Help your ice maker keep its cool this summer

Ice is vital in the summertime, and automatic ice makers keep you well stocked. In fact, a broken ice maker or one that doesn't do the same job it used to can be a real nuisance.

Here are some things to check if your cubes are smaller, hollow or just disappear.

Start by checking the temperature of your freezer. The average freezer should be kept between 0 and 5 degrees. Stick a thermometer inside and leave it for several hours. Adjust the setting if it's not where it's supposed to be.

If your cubes aren't a consistent size, check the level by placing a bubble level on top of the unit and checking it in all directions. You can adjust the legs under the fridge up or down to level it. Sometimes you can adjust the ice maker itself by means of loosening and tightening screws.

The water-supply lines to most ice makers are very small. These can become clogged. If you want to check to see if you are getting water to the ice maker, get around to the back of the fridge, disconnect the line going into the back for the ice maker, and hold it over a bucket. If water flows out, then it's not clogged.

Another common problem is a buildup of mineral deposits in the system. These can clog and prevent the solenoid from working properly, or can block the incoming lines or even the moving parts. You can clean or replace the solenoid. If you can remove the ice maker, you can clean it. Vinegar is great at dissolving mineral deposits.

If you have hard water or a high mineral content in your local water supply, you should consider adding a water filter to your fridge or to your house to prevent these problems.

Sometimes something as simple as an ice cube getting stuck in the tray or someplace along the way can prevent the ice maker from "seeing" that it needs to refill and make more ice.

Also make sure that nothing is preventing the detecting bar from going down. This is what tells the ice maker that your supply is low and that it needs to make some more ice.

Try some of these things before you lose your cool over missing ice. And if all else fails, you might still be able to buy some ice trays and make your own, the old-fashioned way

Magnets save fingers

Ouch! If it seems like you're hitting your fingernail more than the metal nail, pay close attention to this idea. In case you haven't figured it out yet, the reason you are hitting your fingers is that the nail is too small ... or your fingers are too big. Either way, you can try holding the nail with a magnet and, if you miss again, the magnet will get hit, not your finger. A good, "attractive" magnet is a handy gadget that you can keep in your toolbox and use for all sorts of things.

Make a power paint stirrer

We're not trying to stir up a controversy. And there's nothing wrong with the standard free paint stir stick. But we think a powered stirring device makes things both faster and easier, and you don't have to spend a fortune. You can make a power stirrer from a metal coat hanger. Just straighten out the hook and bend the bottom up toward the hook to create a "V" shape. Now chuck the straightened tip into your drill, and you can put it into your can of paint and turn the drill on. The wires will stir your paint just as thoroughly as the much more expensive devices. Plus, when you are finished stirring your paint, you can throw your paint stirrer away and save lots of cleaning time.

Super hints

A super way to recycle your favorite woodworking magazines is to take them to your doctor's or dentist's office. This means there might be something you actually want to read when you are sitting there for all that time.

I used to have to keep my garden hose outside, and I had to replace it several times because people would steal it. I guess the sight of a new hose was just too tempting for some people to pass up. Then I got the idea to disguise my new hose as an old, beat-up hose. I put tape around it in several places and even put a plastic mending coupling (minus the tube insert) on it. It looked awful, and nobody took it. It was a very nice hose, but I guess looks can be deceiving!

Sawdust isn't wasted if you use it to clean with. It is perfect for putting over grease and oil spills because it absorbs a lot of the mess. You can let it soak up the mess and then sweep or vacuum it up. It can save you a lot of time and elbow grease.

Q. I can see that there is rust coming from my downspouts. Where the water drains out the bottom onto my driveway, there are brown stains there. What can I do to prevent these?

A. It sounds like you might need to inspect your gutters for rust spots. Anyplace you see rust needs to be cleaned and coated with a rust-preventive paint. If you can't get to some places, like inside your downspout, replace those. It could be just a small section. To clean the driveway, use a rust cleaner with oxalic acid in it. Then apply a water seal to your driveway to protect it from more rust and other stains.

Q. What is the best way to clean soap scum off my shower door? I've tried just about everything on the market, and nothing really works that well.

A. Hot vinegar usually works really well. Wear gloves, because it is an acid and will sure smart if you have any scratches on your hands. It dissolves the soap scum. You can use a scrubber on the tough spots. One way to avoid a lot of soap scum is to use liquid soap or body wash. It doesn't have all the waxy ingredients in it.

Q. I kept seeing water on my basement floor but couldn't find a leak. Finally, I was down there when the air conditioning was on, and I could see that condensation was forming on the ductwork and dripping onto the floor. Now, how can I stop this from happening?

A. Your ductwork should be insulated. If you don't have insulation on it, use batt insulation, taped in place, around your ductwork. Make sure you seal up all ductwork joints first and then install the insulation. This should keep the moist air in the basement from condensing on the ducts and dripping onto your floor.

Reader tips

We washed the windows upstairs and tried something different. It's always hard to get the spots off the windows before they dry, and it's tough to reach outside the window to wipe them down. So this year I used some anti-spotting liquid that my wife uses in the dishwasher. I put it in the rinse water, and it actually worked. The water just dripped right off, and there were no spots. I didn't even have to wipe the windows down at all.

I love to garden, and I have a nice one every year. This year, my cucumbers and squash have been out of control. I started tying them up and ran out of plastic tape. My wife came to my aid and offered me a pair of her old pantyhose. I cut them up and used them to tie the vines up. They work really well. They are stretchy and won't harm the vines, and I had more than enough of the material to do all of my plants, and then some. I am switching to pantyhose from now on.

Whenever I get ready to throw away an old toothbrush, I just recycle it into a cleaning brush. That's what I use to clean the grout in my bathtub and showers. I throw away the old one I've been using to clean, and use the "new/old" one to do the job. I always mark it with a dark black line down the side so I don't accidentally mix it up with my new toothbrush. It's a perfect tool for cleaning.

My favorite cleaning tool for my grill is the crumpled-up foil I used to cook on it with. Instead of throwing it into the garbage, I use it like a pot scrubber to scrape off the greasy, grimy mess left behind. A little soap and water gets the rest. It's a lot cheaper than the scrubbers, and they wear out quickly on my grill.

I had to write you and tell you how I start my barbecues. I save the cardboard egg cartons and put a charcoal briquette in each section. Then I close the lid, place it on the bottom of my grill and light it up. The cardboard starts burning first, but by the time it has run out, the briquettes have caught. And usually, by the time the carton starts falling apart, the briquettes are ready to be spread out, so it works out great. It's so easy to do and saves you from getting messy and having to do a lot of work.

Shop talk

It's a small caulking job, but you have to open a new tube of caulk, and a few months later you find the caulk spout permanently clogged up. What a waste. Now you can buy GE Caulk Singles. It's a "use it once and toss it" squeezable foil pouch of caulk with enough caulk to do most small jobs. It's brand new, so if you don't see it on the shelves of your hardware store or paint dealer, just ask them. Simple idea. Wish we'd thought of it! Check it out at www.caulksingles.com.

To prevent yourself or your kids from being scalded in the bath and shower, replace your existing faucet with a HotStop. When hot water reaches an unsafe temperature, the flow is automatically reduced to a trickle. It installs in minutes and is available at hardware stores and home centers. To see all models and for more information, visit www.h2otstop.com.

Write to Al and Kelly Carrell in care of the Daily Herald, P.O. Box 280, Arlington Heights, IL 60006 or visit the Carrell's Web site at www.thesuperhandyman.com.

ˆÂ© 2008, Cowles Syndicate Inc.