NOAA says El Niño has developed, giving homeowners in flood-prone areas time to check the problems that usually become expensive only after heavy rain arrives. Realtor.com reported that federal forecasters expect El Niño to strengthen later this year, with possible weather impacts for homeowners across several parts of the country. Heavier rain, higher coastal water …
Gardening
A Midwest storm outbreak left roofs torn, streets blocked, power lines down, and at least one death tied to a falling tree. A WBIR video report showed damage across parts of Iowa and Illinois after severe storms moved through the region. The Associated Press reported that a 54-year-old man died in Des Moines after a …
Store shelves overflow with bottles, sprays, and sheets that promise sparkling results. Most shoppers grab them without a second thought, trusting that a higher price tag means a cleaner home. Unfortunately, several popular products either fail to clean properly or solve a problem that simple alternatives handle for far less money. Knowing which products fall …
Raleigh homeowners with sprinklers still running through the drought are facing more enforcement as water demand climbs across the city’s system. ABC11 reported that average daily water use has risen to more than 76 million gallons, up more than 10 million gallons from the previous week. Raleigh Water officials tied much of the increase to …
There are days when sitting still in a room and praying feels more like a battle with your own attention span than a conversation with God. Your phone buzzes. Your mind drifts. You’re halfway through a prayer and suddenly thinking about the dishes giving you the side eye in the sink. If you want your …
An Illinois condo homeowner’s clover lawn dispute shows why eco-friendly yard changes can still run into HOA rules, even in a state with native landscaping protections. The dispute surfaced in a Reddit post covered by The Cool Down, where the homeowner wrote that their HOA had killed their clover lawn. The poster said they thought …
An Illinois gardener’s fight over a weed citation shows how quickly a native plant yard can be mistaken for neglected growth when local code rules meet modern landscaping. Laura Schaefer, a botany instructor in Millstadt, spent years turning vacant lots beside her home into a half-acre garden with native plants, heirloom vegetables, pollinator habitat, and …
Footprints that stay visible after someone walks across the lawn can signal drought stress before the grass turns fully brown. WDBJ7 spoke with Virginia Tech turfgrass expert Dan Sandor about the signs homeowners should check during dry summer stretches, especially when heat, dry soil, and water restrictions overlap. Drought-stressed grass may lose its normal bounce, …
A yard full of stones can stop even the most ambitious outdoor project in its tracks. Mowers bounce, shovels bend, and grass struggles to take hold. For many homeowners, those rocks feel like a permanent feature of the landscape. Most rocky yards can be cleared with the right combination of patience, simple tools, and a …
Before mowing, homeowners should walk the lawn slowly and check for rabbit nests, frogs, turtles, voles, insects, and other small animals hiding in taller grass. A new Humane World lawn-care guide urges homeowners to survey the yard before starting the mower, especially during spring and summer when mowing season overlaps with nesting and breeding season. …