Jon's Home Improvement Encyclopedia

This site is all about information: tips, techniques and answers to thousands of your questions collected over the last 20+ years. Some working techniques are organized by topic in the video centered Learning Curve tab, but all of that and much more is organized in a searchable database. How to find an answer to your question is the key task with so much information so we have built several doorways into this encyclopedic database allowing you to use the one that suits your own style of searching best.

• Keyword Search

  Write a concise question and the computer will search on your keywords.

• Full Text Search

  Match Any Word Match All Words Exact Phrase

• Keyword Filtering

  3-FLEX heating controller Abrasive Accessibility Accessories Accident Acoustics Acrylic Adaptation Ad-Freezing Adhesive Adjustment Ads Aims Air Barriers Air Changer Air Conditioning Air Entrained Air Filters Air Flow Air Leakage Air Quality Air Sealing Air Space Alarms Alternative Aluminum Anchor Angles Animals Anode Rod Antique Appliances Apprentice Arc Fault Asbestos Asphalt Attachments Attic Auto Back Drafting Backflow Back Pain Backsplash Balancing Balcony Bamboo Baseboard Basement Bathroom Bathtub Batteries Bay Window Bbq Beam Bedroom Bell Bench Blades Blinds Block Heater Blocks Boiler Bolts Books Boots Brass Brick Bronze Brushes Bulkhead Burn Burner By-Laws Cabinet Calcium Calculator Carbon Monoxide Carpet Carving Cat Catch Cathedral Ceiling Caulking Ceiling Cell Phones Ceramic Chairs Chalk Chart Child Chimney Chisels Chrome Circuit Breakers Circuits Cjad Clamps Clay Cleaning Clogging Closet Clothes Dryers Coach Codes Cold Room Colour Combo Combustion Air Comfort Common Questions Communications Compact Roof Compost Computer Concrete Condensation Conservation Construction Consultants Contractors Controls Controversy Convection Convent Conversion Cooling Copper Cordless Cork Corrected Cottage Counter Courses COVID Cracks Crafts Crawl Space Crown Molding Curb Curves Cutting Damage Damper Damp Proof Decks Decoration Degree Day Demolition Design Dielectrical Couplings Dimensions Disabled Dishwasher Door Bell Doors Dovetail Downspouts Drafts Drainage Drains Dranjer Drawers Drills Drip Cap Drip Edge Dripping Driveway Drywall Dual Energy Duct Dust Earthquake Eaves Troughs Ecology Efflorescence Electrical Electromagnetic Fields Electroplating Elevator Emergency EnerGuide Energy Conservation Environmental Enzyme Epoxy Ergonomics ERV Exhaust Fans Expansion Extension Cords Eyes Factory Fading Fans Fasteners Faucets FEIN Fence Fibreglass Files Filler Films Filters Financial Finishes Finishing Fire Fire Extinguishers Fireplace Fixtures Flapper Flashings Flat Roof Flood Floors Flue Pipe Foam Fog Footings Forced Air Formaldehyde Foundation Foundation Membrane Frame Framing Freezing French Fresh Air Frost Frost Heaving Fuel Furnace Furniture Fuse Gadgets Galvanized Garage Garbage Garden Gas Gate Generators GFI Gifts Glass Gloves Glues Government Graffiti Gravel Grease Green Communities Greenwashing Grinder Ground Grout Gum Hammers Handicap Handles Hands Hardware Hardwood Hazardous Health Heating Heat Loss Heat Pump Heat Recuperation Heritage Hinges Hiring History Hole Saws Home Theater Hose Hot Tub Hot Water Tank House House Wrap Housing HRV Humidity Hybrid Heating Hydronic Hydroxyl Ice Ice Dams Ice Lenses Icicles Infra-Red Innovations Insects Inspection Installation Instructions Insulation Integration Interlocks Invention Investment Ions Iron Ochre Ivy Jack Post Jigs Joints Joist Keys Kids Kitchen Knife Knots Ladders Laminate Landscaping Laser Latch Lawn Layout Lead Leaking Learning Leaves Legal Levels Lifting Light Bulbs Lighting Lightning Lime Liner Linoleum Locks Low-E Low Flush Lubrication Lumber Magnets Mail Slot Maintenance Manufacturer Marble Masking Tape Masonry Masters Math mazout MDF Measuring Melamine Membrane Metal Methane Metric Microban Mildew Mirror Mitre Box Mitre Saw Mobile Homes Moisture Moisture Barrier Mold Molding Mortar Moss Mould Movement Moving Multimaster Municipal Mystery Nails Negative Ions Neutral Plane Noise Null Nuns Odours Oil Oil Stains OSB Oscillating Outdoors Outlets Overview Ozone Packaging Paint Patio Doors Patterns Paving Penetrating Oil Permeability Pests Pets Pex Pex-Al-Pex Photos Photovoltaics Pictures Pilot Pipes Pitch Plane Planning Plans Plants Plaster Plastic Plating Pliers Pluggrip Plumbing Plywood Pneumatic Podcast Polish Pollution Poly-B Polybutylene Polyurethane Porcelain Porch Post Pot Lights Power Tools Preserved Wood Pressure Equalization Pressure Grouting Pressure Treated Primer Problems Products Propane Protection Pump Purification Putty Pyrite Quality R-2000 Radial Saw Radiant Radiation Radiators Radio Radon Rails Rain Gutters Rain Screen Ramp Rates Real Estate Re-Bar Recessed Lights Recommendations Recycling Refinishing Reflective Relative Humidity Removal Renovation Rental Repair Repointing Research Resin Restoration Rock Rodents Roof Roofing Felt Rope Rot Router Rug Rust R-Value Safety Salt Sand Sanding Sap Sauna Saws Schools Scrapers Scratches Screen Screw Piles Screws Sealer Sealing Seals Security Septic System Set Settling Sewing Sharpening Sheathing Sheet Metal Shelving Shim Shingle Shock Shoes Shower Shrinkage Sidewalk Siding Sill Singing Nuns Sink Skunk Skylights Slab Slab Jacking Slab-On-Grade Slate Sliding Slippery Slope Smart Meters Smell Smoke Snow Soffit Soil Solar Energy Solder Sound Sound Proofing Spacers Spalling Span Tables Speakers Special Shows Spillage Susceptible Sprinklers Squares Squeaking Stack Wall Stainless Steel Stains Stairs Stand Staples Static Steam Steel Steel Wool Stencil Steps Sticky Stipple Stone Storage Stove Strapping Straw Bale Strike Plate Stringers Stripping Structure Stucco Stud Finder Studs Sub-Floor Subsidies Sump Pump Support Surge Protection Suspended Ceilings Switches Switchgrip System Tables Tack Cloth Tanks Tape Teaching Techniques Telepost Telescoping Temperature Temporary Termites Terms Testing Thermal Bridging Thermography Thermostats Threshold Tiles Tin Tip Tire Toilets Tools Towel Trades Training Transformer Trap Trees Tri-Energy Systems Trim Trowel Truss Tune-Up Types Underlay Upholster Urea Formaldehyde Vacuum Valves Vapour Barrier Vehicle Veneer Ventilation Vent Stack Veranda Vermiculite Vibrations Video Conference Video Consultation Video - Included Vinyl Vise Vision VOC Wainscoting Walkway Wallpaper Walls Warp Warranty Washer Washing Machine Waste Management Water Water Hammer Water Heating Water Management Water Penetration Water Pressure Waterproof Water Repellent Water Tank Wax Weather Weatherstripping WebTogether Wheelchair Wheels WiFi Wind Windows Window Wells Wine Wine Bottles Winter Wire Wiring Women Wood Wood Heating Wood Restoration Wood Rot Woodturning Woodworking Work Bench Workshop Wrench Wrist Yoga Zinc Zonolite Zoom

