Get your gutters ready to handle those April showers
We are looking forward to the "May flowers," but have to get through the "April showers" first.
Of course, a good roof helps, but beyond that, gutters play an important part in carrying the rain from your roof to a safe location, away from your home's foundation. Here are some tips to keep gutters free-flowing during the spring rains.
Cleaning them out is important, but it's just the beginning. Use a ladder and a scoop to scrape them clear of debris. You can make a simple scoop from a half-gallon milk carton just by cutting off the bottom and using the rest of the jug to scoop out the gutter. There are some pretty clever gadgets made for cleaning out gutters, too, including a gutter-cleaning robot!
Downspouts can be cleared out with a water hose turned on full blast, a plumbing snake or a wet/dry shop vacuum.
Cover gutters with guards to prevent leaves from piling up in the future. Some are an easy do-it-yourself project, while others can be installed by the pros. Don't forget to install screens over the downspouts to keep them from clogging too.
If your gutters have loose mounting brackets or spikes, replace them or install additional bracing where needed.
Look for areas where gutters may be leaking, and repair holes and/or seal cracks. Repair compound is available in a caulking tube, so it's quick and easy to take care of.
Larger damaged areas can be replaced. Just remove the damaged section, cut the new material to fit and install it, sealing the edges where connections are made.
Add splash blocks at the end of downspouts to help disperse the rainwater and prevent puddling around your house.
Gutters usually are a pretty good investment and help prevent problems from rain, so a little minor upkeep is worth it.
Storage under the stairs
How is your space program? If you have wooden steps, you have an opportunity to create some extra storage under them. If you can easily remove the hardware holding a step in place and access the cavity underneath, then you can add a hinge to the back of the step and create a super storage area. Store hoses and sprinklers under a wooden deck step, or store cleaners under the bottom step in your basement. Create a holding area for wet and muddy boots outside your back door. The possibilities are endless.
Posthole digging
A fence creates some boundaries and adds security to your home. If you plan to do it yourself, then you know you have to dig some holes. A posthole digger is a super way to do it and, although labor-intensive, is inexpensive. One thing you must do before digging is mark the handles at the proper depth that your holes need to be. This way, when you are digging, you will be able to know when you have reached the proper depth without having to stop to take measurements. It won't save your back, but it will save you some time.
Super hintsbull; If you have crown molding that is plain white, you might consider adding a glaze to it. All of those angles, ridges and ornate woodwork will really show up and show off your handiwork.bull; To keep two electrical cords that are connected together from coming apart while you are working, tie them together with a loose knot. The knot will take some of the stress out of the connection and keep you from having to stop when they unhook.bull; Sometimes you are lucky enough to find a wallpaper and matching or coordinating border. But if you aren't one of the lucky ones, you might try creating your own border from the original wallpaper. Just cut the wallpaper down to border size and use on the edges as your border. Or cut out some of the designs and glue them along the border area. You even can use some of these same pieces to decorate lampshades, wall switches and other items in the room.Q. I can see that I have a small leak in my water heater. Can I patch it, or do I really need to replace it?A. You can try to patch it, but unless the problem is some type of manufacturer's error, then the problem is likely to turn up again in a different location. In most cases, it's only going to get worse, and if you wait, it might result in costly flood and water damage. You probably should replace the water heater soon. Make sure you have a protective drain pan under the new unit and that it drains outside your home, in case a problem develops in the future.Q. The vegetable sprayer on my kitchen sink no longer works. What can I do to repair it?A. Take the sprayer head apart and soak it in vinegar for an hour. This should dissolve any minerals that might be clogging the flow through the head. If that doesn't do it, then the problem is going to be in the faucet diverter. This will require you to shut off the water supply, take the faucet apart and clean it. While it's apart, replace any damaged or worn parts.Q. I am considering installing some solar products around my home but don't know where to start. What do you recommend?A. That depends on your home, community and needs. We suggest talking to your local power-supply company, as they usually have good data and even the names of some contractors they might recommend. For instance, our power company leases solar panels to homeowners to help offset some electrical costs. Also check with the Better Business Bureau before hiring any contractors. Let us know what you find out so we can share it with others.Reader tipsbull; I built a nice router table last year and have really enjoyed using it. One of the things I did differently from the original plans has worked out to be a great improvement: I put the whole thing on locking wheels. I opted for some really heavy-duty wheels, and they are very smooth and steady. Since I added the casters, I shortened the legs so it would be at the proper level for comfortable working conditions.bull; About three years ago, my wife and I put in a brick paver patio. It's great, and we really have enjoyed it. But we had a couple of areas where the bricks had sunk a little. I couldn't figure out how to pull them up, until my wife started experimenting with some wire. She made an "L" shape from some wire that was thin enough to fit between the bricks but thick enough to pull the weight of the brick up. She pushed it down the side of the brick, and then, when it was deeper than the bottom of the brick, she turned it so that the bottom "leg" went under the brick, and she lifted it out. Then we just put a little more sand under it and pushed the brick back into place. It worked on all of the repairs, and the patio looks perfect once again.bull; My grandmother had a screen door that I remember as being really ornate and Victorian. I found a plain screen door and painted it to look more decorative, but it was still too plain. Then I bought some wooden corner brackets and put them on the corners of the screen and painted them. Now it looks a lot fancier and, all added up, it still cost me only about $40. I think my grandmother would be proud of me!bull; With three sons, I'm a carpet-cleaning expert. I use vinegar to clean quite a few of our messes. It works on a whole lot of different stains, and usually won't harm the carpet, like some cleaners will. Also, blot, don't scrub. Scrubbing the stain sometimes can make it impossible to remove, since it grinds it into the carpet fibers. I like to saturate the stain with water or vinegar and then blot it up. I may have to do this three or four times before it's all clean, but it usually works.bull; I firmly believe in safety glasses when working with any type of material that might cause eye injuries. I've seen a couple of bad accidents happen to my friends, and I don't want it to happen to me. I am on my second pair of good, expensive safety glasses that I keep in my shop. They are plastic, so they scratch easily. I keep them in a sweat sock that hangs on my pegboard wall right over my workbench. This protects them and keeps them handy.Shop talkbull; You probably already know that you can wrap your paintbrush or roller during breaks and keep it ready to use. But Lazy Joe Brush Roller Wrappers are quite an improvement over the traditional plastic bag. They are made of a high-vapor-barrier foil that keeps brushes fresh for weeks without a cleanup. The wrappers are lightweight, weather-resistant and reusable, and they work with both latex and oil-based paints. Check them out at lazyjoewrapper.com.bull; If you have a dog in your yard, then you know that a certain amount of "maintenance" is required. The fact is that dog urine can really damage a lawn. Rascal Spots is an organic ready-to-spray product that cures and even prevents damage to your lawn from pet urine. It consumes the ammonia and binds the salts, plus it increases soil permeability so damaged grass can recover faster. It is even guaranteed! You can find out more at rascalspots.com.bull; 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.#169; 2010, Cowles Syndicate Inc.