How To Handyma’am | A Home Improvement Comedy Podcast

Samantha Pearl|Lic. Builder, Emily Pearl Reist|Lic. Builder, and Arly Streed
  • 0.0 (0)
  • How To
  • Weekly

Welcome to “How to Handyma’am”, where we educate and entertain with our experience as three women in the home remodeling business. We’ve learned everything the hardest possible way – so you don’t have to! We envision a community of women who are empowered to take care of the daily needs of their lives independently, with confidence and knowledge. That goes for how you care for your home, what you do with your career, and who you trust to provide services in your home! The Michigan-based home improvement podcast from the team at MyHandyma'am.

  1. 3 hr ago

    Ghost Flushing, Knocking Pipes & Other 3 AM Scares | Ep 48

    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 detector Plus, 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 hello@howtohandymaam.com

  2. 3 days ago ·  Bonus

    Real or Fake Tool? Can You Guess Better Than Us? | SideQuest 46

    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: hello@howtohandymaam.com🔨 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

  3. 23 Oct

    Fall Home Maintenance Checklist: 10 Things to Do Before It Gets Cold | Episode 47

    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 hello@howtohandymaam.com📱 Find us everywhere: https://howtohandymaam.com/links How 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

  4. 20 Oct

    Contractors Explain “Haunted House” Reddit Stories (Water Hammer, Drafts & More) | SideQuest 45

    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 hello@howtohandymaam.com 📬 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/links How 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

  5. 16 Oct

    Speak Contractor: What Your Estimate REALLY Means (and When to Walk Away) | Ep 46

    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 hello@howtohandymaam.com 🔨 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/links How 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

  6. 13 Oct

    Can You Paint Latex Over Oil-Based Paint? Track Saw Kickback & Saw Safety Q&A | SideQuest 44

    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 hello@howtohandymaam.com🔨 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/links How 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

  7. 9 Oct

    Don’t Burn Your House Down! 🔥 9 Common Home Fire Hazards | Ep 45

    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: @howtohandymaam How 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!

  8. 6 Oct ·  Bonus

    The Woman Who Secretly Built the Brooklyn Bridge! | SideQuest 43

    Live from Podcast Movement in New York City! 🗽 In this special NYC-themed Side Quest, the Handyma’am crew takes over the convention studio to play a round of NYC Fact or Fiction before diving into the incredible, uncredited story of Emily Warren Roebling—the badass woman who actually built the Brooklyn Bridge! From fake brownstone subway vents and wooden rooftop water tanks to a woman riding across a suspension bridge with a live rooster in her lap, this episode is packed with wild engineering history, trade tricks, and classic Handyma'am chaos! In this episode, we cover: • 🧱 NYC Fact or Fiction: Brownstone vs. sandstone, Grand Central ceiling myths, and fake houses hiding subway vents. • 🐘 P.T. Barnum’s Elephant March: Reassuring New Yorkers the Brooklyn Bridge wouldn't collapse. • 🌉 The Untold Story of Emily Warren Roebling: How she learned bridge engineering on the job site, took over for her disabled husband, and managed construction for 11 years. • 🏗️ Caisson Disease & Construction Fraud: Catching corrupt wire suppliers and convincing a room full of 1880s male engineers to let her finish the project. • 🐓 The Victory Lap: Why the first person across the Brooklyn Bridge was a woman carrying a rooster. ⏱️ TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 - Live from NYC at Podcast Movement! 🗽 01:15 - NYC Fact or Fiction: Brownstones, Fake Houses & Water Tanks 🧱 03:00 - Grand Central Ceiling Myths & P.T. Barnum's Elephants 🐘 05:30 - The Badass Woman Who Built the Brooklyn Bridge: Emily Warren Roebling 🌉 07:30 - Pressurized Caissons, "The Bends" & Learning Trade Work on Site 🏗️ 10:00 - Stopping Wire Corruption & Addressing Male Engineers in 1882 🏛️ 11:30 - The Victory Lap with a Rooster 🐓 13:00 - Wrap-Up & NYC Side Quest Secrets 💌 JOIN OUR NEWSLETTER: Get weekly DIY tips, studio updates, and early access to live events: https://howtohandymaam.com ⭐ SUPPORT US ON PATREON: Get uncut studio chaos, bloopers, and extra video content for $5/month: https://patreon.com/howtohandymaam 📲 FOLLOW US ON SOCIALS: • Instagram: @howtohandymaam • TikTok: @howtohandymaam How To Handyma'am is a home improvement comedy podcast dedicated to empowering women to take care of their homes, demystifying the trades, and celebrating historic women in engineering!

See All (97)

Trailer

About

Welcome to “How to Handyma’am”, where we educate and entertain with our experience as three women in the home remodeling business. We’ve learned everything the hardest possible way – so you don’t have to! We envision a community of women who are empowered to take care of the daily needs of their lives independently, with confidence and knowledge. That goes for how you care for your home, what you do with your career, and who you trust to provide services in your home! The Michigan-based home improvement podcast from the team at MyHandyma'am.

Information

  • Creator
    Samantha Pearl|Lic. Builder, Emily Pearl Reist|Lic. Builder, and Arly Streed
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    97
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Samantha Pearl|Lic. Builder, Emily Pearl Reist|Lic. Builder, and Arly Streed
  • Show Website
    How To Handyma’am | A Home Improvement Comedy Podcast

You Might Also Like