up as ambient lighting that complements the rest.

• For the TV, open your app and connect to the TV light strip. This brings you to the control window for that light.
• From here, you can build your own color scheme, pick a preset, or sync the lights to your TV audio. Choose to sync it to TV audio.
• Exit and repeat for the floating shelf strip, but rather than syncing this one to audio, set it to a steady complementary color. We found the audio sync didn’t look great with older games that don’t drive the lights well, and a static shelf color keeps the whole wall from getting too busy.
• For the smart bulb, open its app and select the bulb. As with the strips, you can choose a preset, enter a custom color, or sync it to your entertainment system.
• Set the bulb to a color of your choice and leave it as steady ambient lighting alongside the TV and shelf.

FAQ

What’s a good LED color for gaming?

Honestly, any color you like works. This is your game room, so if you find a shade that fits your space and your gaming vibe, go with it. If you want a classic look, the retro gaming colors are hard to beat: neon blue, purple, pink, and green.

Do LED lights get hot enough to start a fire?

LEDs do give off some heat, but far less than traditional incandescent light bulbs. As long as you’re using a quality product and you’re not covering or enclosing the power supply, they’re very low-risk. As with any electronics, avoid damaged strips and don’t overload outlets.

Can you put LED lights back together after you cut them?

That depends on the type of cuttable strip you bought. Many strips can be rejoined using solderless connectors — small clips that clamp the cut ends back together to extend or reconnect the run. Some budget strips, though, are designed for a single cut and aren’t made to be reconnected — you can attempt it, but it may not hold. Check your strip’s packaging to see which type you have before you cut.

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8 Old-School DIY Tips and Tricks That Didn’t Age Well

The past 100 or so years have seen unprecedented levels of innovation in construction and home maintenance, so much so that it’s hard to keep up. Partly because of this, and partly due to deeper scientific understanding, tips and tricks recommended by pros and seasoned DIYers over the years have become outdated, and some advice that was helpful in its day is not as helpful today.

Take the venerable advice of treating a drain clog with vinegar and baking soda. Either ingredient by itself might be effective (one’s a base and one’s an acid), but now we know that when combined, they just produce a foaming mass of carbon dioxide gas, and clogs just laugh. The internet has its share of offbeat and sometimes very helpful DIY hacks, but there are also plenty of outdated tips like this. They sound good — unless you work in the trades.

Here, with the help of professionals in the home construction and maintenance trades, we debunk eight tips and tricks that have aged out.

Using Bread While Soldering Water Pipes

When turning off the water and cutting into a copper water pipe to make a repair, you need to stop any water in the pipe from dripping, or the solder won’t work. An old-school trick is to push a piece of bread into the dripping pipe to soak up the water just long enough to complete the repair. The bread dissolves when you turn the water back on.

As DevilDog1966 said in a ten-year-old Reddit thread: “Over the years, I could have fed a lot of homeless folks with the bread I’ve used. No more, why bother? Buy a Sharkbite and be done with it.” In other words, he’s saying to do the repair with PEX, which doesn’t need to be soldered. That way, you avoid potentially using the wrong bread (which won’t dissolve) or having the bread ignite when you heat the joint.

Covering Over Old Roofing to Stop Leaks

Covering over roof leaks with roofing tar is a time-worn practice, but based on 100 roof inspections and repairs, roofer Daniel Cabrera says it’s a bad idea. It voids the warranty of the roof covering, traps moisture underneath the shingles and ultimately makes future repairs even harder. “The correct approach is to install a matched shingle replacement with an ice and water shield underneath.”

Similarly, he is critical of the common practice of covering old shingles with new ones. “Such practices hide the rotten deck, trap heat in the house, make it age faster, and void almost all the warranty on materials used. All you can do now is tear off those old shingles.”

Using “S” Traps

Like a P-trap, an S-trap is a curved drain pipe that collects water to prevent sewer gases from escaping. S-traps are now illegal for most applications, although you might still find one under the sink in an older home. The reason S-traps are bad is that they frequently empty because of suction in the pipes, exposing the home to foul-smelling and potentially hazardous sewer gases.

A DIY plumber may be tempted to use an S-trap in an older home on a fixture that isn’t vented. It seems like a quick, easy solution, but it’s a liability and will have to be replaced the next time an inspector shows up. If you don’t have the time and money to vent an unvented fixture, a solution that probably won’t get you red-tagged is to install a P-trap and an air admittance valve (AAV).

