You can replace your door's worn threshold to conserve energy

Over time, the threshold under an entry door can become worn or damaged. The energy loss can be extreme, and who wants bugs in their home? Well, these parts can be replaced and, with a few tools and courage, it isn't that hard to do. Here's how to go about it.

Some thresholds are installed under the door stop. If this is the case with yours, you can pry the stop up and remove the screws or nails to get the threshold out. Be careful as you do this so that you don't split the wood. You will need to put it back in place when you are finished making your repair.

Another option is to remove the screws or nails and slide the threshold out from under the stops. Sometimes you can do this, but sometimes flooring materials can make this impossible.

If this can't be done easily, you can use a saw to cut through the threshold in the center. After all, it's going to be thrown away anyway. Once it's in two pieces, it easily can be pried up and moved out of the way.

Make sure the surface under the threshold is clear of nails and is clean.

If the door stops were not undercut, do so to accommodate the new threshold.

Your new threshold may need to be trimmed to fit your door opening. This usually can be done with a hacksaw.

Drill pilot holes through the new threshold, if it doesn't have any, and on down into the floor. Countersink the screws for a smooth fit. Add caulk to the edges for a good seal against air and pests.

Make sure your door fits tightly. Add a door sweep to the door if you want to add another layer of security.

Prevent car-door dings

If you have a garage packed full of goodies, then you know that you really have to watch your car to prevent dents and scratches when getting in and out of it. Rubber bumpers on the doors are great, but if you don't have them, you can use pool noodles! That's right - the long, colorful foam floats that the kids play with in the swimming pool. Tack one to the wall of your garage on each side of your car so the car door hits this instead of the wall. You can tack them to workbenches, cabinet doors and even refrigerators if they happen to be in the line of fire. Buy oodles of noodles on end-of-the-season clearance, and save some money, too!

Old is new again

If you have an unused old headboard and footboard but hate to get rid of it, consider turning it into a one-of-a-kind bench. Use the headboard as the back of the bench, and cut the footboard in half to use as the two arms. You might have to add another piece or two of wood or use the old bed rails to hold it together. Place a piece of plywood down for the seat, and set a foam cushion on top to complete your project. Angle iron and other miscellaneous hardware can be used to hold everything together. You'll love it and will be proud to show it off.

Super hints

• To make new, shiny cabinet and door hardware look older, try putting a little brown shoe polish on it to age it. Rub it into the finish, and take off the excess. It will give your new hardware an antique look.

• That handy little cutting strip on the edge of your aluminum foil box can be added to your workbench. Tack it to the side and use it to cut twine, string and even some tapes.

• If ants are bugging you, try using cinnamon as a repellent. You can sprinkle it on the floor to keep them away. Liquid cinnamon oil can be diluted with water and sprayed on some surfaces too. You have to be careful that it doesn't stain things, but it sure does work well at keeping the pests away, and it makes the whole house smell great, too!

Q. My air conditioner is leaking out the side of my house. It seems to be working fine and cooling OK, but I'm concerned about this dripping. It just started this year and has never happened before. What is going on?

A. It's hard to say with just these few details, but it sounds like your condensation drain is clogged and the backup drain is being used to get rid of the excess moisture from your air conditioner. You need to correct the problem before the leak ends up causing damage to the house. See if this is the case by exposing the condensation pan under the AC. See if by pouring a little bleach into the pan, it will clear the drain. If not, try to see if you can work a wire around the drain to unclog it.

Q. I have a free-standing oven and range in my kitchen. On our tile floor, it seems a little wobbly to me. Is there a way to secure it to the wall so it won't wobble?

A. Yes, there is an anti-tip bracket available for many free-standing stoves. Check with the manufacturer or a dealer to see if your model has one. It will do exactly what you need done, and they don't cost very much.

Q. We have had problems with our computer's wireless router. I'm not sure if this is something you know about or not. We just don't get good range on it, and I'm wondering if you might have any ideas. Can you help?

A. This kind of stuff is best left to the geeks. But if you are trying to use it while it's sitting on a shelf somewhere, why not get a longer cable for it and mount it centrally inside your home somewhere? People usually don't think about putting these in a hallway or den, or some other centrally located area in the home. Try it and see if that gives you more range. We tried it, and it did work better for us.

Reader tips

• I had to stop on the side of the road not too long ago to change a tire. Boy, that was a frightening experience. I was very glad I had some reflective tape in the trunk. It wasn't dark outside, but dusk, and I put some of the tape on the car bumper to make it more visible. I wasn't out there long before someone stopped to help me with the problem. That sure helped. I'm just glad I had the tape, and I will always keep some with me from now on.

• We have painted the cabinets in the kitchen and replaced the countertops. Now my wife is wanting some lights underneath the upper cabinets. I started pricing them and looked at the way they were installed, and was a little worried about being able to put them in. I ended up stapling under the cabinets some small "twinkle lights" that have an on/off switch. They look fine, and nobody has figured out that they are inexpensive Christmas lights!

• We sure have had a rough time with fleas this year. We treated the dogs, the carpet and the yard. We ran out of the spray before we got to the doghouse, so we tried something a little unorthodox. We diluted some flea shampoo with a lot of water and sprayed it around the doghouse. It seems to have done a pretty good job. We had to re-treat the backyard, but the doghouse seemed OK. If it works as well as the sprays, and doesn't stick as much, we may try it in more places next year. Maybe we won't get them again, ha ha!

• Lately I've been doing more and more purchasing online. This means I get a lot of packing material coming into the house. Most of it I try to recycle. But I have started using the Bubble Wrap as drawer liner in my workshop. It's great at protecting my chisels, and keeps things from rolling around in other drawers. It's also much quieter, since tools aren't rolling around in the drawers. Handy stuff, I'd say.

• My wife washed all of the blankets that we take camping, and stored them away until now. She put mothballs into the rinse water during the wash. They have a little bit of the smell but have been protected from moths. They might smell better if we had washed them before taking them on our last trip, but the smell wasn't nearly as bad as the damage from moths was the year before. Maybe others will try this on their blankets, too. It sure did work for us.

Shoptalk

Goop hand cleaner is a shop standard for many a DIY'er. The Goop Ready-To-Use Towels are even better. They come in a pop-up dispenser, have a rough texture to get the worst grime off your hands, and are even antibacterial. Not only do they work well at removing grease from your hands, but they can be used on stainless steel, many tools, barbecue grills, lawn mowers and lots of other shop items. Look for them at your home center or hardware store, or online at goophandcleaner.com.

• Bondini is made by the Super Glue folks. It works where Super Glue won't. It's a high-performance, versatile, incredibly strong gel-type glue that works on dirty, oily, uneven surfaces that are hard to get adhesion on, like leather, wood, ceramics and metal. The easy-to-use dropper bottle helps you get a good bond on both small and large jobs. It comes in a ready-to-use dropper bottle for small jobs. If you would like to learn more, visit the company's Web site, supergluecorp.com, and click on the "Bondini" tab. Between the two products, they can tackle just about any break you have.

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

© 2009, Cowles Syndicate Inc.