Keep the cold air out with these simple tips

"Baby, it's cold outside." And that's an understatement in most parts of the country! So if you are finding drafty spots that you missed when insulating and weatherstripping your home during the fall, never fear. There still are some things you can do from the inside of your home to make it more comfy on those cold, drafty days.

• Check the weatherstripping aisle at your hardware store or home center. You'll find a plethora of peel-and-stick foam and plastic products. Foam weatherstripping can be added to door jambs and window sashes that still are leaking a little air.

• Door sweeps can be added to just about any entry door, even garage doors, from the inside the help seal up those leaky thresholds.

• Clear plastic sheeting can be added to windows that are not as insulated as they could be. Use double-sided tape or staples to install the plastic over the windows.

• Another way to seal up gaps is with caulk. But if you don't want to apply caulk to movable areas, use ropes of temporary caulk that are available on rolls. This looks smooth, but can be peeled off later.

• Foam insulating inserts easily can be installed in electrical outlets and switches on exterior walls where they may be letting cool air into your home.

• Expanding foam can be used to seal around pipes under your sink or on exterior walls under toilets. It's easy to use, inexpensive and can be installed inside your home as well as outside.

• While you are working on these areas, make a note to do a better job outdoors in these spots when springtime comes around.

Time for wine

There are a lot of ways to celebrate, and a nice bottle of wine certainly is one of our favorites. But if you ever find yourself without a corkscrew and you're ready for a toast, grab a cordless screwdriver and turn a long deck screw partway into the wine cork. Then you can grab the top of the screw and pull it out along with the cork. Drink responsibly, and be careful while handling power tools and wine. Cheers!

'Labeling' lids

I know there are lots of ways to store hardware, but I still store large nails in coffee cans. I guess it's just a habit, but I have done this for years and probably won't stop anytime soon. I grabbed a handful of nails just this morning for a quick repair, right out of the can. Since I have several of these cans now, I glue a nail from each one right on top of the lid. This lets me know what's inside each can. It makes grabbing the right can easy when I need it.

Super hints

• If you need an abrasive to scrub off a stain, toothpaste is a good and quick choice. Since it's a gel, you don't even need to mix it with water - just squeeze some out and scrub off the stain. I just used it myself to remove a stain that was impervious to every other thing I tried.

• When you seal your entry doors, don't forget the door between your house and your garage. Lots of people forget this door since it doesn't go directly outside, but since most garages aren't insulated all that well, this door should be weatherstripped just as well as any other entry door, including the threshold. And don't forget the door itself. A hollow-core door is for interior use only, and just isn't sufficient as an entry door.

• It might seem odd, but if you want to drive a nail into a thick piece of wood and you want to avoid splitting it, dull the point of the nail. Just tap the sharp tip of the nail with your hammer, flip it over and drive it in without splitting the wood.

Q. I've never had this problem before, but I sure do this year. We have some tiny black flies in our kitchen. They are mainly around the sink, but I can see no evidence as to where they are coming from or why. Can you shed any light on this for me?

A. Most of the time, these little pests are due to excess moisture and food, which is why you are seeing them around your sink. Make sure there are no leaks in or under the sink. Make sure plants in the area aren't holding water, in the bottom tray or in the soil. Clean your drains and food disposer. Use soapy water and/or bleach to kill mold and mildew that may be hiding in your drains.

Q. I am having trouble with my clothes dryer. It still gets hot and will dry the clothes, but it's taking a lot longer to dry and seems to be getting worse every day. I've checked everything - the lint trap seems clean and the dryer still is turning when it's on. What else could it be?

A. It sure does sound like your vent is clogged. See if you can find where it vents outdoors and check it to see if hot air is coming out when you turn it on. It probably is clogged inside the exhaust duct work at some point, and you need to unclog it before using the dryer again.

Q. I'm trying to decide if the problem with my kitchen-sink disposal is something that I can fix, or if it's too difficult for me to do on my own and just needs to be replaced. What happens is that it gets stuck almost every time I use it. I can push the reset button, but it will just do it again. Do you have any suggestions as to what it might be, and how I might be able to fix or adjust it?

A. See if you can get down into the disposal and clean it really well. Remove the rubber guard over the drain and use a stiff brush to clean around it thoroughly. Use a flashlight to see if there are any pieces stuck around the edges that might be making it difficult to turn. Then drop in some crushed ice and dishwashing soap and turn it on, with the water running. If it still stops, then you probably ought to start shopping for a replacement.

Reader tips

• I pick up my garden hoses before they freeze every year and store them away in the garage. They aren't a huge investment, but with three acres, replacing them could get costly. I try to empty out the water before storing it, too. What I do to keep things clean and dry is to connect the ends of the hoses to each other. This a simple thing to do, and it also keeps the hoses coiled up tightly.

• My wife has switched to silicone baking pans, so I grabbed the old muffin pans before they were sent to the Goodwill store. They are great for storing and sorting hardware in my workshop. I love them and am happy to have them. Heck, if I'd known how great they are, I'd have bought some for myself years ago.

• Well, I guess it could have been a lot worse. I cut my finger so badly that I had to get some stitches in it. As a result, I started wearing plastic gloves when I worked around the house. The gloves protected my hand from any more damage. I really liked the gloves and have now bought a whole box of them. I would rather use them than go without now that I've done it for a while. It keeps my hands clean and gives me better grip on some things, too.

• Our front door was getting hard to open and close, and I finally figured out that the screws in the top hinge were loose. I didn't have any bigger screws, so I grabbed a few toothpicks and some wood glue. I put some glue into the holes and filled them with wooden toothpicks. Then I let it dry and cut the toothpicks off flush with the door frame and reinstalled the screws. Now it's tight and the door works perfectly again!

• I always clean the rim of the paint can before closing it back up after painting. I've learned that if you don't, it sticks and it's hard to open the next time you need to open the can. I also put a dropcloth over the can and the lid before using a hammer to tap it back into place. This helps keep any paint that is in the rim from squirting back out when you hammer the lid on.

Shoptalk

• There have been a lot of tool boxes, belts, wagons and other carriers that we have run across through the years, but Milwaukee's Jobsite Backpack is a new one and we really like it. It's made from ballistic material, so it's super tough and has an impact-resistant molded base to protect the contents. There are 35 pockets for organizing tools, a laptop sleeve and a fold-down front pocket for quick and easy storage of larger items. It has strong, comfortable harness straps and, because it's a backpack, it leaves you with both hands free to carry even more supplies to your job site. Check it out at www.milwaukeetool.com and see it for yourself.

• Finally! The 18V Power Ready Wireless Charging System - from Bosch, of course - is here. Because it's wireless, it will recharge or top off any 18-volt Lithium Ion rechargeable battery from their line. You don't even have to take it off the tool to charge it. Just set the battery, or the battery attached to the tool, on the charger and it will charge. Check it out at www.boschtools.com or at your home center or hardware store.

• 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.