Taping Ductwork with Duct Tape

You’re probably thinking: “What’s wrong with taping ducts with duct tape? That’s what it’s for; it’s in the name.” Well, actually, the original name of this all-purpose repair tape was Duck Tape (look it up), and it only got the new name in the 50s and 60s when people began using it to repair ducts. It worked — more or less — but there’s a better product now: foil-backed tape.

The problem with duct tape is that it dries out and deteriorates over time. “You’d be amazed how quickly standard duct tape degrades on warm HVAC duct runs,” says contractor Danny Niemela. “Most standard cloth-backed duct tapes can degrade within a year or less because the adhesive loses moisture and breaks away from the cloth backing, and it does this even faster on warm ducts than on other surfaces.”

In short…use duct tape to patch a leak, and the leak will recur. That won’t happen with foil-backed tape.

Using Two-Pin to Three-Pin Plug Adapters

You’ve got an appliance cord with a grounding pin, but the receptacle has only two slots. The common fix is to use a two-pin to three-pin adapter, but this is safe only if the wiring is grounded. If it is, you still have to ground the adapter by unscrewing the cover plate, sticking the screw through the metal tab on the adapter, and reattaching the cover plate — a fun fact that you might not know. I, for one, never realized what that tab was for until now.

Using one of these adapters in an ungrounded receptacle is dangerous. A code-sanctioned alternative is to replace the receptacle with a GFCI receptacle. It trips whenever it detects the current surge that comes with a ground fault, stopping the flow of electricity and preventing fires and injury.

Jumping a Circuit Breaker

Back in the days when houses had fuse boxes, an old trick to restore power after a fuse blew was to replace it with a penny — presumably until you had a chance to buy a new fuse. The modern version of this trick is to replace a circuit breaker that keeps tripping with one that has a higher current rating. Bad idea, says Niemela.

“Best case scenario is that you overload an entire circuit and start melting your outlet covers. Worst case is you are starting a residential fire that spreads to clothes closets and wall voids undetected.” If a circuit breaker keeps tripping, you need to look for the reason, not try to restore power with a temporary fix that could burn down your house.

Closing Vents to Save Money

“You often still hear people say that in order to improve the efficiency of your home’s heating/cooling, you should close the vent covers or doors of the rooms you aren’t actively using in your home,” says HVAC pro Eli Zimmer. The idea is that, by heating only the rooms in which the vents are open, the furnace won’t have to work as hard and will burn less fuel.

“This just isn’t how it works. Unless you have a zoned HVAC system where you can control different parts of your home singularly, what ends up happening is that you simply cause more pressure at your vents and you decrease good airflow in your home,” says Zimmer. “Your bill can increase, and you can cause more damage to your system. In the long run, you definitely won’t save money.”

Pressure Washing the Roof

This isn’t an old practice; it’s only as old as pressure washers. They are so good at cleaning that people use them everywhere, even on the roof. “That’s a good way to make your roof damaged beyond repair,” says Cabrera. “Pressure washing removes ceramic granules from the surface, breaks down the bond between shingles, and pushes water sideways, causing leaks to appear.”

If your roof is full of moss, spray the moss with bleach to kill it and scrape it off when it turns brown. Otherwise, says Cabrera: “The correct way to clean the roof is a soft wash with zinc strips or a mild soap solution.”

About the Experts

• Daniel Cabrera is the owner Roof Direct San Antonio. He has over 16 years of experience providing roof replacement and construction services in the greater San Antonio area.
• Danny Niemela is a licensed contractor, professional remodeler and Vice President and CFO at ArDan Construction in Scottsdale, AZ.
• Eli Zimmer is the director of operations of Luxaire HVAC Services in Long Island, NY

Sources

• Reddit: The Bread Trick; (2016)

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Build & Grill with Tyler Smith: The Show DIYers and Foodies Have Been Waiting For

If your household is divided between fans of DIY shows and cooking shows, Family Handyman has a new one that will put an end to all of the “what should we watch” debates once and for all. Build & Grill with Tyler Smith has the best of both worlds, combining host Smith’s love of cooking with his DIY expertise, making it the bingeable new show that’s perfect for your summer watchlist. It begins streaming on At Home with Family Handyman Saturdays at 8 PM EST starting July 11.

