Stay cool this summer with these tips

Is it hot enough for you yet? Most of us are sweating like cartoon characters these days. Your air conditioner also is working to beat the heat and running up your utility bills every month. But, if you will try a few of these heat-busting tips, you can be more comfortable and save money on your bills every month.

Windows are the single most wasteful part of your home. But replacing them for more energy-efficient models can be very costly. Close your curtains. Lower your shades. Close the blinds. All of these window coverings can help block out some of the heat. If you don't have them, add them. You even can buy drapery liners that are insulated and add to the efficiency of your existing curtains.

You also can install reflective film on the inside of your windows and get some relief from the heat and UV rays from that.

Solar window screens can cut way down on the heat getting into your home. Consider adding them to at least the west side of your home. You'll notice the difference right away.

Shade trees add value to your home by blocking some of the sun's rays and by adding to the appearance of your home. A quality shade tree can add over $1,000 in value to your home if well-placed in your landscape.

A ceiling fan moves the air around your room and can help you feel a little cooler. If you don't have ceiling fans, you can buy a box or table fan to add some air circulation where you need it.

You can open a window or two on either side of the house and get a cross-flow breeze going through your home. As long as it's not 100 degrees outside, you will feel a lot cooler (for free)! Add window fans and create your own cross-breeze.

We think of switching to fluorescent and LED bulbs to save energy, but they also burn a whole lot cooler and can make a big difference if you use lights a lot in your home.

Using the microwave, toaster oven or crockpot can keep your kitchen cooler.

If you have more ideas to share, email us through our website and we will be glad to share them with other readers. Keep your cool!

Cup hooks work organizing magic

Those inexpensive cup hooks that are available at the hardware store, and even the grocery store these days, are great for keeping things organized in the home and garage. You can screw one into an open tube of caulk so you can hang it up and out of the way. Screw one into your broom or rake and make it easy to hang these up on a nail or hook in the garage. You even can screw one into the end of your hammer and hang it up near your workbench.

Here's a trick for opening a stubborn drawer

When you can no longer open a drawer because it is overstuffed, it's time to clean it out! But if you haven't done so yet, you may find that you can't even pull the drawer out any longer. Usually it's because something is sticking up above the inner drawer and blocking it from being pulled out. One way to remedy this is to slide a spatula or yardstick into the drawer and push down what is sticking up and in the way. Of course, once you have the drawer open, you'd be a fool not to go ahead and clean it, right?

Super hints

• If you need to fit two pieces of pipe together and are having trouble doing it, rub some liquid soap around the fittings and they will slide together much easier. You'll be amazed. Wash off the soap when you are finished.

• If you have a porch or patio railing that is too large to keep your kids or pets from getting through, you need another layer of protection. Try the temporary plastic fencing that you can buy from your home improvement center. This stuff is inexpensive and can be secured in place with cable ties.

• If you haven't tried using a head lamp or a similar flashlight that attaches to your head, you need to. This is the greatest way to work in a dark cabinet, closet or crawl space, because you wear the light and still have both hands free!

Q. My kitchen cabinets need to be cleaned. They feel sticky and I don't know what is causing it, but I want to get them really clean. Also, should I put some sort of sealer over the stain?

A. Use mineral spirits paint thinner to clean off the airborne grease, which probably is what is making them feel sticky. If they don't have a finish, you can apply polyurethane once they are clean. This will seal them and make future cleanups easier.

Q. I need your help. I have a set of concrete furniture that is in our front yard. It's mostly decorative, but has enough mold on it that it's not too decorative right now. How can I clean off the mold?

A. You'll need to be careful not to damage the plants and grass in the area. Bleach and water (50 percent solution) will kill the mold, and a scrub brush will scrub off what's on the surface. Once clean, apply a water seal to keep the mold from coming back. You'll probably have to do this once a year, but that should keep it under control.

Q. I have a sink drain that used to be shiny chrome. Now it's sort of brass-looking, which is quite ugly. Is there any kind of paint to touch this up and make it look better?

A. Not really. Your best bet is to replace the drain. This isn't that hard if you have some basic DIY skills.

Reader tips

• I tried using a chisel to cut through a brick when I was installing our patio. It was a total failure, so I decided to switch to my rotary tool. I got a cutting wheel and started cutting all around the brick, and sure enough, it broke evenly. It wasn't as quick, but after doing a dozen or so, I was very happy with the results. I only broke one more unevenly, but was still able to use it. My joints are tight and it looks really nice. I'm proud of my work.

• We are getting ready to go out of town and are doing some things around our house to make it look more like we are there while away. We have several of our lamps hooked up to timers now. We tried to set them to come off and on about the same time as they do when we are at home. The bedroom lamp comes on at 5 a.m. and the lamp in the family room comes on at 8 p.m. We plan to add one to the home office as well. We feel like it's one of the least-expensive things we can do to keep up appearances.

• I was trying to glue the laminate back down on the top of our kitchen table. I only had two clamps that were wide enough to fit over the tabletop and no more. So I got a couple of long two-by-fours and used the clamps to hold them both on top of and underneath the table. The clamps held the two-by-fours down tightly, and so far, the glue is holding.

• Before I painted, I wanted to give my dining-room floor molding a little upgrade, but I was on a tight budget. What I did was install a small piece of half round molding along the wall 2 inches above the existing molding. Then I painted the molding, both pieces of the half round molding and the wall between them so that they would look like one very wide piece of molding. It looks great, and with the rest of the paint, it turned out so rich-looking.

• We have a lamp way up on the top of our porch and it's too high to reach with any of the ladders we have. When the bulb burned out, we tried to figure out a way to replace the bulb. First, we put some double-sided tape on the end of our longest piece of PVC pipe. Then we pressed it to the bulb. It stuck, and we were able to unscrew the old light bulb. Then we used the same tape to install the new bulb. It actually worked!

Shoptalk

• Summer is a great time of the year but in many parts of the country, it also is humid, and this can bring on mildew problems. Mildew is not only smelly and ugly, it can also ruin walls, carpeting and just about any surface it gets on. Learn how to rid your home of this problem once and for all. I've put together a pamphlet called "Mildew Around Your House," and it is full of tips on how to get rid of mildew and how to keep it from coming back.

• We all know that in order to be safe when working outdoors, your power equipment should always be plugged into a GFCI-protected outlet. If you don't have one handy, you can add one by simply installing a plug-in model between your electrical outlet and your extension cord. It's just that simple, and you'll be protected from accidental shock. Take a look at the supply at your hardware store or home center. To find out more, take a look at the model that I use if I need one. It's called the Quad Box by TMC. It allows me to plug four tools into it and has an easy-to-get-to reset button, as well as an on-and-off switch. Find out more at www.towermf.com.

• The old-fashioned sliding barn door is "in." I see them all over the place these days. But you don't have to use the heavy-duty hardware that is traditional or dig into a wall to install a pocket door. Now you can buy a more sleek, stylish hardware package in the Commercial Grade Wall Mount Sliding Door Hardware from Johnson Hardware. It can be installed right on the face of your existing wall and will hold a variety of doors. Find out more about the different styles available at www.jhusa.net. This might be the perfect solution for you.

• 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.