Self-sufficient living is often impractical in today’s society, but there are still ways to increase your independence and self-reliance in some aspects of life. For example, why pay someone else to do what you can do yourself with a handful of power tools and a free weekend? Thanks to updates in tool design and smartphone technology, doing it yourself may be easier now than ever before.
Smartphone apps to help with construction
Handy smartphone apps can help you make calculations like a pro. The Carpenter’s Helper app, for example, is easier to use than standard construction calculators and allows for the calculation of pitch, rise and run.
DIY collaboration and sharing
Learning from other DIY-ers is a great way to expand your creativity and avoid pitfalls. NestPix is a mobile application designed to connect home improvement buffs with like-minded individuals around the world. The app allows users to
showcase their home projects through photo galleries that can be shared across other social media. Users can track the progress of their own projects and the projects of others, trading ideas, advice and inspiration along the way.
Unprecedented accuracy in general construction
Any home construction of the past was bound to feature slight inaccuracies in measurements, joint fits and other features that diminished the efficiency of the home without posing a safety risk. Tiny cracks or gaps, for example, could lead to extra heat loss in the home. But new advances in tools and other construction technology are making it possible for extremely accurate cuts to be made on the job site. This unprecedented accuracy carries a number of benefits – most notably, a reduction in errors that waste time and money.
Reinventing plumbing
Indoor plumbing may have been around in Roman times, but it finally appears to be undergoing a makeover. In an effort to end the use of costly copper used in indoor plumbing, new plumbing technology has led to tubing water supply systems that run seamlessly through walls similar to how electric wiring is installed. The big challenge ahead of this modern plumbing solution is ensuring that local building codes are updated to account for these improved plumbing systems.
High-efficiency kitchen features
There may be no part of the home undergoing as much visible tech-driven change as the kitchen. Kitchen appliances are leading the way by several measures as high-efficiency appliances cut down on energy costs and appliances increasingly offer Wi-Fi capabilities. The wireless signals allow appliances to be connected to smart phone applications, giving you the power to view the functions of an appliance at any given time. If you’re thinking about a DIY kitchen remodel, consider incorporating some of the latest smart technology. Some people consider DIY projects a hobby, while others think they’re a chore. In either case, new technology can make the details much easier to handle and more impressive in the end. Technology is gradually reducing the margin of error faced by amateur as well as professional home improvement buffs, making self-sufficient projects more enjoyable.
Jessica enjoys home-improvement projects and is working on completing a built-in bookcase for her living room. In her spare time, she enjoys blogging on behalf of presitigious brands like Sears.
