Roundabout Turn Signals Explained: What You Should—and Shouldn’t—Do

Traffic circles have been in the United States for more than a century, while modern roundabouts began appearing in the country in the early 1990s. However, many drivers today still don’t know the basic rules when it comes to entering and exiting them.

Is a driver supposed to signal before entering? Should drivers keep the left blinker on until they exit? Should they only signal when exiting? While roundabout rules can vary by state, basic driving principles are consistent. Understanding them can make an unfamiliar roundabout much easier to handle.

Learn how to use proper roundabout signaling, including when drivers should use their turn signal and more.

When Should Drivers Signal in a Roundabout?

In most instances, drivers should use the right turn signal before exiting. Many states instruct drivers to signal right after passing the exit immediately before the one they plan to take.

Drivers shouldn’t assume they need to keep the left turn signal on simply because they’re continuing around the roundabout. Signaling requirements vary by state, and a left signal may also be required when changing lanes in a multilane roundabout where permitted.

Drivers should follow their state’s driver handbook or online Department of Transportation guidance for specific signaling requirements.

Who Has the Right of Way in a Roundabout?

Another roundabout rule that can be confusing is which vehicle has the right-of-way. Vehicles already in the roundabout have priority, and approaching drivers should slow down and yield until there’s a safe opening. Coming to a complete stop is unnecessary if the roundabout is clear. Drivers should also watch carefully for pedestrians at designated crossings, particularly when entering and exiting.

Switching Lanes in a Roundabout, Explained

When using a multilane roundabout, drivers should choose the appropriate lane before entering and follow posted directions and pavement markings. The right lane commonly serves right turns and through traffic, while the left lane may serve through traffic and left-turn movements. Drivers should always follow the signs and pavement markings at the specific roundabout.

Drivers should stay in their designated lane or path and shouldn’t cut across traffic to reach an exit. They also shouldn’t stop inside the roundabout to let another vehicle enter, drive across the center island, or reverse if they miss their intended exit. Drivers should give large trucks extra room because they may need both lanes or use the roundabout’s truck apron.

Roundabouts don’t need to be scary for drivers. By understanding the rules, they can be just another routine part of the road.

Sources

Federal Highway Administration, “Roundabouts”

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• What Those Lines on Your Backup Camera Really Tell You
• Here’s What The Small Panel On Your Car’s Front Bumper Is For

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What to Do If Your License Plate Accidentally Says Something NSFW

There’s likely a vanity plate you’ve seen online or in person that you will always remember. Maybe it was funny, witty, obscene, an obscure reference, or something else. Most of the time it’s probably safe to assume that it was intentional. However, that might not always be the case.

Randomly assigned license plates can resemble words or phrases their owners never requested, as was the case for a Florida woman who made headlines when she received a standard-issued plate reading “SQZ A55.”

So, what happens if you receive a license plate you don’t feel comfortable displaying? Learn what options drivers have and how states screen for inappropriate combinations.

What To Do If You Receive a License Plate You Don’t Like

While the federal government is responsible for vehicle standards, license plate numbering fall under state jurisdiction. Therefore, your options will depend on the state you live in.

Most drivers aren’t stuck with their assigned plate. All states have a process to replace standard-issued plates due to damage, loss or theft, or sometimes even if the owners find them embarrassing or offensive.

Qualification requirements will vary by state. The first step will involve contacting your state’s Department of Motor Vehicles, or the equivalent state agency that handles vehicle registration. You may be able to order a replacement online, or you may be required to do an in-person appointment.

You may be able to get a replacement plate for free, or, depending on your state, you may be required to pay a replacement fee. Whether the agency will waive the fee because it contains an inappropriate message is at the discretion of the person approving the request.

It is illegal to alter, cover, deface, or modify an existing plate. License plates are critical for public safety, as they are used by law enforcement for vehicle identification, toll collection, and parking enforcement and for identifying stolen vehicles.

