Handy Household Hints
Cool Deal on Radon Testing!
Elevated levels of the gas radon in our homes can pose a long term health risk, especially during the heating season when our homes are closed up. Performing a radon test on your own is easy and inexpensive. Take advantage of a new offer by WCCO-TV to purchase radon testing kits at a discounted price of only $6.95!
To order a kit and learn more about radon in Minnesota homes, click on this link: http://www.radon.com/sub/mn
LED Holiday Lights mean Holiday Savings!
Invest in LED holiday lights this season and save time & energy! LED holiday lights come in strings, nets, icicles and many other popular styles and colors, and can be purchased at major retailers or online. Besides using 80-90% less energy than incandescent bulbs, LED bulbs are shatterproof, shock resistant, cool to the touch and last up to 20 times longer than regular bulbs.
More Green Savings!
Winter's cold is almost upon us and now may be the time to invest in that wood stove or fireplace you've always dreamed of. You can claim up to $1500 in tax credits when you purchase and install a 75% efficient wood- or pellet-burning (biomass) stove in 2009 or 2010. Fireplace inserts that can be installed in an existing fireplace also qualify for the credit. To learn more, click on this link: www.energy.gov/taxbreaks.htm
Cash for Clunker Windows!
If you’ve been thinking of doing some energy efficient upgrades to your house, you should know about this great new program. Need new windows? Get a $250 rebate for up to 10 new Energy Star windows. Funds are limited and will be distributed on a first come, first served basis. You must use a participating contractor. For all the details, including rebates on attic air sealing, insulation, a list of contractors and more, click on the following link:
www.projectReEnergize.org
Help Keep Your Basement Dry!
Yes, those are trees growing in my gutter! It’s fun to see those innocent looking seeds flutter to the ground and easy to forget about your gutters in the summer—but trust me, now is a great time to clean out your gutters. While you’re at it, check the grading around your foundation and make sure you have a good slope away from your house. Add running a de-humidifier in your basement and you will be taking three great steps to keeping your basement dry.
Sources for Budget Home Improvements!
Do you want to make some improvements at home but don’t want to spend tons of money? Here are a couple of great resources for discounted supplies:
www.thereusecenter.com
www.cannonrecovery.com
These resources feature new and used materials. If you have some imagination and are flexible, these are great ways to keep your projects within your budget.
Tax Credits for Green Home Improvements!
The 2009 stimulus bill includes tax credits of $1500 for energy saving home improvements. Some of the authorized improvements include windows, doors, insulation and solar panels. For specific program information and requirements, click here: www.energy.gov/taxbreaks.htm
Special Deals on Appliances!
We have a new special relationship with Sears Commercial Appliance Centers whereby our friends and clients can get at least 5% below the lowest sales price on major kitchen appliances (not just Sears brands!), grills, mowers, TV’s, garage door openers, mattresses & more! Contact me for details!
Finally Get a Home Energy Audit
With higher energy prices facing us this winter, a home energy audit through Xcel Energy makes more sense than ever! At $35 it is a great value. Melissa and I had an audit done a couple of years ago and we are still reaping the rewards of the “do it yourself” projects we completed based on the advice of our auditor. (Our second floor bedroom is much cooler!) Contact Xcel Energy at 1-800-895-4999 or check their website for more information.
Rain Gardens: Did you know?
* Building a rain garden in your yard is a great way to improve the water quality in your community.
* The standing water in your yard runs off into the storm drains bringing with it pollutants and eventually these end up in our lakes and streams.
* Having a rain garden allows the water to be absorbed slowly into the ground and at the same time makes your yard look great.
* You can qualify for a storm water utility credit through the city of Minneapolis on your monthly utility bill.
http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/stormwater/what-we-do/Stormwater_Mngmnt_FeeCredits.asp
* You can get more information on how to install a rain garden in your own yard at: http://dnr.wi.gov/org/water/wm/nps/rg/links.htm#howto
Quick Energy Saving Tips #1
Insulate hot waterpipes with pre-cut foam insulation.
Insulate heat ducts located in unheated basements and crawl spaces.
Use rope caulk to seal drafty old windows.
