This wall-mount towel rack has a sleek, modern look and can hold up to five fluffy bath towels. It fits perfectly above the toilet, utilizing otherwise wasted space. No more dripping across the bathroom floor in search of a clean towel! Now your towel storage can be conveniently within reach.
If you’re in the market for a baseboard heater, it’s easy to be overwhelmed by all the options on the market. One of the greatest advantages of baseboard heaters is their versatility. But that also means their sizes, heat outputs, additional features and cost varies considerably.
To start with, there are two types. Convection baseboard heaters use electrically heated metal fins to transform cool air into warm air through the heat-transfer process of convection. They’re usually hardwired into a home’s electrical system, but some portable options plug into a standard electrical outlet.
Hydronic baseboard heaters use an internal reservoir of heated liquid to produce mostly radiant heat. Like a convection baseboard heater, metal heating fins surround the liquid reservoir to promote heat production through a secondary convection process, supplementing the radiant heat. An electric element usually heats the liquid reservoir, but some models can be tied into a home’s central heating boiler system to operate without electricity. Electric hydronic baseboard heaters usually must be hardwired into a home’s electrical system.
Convection baseboard heaters are affordable and heat up rapidly, but they’re not particularly energy-efficient. Hydronic baseboard heaters are more expensive and take longer to heat up, but are more energy-efficient and stay cool to the touch.
Some features are common to practically every baseboard heater — a powder-coated exterior that resists scratches and corrosion, and an automatic overheat shutoff to ensure safe operation. Many are certified by an independent safety inspection agency, like Underwriter Laboratories (UL) or Electrical Testing Laboratories (ETL). That means the heater satisfies certain safety standards.
To help you make sense of all the options and determine the best baseboard heater for your home, consider the following top-rated products.
The coldest room in the basement is usually the room farthest from the furnace. Boost the airflow on long duct runs with an in-line duct fan. These fans are easy to install, but they do require a power supply. Some are hardwired and some plug into an outlet, but either way you’ll need to leave access to the junction box, which can be accomplished with a panel or a cover plate. In-line fans can run 24/7 or be installed with an optional thermostat or be wired to turn on when the furnace fan turns on.
The coldest room in the basement is usually the room farthest from the furnace. Boost the airflow on long duct runs with an in-line duct fan. These fans are easy to install, but they do require a power supply. Some are hardwired and some plug into an outlet, but either way you’ll need to leave access to the junction box, which can be accomplished with a panel or a cover plate. In-line fans can run 24/7 or be installed with an optional thermostat or be wired to turn on when the furnace fan turns on.
Fences around your home provide security, privacy and curb appeal. Whether they’re made of wood, metal, brick, stucco or masonry, it’s important to keep them from succumbing to the elements, age and abuse. All it takes to have a fence you can be proud of is the right paint, a little know-how and a weekend of your time.
Here are some facts about outdoor fence paint.
Oil-based (a.k.a. alkyd) is a long-lasting paint that tends to be more durable than water-based emollients. Oils take longer to dry and require paint thinner for cleanup. But if you’re looking for a tough, enameled (satin, semi-gloss or glossy) finish that withstands outdoor exposure, there’s no substitute.
Latex (a.k.a. acrylic) paint is a water-based formula that makes a good all-purpose paint solution. Acrylic paint is flexible — expanding and contracting with changes in temperatures — to resist cracking and blistering. Latex paint is also less toxic and better for the environment.
A primer is an undercoat that creates a bonding layer on a surface to seal it for painting. Besides blocking stains from wood tannins and mildew from moisture, primers give surfaces “teeth” to make the paint adhere better.
A lot of exterior paint formulas are self-priming. If the paint you choose is not, we recommend applying a quality primer to achieve the best results.
Fences around your home provide security, privacy and curb appeal. Whether they’re made of wood, metal, brick, stucco or masonry, it’s important to keep them from succumbing to the elements, age and abuse. All it takes to have a fence you can be proud of is the right paint, a little know-how and a weekend of your time.
Here are some facts about outdoor fence paint.
Oil-based (a.k.a. alkyd) is a long-lasting paint that tends to be more durable than water-based emollients. Oils take longer to dry and require paint thinner for cleanup. But if you’re looking for a tough, enameled (satin, semi-gloss or glossy) finish that withstands outdoor exposure, there’s no substitute.
Latex (a.k.a. acrylic) paint is a water-based formula that makes a good all-purpose paint solution. Acrylic paint is flexible — expanding and contracting with changes in temperatures — to resist cracking and blistering. Latex paint is also less toxic and better for the environment.
A primer is an undercoat that creates a bonding layer on a surface to seal it for painting. Besides blocking stains from wood tannins and mildew from moisture, primers give surfaces “teeth” to make the paint adhere better.
A lot of exterior paint formulas are self-priming. If the paint you choose is not, we recommend applying a quality primer to achieve the best results.
More than 1,300 participants competed in Lowe’s first virtual pitch program aimed at supporting small business owners and entrepreneurs with home improvement products. The competition, “Making It… With Lowe’s” was hosted by Daymond John, star of Shark Tank, and had a similar feel to the popular ABC television show. Of the 1,300 submissions, roughly 400 products were evaluated before being narrowed down.
A panel of top Lowe’s executives, including CEO Marvin Ellison, gathered to hear pitches and ultimately choose which products they would feature in stores and display online at lowes.com. Five products were pitched, with three elimination rounds to eventually select a winner. All finalists were awarded grants of varied values. See some of the other inventors we’re thankful for.
Here are the final five products:
Grease Hero: Shawn Santos, a property manager from Honolulu, HI, invented a specialized drain catcher after years of addressing tenants’ clogged drains. His pitched product was designed to prevent future sewer clogs. Made with recycled paper materials, it’s designed to fit inside a sink’s drain and absorb used cooking oil for easy disposal.
Python Plunger: Kim Huber, from Grant, Minn., pitched an innovative tool “combining the power of the rotating drain snake with the design familiarity of the household plunger.”
Handle and Haul: Joe Porche, from Metairie, La, was badly injured after being hit by a drunk driver. Looking for a way to better lift heavy and awkward items, Porche invented the “handle and haul.” Its innovative design safely grabs and moves bulk items with a tie-down strap and adjustable handle.
SoilKit: Christina Woerner McInnis, from Foley, Ala., created a product designed to allow consumers to gather and submit soil samples to receive expert lab reports. Those reports are aimed at giving farmers a road map to help keep their lawns and gardens healthy.
Lola’s Fine Hot Sauce: Taufeek Shah, from Des Moines, Ia., turned a decades-old family tradition into a successful business with his mom’s homemade hot sauce recipe. Lowe’s claims it’s the only minority-owned hot sauce company in the U.S. and uses the world’s hottest peppers.
“Acknowledgement from such a large company like Lowe’s brings such a feeling of validation that all the hard work to this point is paying off,” Santos said.
Watch the video below to see more about the five finalists, and which product was ultimately named the competition champion.
You can also watch the video here.
The Handle and Haul was named the eventual champion. Porche’s lift device beat out Shah’s hot sauce in the semifinals, and then McInnis’ soil tester in the finals. Lowe’s will sell all three products but Porche’s is already available. The online listing said the handle and straps have a maximum weight limit of 400 pounds and a one-year warranty.
“You go from an idea to a product and you work really hard — you just can’t imagine you’d be in a place like this and have an opportunity like this,” Porche said after being announced as the winner. “Words cannot explain how I feel right now.”
Lowe’s did not say if there would be a second competition.
