Have a frozen pipe? Here's what to do

'Tis the season … for frozen pipes! There are some great ways to prevent this from happening. Foam insulation works pretty well, and heat tapes can be used if that is not sufficient.

However, if you didn't take care of these chores before winter set in, then you're going to need to know how to deal with frozen pipes. Here are some tried-and-true methods that you can try before preventing it from happening again.

• A frozen pipe is not the end of the world, but, when it thaws, it can sure seem like it. The steam that builds up inside the pipe as it thaws can cause the pipe to burst. You need to try to release the pressure before it gets to that point. Open nearby faucets wherever you can.

• The best way to thaw a pipe is to do it slowly so that the pressure doesn't build too quickly. Sometimes raising the temperature around the pipe will take care of the problem. If the pipe is in a closed closet, basement or cabinet, just open it up. You might also set a heat lamp or small space heater near it, but not too close, though.

• Using a hair dryer directed at the pipe and kept moving can help thaw it out. It's best to keep it on a low setting so it doesn't get too hot too fast, again, which might cause the pipe to burst.

• The same heat tape that can prevent freezing also can be added to thaw a pipe out after it has frozen.

A heating pad, normally used to melt aches and pains, can be wrapped around a frozen pipe.

Remember to go slow and also keep electrical connections away from water. Sometimes, no matter how careful you are, leaks will happen, so be prepared with towels, a wet/dry shop vacuum and a good sponge mop handy. And, unless you really enjoyed this process, you might want to find the time to do some preventive work in the near future.

Fix a dented table

Dents in cars usually need to fixed by a professional, but a dent in your wooden floor or table can be fixed with an ordinary steam iron and a little water. Use caution if the surface is delicate. To try it yourself, put a tiny bit of water on the dent, cover it with a pressing cloth or a soft, smooth towel and press it with a very hot iron. Keep the iron moving and check the dent after a minute to see if it is working. You can add a little more water if you need to. The idea is to heat the water and allow it to soak into the wood and swell the fibers to eliminate the dent. It won't work on all dents, but it will erase some of them.

Clogged dryer vent

Clearing your dryer vent of lint is extremely important. If your duct work is clogged, your clothes are not going to dry efficiently. It's also a fire hazard. There are some neat tools that you can buy at your home center to clear a duct, but you also can do it with a plumbing snake. Pull the dryer away from the wall so you can disconnect the hose from the back of the dryer. Then run your plumbing snake through the duct and out through the other end. Before pulling it back through, tie a dusting cloth to the spring end of the snake and pull it back out of the duct, along with the dust. Vacuum it up and reconnect your dryer. Do this once a year and keep it clear.

Super hints

• Etching glass is pretty easy to do these days. Get a small piece of contact paper, draw or trace your design on it and then cut away the design. Place the paper on the glass and apply the etching cream, available at your hobby store, and allow it to do its thing. When complete, you pull off the contact paper and see.

• I'm also going to redo my garden edging. I'm switching from wooden edges to glass bottles, mostly wine bottles. I'm installing a metal edging to keep the grass out, but I'm facing it with wine bottles with tops pushed into the ground and their bottoms as the edging. Fit tightly together, I should be able to still have it raised a little for better draining. I can't wait to get things growing in it again.

• When it's time to mount something on your wall, it's great to have a template - but if you don't have one, you can make one. Just place the item on your scanner or copier, back side down, and make a copy. This will be your template to get the screws or nails in just the right spot.

Q. I have a problem with my countertop. It's older and just standard plastic laminate, and it's scratched. I can't afford granite, but wanted to know if you think I could put tiles or more laminate right on top of what I already have?

A. If your existing laminate is securely attached to the counter now, you can. You should sand the gloss off it, apply a latex primer and do it. Use the recommended adhesive for the product you are going to use, and you should get several more years out of it.

Q. I have a question about my older aluminum siding. I have what I suspect are oil stains on it. I've tried soapy water, but the stains are still there. What can you suggest I try to remove the oil?

A. I would try mineral spirits paint thinner next. This usually removes oil from surfaces and should work on these stains.

Q. I need to find a way to remove some sap from my driveway. It's coming from the trees that overhang the area. I've tried sweeping it off, soap and water and even a power washer. What else can I try?

A. I'm surprised the power washer didn't do the trick. If you need a little more help, try mineral spirits paint thinner as the sap might dissolve easier with this. Once you get the drive clean, apply a water seal once a year to keep it from absorbing the sap.

Reader tips

• I'm finally going to remake my vegetable garden. I just put one together last year in a hurry so I could get the seeds planted. This winter I'm tilling it up and adding more amendments to the soil and redoing the edging around it. I am making my new border out of old railroad ties that a neighbor was getting rid of. I dug down about 6 inches below the present grade to start the edging so grass wouldn't get in. Then I stacked the ties. I drill down through the layers with a long drill bit and drove some rebar in through the ties to hold them in place. It's looking good and I should be able to start planting on time this year.

• I have a larger-than-average garage. I've used quite a bit of it for a nice workshop. The problem is that my workshop is growing and I have no more room. I solved the problem, somewhat, by putting several of my larger tools on casters. This way, I can move them into a better spot to use them and then push them back out of the way when I'm finished. Of course, I have locks on them for stability, too.

• I installed my own outdoor lights for landscaping. They look nice, and I am very proud of the work I did. This past fall, though, I accidentally cut through one of the wires and needed to splice it back together. I couldn't find the original outdoor connectors I used and had to use some standard wire nuts. I put a blob of silicone caulk on the connection before inserting it into the wire nut. The silicone is supposed to keep the connections more weather resistant. So far, it seems to be working fine. I've had no more problems since I did it.

• We found a large gap between our siding and the bricks on the front of the house. I planned to caulk it, but was unsure about the caulk spanning this large of a gap, so when I went to the home center to buy the caulk, I took a look around. I found some soft foam filler tubing that is made just for this. I pushed it into the gap to fill it and then went over it with the caulk. It seems pretty airtight and looks OK, too.

• We have enough closets in our home for all of our clothes but not enough for storage like crafts, linens and other things. I took a plan closet, removed the closet rod and added six more shelves. Now I have a closet just for all of these other things. The shelves I added were painted to match the other one already there, so it looks like it was originally designed that way. It's perfect and holds so much stuff!

Shoptalk

• Vinegar is one of those everyday household products that we all have in our homes. It has tons of uses there as well as in the shop and even outdoors. It's really inexpensive and can save you money in many cases. We have put together a list of some of our favorite tried-and-true uses for the stuff. You also can get this information, as well as a lot of other interesting tips, on our website at www.thesuperhandyman.com.

• The Quiki Window Control Adapter is a super-simple way to control older double-hung windows that no longer stay open because of a broken sash cord. This small hinge, 1¼ inch wide and 6 inches long, is easy to install with just a couple of screws in a standard window track. It snaps back into the track when you want to close the window and snaps open to hold the window open. Small windows will need one but larger windows will require two, and they are sold two to a package. It's a great idea and looks a lot better than what you have probably been using! Check it out at www.hardwaresource.com.

• You can get the WeMo App to control household items. The app is free and, with Belkin WeMo Plug-In Adapters, you can control any plug-in appliance or device. These are available at your hardware store or home center, and you can find out more at www.belkin.com.

• Write to Kelly Carrell in care of the Daily Herald, P.O. Box 280, Arlington Heights, IL 60006 or visit online at thesuperhandyman.com.

© 2015, Cowles Syndicate Inc.