Add new weather strip to exterior doors.
use 3-M type plastic film to reduce heat loss through windows.
Add insulation (sheets of foam or fiberglass) to the top of the attice scuttle hole hatch.
Weather strip the attic scuttle hole hatch.
Quick Energy Saving Tips #2
- Install a set-back thermostat, using it properly could save you hundreds of dollars!
- Dress more warmly. this tip seems obvious...but Americans simply don't! Dress in layers and keep the thermostat at 70 degrees.
- Be sure wood burning fireplace dampers are closed!
- Be sure to turn off bathroom ventilating fans once they've done their job of exhausting stale, moist air.
- Turn the water heater down to 120 degrees. Keeping it hotter is an energy waster. (By the way, do NOT add an insulating jacket to the water heater: it will void the manufacturer's warranty!)
Forced Air Furnace Tips:
Check your filter: If you have a disposable air filter. Put in a fresh filter every month. Buy a whole box of filters: they're inexpensive. Look for the air flow arrow on the edge of the filter and install it pointing toward the blower fan. Failure to keep this filter clean can cause the furnace to shut down on the coldest day of the year! If you have an electronic filter they will be located in the same place on the furnace as disposable filters but are designed with two metal screen pre-filters and two electronic slide-out units. All four of these may be washed in the kitchen dishwasher or hand washed with mild detergent.
Install a Saver's Switch:
Take 15% off your electric energy charges from June through September each year you participate in Saver's Switch. Saver's Switch is a free energy conservation program. On hot summer days - 10 to 15 days at most each year - Xcel Energy may activate Saver's Switch. This cycles your air conditioner off and on at 15 - 20 minutes intervals. The furnace fan stays on, circulating already - cooled air. Most customers don't even notice when Saver's Switch is activated. Each year you participate you recieve a 15% discount on your electric energy charges. Sigh up is easy either go to www.xcelenergy.com and enroll online or call 1-800-895-4999. Participation is limited and some restrictions apply. Applications are accepted on a first come first serve basis.
More Energy Saving tips:
Go outside and check the fresh air duct that supplies combustion air for the furnace and water heater. It looks like a dryer vent, but unlike that exhausting vent a fres air vent pulls air into the home. This ensures proper, non-toxic operation of the gas burning units. The screen located under the exterior hood should be cleaned at least twice each year.
Composting is Easy as 1, 2, 3
1. Assemble your bin.
2. Throw in your vegetable and fruit peelings along with your yard waste.
3. Mix it up with a shovel or pitchfork once in awhile.
Quick tips for Home Composting.
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Keep your compost pile at the right mositure level. If your compost pile has a bad odor, it lacks air circulation or it may be too wet. Try turning the pile and/or adding dry material to the pile.
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If your compost pile is not heating up, it may need more nitrogen or "green" material. Add grass clippings or nitrogen fertilizer to the pile.
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Bury kitchen scraps at least 8" deep in the compost pile to discourage critters.
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The best pile is made up of a variety of materials.
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The smaller the pieces of compost material, the faster the pile will decompose.
For more information visit www.GreenGuardian.com or www.Reduce.org
Special note: hennepin County has partnered with Lakewinds Natural Foods to sell compost bins for $30.00. Residents must pre-order by May 3, by stopping in or calling the store. 17501 Minnetonka Blvd, (952) 473-0292 or 435 Pond Promenade (952) 697-3366.
Is the grass always greener...?
"Fall is the best time to plant grass in northern climates, but you must sew seeds by the 2nd or 3rd week in September in the Metro. Seeds planted later are less likely to make it through winter. Scuff the soil before planting, work in starter ferilizer and water daily until seeds have geminated. Fall-planted grass typically comes back thicker in Spring". U of MN extension service.
For more information:
www.extension.umn.edu
Your garbage disposal smells like a swamp...
Scour food particles from the walls and blades, and remove unpleasant odors with this trick: Combine 1 cup vinegar and 1 cup water, pour into ice cube trays, and freeze. Remove the cubes and grind them in the disposal, then flush with water for 1 minute. Grind some lemon or orange peels for a pleasant fragrance, too.