How are License Plate Combinations Screened

Issues of vulgar license plates, especially non-vanity plates, are quite rare. Most states have safeguards to prevent certain offensive or inappropriate combinations from appearing. That includes references to profanity, sexually explicit language, hate speech, criminal affiliation or representation, and characters that could mislead law enforcement.

Automated filters are in place to catch these, sometimes in addition to human review by the person approving the request at the DMV or equivalent government agency. New combinations continue to be added to the banned list as language and slang change.

Don’t assume another state’s license plate laws and regulations will be the same in yours. Every state creates its own numbering system and review process, so the rules, replacement options, and even the letter combinations that appear on standard plates can differ.

When in doubt, contact your local DMV. Just be prepared to wait in a long line, of course.

Sources

• Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, “License Plates & Registration”
  American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators, “License Plates”
  CBS Miami, “Squeeze what? A Florida woman is the talk of her town with a racy license plate she got in the mail“

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I Experienced the Plumbing Disaster Nobody Sees Coming: My Pipes Completely Crumbled

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.

Last year, Lori and her husband, Dirk, were on a Paris vacation when her brother called to tell them that he had found sewage backed up in their basement. “Fortunately, I paid for my cellphone to work in France, so that was a good thing,” she said with a laugh. Unfortunately, that was end of the good news. It turned out that Lori’s pipes, which were made from cast iron, had rusted and collapsed. All of them needed to be replaced, which required removing most of the concrete from the basement, as well as digging up the the yard.

What They Tried

The first plumber never showed up. By the time the second one came, Lori was home from vacation. Assuming there was a blockage, he forced water through the pipes to try to blast it out. But that didn’t work. The third company opted to examine the pipes with a scope, but soon discovered it was too dark to see anything, so they began digging them up.

“We knew it was bad when you could hear the workers using expletives and saying things like, ‘Take a photo of this, so-and-so will never believe it,’” said Dirk. “When you hear that, you know it’s never going to be a good outcome.”

A couple months and $20,000 later, Lori and Dirk had shiny new PVC pipes underground and a new concrete floor in the basement. Life was almost back to normal, except for, of course, their savings account, which is still recovering — along with Lori’s shade garden, which was ripped up by the excavator.

Clearly, this fix was not DIY-able, so Lori and Dirk made the right call by leaving it to the pros. But, did the pros approach the problem the right way? And could Lori and Dirk have seen this coming, and taken steps to prevent it?

A Pro Weighs In On What Went Wrong

Until the arrival of PVC in the mid-1970s, cast iron was the common choice for house wastewater pipes. But the problem with that material is that, over five or eight decades, sulphuric acid from wastewater eats away the metal from the inside, while acidic soil corrodes it from the outside. Eventually, a quarter-inch thick pipe becomes hollowed out like a soda can.

“The day that something disturbs it or the last of the wall lets go, it doesn’t crack, it collapses,” says Mark Kay, editor of SepticTankHub. “Saying it ‘crumbled’ isn’t just the homeowner being dramatic, it’s the textbook definition.”

While failure of cast iron pipes is universal, pipes in houses with septic tanks, like Lori and Dirk’s, are especially prone to premature failure, since the effluent in the tank provides a particularly hydrogen-sulfide rich environment.

Did the Homeowners Get it Right?

Yes, once the failure happened. “Replacing the whole run, not just fixing the section that failed, was the right move,” says Kay. “And a week to move out was right, not overkill, since sewage in a living space can lead to health problems.”

However, they could have saved themselves some money and hassles by getting their pipes inspected long before the failure. A few hundred dollar inspection in the the years leading up to it could have caught the impending collapse while it was still repairable, or at least allowed them the luxury of getting competitive bids and timing the pipe replacement to minimize disruption to their lives.

Did the Pros Get it Right?

Yes, and no. The first plumber assumed there was a blockage and forced water through the pipes to try to clear it. But, especially on a home with cast-iron pipes, the correct first step should have been to inspect the line, usually with a camera, to determine the true cause of the problem, says Joseph Wade of Benjamin Franklin Plumbing.

