How To Handyma’am | A Home Improvement Comedy Podcast

Hosting this holiday season? Having guests over is great, until an actual household crisis hits mid-party. Emily, Arly, and Samantha cover five panic-level emergencies and the quick prep that saves the party from a meltdown.🎉 Heads up: this is our last free SideQuest! Starting next week, new SideQuests are a thank-you for our Patreon supporters. Main episodes stay free every Friday, same as always.• The overflowing toilet: why every guest bathroom needs a visible plunger (flanged, please!), and why you should NEVER flush again• The jammed garbage disposal: humming vs. dead, the ¼" Allen wrench trick, and where to find the reset button (hint: use your phone's front camera)• The screaming smoke alarm: turn on your range hood before you cook, and what to do if your detector is too close to the kitchen• Half the house went dark: knowing your breaker box, labeling it, and why the crockpots are always the culprit• Red wine on the rug: dab, don't rub, and how to make your guest feel like it's no big dealBonus: go on a scavenger hunt for your home's shut-offs, and mark your main water valve with bright duct tape so anyone can find it in an emergency.⭐ Want more SideQuests? Join us on Patreon for $5/month and keep the bonus episodes coming: https://www.patreon.com/c/HowtoHandymaam📬 Join our newsletter for the week's episodes, studio updates, our list of the week, and 2-day early access to events and workshops: https://howtohandymaam.com/newsletter🔨 Join the How to Handyma'am Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1FRiWusJz2/🎙️ Questions? Email us at [email protected]📱 Find us everywhere: https://howtohandymaam.com/links

Thinking about finishing your basement? Watch this before you spend $30,000 on drywall and carpet! We break down when a basement can actually be finished, then share 4 budget-friendly ways to make an unfinished basement brighter, cleaner, and more usable.In this episode:• Fact or Fiction: Does waterproof paint stop basement leaks? Should you use fiberglass insulation in a basement? Can a room with a closet count as a bedroom? Does a finished basement add home value?• Why rigid foam insulation beats fiberglass on concrete walls• What makes a legal basement bedroom (hint: it's the egress window, not the closet)• 4 unfinished basement upgrades: light it up, fix the floor, win the moisture war, and create zones• The plastic-sheet test to see if you can paint your basement floor• The dehumidifier hack that saves you from emptying the bucketHandy Vocab: hydrostatic pressure, egress window, efflorescence, below grade, airless sprayerThis episode is dedicated to Aunt Kathy, the most giving, selfless, and pink-sparkle-loving aunt around. We love you!Shop this episode: HERE🎉 New to DIY? Start with Handyma'am 101, our beginner tutorial series: https://youtu.be/7UXXXwm3rtw?si=h3hQ8ICyBsrw_6e_⭐ Love women in the trades? Support us on Patreon for $5/month and get our unhinged bonus episodes: patreon.com/c/howtohandymaam📬 Join our newsletter for the week's episodes, studio updates, our list of the week, and 2-day early access to events and workshops: https://howtohandymaam.com/newsletter🎙️ Questions? Email us at [email protected]📱 Find us everywhere: https://howtohandymaam.com/links#BasementIdeas #UnfinishedBasement #DIYForWomen #HomeMaintenance #HowToHandymaam

It's our November Q&A! You asked, we answered, and this month's questions came straight from your comments.• How to remove silicone caulk: why it's mostly elbow grease, how to tell when the clear stuff is really gone, and why new caulk WILL fail if you leave any behind• Which multi-tool blade cuts drywall (spoiler: your trash blade is perfect), and when you don't need a multi-tool at all• Why your multi-tool blade gets so hot, and the "let the blade kiss the material" trick that fixes it• DeWalt vs. Milwaukee vs. Ryobi vs. Makita: how to pick your battery platform, why corded tools free you to shop by reviews, and the one thing you should NEVER buy on AmazonWant your question answered next month? Email us at [email protected], or tell us what theme you'd want for a future Q&A (paint? woodworking?).⭐ Love women in the trades? Support us on Patreon for $5/month and get our unhinged bonus episodes: https://www.patreon.com/c/HowtoHandymaam📬 Join our newsletter for the week's episodes, studio updates, our list of the week, and 2-day early access to events and workshops: https://howtohandymaam.com/newsletter🔨 Join the How to Handyma'am Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1FRiWusJz2/🎙️ Questions? Email us at [email protected]📱 Find us everywhere: https://howtohandymaam.com/links

