On the Wire - Ladder Safety
You’re probably planning on using a ladder this holiday season to decorate your house. But make sure you stay safe! A recent survey by the Home Safety Council found that more than half (52%) set up their ladders on uneven ground. More than a third (38%) decorate after dark. And 22% drink and climb! Follow these tips for safe holiday decorating:
-Before using a ladder outdoors, choose a location that is well away from all power lines. Coming in contact with live wires can be fatal.
-Place the ladder on level ground and open it completely, making sure all locks are engaged.
-Use the 4-to-1 rules for extension ladders. For each 4 feet of distance between the ground and upper point of contact, move the base of the ladder out one foot.
-Always face the ladder when climbing. Make sure rungs are dry and wear slip resistant shoes.
-Keep you body centered on the ladder and gauge your safety by you belt buckle. If you belt buckle passes beyond the ladder rail, you are overreaching and at risk for falling.
-Stand at or below the highest safe standing level on a ladder. For a step-ladder, the safe standing level is the second rung from the top. For an extension ladder, it’s the fourth rung from the top.
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Ask Tom & Leslie - Flooring Finish
This week’s question comes to us from “Carrob”. She says, “We’re remodeling our family room and my husband is campaigning for hardwood floors. I’m concerned about wear and tear as this room will receive a lot of traffic. Will pre-finished floors stand up to the test of time?”
Just a few years ago, we would have told you to skip pre-finished floors for rooms that get tons of traffic. However, there have been many changes on the way pre-finished floors are, well, finished. Nowadays, aluminum oxide, added to the finish at the factory through a multi-step process, makes pre-finished floors an extremely durable option. If you are wondering why this material has such a magical impact on durability, you might consider the other product it is very commonly used for: sandpaper! For more details, check out the Complete Guide to Flooring at www.armstrong.com. It is a nicely done and comprehensive guide that covers the strengths of each type of floor product.
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Got A Question About Your Money Pit?
You can do-it-yourself but you don't have to do-it-alone. Getting in touch with us is as easy as 1 - 2 or 3!
- The toll-free studio hot line is 1-888-MONEY PIT. Find out when we broadcast in your area by checking out our website at www.moneypit.com. Each week we take dozens of calls, give great advice and offer callers a chance to win a terrific prize awarded to one random caller to every show.
- Call when it's convenient for you, 24 hours a day, same number: 1-888-MONEY PIT. A live person takes your call 24/7! So -- WHENEVER you have a home improvement question -- phone it in. Simply tell our phone screener your first name, and where you're calling from...and ask your question. We’ll get back to you with the answer – or even call you back during the show!
- Click here to email your question to us. We may read your email on the air and we also respond personally to many of the email questions we get.
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On the Air - Metal Roof Makes Sense
Coming up on the next Money Pit radio show… Are you thinking about replacing your roof? How about a metal roof? No – it won’t keep you up all night when it rains. Metal roofs are super energy efficient, quiet and beautiful. To learn more about metal roofing options, visit www.metalroofing.com. To find out where you can listen to the show click here.
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Tip Top- Holiday Baking
Ready for holiday baking? Is your oven? To get your oven squeaky clean before holiday guests arrive, make a paste of baking soda and water. Apply the paste and scrub with steel wool. For stubborn stains, add some salt to the mix. If your oven is self-cleaning, you won’t need any paste but make sure to run the cycle well before any big dinner parties are planned to avoid break downs which are more likely to occur right after the cleaning cycle completes.
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Fun Fact - Frugal Facelift
If you think your kitchen cabinets or living room furniture has seen better days, but you don’t have the cash to replace them – we have some great ideas for you! There are really inexpensive ways to give these items a facelift:
- First of all, consider cleaning your cabinets and hardware. Grease and dirt can buildup in your kitchen and make cabinets look dingy and dull. If you’re going to remove the doors to clean them, make sure to label them so it’s easy to rehang everything. Use a good degreasing cleaner, such as TSP – that’s trisodum phosphate and it’s available at your local home center. Remember to protect other surfaces with drop cloths and your eyes with glasses or goggles. If the rinse water is dirty, repeat the process. You can also clean the hardware by soaking it in soapy water for a while and then scrubbing.
- If you want to refinish your cabinets, they’ll still need a good cleaning. If you want to paint the cabinets, give them a light sanding to create “tooth” for the paint to stick to. You should use a latex-based primer and paint and go for any color or faux finish you like! You can always do some trial and error on a scrap board to get the look you want before attempting on your cabinets.
- To slipcover furniture without sewing, buy enough of your favorite fabric to completely cover and loosely drape over the piece. Then simply tuck, pull, gather and drape until you like what you see. Use upholstery pins, T-pins or even safety pins to hold everything in place. Just make sure you don’t have little ones running around for this trick.
- When you are pushing fabric into the crevices of a chair or sofa, use dowels cut to size to hold the fabric in place once it’s all tucked in.
- You can slipcover more than one piece in a room and they don’t even have to match! Just choose coordinating colors, styles or patterns of fabric.
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Short Cuts - Out of Towners
Hosting friends of family for the holidays? It can be a lot to take on at a very stressful time of year. But you can make things more comfortable for you and your guests with these basic tips:
• Know your limits, as well as the limits of your space. Don't invite more guests than you or the house can accommodate. Establish arrival and departure dates.
• Empty out a drawer or two for guests to use, and move clothes out of the closet so guests have room to hang up their items. Place nightlights in bathrooms and hallways.
• Fill a basket with sample or hotel sizes of toiletries such as shampoo, soap and mouthwash, along with other items like a disposable razor and toothbrush. Make sure an alarm clock is handy. And for an extra touch, put an instant-heat teapot in the guest's room, along with a basket of tea bags and instant coffee, so early rising guests can help themselves to a steaming cup of their favorite morning beverage.
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Copyright 2006 Squeaky Door Productions, Inc.
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