Simple Solutions
Paint Color Reminder-This home-decorating tip was submitted by listener, Betty Dodson. Whenever you paint a room, save two or three extra paint chips of that color, and put them in your wallet, purse or car’s glove compartment. Then, when shopping for new curtains, towels, rugs, or other room accessories, you can pull out the paint chips to help you select accessories that best complement the room paint.
Bungee Cord Tool Storage-Here’s a tip for using bungee cords to store and organize hand tools in the workshop. First, twist off the hooks from the cord, then attach one end of the cord to the wall with a cable staple. Stretch the cord tightly across the wall and secure the opposite end with another staple. Now hammer in two or three more staples across the cord, spacing them 4 – 6 inches apart. Then, simply slip the hand tool behind the taut cord.
Hour 1
Deb in IN
We downsized to a smaller, one-story home but we soon realized we didn’t have enough room to accommodate our kids/grandkids, so we added an affordable 3-season room. The problem we now have is that we can’t use the room for the major holidays (Xmas, Thanksgiving) because it is too cold. How can we convert it to a year-round space, without spending a fortune?
James in OR
I have a wood deck and it’s pressure treated it. I have a little section of it where I have to walk on it and then step down on wood also. The wood does get wet. It does freeze up and get frosty. It is very slick. I haven’t found anything yet that I can put down to curb that. I’ve bought all kinds of different products but I haven’t found anything yet that really works. Can you please help me?
Donna in TN
We have been in our home two years, and now I’d like to paint our master bedroom. However, I’m starting to notice a lot of repair that needs to be done. For instance, there is a vertical crack that runs nearly the height of the wall where two walls come together. It looks like perhaps someone tried screwing the drywall down at the corners, because there are nail indentations here and there along the seam. Do I need to remove those nails/screws and repair drywall? What is the best way to repair this?
Kathy in DE
Our house is 14 years old and I’d like to know if/when it’s wise to replace big ticket items so we never have to deal with things breaking all at once. For example, our propane heater is 14 years old. It seems to be in good condition but there’s a good deal in my area right now for an a/c and heater replacement. The a/c is old too and not very energy efficient. Does it make sense to replace these items before they become a problem, or are we just wasting money?
Hour 2
Mark in KY
I have a crawl space and basement under my 90 year old home. The basement is concrete with furnace, etc. and sealed fairly tight. The crawl space has no vapor barrier, dirt only and no insulation under the floors of the crawl space. There are two vents that do not close but I have blocked them off each winter to keep cold air out. A friend advised that I should install a vapor barrier and seal off the air vents. They also recommended installing a system in the crawl space to dehumidify the area. Can you advise if this is the best approach?
Teresa in TN
My door that leads to the outside has been slammed so many times in the past 30 years that there is now a huge gap between door frame and the wall! I’ve hammered and tried different ways to fix this problem with no success.
Jean in CA
My toilet is always flushing. A plumber came in and changed everything in the tank but it’s still flushing on its own. He’s been back 3 times and can’t figure it out. Any ideas what’s causing this? It’s gotten to the point where I have to close the door so it doesn’t wake me up at night. And my water bill is out of control.