It's 3 AM. The toilet flushes, but nobody's in the bathroom. The pipes start knocking, the lights flicker, and the bedroom door creaks open. Before you call a priest, call a handyma'am! Your house probably isn't possessed. It's just being dramatic.In this Halloween episode, we play Ghostbusters and rate the spookiest things your house does on our official Scare-O-Meter (1 to 5 ghosts), then explain what's really going on and how to make it stop:• Ghost flushing: why your toilet flushes itself, and the cheap part that's usually to blame• Knocking in the walls: water hammer, loose pipes, and when to call a plumber• Doors opening on their own: plumb door frames, crooked hinges, and air pressure• Flickering lights: old dimmers and LED bulbs, and when it's your panel (and why you shouldn't go behind the dead front!)• A general feeling of dread: the scariest one, and why every home needs a CO detectorPlus, in Three Minutes of Chaos, we each pitch the podcast we'd make if we weren't doing this one. You also get a brand-new segment, Handy Vocab, so you're never lost on the lingo.This episode is dedicated to Amanda, our sparkly, treat-sharing, endlessly encouraging friend. We love you!🎉 Our first long-form YouTube tutorial is here! We'll teach you how to use a drill, from zero. Subscribe on YouTube so you don't miss it: https://www.youtube.com/@HowtoHandymaam⭐ Love women in the trades? Support us on Patreon for $5/month and get our unhinged bonus episodes: https://www.patreon.com/c/HowtoHandymaam📬 Join our newsletter for the week's episodes, studio updates, our list of the week, and 2-day early access to events and workshops: https://howtohandymaam.com/newsletter🔨 Join the How to Handyma'am Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1FRiWusJz2/🎙️ Questions? Email us at [email protected]

Is a “bastard file” real? What about a joint tickler, a nibbler, or a noodle trowel? In this SideQuest, Emily puts Samantha and Arly to the test with a game of Real or Fake Tool. She found some of the most obscure tools on the internet and mixed them with tool names she made up. Eight rounds, double points in the back half, and a down-to-the-wire finish. Play along and see if you can beat us!Tools we guess (and learn about) in this episode:•Woodworking and timber framing: froe, adze, slick, spokeshave, drawknife, card scraper, story pole•Plumbing: closet auger, basin wrench, flaring tool•Electrical and metalworking: fish tape, stud crimper, nibbler, wire nut driver•Masonry: derby, plumb bob, dead blow mallet•Carpentry: toe kick saw, bastard file, bird’s mouth cut•Plus a handful of very convincing fakesBonus tip: how to use a card scraper to clean up dried wood glue without rubbing it into the grain.📬 Join our newsletter, out every Friday, for the week’s episodes, studio updates, our list of the week, and 2-day early access to events and workshops: https://howtohandymaam.com/newsletter🛒 Shop our favorite tools and products on our Amazon storefront: https://a.co/d/07NHYCVL🎙️ Send us your questions for next month’s Q&A episode: [email protected]🔨 Join the How to Handyma’am Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1FRiWusJz2/⭐ Get bonus episodes on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/HowtoHandymaam📱 Find us everywhere: https://howtohandymaam.com/linksHow to Handyma’am is a home improvement podcast hosted by three women who run a full-time construction company in Michigan. We teach beginners how to DIY with confidence.#RealOrFake #WoodworkingTools #DIY #HomeImprovement #ToolTalk #HowToHandymaam

Cold weather is coming, and so are the drafts, mice, and frozen pipes. In this episode, Emily, Samantha, and Arly walk through the most common places cold air and critters sneak into your house, plus simple, beginner-friendly fixes you can tackle now, before it’s freezing outside.In this episode:Weatherstripping: how to find drafts with the daylight trick and replace worn seals (it’s easier than you think)Outdoor spigots: shutting off and draining them so your pipes don’t burst, plus faucet covers if you don’t have an inside shutoffWhy you should never leave your hose out all winterPest-proofing: finding quarter-sized gaps, checking your sill plate, and Emily’s skunk-in-the-HVAC sagaCleaning your dryer vent before it gets cold (and why a clogged one lets cold air in)Gutters and downspouts: why clogged gutters split in winter, and our take on gutter guardsIcicles and what melting snow on your roof says about your attic insulationChecking flashing and shingles before freeze-thaw seasonReversing your ceiling fan for winterBleeding radiators and checking your furnace filterInsulating exposed pipes with pipe foam or heat tapeChimney and fireplace checks, even if you never use itPlus: our most unpopular opinions (chicken, coffee, and peas are all under attack), and this episode is dedicated to Angel, the kindest plant mom we know. 🌿💬 What’s your worst winter house disaster? Tell us in the comments!⭐ Love women in the trades? Support us on Patreon for $5/month and get our unhinged bonus episodes: https://www.patreon.com/c/HowtoHandymaam📬 Join our newsletter for the week’s episodes, studio updates, our list of the week, and 2-day early access to events and workshops: https://howtohandymaam.com/newsletter🔨 Join the How to Handyma’am Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1FRiWusJz2/🎙️ Questions? Email us at [email protected]📱 Find us everywhere: https://howtohandymaam.com/linksHow to Handyma’am is a home improvement podcast hosted by three women who run a full-time construction company in Michigan. We teach beginners how to take care of their homes with confidence.#Winterizing #FallHomeMaintenance #HomeImprovement #DIY #WomenInTrades #HowToHandymaam