Each episode of Build & Grill with Tyler Smith follows Smith through three stages: He takes on an outdoor project that will up his hosting game (think fire pits and outdoor video projectors!), grills up a delicious meal, and then hosts a dinner for his family at the end of the day.

Smith’s projects are geared toward everyday DIYers who want to spruce up their own spaces. It’ll take some real work on your end to pull off the same builds as Smith — there’s no denying that — but the projects are designed with replication in mind. Plus, you could follow along with the series and plan out your own end-of-project celebration meals to keep you on track. Whether they’re as tightly themed as Smith’s menus or not, delicious food and fun DIYs are winning combinations.

Smith’s projects don’t stand alone — they build on each other week after week, until his backyard is a full-blown entertainer’s dream. As a bonus, the yard has plenty of produce just waiting to be added to that week’s dinner spread. If you take on all of the projects from the season, be prepared to become the default party host in your circle of friends. Might as well put all that hard work to good use.

At Home with Family Handyman is currently available on Samsung TV Plus, XUMO, The Roku Channel, LG Channels, Plex, fuboTV, and Sling Freestream. You can also stream At Home with Family Handyman for free through the Family Handyman app on iOS, Apple TV, Android, AndroidTV, FireTV and Roku devices.

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My Brand New Basement Smelled Like a Sewage — You’ll Never Guess What Caused It

Welcome to Domestic Disasters, where we take a look at some of your worst mess-ups and grossest finds. We take them to the experts to find out how big of a problem they are and how expensive they are to fix.

A couple of years ago, Marisa and her husband finished their basement and added a half bathroom. With four children in the house, the extra space was a relief — until recently, when a stinky odor developed. “My children started blaming one another for farting, until the smell became unbearable,” she says. “It was clear something more was wrong.”

Marisa’s husband sniffed down the offender. Inside a small closet near the bathroom, the downstairs sewage was overflowing. The submersible sewage pump had stopped working, and apparently, the alarm that should have warned them about it had also malfunctioned.

In an effort to DIY a fix, he loosened the bolts on the pump, inadvertently unleashing a sewage backup. “My husband is pretty handy, but plumbing isn’t his wheelhouse,” she says.

What They Tried

The plumber couldn’t get there until the next day, so her husband ran a wet vac, for more than an hour, collecting the spillage until it subsided. By that time, the smell had crept upstairs, engulfing the kitchen and living room. “The whole house stunk,” she says.

After inspecting the scene, the plumber informed them of the problem: a wad of baby wipes had jammed the pump motor’s impeller. “Presumably, our toddler was the culprit here, since the big kids know better,” she says.

The fix was only around $150, but it took 24 hours for the smell to subside. “And lesson learned: we no longer keep baby wipes in that bathroom!” she says.

Now the only off-putting smells in the house are actual farts from the kids. But did Marisa and her husband fix the problem the right way?

A Pro Weighs In

We spoke to some experts to learn whether Marisa and her husband handled the situation correctly, plus how to prevent such grossness from unfolding in other people’s homes. Here’s what they said, plus a little background on these pumps.

Submersible sewer pumps, aka sewage ejector pumps, raise waste from downstairs plumbing up to the level of a home’s main sewage drain line. They are common in houses with basement plumbing. “Most homeowners don’t know what a sewage ejector pump is, or think it’s the same thing as a sump pump, until it backs up,” says Mark Kay, founder and editor of SepticTankHub.

There are a number of reasons sewer pumps can fail, including jammed float switches, bad check valves, normal wear and tripped circuits, but clogged impellers are the most common.

“Many of the sewage pump failures we see come from flushing things that shouldn’t be flushed,” says master plumber Aaron Adams. “Feminine products and wipes labeled as flushable are the most notorious killers. Dental floss can also get tangled in them.”

As for the sewage pump alarm, those typically fail from electrical issues, like tripped breakers, faulty wiring or dead backup batteries.

And once a pump stops working, the problem can quickly turn dire, with sewage backing up in toilets, showers and eventually onto floors. That biohazard not only has the potential to cause health issues, it requires major remediation before mold becomes an issue.

Did the Homeowners Get it Right?

Partly. “They fought to contain the overflow, and they had a plumber out the very following day,” says Key. “That urgency really helped to contain the damage.”