“From there, the plumber can recommend the least disruptive repair that will actually solve the problem,” says Wade.

In this case, full replacement was the only option. But sometimes, if the issue is diagnosed sooner, less-invasive repairs might be possible, like trenchless pipe lining.

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.

The solution to a corroded cast iron pipe disaster is always to call in a pro, and the more quickly that happens the better, so it doesn’t become an SOS.

“Sewage backups can damage walls, flooring, insulation, personal belongings and even parts of the home’s structure if left unchecked,” says Wade. “Had there been earlier warning signs, and had a plumber been called sooner, there may have been a better chance to limit the extent of the damage.”

The Cost Differential

An early catch is key to mitigating costs. With cast iron pipes, even if everything is working fine, call in a pro to inspect them with a sewer camera. It’ll run between $100 and $500, and some plumbers will apply that cost toward any needed repair work.

“If the camera finds scale, but sound walls, professional descaling/hydro jetting costs $200 to $800, and buys the pipe years,” says Kay.

Bigger problems, caught early enough, can sometimes be fixed with a spot repair ($1,000 to $4,000), or trenchless lining ($80 to $250 per foot).

However, if the pipes are too far gone, as they were in Lori and Dirk’s house, they will have to be excavated and replaced, which typically costs between $4,000 and $25,000 for the pipes, plus potentially thousands more for sewage and mold remediation.

Typically, a standard homeowners insurance policy won’t cover any of this, as was the case for Lori and Dirk. However, there are often add-on endorsements available for service line and water backup coverage, for a combined $30 to $100 a year.

“For what’s it worth, this family’s $20,000 under-slab demolition, yard excavation to the septic tank and new pipe and concrete is right in the honest middle of the range,” says Kay. “Painful, but they probably weren’t gouged.”

How to Prevent Crumbling Cast Iron Pipes

Virtually every home in the country built before the mid-1970s has cast iron sewage pipe, which means this is an extremely common disaster in older houses.

“Because cast iron typically has a useful life of between 50 and 100 years, we’re hitting a sweet spot right now, with millions of homes from the 1920s through the early ’70s hitting critical decay,” says plumber and disaster response expert Alfred Pintor.

But while cast iron pipes are bound to deteriorate, “the good news is that this is one of the most preventable $20,000 disasters in all things homeownership,” says Kay. “The pipe tells you years ahead, and a $300 inspection gets the timeline in your hands.”

If you have cast iron pipes in your home, here are the keys to preventing a disaster.

• Have a professional camera inspection done every few years, even if everything is still working fine. And if you are buying an older home, Kay recommends requesting a sewer scope, which isn’t typically included in home inspections.
• Call in a pro if you see warning signs, like multiple drains backing up, recurring clogs, gurgling toilets, muddy spots in the yard or a sewage smell in the basement.
• If your cast iron is still in good shape, get it professionally descaled every two to three years, by someone who specifically works on old cast iron (otherwise, the wrong pressure can damage old pipes).
• Don’t use chemical drain cleaners, which can damage pipes. Instead, try enzyme cleaners or a snake. If backups persist, that’s likely a sign of a larger problem.
• If you have a septic tank, pump it every three to five years.
• Purchase insurance endorsements for sewer service line and water backup coverage.
• If you’ll be away for a vacation, turn off the main water and install a leak sensor ($30 to $60) next to the lowest drain in the house.
• Know your disadvantages: coastal humidity, salt, acidic soil, a high water table and nearby mature trees all decrease the life expectancy of cast iron.
• Only flush human waste and toilet paper. Never flush wipes, even if they are labeled “flushable.”
• If you experience a backup, shut off the house water immediately, to prevent more from entering the sewage system.
• Always get two or three bids for repairs, including one from a trenchless specialist.

“But if you own a home built before 1975, please don’t panic, just scope that line,” says Pintor. “Drain lines don’t fail without decades of warnings.”

