Harry Helmet Home Improvement & DIY Blog

How can you get your garden ready for a Midwest winter?  Growing a great winter garden is about embracing the snow and the cold, but it’s also about the structures and plants that you have in your garden. While winter isn’t a time to enjoy green, …

How do you make sure that your indoor-outdoor space lives up to your renovation goals?  An indoor-outdoor living space sounds good, but like many renovation goals, it doesn’t always work out as planned. Perhaps it’s too exposed to the weather, or …

Outdoor living spaces have become more and more popular. What if there was no real distinction between your home and your garden? How would your house feel then? The garden or outdoor room brings together your home and garden in one cohesive space. Cre …

What goals do you have for your home this year?  Do you have plans for your home this year? Every year, the trends that impact how we manage our homes change. Some of these trends are temporary and focused on items that you purchase or colors that …

Focus on your priorities when you’re decluttering. Simple is better. It’s a mantra that’s often been repeated in the last few years as baby boomers struggle to declutter their homes. At the same time, decluttering has become more and more popular as mo …

Winter is the time to plan for next year’s garden. Do you want a spectacular garden, one that soothes your senses and impresses the neighbors at the same time? Garden planning is the key to creating a garden space that fulfills your design desires. Alt …

Even small impacts or winds can damage your roof. The weather isn’t that bad. My roof is fine.  Even if you’re a positive thinker, some awful things can happen to your roof. That wind that didn’t look so bad or that branch that just touched the ro …

Plants such as winterberry lose their leaves but have stunning red berries. What grows in the winter time — or what can survive it? That’s the question in your Northeast winter garden. Cold weather and snow are relatively common here, so you need to th …

If this is what your paths look like, it’s time to slip-proof your garden. If you slide along your front steps and stagger to your car every winter morning, this might seem like good aerobic exercise, but it is ultimately a hazard to your health. Winte …

Your garden is pretty in the spring, glorious in the summer, and an established beauty in the fall. However, as the winter rains hit the Pacific Northwest, your garden begins to look as dour as the skies. How can you create winter beauty in your Northw …

Is this your driveway in the winter? If so, you’ll probably want to make ice removal easier this year. If staring down your driveway in the winter months is like staring at a skating rink — or worse, a luge run — you probably want to invest in some bet …

Winter can damage your garden. Are you prepared?  Is your garden ready for winter? While you might think about getting your home ready for potential power outages or snow days, your garden may not be top of mind. Winterproofing your garden is wort …

When it’s a very windy day, do you worry about your roof?  The wind is blowing, and you’re worrying. Your home has experienced wind damage in the past, and you cross your fingers that it won’t happen again in the future. However, crossing your fin …

How can you make sure that your home is ready for the winter?  It’s the pressing question of the winter season: how do you avoid a roof repair or a roof replacement this winter? Roof damage is common during the winter due to the storms, snow, and …

How can you best take care of your home during the winter months? How can you take care of your home during the winter? You make sure that the pipes don’t freeze, you shovel the driveway diligently, and yes, you need to take care of your roof. What’s t …

There are many kinds of roofs to choose from – which one is the best for your home?  Roofs, roofs, everywhere: which one should you choose? Choosing a new roof can seem like a very complex process once you look at all your options. What colors and …

When you’re considering a new roof, look at your home as a system. Your roof is leaking, and it’s not just having minor problems. You know that you’re looking at a roof replacement. When you need to replace your roof, what are your options?  Think …

How can you make sure that your roof lasts for a long time? Is it time to replace your roof? Is it time to repair it? You might feel like your roof is nearing the end of its life. When a roof is between 20 to 30 years old, it generally starts to fail. …

Your old roof is looking well-worn, and it’s time to stop patching up the hole and invest in a new roof. However, as you look at a roof replacement, what do you need to consider? Asking your contractor the right questions can make you more informed and …

One day, it dawns on you: the new roof that you put on all of those years ago is not looking so new anymore. In fact, storms and sunshine have left their mark on it, and you start to wonder if you need to look into replacing your roof. How can you tell …

Should you be worried about a little bit of damage to your roof?  When should you worry about your roof? Is that damage it sustained in the recent windstorm something to be concerned about, or can you wait until the summer to do some patching? Her …

There are many styles of roof – what shingles suit yours?  When you’re considering a roof replacement, you probably have a lot of questions. This is not a small, inexpensive fix to your home. It’s the replacement of a very important part of your h …

The pitch of your roof determines the shingles that are easily visible from the street. Drip, drip, drip: you need a new roof, or at least a shingle repair. If you’re considering a roof replacement, you need to understand your shingles. What kinds of r …

Adding more gutter holders, hangers, or brackets can help you maintain a strong gutter system. Do your gutters need a workout program? If they are leaking, sagging, and warped, you need to remedy the situation before those gutters turn your home and ya …

Where should your water go?  Do you need a new drain for your home? The gutters that you have around your home provide the service of moving water away from your foundation. However, if your water doesn’t end up in a good place, then all of that w …

Your roof protects your home. Make sure that it can do its job.  Is there a pitfall in your roofing plan? When you’re planning your new roof, you want to find a roof that will last for many years. However, if you don’t go about your estimates prop …

How does water movement impact your gutters? As you debate how to install gutters on your home, you need to consider more than the home and the gutters themselves. The key to successful gutter installation is also an understanding of how water act …

You’ve been waiting a long time for this moment.  You wake up in the morning, and you’re beyond excited: today is the day that you install your own gutters. You’re up for the task, you’ve done your reading on how to install gutters, and you’ve got …

Cracked and broken shingles can spell trouble for your roof and your home drainage system as a whole. You want new gutters, but is your home prepared? While it might seem strange that you need to prepare your home for new gutters, you want your gutters …

Have you chosen the right gutters for your home?  You have your gutters, and you’re staring at them with a wary eye. What happens next? Ideally, your preparation for gutter installation begins long before you and your gutters are having a standoff …