Cut down on Snail Mail
We both recently heard about a service for reducing the amount of mail we receive on Minnesota Public Radio. Catalog Choice lets you opt out of receiving catalog's you no longer wish to receive. I love LL Bean and even occasionally love looking at their catalogs, but I really do not love getting their catalogs every other day! I am much more likely to look on-line when I'm in a buying mood than to hunt down a catalog. All of those catalogs almost always go immediately into recycling at our house. I bet that LL Bean prefers to not send me those expensive catalogs if I'm just going to recycle them! It seems to me that stopping these catalogs for cluttering up my recycle bin will save a ton of gas, paper and ink. If you decide to check out Catalog Choice, have your stack of unwanted catalogs handy as they will ask you for numbers from the catalogs.
Neil and I are making the shift from snail mail to electronic communication. You will not see many things from us in your "snail" mailbox in the future. We will continue to send out our "handy hints" and our monthly contest via email. (We are also moving away from print advertising to on-line forms.) If you do not wish to receive these emails (I can hardly imagine it!) please let us know. If you don't want it, we don't want to send it!
Wax Removal
It is fun to have festive candles burning during these dark winter months. However the wax spills on hardwood floors and oak built-in buffet—not so much fun! Shari learned some great ways to get rid of the unwanted wax. For the wood surfaces use a blow dryer to heat up the wax and then carefully soak/wipe up the wax with a paper towel. Shari recommends testing it out in a small area before doing larger areas. For the decorative cloth on the buffet: place brown paper bags over and under the cloth and then iron it on a low setting. The wax will soak into the paper bags. Shift the bag when a portion becomes saturated to soak up more wax. Unfortunately Shari learned that those wax drops you don't find for a few weeks (the ones hanging out on hardwood floors under the dining room table) are much harder to get up - so search high and low when the was is overflowing.
How to remove markers from hardwood floors!
This fall I hosted a gathering for the children and families of Zachary’s pre-school class at Sunny Hollow Montessori. I learned an important lesson! Never have out Sharpie markers at parties for pre-schoolers! SOMEHOW some permanent marker ended up on our hardwood floors. No worries—I was able to get the market off of the floor with a “magic eraser” from Mr. Clean. These things are great all purpose cleaners. Be careful with them though, because they tend to take the gloss off of things. Use them sparingly on hardwood floors and avoid paint with a gloss finish. Most of our sellers have heard me rave about this product - it is GREAT for cleaning up in bathrooms and cleaning in general. I just received another floor cleaning hint from my mother-in-law - put a diagonal cut in a tennis ball put a pole of some sort into the hole and then use the tennis ball to clean marks up off the floor.
Spring Cleaning Tip
Flexible vacuum: To get something out of a heat register or under the fridge add an empty paper towel roll or empty gift wrap roll to your vacuum. It can be bent or flattened to get in narrow openings.
These quick and easy tricks of the trade come from Gary Havens, a carpenter, home builder, remodeler, and former editor-in-chief for Reader’s Digest Home magazines and books. You can contact Gary at Good Havens Home Inspections, Inc., 612/396-6207.
Burned Countertop
Got a scorched, dented, or otherwise damaged area on your plastic laminate countertop? You can cover the area with an attractive ceramic tile trivet that hides the damage while providing a safe spot to place hot pans and skillets. It’s best to select a “bull nose” or “finish” tile that has sloped or beveled edges on one or two edges rather than the typical squared-off hard edges. Use the recommended grout according to directions.
Water Rings on Wood Furniture
To remove water rings, apply fresh boiled linseed oil, olive oil, vegetable oil, shortening, Vaseline, or even margarine or butter. Rub vigorously with your hand to warm up the area, and then wipe it clean with a soft cotton cloth.
Winter Safety
Protect against carbon monoxide poisoning by putting Kidde brand Nighthawk continuous digital readout carbon monoxide detectors on each level of your home and in each bedroom. At $40 per detector, this is cheap insurance against potential fatalities. The devices last about five years. Remember that kids are much more susceptible to carbon monoxide poisoning, as are the elderly and chronically ill. Even brand new gas furnaces and water heaters can produce deadly levels of this toxic gas!
