How to properly maintain your fireplace

Don't you dare try to light a fire in your fireplace until you have had it inspected, cleaned and repaired! Every year, many people lose their homes and worse from chimney fires. Some of the work that might be required are things you can do yourself, but a trained chimney sweep is well worth the cost.

Before beginning, you need to know this is a very messy endeavor. Soot that gets stirred up is very fine and will settle on everything in your room if you are not careful. Use dropcloths, a good vacuum with a superfine filter on it, gloves, safety glasses and a dust mask. When cleaning from the rooftop, cover the fireplace opening with plastic that is sealed around all edges.

Check your home center or fireplace shop for supplies. You'll find cleaning brushes for just about every size and shape chimney around. Measure yours and see what they have that you might use. If you can't work on your roof safely, then don't try this either. Remember that it's all about safety.

You should have a chimney cap on top of your chimney to keep critters out and sparks in. Remove it while working from the top and carefully set it aside. Give it a check for cleanliness and any needed repairs, and take care of these before reinstalling it.

While cleaning the firebox, use a stiff brush, along with your vacuum. Operate the damper to see if it is working properly.

Patching broken mortar joints also is something you might be able to do yourself. You can buy pre-mixed mortar that is made just for high temperatures, such as what you will have with a fireplace.

If you use seasoned wood you will get a cleaner and more complete burn, which means less creosote buildup in your flue. You should clean out the firebox often when you are using it.

If you suspect problems, don't use the fireplace. Schedule service at the first opportunity. And after winter is over, schedule that annual inspection then rather than waiting until you need the fireplace again.

This trick rocks

My next-door neighbor asked my to hide a key to her house in my yard in case she ever got locked out. It made sense to have a hidden key put in my yard instead of hers; it would fool most thieves if they found it. We came up with a really cool key holder. She removed the label from a pill bottle, and we placed her key inside it. Then we pulled a rock from my flower bed and glued it to the top of the bottle. We put it back into the flower bed, covering the bottle with other rocks. You can't tell what it is, especially since it's one of a thousand other matching rocks in the bed.

Add texture

Adding texture to your walls doesn't have to mean messy mud or expensive wall coverings. It can be as easy as adding a coat of paint. By using alternative painting tools, you can get some interesting textures. Try using a comb or sponge to paint with, or even a plastic bag dipped in paint to apply some color to your walls. Practice using a variety of tools until you get just the right look for your walls, and your one-of-a-kind results will have just the texture you've been looking for.

Super hints

• Take a little time to label all of the cords under your desk or behind your entertainment center. You'll be glad you did the next time you have to unplug one of those items for service or replacement.

• A leaf blower is a handy gadget for the yard, especially during the fall, when most of our yards are covered by leaves. If you don't have one, try using your shop vacuum. If you put the hose into the exhaust port, you will be able to blow rather than vacuum, and it might do a good job. Give it a try!

Q. I can see a crack along my baseboards in the basement. It's only about one-quarter inch wide, but I'm afraid that it will result in a leak. We've had some drainage issues addressed, so I know we aren't likely to see any more leaks, but I feel like this gap shouldn't be left like this. What is the best way to seal it up?

A. You should be able to use any good silicon caulk to seal it up. If the crack is in masonry, then you should use mortar. Just check periodically to make sure there are no leaks, and you should be able to stay on top of things.

Q. We are going to need to have our roof replaced after a couple of brutal storms this past spring. I have picked out two I like, but I have a question. One is dark and the other is light. Will a lighter roof reflect the hot sun here in my part of the country, or does that make any difference?

A. Yes, a light roofing material will reflect the sun, cutting down on the heat absorbed. But a good roof will insulate a little bit anyway. And with a properly installed radiant barrier, you'll get even more insulation. If the roof is really light-colored, it also might help, but not as much as the other two additions.

Q. I need your help. I can see the plywood subfloor under the carpet in my office is coming up. I can feel it as I step on it. How can I secure it back in place without pulling the carpet up?

