Editorial Policy

Last updated June 9, 2026

HandymanLib exists to give homeowners a written, scannable, trustworthy reference for fixing and maintaining their homes. Every guide is meant to be accurate enough to follow with tools in hand. This page explains exactly how our guides are produced, verified, and corrected — and where our money comes from.

How guides are created

Topics come from real homeowner problems — the repairs people actually search for help with. For each guide we research the task against primary sources first: manufacturer installation instructions and spec sheets, model building codes (IRC, NEC), and guidance from bodies like the EPA, ENERGY STAR, OSHA, the CPSC, the Home Ventilating Institute, and university extension services. We also review how experienced tradespeople and established publications (This Old House, Family Handyman) approach the same job.

We use AI tools to help draft and illustrate guides. Drafts are then edited and fact-checked by a human editor before publication, and every factual claim a reader might act on — torque values, code requirements, cure times, amperage ratings, product specifications — is checked against the sources above. AI assistance never replaces verification; it speeds up the writing, not the checking.

Fact-checking and accuracy

In June 2026 we completed a library-wide accuracy audit: every published guide (93 at the time) was re-reviewed against manufacturer documentation, current building-code provisions, and federal agency guidance, with live web verification of externally checkable claims. The audit produced 43 corrections across 38 guides — for example, aligning handrail-height figures with the IRC's 34-38 inch requirement, correcting a dryer-duct code citation to IRC Section M1502, and updating smart-thermostat savings claims to ENERGY STAR's verified ~8% figure. We publish corrections quietly and promptly; being right matters more to us than appearing to have always been right.

Each guide shows a “last reviewed” date in its byline. New guides are verified at publication; existing guides are re-reviewed when codes, products, or best practices change.

Safety standards

Every guide that involves meaningful risk carries explicit safety warnings, and guides in safety-critical categories (electrical, plumbing, HVAC, roofing) carry an additional disclaimer. Where a task crosses into licensed-trade territory — gas connections, refrigerant handling, service-panel interiors, structural work — our guides say so plainly in a “When to call a pro” section rather than pretending everything is a DIY job. We would rather lose a pageview than guide a reader into a repair that should be a professional's.

Sources and citations

Guides cite their key references in a “Sources & further reading” section. We prefer primary and authoritative sources: code bodies, federal agencies, manufacturers, and university extensions. If you find a claim that doesn't match its source, we want to know — see corrections below.

About our images

Step illustrations are currently AI-generated to depict each step clearly, and we review every image for technical accuracy before publishing (and regenerate the ones that get details wrong). We are progressively adding real project photography — guides with a “Real example” section show actual photos from completed projects.

Corrections

Found an error — factual, safety-related, or otherwise? Tell us via the contact page. Safety-related corrections are prioritized and typically reviewed within a few days. When we correct a substantive error, the guide's last-reviewed date is updated.

How we make money

HandymanLib is reader-supported. Some tool and material links on guide pages are affiliate links — as an Amazon Associate, HandymanLib earns from qualifying purchases made through those links, at no extra cost to you. Affiliate relationships never influence what we recommend: tools and materials lists are written first, and links are attached afterward. We may also show advertising. Advertisers and affiliate programs have no input into our editorial content.

Questions about this policy? Reach us through the contact page or learn more about HandymanLib.