But, our expert says the way they handled the overflow was dangerous. “I get the panic; when it’s flooded like that, you do what you can, but it means direct exposure to raw sewage and its gases,” says Kay. Also, floors and walls that come into contact with sewage should be cleaned by a professional water remediation company to prevent mold, says Adams.

How The Pros Would Handle It

The first step a pro would take is to block inflow into the system by shutting off the water to the whole home, then disconnecting the power to the pump at the breaker. “As soon as a pump failure is detected, all water usage should stop,” says Adams.

Next, a pro would ventilate the area before figuring out what’s wrong with the pump. Once it’s repaired, they’d test the rest of the system and recommend a water remediation company.

The Panic Meter

We rank Domestic Disasters on a four-point scale.

• Do It Yourself: The easiest issues to fix. You can handle it all on your own.
• Phone a Friend: This issue might require a little outside assistance.
• Call a Pro: This situation warrants professional assistance.
• SOS: Problems that are so dangerous, you’re directly at risk of injury or worse.

When addressed early on, sewage ejector pump issues can be DIY-able, but it can be tricky to diagnose larger issues, which means calling a pro is usually the best course of action. “If a pump is clogged with wipes and hygiene products, a homeowner could attempt to clear the debris, but this is a very messy, unsanitary job, plus the float switch needs to be carefully set to ensure proper function,” says Adams.

The Cost Differential

If you periodically test the alarm and take action to clear a clog right away, the DIY costs should run between $0 and $50. That includes basic supplies like gloves, disinfectant and a new alarm battery. If your system doesn’t have a high water alarm, having one installed one typically runs from $100 to $300.

Hiring a plumber to diagnose and clear a clog usually costs between $150 and $600. That could increase by $500 to $2,000 or more, depending on whether you need a new pump, float or other parts.

But, if the problem is neglected or ignored, costs can quickly escalate, soaring into the thousands or even tens of thousands of dollars for expert sewage remediation and replacing flooring, drywall and other finishes. “The math is brutal,” says Kay. “A $20 battery and two minutes a month separates you from a five-figure cleanup.”

The Right Way to Fix Sewage Ejector Pumps

• Shut off water to the house, to prevent adding to the overflow.
• Cut the power to the pump at the breaker, before you touch anything wet in the basement. Also, for safety, unplug the pump motor and float switch, since some pumps are hardwired.
• Ventilate the space by opening windows and running a fan to clear out sewer gas before anyone spends time there.
• Use PPE, including heavy-duty rubber gloves, eye protection, an N-95 mask, pants and boots.
• Vacuum up excess sewage with a wet vac.
• Call a plumber.

In Marisa’s case, the plumber was able to clear the wipes from the impeller, plus inspect the float switch and check valve. “This is where the homeowners nailed the job,” says Kay. “Next-day service kept the damage contained.”

If You Choose to DIY

• Protect the area around the pump with old towels or plastic.
• Get a bucket ready to collect what you pull from the pump.
• Disconnect the line going from the pump at the check valve.
• Remove the lid of the pump basin.
• Reach into the pit and lift the pump by its handle
• Set the pump into the bucket, then clean out any debris. Pliers will help.
• Try to turn the impeller. If it moves, that means you’ve successfully cleared it.
• Remove any wipes or other debris from the pump basin.
• Replace the battery on the alarm and test the alarm to make sure it triggers.
• Refill the pit with clean water from a hose.
• Reinstall the pump, making sure the float switch can float freely

After repairs, test the system by putting water into the basin. “Confirm the pump activates at the correct level, discharges effectively and shuts off properly,” says Joseph Wade of Benjamin Franklin Plumbing. “This ensures the system is fully operational, not just temporarily fixed.”

Call a Water Remediation Specialist

You might be able to safely DIY this part of the job by disinfecting everything the sewage touched, but if it reached flooring, drywall or framing, it’s time to call in a pro. “Don’t gamble with mold in a finished basement,” says Kay.

How to Prevent Submersible Sewer Pump Issues

• Put only toilet paper and human waste down the drain. Never flush wipes, even if they’re labeled as “flushable.”
• Test the alarm every month or two by hitting the test button or lifting the float. Replace the battery once a year.
• Pour a bucket of water into the basin every few months to confirm the pump is cycling on and off cleanly.
• Get the pump professionally inspected yearly, and have the basin pumped and cleaned of sediment every three to five years. “A pro inspection runs about $100–$300 and is the best-value maintenance you can buy” says Kay.
• Add a battery backup or Wi-Fi smart alarm, which will text your phone if something goes wrong while you’re away.
• Replace your pump before it fails. Pumps typically last seven to 10 years, or longer with good maintenance.
• Check pumps more often if you have a high water table or live in a flood zone. In cold climates, ensure the discharge line and vent can’t freeze.