And if you do have a newer home, regular pipe inspections are still a good idea. “Obviously newer homes with PVC drains won’t rust out, but never say never with any home,” says Pintor. “Tree roots, shifting soil and improper installation can destroy plastic drain lines just the same.”

What the Homeowner Learned

Lori said her biggest takeaway from the ordeal was to always be prepared for the unexpected when it comes to homeownership. “A house is big, and there’s a lot of things that can go wrong,” she said.

For her, that preparation now includes having a better understanding of what’s covered by her homeowners policy. “That was eye-opening for me,” she said. “I was really frustrated that they were’t going to pay for any of this.”

But even more importantly, “Make sure you have an emergency fund, because unfortunately something like this can happen when you least expect it,” she said. “I mean, $20,000, that’s a lot!”

About the Experts

• Mark Kay is the founder and editor of SepticTankHub, a free, data-driven directory that helps homeowners find and compare verified septic and wastewater professionals in the US. He also writes the site’s homeowner’s guides on septic plumbing, sewer line problems and maintenance to avoid expensive backups.
• Alfred Pintor is a home maintenance expert and founder of Copper Collar Services, a veteran-owned plumbing, sanitation and disaster response company servicing the Southern California region.
• Joseph Wade is VP of Operations at Benjamin Franklin Plumbing, which operates in more than 300 locations across North America.

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Do you have a Domestic Disaster experience you’d like featured on Family Handyman? Email us your experience at fhmfranchises@tmbi.com.

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Retractable Car Door Handles Look Cool — But Are They Actually Safe?

Retractable car door handles are a sleek, modern car design feature that many vehicle lovers have come to enjoy. Because they usually sit flush with the bodywork and only pop out when needed, they give cars a clean and futuristic look. While many people think of Tesla first, retractable car door handles also appear on vehicles like the Lucid Air, Mercedes-Benz EQS, and Range Rover Velar.

However, these handles have recently come under scrutiny. China’s recent decision to ban certain retractable door handles has raised questions about whether these designs prioritize styling over safety, and if the United States or other countries could do the same.

Learn what China is banning, what safety concerns experts have raised, and what it means for U.S. drivers.

Why Is China Banning Retractable Car Door Handles?

China recently became the first country to prohibit electronic-only hidden door handles on new passenger vehicles. Starting in 2027, new models sold must include mechanical door releases that work from both the inside and outside, even if the vehicle loses electrical power.

Not every retractable handle is banned, and automakers can continue using flush-mounted designs as long as they include a reliable mechanical backup that works during an emergency.

The rule is designed to address safety concerns about emergency access if electronically controlled door handles stop working after a crash. Some experts have also raised concerns that ice or freezing temperatures can interfere with certain flush-mounted handle designs.

Long before retractable handles became common, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said stronger door retention systems had “significantly improved door performance,” while noting that occupants “continue to be ejected through doors.”

Should U.S. Drivers Be Concerned About Retractable Car Door Handles?

Despite China’s decision and recent safety discussions about retractable car door handles, there is no evidence that they pose an immediate danger in normal driving. Concerns remain about emergency situations involving a loss of electrical power after a crash. Many vehicles include hidden mechanical releases, but their location and operation vary by manufacturer.

Read your owner’s manual to identify your vehicle’s manual door release before an emergency occurs. Also, check whether the exterior handles still work after a complete loss of electrical power, and how emergency responders or bystanders can access the vehicle if they don’t.

Automakers will continue refining these designs with additional safeguards, whether through manufacturer improvements or future regulations. It’s still too early to know whether China’s decision will encourage automakers and regulators in other countries to adopt similar requirements. Knowing how your vehicle’s emergency door release works can help prepare you for an unexpected situation.