Smooth Caulking Tip
Applying new caulk around your tub, shower, or sink? Scrape out the old caulk and wipe down the area with lacquer thinner, which does a great job of removing dirt, grease, oil, and soap scum. Be sure to keep the room well ventilated, even if it gets cold for 30 minutes or so. Use top-shelf silicone or water based caulk. Apply a bead just slightly larger than you’ll need. Then, with a wet index finger, use your fingernail to smooth the caulk in place. You’ll be amazed at how good it looks!
Storing Garden Tools
Got a ton of long handled garden tools – shovels, rakes, hoes, and brooms – that you just can’t get organized? Buy medium size eye-screws and matching screw-hooks. Use a small drill and drill bit to poke a “pilot hole” into the end of the tool handle, then screw in the eye-hook. Use a small screwdriver through the eye to turn it easily. Don’t over-tighten or you can split the wood handle. Using a ladder, hang the tool from its matching hook screwed into a garage rafter or wood truss component. The eye-screw at the very end of the tool handle won’t get in the way of your use of it.
Improving New Hand Tools
New hand tools with wood handles can be slippery and tiring to hang onto. Use sports tape – made for tennis rackets or hockey sticks – and wrap the handles to increase gripping power by covering up the slick factory-applied varnish.
Let Your Grass Grow!
Let your grass grow green, healthy, and tall! Fight the temptation to set your mower height lower than 3 inches. When you cut shorter than that, grassroots don't grow deep in the earth where they can find more moisture. Try never to cut more than one-third of the grass blade height at one time.
Finding Lost Screws and Needles
There are two good ways to find tiny bolts, screws, and even needles lost on the floor. Please a flashlight on the floor and sweep it slowly side-to-side. The light will cast the shadow of the object clearly. You can also tie a piece of nylon stocking over the nozzle end of your vacuum. You'll be able to pick up the item without sucking it into the vacuum.
Freeze Your Paint Brushes
Are you in the middle of a painting job and need to quit for the day? You can avoid having to clean up all the tools by wrapping the brushes and rollers in plastic wrap or aluminum foil and popping them into the freezer. When you need to use them again, just make sure that you allow plenty of time for them to thaw out.
Good Paint Brushes
When you're painting, you can never go wrong by buying the expensive brushes that professionals use. They cost more, but they make the job go faster and look better. The key is making sure you clean them well and store them properly. Full-service paint retailers can give you some great advice on how to do this.
Easier Drilling
To make your drilling jobs easier, I highly recommend "brad point" drill bits. These are a
little more expenive than typical standard twist drill bits, but they have a sharp cutter that instantly bites into the wood. They're a lot easier to start and keep centered.
Dust Buster Drilling
Drilling into plaster or plasterboard walls can leave messy piles of dust on your floor and furniture. Save on cleanup time by taping a small paper bag or paper cupcake cup to the wall before drilling to catch the dust. For ceilings, use a coffee can plastic lid. Drill trhough the center of the lid and then hold the lid in place as you drill into the ceiling.
Leaky thermopane windows:
Sorry... there's no quick fix for those double-pane insulating windows. You can spot broken seals by the cloudy condensation buildup inside. You can't wipe if off from the inside or the outside. Solution: wait until warmer weather to call in a pro to fix. Look under "Glass Repair" in the Yellow Pages. It's quick and easy, usually less then $200 in cost for labor and material. The window doesn't have to be removed from the frame. Note: This is not a do-it-yourself project.
Wet & Icy interiors:
Watch out! If you see an unusual amount of icy condensation build up on the inside of your windows this winter you may have a cracked heat exchanger in the forced air furnance, or what's called "Backdrafting" of gases from boilers and water heaters. This can be extremely dangerous. Call a heating contractor immediately for complete safety check.
Better Ceramic tile grout:
Tired of mildewed, stained and old grout that goes soft and crumbly? You can scrape out all of the old stuff and apply a new epoxy trout that pros use for commercial work. It's harder, stain-resistant, and much longer lasting. However, it's a lot tougher to install than regular "sanded" grout that is most often used.
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