“Because they move waste from below the sewer line, a lot of strain can be placed on these pumps,” says Wade. “They need regular maintenance to ensure they are running efficiently.”

Also, keep an eye, ear and nose out for early signs of failure. Besides a sewage smell, those can include gurgling or slow-draining drains, water or moisture around the basin lid, strange noises coming form the pump and a pump that never runs or runs constantly.

What the Homeowner Learned

“It really does matter what you flush down the toilet!” says Marisa. “And don’t start taking things apart if you don’t know what you’re doing. While my husband didn’t cause any damage by trying to unscrew the lid on the pump, it caused whatever was already up in the pipe came rushing down, and surely made the situation worse.”

Also, Marisa recommends installing a smart sensor for extra protection. She recommends this one, which they now have.

About the Experts

• Mark Kay is the founder and editor of SepticTankHub, a free, data-driven directory for homeowners to find and compare verified septic and wastewater professionals. He pens the site’s homeowner guides on pump alarms, system maintenance and how to avoid expensive backups.
• Aaron Adams is a master plumber with more than 20 years of experience. He’s also CEO of Aaron Services: Plumbing, Heating, Cooling, which serves the north Atlanta, Georgia, area.
• Joseph Wade is VP of Operations at Benjamin Franklin Plumbing, which operates in more than 300 locations across North America.

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How to Turn Your Yard Into a Refuge for Fireflies

Watching blinking fireflies on warm evenings has been a hallmark of American summers for generations. These misnomered insects (they’re actually beetles) not only give us enjoyment, but play a critical role in healthy ecosystems. Unfortunately, this symbol of summer is declining in numbers, due in large part to human habits and behaviors. The good news is that we can help reverse this trend, starting in our own backyards.

Read on to learn how to make your yard safe for fireflies and how you can help encourage their survival for future generations.

Understanding Firefly Environments

There are over 100 firefly species found across most of North America, but only those east of the Rockies blink their bioluminescence on summer evenings. However, all fireflies have certain needs for food, water and shelter that are becoming more difficult to meet in our modern world.

Food: Newly hatched larvae eat voraciously as they grow and mature into adult fireflies. They rely on snails, worms and slugs primarily. “As adults, their diet varies,” Dellinger says. “Some eat nectar or pollen, some eat other firefly species and some don’t eat at all during their short adult life of about two months.”

Water: Fireflies require damp areas with moist soil and high humidity levels. Their primary food sources as larvae (snails and slugs) are found in these environments, and their soft bodies can quickly dehydrate in dry conditions.

Shelter: As they progress through the life cycle, fireflies need different shelter types. Eggs and larvae need leaf litter, fallen logs and damp, healthy soil. Adult needs differ. “Adults require varying heights of vegetation, such as native long grasses, shrubs, and trees, because different species prefer to flash from different heights (some from the ground, others perched high up),” Dellinger says.

Common Threats To Fireflies

Pesticide use, habitat loss, artificial light at night (ALAN) and climate change are all contributing to declining firefly populations.

The Impact of Outdoor Lighting

ALAN is likely the leading reason why we’re seeing fewer fireflies each summer. They need darkness to effectively use their bioluminescence, which serves a critical species function.

“Fireflies are actually beetles that ‘light up’ to attract a mate,” Dellinger says. “Outdoor lighting can interfere with this process, making it harder for the fireflies to find their mates and thereby decreasing the population of the next generation.”

Creating a Natural Firefly Habitat

Encourage fireflies to grow, mate and reproduce in your yard by employing a few simple habits.

Leave the leaves

Instead of raking up and removing all the leaves from your yard in the fall, consider letting some remain as a habitat for firefly larvae. “By leaving the leaves, or moving them to your garden beds to rest undisturbed, you’re supporting entire hidden worlds of wildlife,” Dellinger says.

Leave some woody debris

While rotting logs and sticks may be unsightly on wooded edges, they’re critical hunting grounds for firefly larvae. Leave some in place for hungry larvae to find food.