Sources

• Associated Press, “China Will Ban Hidden Door Handles on Cars Starting in 2027.”
• Code of Federal Regulations, “Standard No. 206; Door locks and door retention components.”
• National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, “Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards; Door Locks and Door Retention Components”

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Tyler Smith’s Backyard Movie Night Build Is an Upgrade You’ll Want to Steal

If you haven’t checked it out yet, Build and Grill with Tyler Smith is the DIY and cooking show of the summer. Each week, Smith takes on a DIY project in the backyard and then cooks a delicious dinner for his family that utilizes the new build. Episode five spotlights the perfect backyard movie night build.

The Project

By this point in the series, Smith has built out the outdoor kitchen of a home cook’s dream. With the pizza oven and fire pit from episodes one and three and the prep station, raised garden bed and table from episodes two and four, all that’s left is to add some elite entertainment. To that end, Smith tackles an outdoor projector screen project. This first event after the project may be dinner and a movie, but the setup is perfect for hosting watch parties of all kinds, and Smith now has the means to cook whatever meal best complements the screening.

The Meal

While a pool party or a grilling holiday might call for hot dogs, Smith’s outdoor movie night features smash burgers, wings, and enchilada dip — exactly the kind of spread that’s perfect for a watch party. It’s also a fitting cap to the series thus far; Smith has cooked pizza, chicken and ribs with all the barbecue fixings, surf ‘n turf and gyros so far, but this is the first time since the series started that Smith has grilled burgers for an episode. It just goes to show that if you plan out your space right, you can cook all kinds of fancy items while also showing some love to the time-tested classics.

How Can I Join in the Fun?

“Build and Grill with Tyler Smith” airs on At Home with Family Handyman Saturday evenings at 8 PM EST. Carve out the time and make it a family event. Between the DIY projects and the delicious dinners, this show is sure to appeal to the foodies and builders in your family alike. Plus, watching it as a family is a surefire way to get everyone on board with a fun project.

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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The Secret Behind Why Costco Stores Get Built So Fast

Stepping into a Costco Wholesale for the first time can be a little overwhelming. For starters, they’re massive with aisles that seemingly span miles. It makes sense considering that you’ll need a lot of space for a store famous for selling all of its items in bulk quantities and volume.

But did you know Costcos are actually quite quick to be built? Costcos typically take about 110 days to be completed due to the company’s relatively straightforward warehouse design and construction methods that contractors have spent decades refining.

Learn how Costco warehouses take shape so quickly and why the work shoppers see represents only part of the process.

Why Costco’s Design Makes Construction Faster

One major feature in Costco design is something called tilt-up construction, which involves casting large concrete wall panels horizontally on-site before lifting them into place with cranes. Costcos are essentially just large concrete slabs with tall concrete walls and an open interior, making them more straightforward and quicker to build than similarly sized structures like hotels, apartment buildings, or office buildings.

Crews can use the slab as a work surface while forming the concrete wall panels that will eventually surround it. Tilt-up construction also allows contractors to overlap different phases of a project instead of completing each stage before starting the next.

Once the exterior shell and structural system are in place, construction crews can quickly move to interior systems and finishes, including electrical and mechanical systems, refrigeration, and interior finishes.

All Costcos have nearly identical floor plans, meaning architects and contractors spend less time redesigning the building for each new location.

Why a New Costco Can Still Take Longer Than It Looks

While 110 days does seem relatively quick for a project with the scope of a major retail location, there are things that can delay that time frame, and it doesn’t necessarily represent the entire process of developing a new Costco.

A new location will require local zoning or land-use approvals, engineering, utility planning, grading, drainage work, road improvements, including potentially new roadways, and building permits before crews reach the most visible stages of construction. The 110-day figure only accounts for the time once construction of the warehouse itself begins.

Other variables like extreme weather, supply chain disruptions, labor shortages, and other unforeseen circumstances can also slow the construction schedule.

But once the site is ready and crews begin building the warehouse, progress becomes much easier to see.

Years of refining, standardized warehouse designs, and efficient construction methods have made it possible for Costcos to be built so quickly and efficiently. Which means less time locals have to wait before they can fill up on cheap gas, grab a $5 rotisserie chicken, order a $1.50 hot dog combo, stock up on bulk groceries, and leave with far more than they planned to buy.

