This winter we have been lucky with the mild weather, but temperatures have reached below freezing a couple times so far and we all know it’s coming. Now is the time to check to make sure your windows are working properly. I recently did a job where I removed the trim to a window and found that there was no insulation whatsoever. The homeowner was complaining about cold breezes throughout the winter across her living room. She indicated to me that her curtains would sway with the wind—in the winter. The homeowner also told me that there was ice build-up inside of the window glass. I was …
Have you ever seen the movie “Pay It Forward?” If you haven't, you should check it out. And if you have seen the movie, I think you know where this is going. Ottoson Middle School in Arlington is teaming up with nonprofit Paint it Forward to make the Technology Education classrooms optimal learning environments for Arlington's students. Paint it Forward takes classrooms and transforms them from white-walled cluttered spaces to warm, inviting, organized environments where kids love to go and learn. I thought we did a pretty decent job with what we had done with our generous donations. But …
About this column: Stoneham resident and former HGTV "All American Handyman" contestant Allison Oropallo tackles do-it-yourself home improvement questions from our readers. Check out her column on Wednesdays. This weekend I built garage shelving for a homeowner in New Hampshire. I’ve built garage shelving before, for an individual who liked things to look somewhat artistic and was not satisfied with the plywood-look, so for her I designed shelves using only two-by-fours and they came out great. She and I ended up loving how they looked and structurally they were sound. In my opinion, the …
About this column: Stoneham resident and former HGTV "All American Handyman" contestant Allison Oropallo tackles do-it-yourself home improvement questions from our readers. Check out her column on Wednesdays. This weekend, I’m making Face-Cut-Out-Board Halloween lawn ornaments with kids. Anyone can buy or make one, but to build one is a different, more meaningful experience. Too often, young people are taught to go to a store for whatever they want and need. Kids are young and inexperienced, but come on, they aren’t stupid—they learn how to get things done easily. And if they see how easy it …
About this column: Stoneham resident and former HGTV "All American Handyman" contestant Allison Oropallo tackles do-it-yourself home improvement questions from our readers. Check out her column on Wednesdays. On Monday morning, I needed to take a trip to the hardware store. I will not expose the name of the particular store, but let’s say it was big. So, the light bulb in my refrigerator died Sunday night after "All American Handyman" aired. How convenient, right? (Not as inconvenient as the time I was driving to fax time-sensitive paperwork to HGTV and got a flat tire. I swear, anytime it …