A. Check your hardware store for a screw made just for this purpose. These screws go right through the carpet and into the plywood to secure it. Then the top of the screw snaps off to hide your handiwork. If you can't find this type of screw, you can use a finish nail or two. Try to locate the exact area where the plywood is coming up. This is your target area. It's possible that it might take a couple of screws to get just the right area taken care of, so be prepared to install more than one screw. This should do the trick.

Reader tips

• My coffee maker is a must-have for my early mornings, especially on school days when it's my turn to drive carpool. But when I moved, one of the rubber feet came off the bottom. I looked in the box but couldn't find it. My husband looked through his rubber washers and found one the exact same height. Then I glued it to the bottom of the coffee maker. It works well, and the coffee maker doesn't wobble any more. He is my superhero!

• I know we are due for new carpeting, but it's just not in the budget right now. I had a seal that had come undone near the front door, and I wanted to try to make it look better. I found some professional tape that contractors use with a heated sealer and tried doing it myself. I put it in place, and then covered the carpet with aluminum foil and ironed over it. It worked! It's been a couple of months, and it's holding just fine.

• I'm not lazy, but I did come up with a super timesaver on housecleaning day: I use an extra-long extension cord on my vacuum cleaner. I can vacuum the whole house without having to unplug it and move it to a new outlet in every room. I have shared this idea with several of my friends, and they are using it too. My sister, who is still in a boot after twisting her ankle, was especially grateful. It's not lazy - just smart!

• I wanted to let you know how I add some moisture to my house during the wintertime. My home gets so dry that I can feel the difference, and I know that it is damaging my skin, as well as my furniture and other items. After showering, I use a fan to move the moisture from the bathroom to the rest of the house. I also open my dishwasher before the dishes are dry to let out the moisture. Even opening the oven door after using it lets out some moisture. These little things do make a difference, and I can feel it, too.

• I found this amazing paint that turns a plain wall into a whiteboard. Then you can use dry-erase markers on it and wipe it clean when you are finished using it. The brand I used was made by Rustoleam, but I think there are other manufacturers as well. The kids love it, and I even have enough left over to do something in my sewing room or the inside of my pantry door. Maybe I can do both!

• We finally got new carpet. It was just barely in our budget, so we tried to save some money by removing the old stuff ourselves. We used a really good carpet knife to cut the old carpet and padding into 4-foot-by-4-foot pieces. Then we rolled them up one by one and carried them to the trash. We had all of the old stuff out the door in just a couple of hours, and after vacuuming the floors, they were ready for the installers. We did save enough money to stay within our budget.

Shoptalk

• Petroleum Jelly is an incredibly useful concoction. It's perfect in the shop and super in the home. We bet you would love a list we put together of some of the many uses we have found for this stuff in and around the house. Some you may have tried, but hopefully others will be new to you. Heck, you may have some clever uses we didn't list. If so, let us know and we will add them to our list. We also have it posted on our website at www.thesuperhandyman.com.

• Today, it's more important than ever to try to save water wherever we can, like switching to water-saving appliances and faucets. But this can get costly. I just ran across a neat line of products that can help you save water without a huge cost. Replacement aerators can be used in sinks, showers and other faucets and easily can be installed without tools in most cases. They are made to look good, and match your existing faucets. They come in a variety of flow types and flow rates, too. To find the ones you need, just go to www.neoperl.com. You'll also be able to get the name of a local supplier who carries what you need.

• You know that paint will give your room a new look. But you can add Glade Scentco to your paint before using it to give the room a fresh scent to go with the new look. Unlike other scent additives, this one lasts for several months. Add a little or add a lot; mix it into the paint and apply it to your walls. Several scents are available including Clean Linen, Lavender and Vanilla, plus several others. It's a super idea that you can really get creative with. Check it out at www.scentco.net. It's available at Home Depot, Lowe's and several other outlets.

• 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.