Sources

Tilt-Up Concrete Association, “Building With Tilt-Up”
Fox Business, “Costco plans major growth push, targeting 30 new locations annually”
MG2, “Costco Wholesale”

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How I Gave My Wire Shelves a Custom Look with DIY Shelf Covers

Paint the wood first

Cut your plywood (A and B) and trim (C and D) to rough size, paint everything, and allow it to dry completely before moving on. It is much easier to paint before assembly than after. I recommend using 1/2-in. plywood for all shelves on wire shelving units because it’s lightweight, plenty solid, and gives you plenty of edge thickness to nail into.

Cut the plywood shelves

Cut the plywood for the top shelf (A) to the outside dimensions of the wire shelf, both length and width. Then, cut the plywood for any lower shelves (B) underneath to the inside dimensions of the thicker gauge wire that protrudes slightly above the rest of the wire around the edges of the shelves.

Notch the corners

On the lower shelves (B), use a Forstner bit to notch the corners where the upright pipes will be. Lay the lower shelves (B) on top of the top wire shelf and use a pencil to mark exactly where the shelf meets the upright pipes. Use a Forstner bit with a slightly larger diameter than the pipe to drill these. We used a 7/8-in. Forstner bit for the 3/4-in. upright pipes of our shelf.

For accurate placement, find the center of your pipe pencil marks and lightly tap the Forstner bit with a rubber mallet to create a dimple in the wood, then use a nail set to further punch the center point. This prevents the bit from skipping across the wood when you start drilling. Then square up the notches’ corners with a jigsaw or pull saw, and sand to clean up.

Add trim to the top shelf

Use a miter saw to cut 1×2 mitered trim (C and D) to wrap all the way around the top shelf. Attach the trim with wood glue, flushing the top edge of the trim to the top of the plywood, and nail through it with 1-1/2-in. 18-gauge brad nails. Don’t be afraid to hide a couple of brad nails in the corners to help keep the miters tight if needed.

Test fit and touch up

Test-fit each shelf to ensure they fit properly and make any necessary adjustments. When satisfied, pull them off, fill the nail holes, sand back the wood filler, and touch up the paint on the edges and notched corners. Give everything ample time to dry before moving on.

Secure the shelves

When the touch-up paint is dry, secure the wood shelves to the wire shelves using small wire shelf clips and 1/2-in. screws screwed from the underside of each shelf (A and B). Place them at the first cross wire near each side and approximately every 12-in. down the length of the shelf for longer shelves. This prevents the shelves from moving or rattling when placing heavier items on them.

Adapting for wall-mounted wire shelves

The process for wall-mounted wire shelves is nearly the same, with a few differences:

• Cut the 1/2-in. plywood to the actual depth of the shelf from the wall. Ours was 11-1/2-in. deep. There are no corner notches needed since wall-\mounted shelves don’t have upright poles.
• Instead of mitered trim all the way around, cut only a single piece of 1×2 face trim to the same length as the shelf and attach it to the front edge with wood glue and 1-1/2-in. 18-gauge brad nails, making the top edge flush with the top of the plywood.
• When securing with wire shelf clips, attach them to both the underside of the plywood shelf and the back of the 1×2 face trim to keep it from sliding forward over time.

FAQ

What kind of paint or sealer should I use for wood wire rack shelf covers?

You want a durable and easy-to-clean finish for your wood shelf covers.  Your best options are a cabinet-grade enamel – easy to wipe down and live up to high traffic areas.  If you want a clear finish over a stain or natural wood, use an oil-based polyurethane finish. Both options will look good and last long.

Where can I purchase wooden shelf covers for wire shelving?

Wood shelf covers for wire shelving can be purchased already made online (Amazon) or big box retailers.

What materials make good shelf covers?

To cover wire shelves, you want a rigid and water-resistant material.  Wood that has been properly painted or sealed will work well. Acrylic glass is another good option when covering wire shelves.

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