Water your lawn the smart way

Without water, your lawn and garden won't do very well. Rain helps, but most of us have to use irrigation of some kind. It's important to do this wisely or you may waste a lot of it, which can cost you money, increasing your utility costs and possibly resulting in fines from your local municipality.

• If you are under watering restrictions, water only when allowed.

• If you are using automatic irrigation, run a test of your system so you can pinpoint issues that need to be addressed.

• Heads that are pointing the wrong way usually can be redirected to point the right way by holding the base and gently twisting the pop-up head into position.

• If a head is damaged, you can dig down enough to expose it, unscrew it and replace it with a new head.

• Heads that are too deep to water efficiently can benefit from an added riser, placed under the head. These come in a wide variety of heights.

• Valves that aren't functioning also can be replaced, but, if you've never done this before, they might need to be tended to by a professional irrigation service.

• If your system consists of manual garden hoses and sprinklers, take care of any leaks as soon as you spot them.

• New washers are a good idea every season to prevent leaks.

• Patching leaky hoses is easy with the repair kits available at most hardware stores and home improvement centers. You need to know the diameter of your hose to get the right one, and a screwdriver to install it. If you use a little liquid soap, these parts will slide into place easier.

• Timers also can be helpful with sprinklers and, after using them, check to see if the watering times need to be adjusted.

• An alternative to both of these "systems" is a drip irrigation system. These can be anything from a simple drip hose, made of recycled material, to an automatic drip system. And these are so efficient that most places won't restrict their use at all.

Water wisely!

Magnetic tape

Magnetic tape can be used for lots of projects, but is mostly made for crafts. I've used it for several things and think it's great for keeping up with small parts and miscellaneous hardware. Glue a strip of it right to your workbench and set items that need to be controlled on it. Or glue a strip to your step ladder. This will help you hold on to hardware when you are working. It's also handy to keep a piece in your toolbox, as it can be used in a variety of places when you are working outside the shop.

Protect your tile

Changing the faucets or a shower head in a shower can make a big difference. But special care should be taken in order to protect the tiles or stone finish from scratches in the process. Cut a cardboard shield that will cover the wall or tub surface where you are working. Tape it in place, grab those tools and take care of your business. Just remove it once you've finished using your tools of destruction.

Super hints

• Old medicine cabinets can be used in a workshop or storage shed by just mounting them between the studs, as you would in a bathroom. Fill them with supplies that you want to be protected by the enclosure. Heck, you even can comb your hair while looking at the mirror, if you'd like!

• Whenever I open up a bottle of vitamins or some other item that has a pack of desiccant to prevent moisture problems, I save these little packets. They can be placed in storage containers of hardware to keep them from rusting. They also can be placed in a toolbox for the same purpose.

Q. I have a coffee table and two end tables with marble slab tops. I've cleaned them again, but would like to find a way to protect the surface from stains and oils, and also a good way to shine them like they used to be when we first got them. What should I use to do this?

A. Plain old paste wax will work great. Just warm it up a little and wipe it over the surfaces. Then rub it in and buff it up. You can do this a couple of times a year to keep it protected and looking great.

Q. I have a cave of a den, and I want to lighten it up. It currently is paneled with a dark wood sheet material. I want to paint or stain it a light color. What should I do to prep it, and what else do I need to know?

A. Paint is going to be your best bet. First clean it with mineral spirits paint thinner to remove any airborne grease. Then scuff sand it and follow with a thorough cleaning. Then, use a sealer or primer followed by a good-quality paint.

Q. I inherited a gorgeous decanter that belonged to my grandfather. I want to find a way to remove the stopper, which is stuck in it right now. I've tried using oil and hot water. I don't want to break it, but do want to see if you might have a solution. What say you?

A. Hold the neck of the bottle under hot water and pour cold water over the stopper, or put a bag of ice on the stopper. The temperature difference should work.

Reader tips

• We live in an ordinary neighborhood with pretty standard housing. But I've noticed that many of my neighbors are renovating their homes. I wanted to do something to my home's exterior, too. I painted my garage door to look like wood. It's just metal, but I used a graining tool and some wood stain to make it look like wood. That graining tool was fun to use, too. It looks great.

• I hired a guy to patch up a couple of spots on my roof and he did a decent job, but I found a spot that he missed and decided to try to fix it myself. I got some nails, some roofing caulk and a rubber floor mat to sit on and climbed up on the roof. It took me a while to figure out a way to fix it, but I did. It was hot up there, and I was glad I had the mat to sit on. I actually burned my hand on the roof!

• I'm not a "super handyman," but I do try to make repairs around the house when I need to. I recently patched a small hole in my bathroom wall that happened when the doorknob hit it too hard. I was trying to speed up the drying time for the repair, so I grabbed my hair dryer and used it on "low" to help dry the patching stuff a little faster. It worked pretty well, and I got it done all in one day instead of having to wait for it to dry overnight.

• During spring break, we did some pet-sitting for our daughter. We love her dogs, but they do shed quite a bit. I thought it would be a major production to clean the pet hair from the furniture, but she came in with a damp sponge and, with just a couple of swipes, the couch and chairs were clean and hair-free. I tried it with one of my sponges, and it worked with them, too. It was even faster than the lint roller I was going to use.

• I paint the interior rooms in my home about once a year. I just like to freshen them up, and I get bored with the same colors. I put some of the paint that I use into a plastic bottle and label it so I can use it if I need to do a touch-up later. The plastic bottles keep the paint fresh longer, and also make it easy to get a small amount out at a time.

Shoptalk

• Those first yard chores of the spring season can be challenging, especially with older, worn-out tools. If you are ready for an upgrade, you need to check out the latest in cordless, rechargeable lawn and garden tools from Craftsman. The new 40-volt lithium-ion line includes a chain saw, push mower, hedge trimmer, line trimmer and cordless sweeper. These rechargeable batteries really have a long run time and will stay charged longer than similar older tools. The same battery will work on each tool in the line, so you should never run out of power again. See them in action at your local Sears store, or online at www.sears.com.

• Masking is the most time-consuming part of most paint jobs, so finding a way to do this more efficiently is brilliant. The Accubrush Paint Edger is a game-changer in the paint-prep part of the average paint job. Its design allows you to roll paint directly onto the wall, butted up against the trim, corner or just about any other obstacle without masking. You'll get a smooth, sharp edge every time you use it, and you'll be amazed at how well it works. It even can be used with an extension pole to eliminate trips up and down a ladder. To find out more about the Accubrush Paint Edger, go to www.accubrush.com and see it in action.

• 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.