As you probably know by now, there is a new law on the books that bans the sale of incandescent light bulbs. The ban on 100 watt incandescents will go into effect at the end of this year with 40 watt bulbs wrapping up the phase-out in 2014.

With this impending ban in mind, many consumers are buying up stockpiles of incandescent bulbs and saving them for later use when they will no longer be available for purchase in stores.

Should you join the merry band of hoarders as well? In my opinion, yes. I gave the much-hyped and grossly over-priced compact fluorescent bulbs a try, and to say the least I was underwhelmed. Besides being just plain ugly, they provide a paltry amount of light and they don’t last anywhere near as long as the claims would have you believe. I have already bought up several dozen incandescent bulbs of various wattages, enough in fact to last me and my wife the rest of our lifetimes in all likelihood.

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If you have spent any time at all driving through residential neighborhoods you have probably noticed that many new houses are being built with metal roofs instead of shingles. In addition to the obvious beauty of modern metal roofing, it also offers a number of other major advantages for the home-builder and remodeler:

1 – Metal roofs are more durable than shingles. Today’s metal roofing materials are several times stronger than composites. Layers of metallic and polymer coatings help resist rust and corrosion while the inherent strength of steel provides enhanced protection against wind, hail and other damaging natural phenomena.

2 – Metal roofing materials tend to reflect light and heat which can result in a cooler home in the summer and a warmer one in the winter.

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Spring is quickly approaching, and that means it won’t be long before we’ll be mowing our lawns again. Is your lawnmower ready to “hit the ground running”? Here are a few tips for preparing your mower for the upcoming season:

1 – Drain any gasoline remaining from last season from the tank and dispose of it in accordance with local rules and regulations. You can do this either by using a siphon pump to suck the gas out of the tank or by tilting the mower until the gas drains into a pan.

2 – With the gas tank empty, drain the oil from the mower as well by tilting it over until it drains out.

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A Digital Multimeter (DMM) is one of the handiest tools you can have in your home or garage. Most people think of a DMM as a “volt meter”, and of course it is. But it is also a whole lot more! Here is a run-down of all the electrical properties that a typical digital multimeter can measure:

1. AC Voltage – Measuring AC or DC voltage is far and away the most common application of DMM’s. To measure AC voltage (Alternating Current), simply set the meter to the highest AC range and apply the test leads to the conductors being tested. There is no need to worry about positive and negative because they are irrelevant when measuring AC. Keep lowering the voltage range on the meter until you get the most precise reading possible.

2. DC Voltage – To measure DC voltage (Direct Current), set the meter to the highest DC range then connect the red lead to the positive lug, post or wire and the black lead to the negative lug, post, wire or “ground”. It’s important to make sure the leads are connected with the proper positive and negative polarity or the polarity of the reading could be reversed (and incorrect!). Again, keep lowing the voltage range until you get the most precise reading possible.

3. Amperage – Amperage is the measure of the electric current that is flowing through a component or wire. In order to measure amperage you must connect the meter in series with the circuit being tested. In other words, you’ll need to open up the circuit by disconnecting a wire and connecting the meter’s test leads to the end of the wire and the place where it was previously connected. Then set the meter to the highest amperage setting. A reading of “0.00” means there is no current flowing through the circuit at all. As before, lower the amperage range on the meter until you get the most precise reading possible.

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Ever since small engine manufacturers began building their engines out of aluminum, users have been plagued with one common and irritating problem: cross-threaded spark plugs. Unless one is extremely careful to screw the plug into the hole by hand for at least a couple of turns, the chances of getting it cross-threaded are pretty high. If this ends up happening to you, you basically have two choices:

1 – Take the engine to a shop and have it professionally repaired (which will cost you a significant amount of money).

2 – Visit an auto parts store and buy a “Thread Chaser” to match your particular spark plug and fix it yourself.

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