  Scroll or type to select from the drop-down list of Keywords.

Keywords

Personally I find that using keywords is the most efficient way to find what you want.

There is a “Keyword Search” field at the top of this page where you can type in a question and the computer will take your question and search out all keyword related entries.

Further down there is a “Keyword Filtering” drop down field with the full (and very long) keyword listing where you can choose a keyword directly. Just start typing a word, or scroll down the list. When you choose one you will get a list of all articles related to that keyword. If you want to refine your search, on the left-hand column you will see another drop down field that will allow you to choose a keyword to refine your list. If the list is still long, use that field on the left to refine it further. This is actually a very quick method for getting directly to what you are seeking.

Text Search

Some people prefer the Wiki search technique so there is the typical “Full Text Search” field that may find a buried gem but gives longer lists of possible answers for you to sift through. A more efficient version for longer question can be found in the Comments Search, explained below.

Special

There are three buttons above leading to special searches like “Latest Entries” for those who want to see only what is new; or “Overview” for those who are looking for an understanding of concepts or house systems; and then “Mystery” for the stranger and often funny side of Home Improvement.

Comments Search

On the Contacts tab there is a link designed to allow you to send comments to Jon where you can write a full description of your problem. As it explains there, he will not likely individually answer these comments, but there is a sophisticated search engine that analyses your full description after you send the comment which is surprisingly good at leading you to answers to your questions if they do exist someplace on this rather massive encyclopaedic site. So there Jon gets your comments or questions and you probably get your answers immediately.

If you still can't find the answer to your question, take a look at the Contact tab.

Because of public demand for useful details, Jon Eakes concentrates on those details and leaves full scale projects to others. The encyclopedia you find here was originally built on question and answers aired on HGTV Canada and the DIY Network in the US over 8 years of Home Improvement shows with Jon Eakes, questions and answers from Jon’s professional articles in the Canadian Home Builder’s Magazine as well as a constant flow of e-mails. As he comes across questions not addressed already, he modifies or adds to this encyclopedia so it not only grows but perfects with time.

SAFETY for both you and your house must always be on your mind when undertaking renovations or repairs. The short answers in this database cannot always list all precautions. SAFETY REMAINS YOUR OWN RESPONSIBILITY. As a general rule, if you feel unsure about anything, or do not have the necessary equipment to undertake a task safely; obtain equipment, help or contract the job with a professional. Click here for a most interesting story about avoiding accidents.