Add to the ambience of a room by installing a dimmer switch

Adding a dimmer switch can save you money. The dimmer switch cuts back on the power to the fixture, giving you less light while costing you less money. Here's how to change an ordinary light switch to an energy-saving dimmer.

Always turn off the electricity at the main panel to prevent accidentally shocking yourself. Use an electrical tester to make sure it's off before beginning.

With the power safely off and the switch plate cover removed, remove the screws holding the electrical box in place and pull it out to expose the connections.

Standard wiring should have black wires and a ground wire running to the existing switch. These will need to be removed from the switch. If they are ragged or look worn out, strip off some insulation and expose new wire for your new connections.

Your new dimmer switch should be the right size for your light fixture, based on the wattage, and will have directions for hooking it up inside the package. Basically, you will reconnect the black wires and the ground to the new switch, push it back into the box and tighten the mounting screws into place. The switch cover goes on next, and you can turn the power back on to test your connections.

This is a very simple thing to do, and if you handled it OK, you might consider changing out some other switches to dimmers as well. They even make some similar control switches for ceiling fans, which can make them more convenient and energy saving, too.

Hard-to-reach areas

Sometimes it's easier to try to paint behind something than to find a way to move it. If you find yourself in this position, you'll love this clever tool. Attach a paint pad to a paint stir stick or yardstick for extra-long reaches. It's a great way to apply paint to a wall behind a toilet or radiator, and nobody will ever know how you accomplished this amazing feat. To attach the sponge, use a staple gun or some glue, or just a large rubber band - whatever works best for you.

Incense and air leaks

Looking for air leaks around doors, windows and outside walls can be a little challenging. It helps if you have a simple tool like a stick of incense. With the incense stick lit and the smoke coming up, you can run it around the edge of these areas and pinpoint the leaks with Post-it notes or masking tape. Once you have located all the leaks, then you can caulk or weatherstrip to seal the leaks. As an added bonus, your house will smell better, too!

Super hints

• Salt can be sprinkled on a frozen sidewalk to help melt the ice, and it can work in a drain, too. Just pour a little salt down the drain, and with a little time and some luck, the drain should thaw out a little faster.

• So many times I have to go to the hardware store with a vague description of a part I need or a problem area that I need to fix. I have found that I can take a photo with my digital camera, print it and take it with me to show the clerk. These photos are so quick and easy to take, print up and bring along, and you know that they say, "a picture is worth a thousand words." All I know is that it saves me time and helps me explain what I am looking for in the way of parts or other supplies.

• A little powdered laundry detergent sprinkled into your nail-apron pockets along with your nails will help lubricate the nails and make driving them in easier.

Q. Our toilet tank is cracked. It doesn't leak yet, but I'm afraid it might. What should I do?

A. If it were to start leaking, it wouldn't stop unless you were there to turn the water off. It could be a disaster. But if you want to try to buy some time, drain all the water from the tank and, once it's completely clean and dry, paint epoxy adhesive over the area, inside and out, to seal it. But it might not last forever, so start pricing toilets.

Q. I wanted to get your preservative formula for Christmas trees. Every year, I try to make my tree last as long as I can, but I think a preservative might help. Care to share?

A. Of course! Glad you asked. Start with a gallon of warm water, and add 4 tablespoons horticultural iron powder, available at a gardening center. Pour in 2 cups crystal-clear corn syrup, available at your grocery store. Next add 4 teaspoons liquid laundry bleach. Mix well. This mix goes into the receptacle in the tree stand. As this liquid evaporates, add warm water.

Q. I have a traveling washing machine - that is, it wobbles and moves away from the wall in our basement. I'm afraid it will break the water line eventually. What can I use to anchor it down?

A. You don't need an anchor, but you do need a level. Just use a 3- or 4-foot level, placed in all directions, to level the machine. The front feet will adjust by turning to lift the front up or down to get it just right. Unless you have some internal problems, this should resolve the issue and keep your washer from flying the coop!

Q. I have fluorescent lighting in my shop, and every winter I go through the same thing: no lights! I guess it's the colder temperatures. What can I replace them with that will work better without a lot of rewiring?

A. Most fluorescent fixtures do have more trouble lighting when temperatures drop. I would try replacing the bulb before anything else. If that doesn't do it, a low-temperature ballast replacement might be necessary, although a new fixture might cost less. If you do have to change out the fixture, shop for one made for exterior use, and it should work better for you.

Reader tips

• I love helping my son's team at school by working at the games. They make us wear these disposable plastic gloves to serve food with, and I found out they are really inexpensive. They cost about half as much as the ones I use in the workshop. I'm sure they aren't as strong, but for doing chores like painting, I can save some money by buying these gloves instead of the ones made for the workshop. They work great for lots of messy chores, and my wife is even using them for some of her cleaning projects.

• I waited too late to caulk around my windows, so I had to pick a semi-decent weekend to do it. I wrapped the caulk in a heating pad to warm it up before going outside with it. It worked great this way. It was really smooth and easy to apply, and cured quickly. I had to pick a couple of days that were above freezing so it would set up OK, but I think I timed it right.

• Through the years I have collected several old architectural pieces. Most have cracking paint or rust on them, and I never thought much about it until my grandchild arrived. My daughter asked if any had lead paint, and I'm sure they do, as old as they are. I have now put two coats of clear polyurethane on everything! The man at the paint store said this is a good thing to do to seal in the rust or lead paint. It's safer than trying to strip off the old paint. They look the same to me, and I'm glad to take the risk out of it.

• Our home is very old, and we have tried to keep a lot of the original hardware, including some glass doorknobs. One had broken on a closet, and we kept trying to find a replacement but never could. Finally my sister suggested that we just switch the knob around so that the broken one was on the inside of the closet door and the better one was on the outside. Duh! Sometimes things are just too simple to figure out on your own. Thank goodness I have people in my life to remind me.

• Our bedroom downstairs has always seemed a little drafty, but when we were moving the furniture around, it was more obvious than ever. We figured out that the draft was coming through an electrical outlet on an outside wall. The wind literally was coming right in through the plugs. We pulled the cover off and installed a foam insulation pad, made for this purpose, and the drafts are no more. We put the rest of the insulation pads that came in the same package into other outlets in the house. A simple fix, and less than 50 cents a plug!

Shoptalk

• If you find that some rooms just don't get enough air flow through your household vent system, you might consider adding an AirFlow Breeze Ultra register vent. The AC-powered booster fan fits where your standard register goes and, with the aid of a built-in temperature sensor, pulls more warm or cold air into that room. The three-speed fan works automatically and even comes with a remote control for more convenience. At an operating cost of only about $5 a year, it certainly could pay for itself in energy savings and comfort. To find out more about it or to find a local dealer, visit aftproducts.com.

• Finally, there is an alternative to the standard pull-down attic-access stairway in the EZ Hatch Attic Door. Made for both new construction and retrofit, it is easy to install and has an R-42 rating. Made to fit a 22-by-30-inch opening, it eliminates the energy waste through this standard attic access. It comes prefinished and ready to install. To find out more, visit the company online at batticdoor.com.

• 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.