Is your house haunted, or is something just broken? For spooky season, Emily, Samantha, and Arly turn paranormal investigators. We read real “haunted house” stories from Reddit, try to guess what was really going on, and reveal the surprisingly logical explanations. (Arly’s “science whimsy” has a few ghost raccoon theories of its own.)In this episode:The “DJ ghost”: banging windows and doors that open on their own, explained by air pressure imbalance and loose hardwareGalloping hooves in the hallway: what water hammer is and why it gets worse at nightWriting that appears and disappears on cabinets, plus the “cold hand” on your neck: humidity, bleed-through, and cold air washing down wallsVoices, laughter, and breath in an old mortuary: animals in the walls, pareidolia, and an elevator shaft acting like a chimneyBonus mystery: the Christmas decoration saboteurOur own “someone’s in the house” stories, and why houses make so many noises at night👻 Got a spooky story with a construction twist? Send it to us at [email protected]📬 Join our newsletter for the week’s episodes, studio updates, our list of the week, and 2-day early access to events and workshops: https://howtohandymaam.com/newsletter🔨 Join the How to Handyma’am Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1FRiWusJz2/⭐ Get bonus episodes on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/HowtoHandymaam📱 Find us everywhere: https://howtohandymaam.com/linksHow to Handyma’am is a home improvement podcast hosted by three women who run a full-time construction company in Michigan. We teach beginners how to DIY with confidence.#HauntedHouse #SpookySeason #WaterHammer #HomeImprovement #DIY #HowToHandymaam

Hiring a contractor? Learn to speak their language before you sign anything. In this episode, Emily, Samantha, and Arly, three licensed contractors who run a full-time construction company, pull back the curtain on the terms that cause the most confusion (and heartache) between homeowners and contractors. We cover what should be on your estimate, how deposits and payments should work, and the red flags that mean it’s time to find someone else.In this episode:Scope of work: why “renovate the bathroom” isn’t enough, and how to get everything in writingChange orders: why they’re not a dirty word and actually protect youEstimate vs. bid vs. quote: what they mean, and the question to ask every contractorFixed price vs. hourly vs. time and materials (T&M)Materials markup: why it doesn’t automatically mean your contractor is a crookAllowances: how they help you budget, and how they can mislead you (especially on new builds)Rough-in, framing, and inspection stages, from decks to whole housesPunch lists, the “live in it for two weeks” rule, and why you should hold back your final 10%Deposits: what’s normal, what’s not, and why you should NEVER pay 100% up frontDraw schedules vs. progress payments, and tying payments to real milestonesWhy you should always pay in a trackable wayPlus: our most irrational fears for spooky season (leftovers, basement stairs, and a rabbit who doesn’t know he can jump), and why this episode is dedicated to the legend Dolly Parton. 💜📬 Join our newsletter for weekly episode rundowns, our list of the week, and 2-day early access to events and workshops: https://howtohandymaam.com/newsletter🎙️ Did we miss a contractor term? Comment below or email [email protected]🔨 Join the How to Handyma’am Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1FRiWusJz2/⭐ Get bonus episodes on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/HowtoHandymaam📱 Find us everywhere: https://howtohandymaam.com/linksHow to Handyma’am is a home improvement podcast hosted by three women who run a full-time construction company in Michigan. We teach beginners how to take care of their homes with confidence.#HiringAContractor #HomeRenovation #HomeImprovement #ContractorTips #DIY #HowToHandymaam

