Discourage thieves by cleverly hiding your valuables

Many people have home alarms for added security. But the longer a thief has to stay in your home to find your valuables, the more likely he is to be caught, or at least discouraged. Here are some really clever ways to hide valuables in your home.

For smaller items, you might want to create a "book safe." You'll need an older, thick book for this. Make sure you get one that you are finished reading! Open the front cover and use a sharp utility knife to cut out the center of the middle pages of the book to create a box inside the open book. It might be helpful to place a piece of cardboard inside the back cover to protect it from the knife as you cut out the pages. Use thick glue or hot glue to adhere the cut pages together on the inside of the "box,"leaving the front cover loose. Now you can place your valuables inside your book and store it on any bookshelf, where it will look just like all the rest.

You also can place your valuables in a jar in your pantry. A large jar with a solid label can be emptied of its contents and refilled with your valuables. This jar also could be placed in your fridge or freezer.

Plastic containers made to hold powdered cleansers or baby wipes can be cleaned out and made to hold valuables as well. Most thieves won't want to clean up after themselves when invading your home, so they probably won't grab the container and find your goodies.

If you don't want to create your own hiding place, you can buy "camo-safes" from a variety of sources. They even make a "skidmark safe," which looks like a really dirty pair of underwear, but that's just gross, and they might even get washed accidentally!

It has been said that if you hide a small amount of money in an obvious place, like a dresser drawer, so that a thief thinks he has found your stash, he might quit looking. How much you put there is your choice.

The best advice we have found is to secure your home so that a thief can't get in. There are some easy, inexpensive things you can do yourself to have a little more peace of mind.

DIY caulk wire

Al recently purchased a new caulking gun, which has a long wire poker attached to help puncture the inner seal. Talk about handy. Well, Kelly thought it was so neat that she got some wire and created a poker on her older, "pokerless" caulking gun. The wire is about 3 inches long and attaches right to the side of the caulking gun. Now it's handy, too!

Versatile nail apron

Whoever invented the nail apron is our hero. It's a great way to handle hardware when working. Most nail aprons fit around your waist, so whether you are standing, squatting or reaching up high, you can still fish out a nail or two to make your repair. We found that you can improve one, though, by lining a pocket with plastic so that you can keep a wet rag or sponge in it without making a mess. Just cut an empty plastic bottle down to size so it fits into one of the nail apron pockets to hold your wet stuff. Thin bottles, like the kind dish-washing liquid comes in, are a good choice. You'll love the added versatility this gives you, and will love your nail apron even more!

Super hints

• If you need a quick closet rod, try using a piece of PVC pipe cut to fit your brackets. It also easily can be added to an existing rod by suspending it from the rod by rope.

• Hang all sorts of things on your pegboard wall by using a hole punch. Just punch holes in hardware packages, instruction manuals and even sandpaper to make it easy to put them right on a pegboard hook.

Q. Our new washing machine is causing the drain line to back up. What can we do?

A. Use a plumbing snake to clean out the drain line and vent stack for this drain. Some of the newer washing machines have better pumps and move a lot of water at one time out your drain. Make sure your drainpipe is adequate for your new washing machine. This information should be in your owner's manual. Also, make sure you are using the proper detergent. Most of the large, new machines require a special formula that is low-sudsing.

Q. We have a metal front door that needs to be repainted. The old paint is dull, and since we get a lot of heat and sun during the summer in the South, I'm not even sure what type of paint to use. What would you recommend?

A. I would start by scuff-sanding the whole surface of the door. Then use a high-quality primer for metal surfaces. Then use an exterior paint, made to go over metal surfaces, that also has UV protection. This should give you a long-lasting finish. Make sure your door is weatherstripped well too, since the heat is such a problem for you during the summer.

Q. I am getting some rust inside my dryer. It's old but still works fine. Is there any way to get rid of the current rust crop and prevent more?

A. Sand it to remove all rust inside the dryer. Then use a high-temp primer and paint to cover the area. Check it periodically to make sure your patch is holding up. It might not be pretty, but it should do the job. Check your dryer vent to make sure it is clear and not blocked and holding moisture longer in the dryer.

Reader tips

• I have kept an emergency pack in my trunk for years. My father always put one in his car, and it had come in handy before. I keep a blanket, some water, snacks, chemical lights and a few other things I've collected throughout the years. You never know when you might get stuck on the road and need to get to these items. Keep a pack in your car like I do. It could save your life, or at least give you some peace of mind.

• I'm not too keen on getting up on the roof or even climbing a ladder anymore. But we do have to clean out our gutters because of the large trees on our property. I use a plumbing snake and garden hose, inserted through the bottom of the downspout, to blast the stuff out the top. It works most of the time.

•I love the battery-powered closet lights that I found. They are really inexpensive, and you can stick them right on the wall, or anywhere else you need a light. I put some in the garage, too. I have a large storage closet. It has a light but you can't get to it, so this light is perfect for the dark closet. I also put one under my workbench so I can see what's on the bottom shelf.

• We have taken the sun screens off the front of our home this winter in order to clean and service them. I knew they helped block out the sun in the summer because our home has been so much more comfortable during the hot times, but I had no idea that they were keeping that warm sun out during the winter. I plan to keep them off until spring. The house is much warmer in those front rooms, and the extra light does seem to help, also.

• We decided to start packing our clothes in large plastic boxes for easier and safer storage when in the basement. We had some moisture problems and lost a lot of things, including some clothes, so the plastic boxes seemed to make more sense. But we found that the largest ones still were not large enough and were difficult to carry around, so we opted for trash cans on wheels. The lids fit tight to keep out moisture, they hold a lot more stuff, and each family member has his or her own can with his or her name on it in which to store clothes. It's much more efficient than the large plastic boxes, and they cost much less, too!

Shoptalk

• Warm Window is a great system for insulating windows. These shades consist of a fabric that is multilayered and contains insulating materials, radiant barrier, a variety of magnets and other hardware. This material will add about an R-8 to your window, which could save you quite a bit on your heating and cooling costs. We found it in a fabric store, but it's also available at many other places, including a variety of online sources. You can buy all of the components and make your own, or order them pre-made from some of the sources. You can add decorative fabric on top of it as well. Check it out at warmcompany.com.

• Creating a magnetic wall is super easy to do with Rust-Oleum Specialty Magnetic latex primer. All you have to do is paint the primer on your wall or anything else you want to turn into a magnetic surface. It can be used on masonry, metal, drywall, wood and plaster. Once thoroughly mixed, it requires two coats of primer, but then you can use any latex paint over the top of that, including chalkboard paint. Then place magnets on the surface to hold notes, photos, receipts or whatever else you need to secure. To find out more about this product and how it can be used, visit the company's Web site, rustoleum.com.

• Timers are great for when you are going out of town and want it to look like you are at home. Well, putting timers on lights also can come in handy when you aren't out of town. Put a timer on a light in your entryway or garage so that when you come home, you have light there before you need it. I have always kept timers on my lights at home so that if I am late one evening, I come home to a lit-up house and feel much safer.

• 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.

© 2010, Cowles Syndicate Inc.