Plant in layers

Plan your landscape to include a variety of plant heights. “Grow a mix of native canopy trees like native pines, shrubs like buttonbush, and native grasses or wildflowers like switchgrass and goldenrod,” Dellinger says. “This gives them places to seek shelter and different heights to flash from.”

Reconsider manicured lawns

Plant native plants along lawn edges, especially those that border wooded areas. Native plants don’t require pesticides or fertilizers like grass does, allowing fireflies to flourish. Also, consider mowing a section of your lawn less frequently. “Female fireflies frequently sit on tall blades of grass waiting for males to flash overhead,” Dellinger suggests.

Fix your lighting

Avoid outdoor lights, especially at dusk or early evening, to allow fireflies to find each other in the darkness. If security lights are non-negotiable, switch to motion-activated lighting and use yellow bulbs, which are less disruptive to firefly mating signals.

Avoiding Pesticides

Pesticides used to prevent mosquitoes, grubs and ticks are also killing fireflies. Lawn treatments like grub killers inadvertently kill firefly larvae’s main food source, leading to fewer fireflies reaching adulthood. Tick and mosquito pesticides kill adult fireflies on contact.

Instead of pesticides, adopt integrated pest management techniques to keep pest populations down. For mosquitoes, remove standing water and plant aromatic plants like citronella instead. Apply milky spore to lawns to kill damaging grubs and add nematodes (harmless worms that feed on grubs in the soil).

FAQ

Do fireflies need water?

Fireflies must have damp, humid conditions to survive.

When are fireflies most active?

Fireflies are most active at dusk. “To see the fireflies, go outside as the sun is going down but it’s not completely dark yet,” Dellinger says. “They emerge in late spring-early summer.”

 About the Experts

• Julie Dellinger is a marketing director and content creator at Garden for Wildlife, a National Wildlife Federation program that promotes native gardening education.

RELATED:

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• Tired of Raking Leaves? Plant These Trees Instead

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T-Mobile Forces Veteran Customers Into More Expensive Plan

Many of us have a love-hate relationship with our cell service providers. We depend on them for many of our communication needs, but we also often resent rate hikes and other inconveniences. One thing we generally count on, however, is that our plan won’t change for the duration of the contract. Apparently, this is not always the case. Thousands of T-Mobile customers just found out that their plans will be changing soon. The catch? Many of these people are currently on a T-Mobile plan that was supposed to be prevented from changing.

Is My T-Mobile Plan Changing?

According to a report by Gadget Review, the change will bump “legacy Magenta, ONE, and Simple Choice customers onto pricier 5G plans mid-July.” These plans do come with a five-year fixed price guarantee, but there’s some fine print. The Gadget Review article observes that “T-Mobile’s five-year guarantee excludes fees, which the carrier has already raised twice in one year.” Customers who are losing their old plans are looking at a price increase of up to 60% in some cases.

Is This Legal?

Many customers are already questioning the legality surrounding this change. Back in 2017, T-Mobile introduced a series of new promises for customers, including the “Un-contract.” Per their own press release, the Un-contract “notched another industry first with the first-ever price guarantee on an unlimited 4G LTE plan.” This price guarantee was supposed to be permanent. Customers on the T-Mobile ONE plan were told that they got to “keep their price until THEY decide to change it. T‑Mobile will never change the price you pay for your T‑Mobile ONE plan. When you sign up for T‑Mobile ONE, only YOU have the power to change the price you pay.”

T-Mobile isn’t the only cell provider to pull something like this. Gadget Review notes that both AT&T and Verizon have also updated their legacy plans, but adds that (unlike in T-Mobile’s case) “neither staked its entire identity on never pulling this move.” The company claims that the updated plans feature newer offerings, including 5G, but it remains to be seen if the mandatory switch will be upheld.

What Can I Do?

As of right now, there’s not yet a class action lawsuit. You’ll have to look at your bill to find out when and how it will change. If you find the new prices too high, it’s worth checking them against other cell providers, both large companies and small, to see where you can get the best rate.

Sources

T-Mobile Just Ripped 8 Million Customers Off Their Grandfathered Plans – and Raised Their Bills, Gadget Review, 2026.

The Un-carrier Goes ‘All In.’ T‑Mobile ONE Now Includes Taxes & Fees., T-Mobile, 2017.

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