Recent content by Diceo

My pool guy is pushing hard for a variable-speed pump that connects to an app, along with an automated salt cell system. Do these automated systems actually save enough electricity and chemicals to justify the cost, or are they just expensive toys that break after three seasons?

My parents are in their late 70s and want to stay in their 1950s ranch house. We’re looking at converting their standard tub-shower combo into something accessible. Has anyone installed one of those in an older, smaller home? Are they a good middle ground or a massive headache?

My kids just started at a new charter school that requires highly specific embroidered polos, plaid skirts, and even branded gym shorts. They gave us exactly one approved vendor to buy from, and the prices are easily triple what I’d pay for plain clothes at a department store. Is this normal?

My standard K-style gutters get clogged with needles every other week in the fall. I keep seeing ads for those high-end, all-in-one gutter systems where the hood is part of the trough. Do these actually work for sticky pine needles, or do they just skip over the top?

I’m looking at these new modular charging systems where you can snap different battery packs together to customize capacity. But realistically, if I throw a stack of these magnetically connected banks into my backpack while running to catch a train, are they going to fall apart?

My old single-speed pool pump finally kicked the bucket after 12 years. My pool guy is pushing me hard to buy a variable speed pump, claiming it will pay for itself in electricity savings in two years. Is this just a sales tactic, or do you guys actually see a difference in your electric bills?