Can you paint latex over oil-based trim? What happens when a track saw kicks back? Why does your wall scanner say there’s live electrical when there isn’t? In SideQuest 44, our October listener Q&A, Emily, Samantha, and Arly answer your DIY and power tool safety questions (while all three of us are sick, so bear with us).In this episode:Circular saw safety: why you never mess with the blade guard, keep your fingers clear, and skip gloves with spinning toolsHow to prep oil-based painted trim for latex paint: sanding, liquid sandpaper, and shellac-based primerWhy paint peels off doors and trim (hint: it’s almost always prep)What a track saw is, why it’s one of the safest circular saws, and what happens when it kicks backTrack saw vs. table saw for beginners and small shopsHow to use a sacrificial board and set blade depth so you don’t cut into your tableWhat causes binding and kickback when cutting plywoodWhy your stud finder or deep wall scanner shows electrical when there’s none (static electricity) and how to tell for sure📬 Join our newsletter for weekly episode rundowns, our list of the week, and 2-day early access to events and workshops, which sell out fast: https://howtohandymaam.com/newsletter🎙️ Got a question for next month’s Q&A? Email us at [email protected]🔨 Join the How to Handyma’am Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1FRiWusJz2/⭐ Get bonus episodes on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/HowtoHandymaam📱 Find us everywhere: https://howtohandymaam.com/linksHow to Handyma’am is a home improvement podcast hosted by three women who run a full-time construction company in Michigan. We teach beginners how to DIY with confidence.#DIY #HomeImprovement #PowerToolSafety #TrackSaw #PaintingTrim #HowToHandymaam

Happy Fire Safety Awareness Month! 🔥 In this episode, Arley cooks up a high-stakes game of "Fire Hazard or False Alarm?" to test Emily and Samantha on household fire safety, hidden electrical dangers, and smoke detector myths! Before we dive into how to keep your house from burning down, we start with our signature "Three Minutes of Chaos"—which somehow turned into an intense, passionate debate about butter preferences, butter bells, and dogs stealing entire sticks off the counter!In this episode, we cover:• 🔌 Appliance Overloads: Why you shouldn't plug your toaster, air fryer, and coffee maker into one power strip.• 🧺 Dryer Lint Dangers: Accordion hoses vs. hard ducts, magnetic connectors, and the leaf-blower clearing hack.• ⚡ Warm Outlets & Extension Cords: What ungrounded outlets mean, GFCI upgrades, sleek sockets, and running cords under rugs.• 🚨 Photoelectric vs. Ionization Alarms: Why older smoke detectors have radioactive material inside and why your alarm keeps chirping.• 🪵 Fireplace & Furnace Safety: Handling hot ash, clearance around gas furnaces, and the scary "furnace fireball" story.• 🥩 Grill Rules: Siding melt risks, carbon monoxide, and why propane grills never belong in a garage.⏱️ TIMESTAMPS:00:00 - Fire Safety Awareness Month! 🔥01:00 - Episode Dedication to Cousin Teresa 💪02:00 - 3 Minutes of Chaos: Search Histories & The Great Butter Debate 🧈05:30 - Game On: Fire Hazard or False Alarm? 06:30 - Power Strips vs. Small Kitchen Appliances 🔌08:30 - Dryer Lint Hazards, Flexible Hoses & Magnetic Connectors 🧺11:00 - Warm Outlets Behind Furniture & Grounding Fixes 13:00 - Garage Grilling & Carbon Monoxide Risks 🥩14:30 - Smoke Detector Science: Photoelectric vs. Radioactive Ionization 🚨17:30 - Extension Cord Mistakes, Voltage Loss & Sleek Sockets 🔌20:00 - Fireplace Ash Disposal & The Mystery Furnace Fireball 🪵🔥23:00 - Smoke Alarm Chirping: End-of-Life Warnings & Bluetooth Alarms 📢25:00 - Speed Round: Space Heaters & What to Fix First! 26:30 - Mrs. Worldwide, Charting Internationally & Newsletter Shoutout! 🌐🔍 SEARCH OUR CONTENT:Looking for a specific tool tip, review, or tutorial? Search our full library of reels, TikToks, and podcast episodes all in one place: https://howtohandymaam.com/search-library💌 JOIN OUR NEWSLETTER:Get exclusive early-access ticket sales for events 2 days before everyone else, weekly tool recs, and updates: https://howtohandymaam.com📲 FOLLOW US ON SOCIALS:• Instagram: @howtohandymaam• TikTok: @howtohandymaamHow To Handyma'am is a home improvement podcast hosted by Arley, Samantha, and Emily, dedicated to empowering women to take care of their homes, demystify trade skills, and laugh along the way!