On the Wire - Got Mice?
Is that squeak underfoot something OTHER than a loose floorboard? Are furry little friends trying to use your home as their winter resort? If that squeak you hear isn’t from your floorboards, you might want to look for other telltale signs of unwanted guests like tears in bags or chewed boxes or paper or droppings…if so, you’ve got mice. To rid yourself of these pests, try to find any and all entry points. Remember that mice can squeeze through dime-sized spaces.
Use sheet metal, steel wool or cement and pay particular attention to the spaces around pipes, vents and ducts. Traps and poison bate designed for rodents are very effective, too and can help eliminate those mice that have already set up housekeeping in your home.
For more great tips on how to get rid of the unwanted visitors BEFORE they move in and set up camp for the winter, or to find a qualified pest professional in your area, visit the site of the National Pest Management Association.
back to the top
Ask Tom & Leslie - A Royal Flush
This week’s question comes to us from G. Hall: “Please help me with this. When showering, if my husband flushes the toilet or runs water elsewhere, the temperature of the water changes. What to do”?
There’s nothing like receiving an unexpected blast of cold or hot water while showering to carve a knick into your otherwise domestically blissful household! The reason this happens is because of a pressure imbalance in the plumbing system. When you step into the shower and adjust the hot and cold water mix, you have established a balance between those two supply lines that deliver just the right amount of warm water. However, when the absent minded spouse flushes away, the additional demand for cold water to fill the toilet means less water is available for your original mix. Hence, the balance of hot and cold water supply changes and you get scalded in the process! The same thing could happen when the dishwasher or clothes washer starts to fill after you’ve set your shower in motion. In that case, you’d be blasted by chilly cold water as the hot water flow is shared among those other two appliances.
Fortunately, there is a mechanical solution. It is called a pressure balanced shower valve and it does just that – maintains the balance between hot and cold water, regardless of the amount of water available at any one time. If you had a pressure balance valve in your shower and the toilet was flushed or the dishwasher kicked on, the flow of the water would be reduced but the temperature would remain consistent. These valves also have an anti-scald feature allowing you to set the maximum temperature, adding an additional layer of safety for both kids and adults.
back to the top
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.
back to the top
On the Air - Look Out Below!
Coming up on the next The Money Pit radio show, why do ladders cause more than 150,000 emergency room visits each year? User beware – we’ll tell you how to stay safe while decking those halls, on the next Money Pit radio show. Find out where to tune us in or download our popular Podcast at www.moneypit.com.
back to the top
Dot Common Sense - Multi-functional Furniture
Do you have a growing family? Are you running out of room? You might want to take advantage of some multi-functional furniture ideas that will help make room for your WHOLE family! Here are some ideas, courtesy of www.furniture.com:
Bunk It: In kids’ rooms, bunk beds and lofts are obvious choices for maximizing floor space and today’s styles are often packed with built-in storage for clothes and toys.
Reuse and Recycle: Children’s dressers tend to be narrow, with easy to open drawers and pulls that are close together to fit the proportions of small hands and shorter arm spans. When a dresser is outgrown, move it into a closet for extra storage.
Creative Storage: Large, colorful plastic storage cubes can hold lots of stuff and can be used as seats or tables. Nesting tables are not only to move between rooms for various uses, but when homework, games and projects are done, they “nest” together to save space.
Flex Your Furniture: In the living or family room, sectional sofas are cozy for one and comfortable for many. Best of all, these versatile furniture forms often have multiple configurations, which means they’ll adapt to any room – and even a new address. If a smaller home is in the future, separate the pieces and use in different rooms.
Cushion Strategy: Fabrics with a higher thread count and tighter weave are more durable while flat weaves are less likely to fray with frequent use. Regular rotating and vacuuming will prolong the life of sofa cushions. Removable, washable slipcovers provide protection and easy cleaning for day-to-day family use – and can be quickly removed for entertaining.
Home Work: Most families designate the kitchen table for homework and paying bills. To host the family computer, choose a corner in the kitchen or family room to tuck away a workstation desk or hutch. Some feature doors to enclose the electronics.
Sit Right: Regardless if homework is done at a desk or kitchen table, ergonomics are important. Use an adjustable desk chair, or “raise” the seat with pillows to position children at a comfortable height for the work surface. Avoid dangling feet by adding a footstool or box.
Plan for Growth: As a family grows, furniture will be transitioned to different rooms. Selecting classic designs that complement many different decors will ease the move. Even simple styles can be livened up with accessories while maintaining maximum versatility for use in a different room.
back to the top
Fun Fact - In Hot Water?
Is your hot shower, a little too hot? Getting that perfect temperature – somewhere between scalding and lukewarm, can be tough. But not if you have a tankless hot water heater with a digital thermostat. Most newer models come with digital readouts that will let you see exactly how hot your water is and adjust as necessary. Tankless units also provide the added convenience of endless hot water.
For a name you can trust and the quality that comes with decades of experience – consider a Rheem tankless hot water heater. Several models of Rheem tankless hot water heaters even come with a remote control so you can adjust the temperature, WITHOUT a trip to the basement! Visit www.RheemTankless.com for details.
back to the top
Short Cuts - Save Money on EVERYTHING for Your Home
Only two things in life are certain: Death and Taxes. I’m afraid we can’t do too much about the first, but we may very well be able to help you cut your property tax bill this year (and every year from here on out). It’s just one more exclusive benefit of the Money Pit/AHA Membership program. Want to cut your tax bill?
It’s a fact, local property tax rates have skyrocketed over the past couple years as local governments, scrambling for money, have decided that homeowners are an easy mark. Well, you don’t have to be. When you join the new Money Pit/AHA Membership you’ll get our exclusive Property Tax Reduction Kit.
Thousands of homeowners nationwide have saved hundreds or thousands of dollars off their tax bills just by following the simple step-by-step instructions in this kit. And the best part of these savings is that they repeat EVERY SINGLE YEAR. You’ll learn:
- How property tax is assessed, and the built-in potential for errors
- How to determine whether your assessment is correct
- How the appeals process works
- The steps you must take, one by one, to use the appeals process
- When to bring in outside experts, such as attorneys and appraisers; and
- How to present an appeal so that you not only gain the respect of the assessor or members of the appeal board, but so they have no choice but to agree with your appeal.
This inside information on how to cut your tax bill would be reason enough to have a membership, but it’s just one of hundreds of time and money saving benefits and privileges that you get with this program. And we’ve just added 2 more great reasons: Free tools. That’s right – you’ll get two awesome electronic tools from Zircon just for trying the Money Pit/AHA Membership. The LaserBall 360 laser level and StudSensor i60 OneStep from Zircon sell for $50.00 in home improvement stores from coast to coast. For all the details on how you can claim them free, along with a free trial membership, just click here.
back to the top
Share This Information With A Friend!
Simply forward this Email. And invite friends to register to receive this E-newsletter each week.If you would like to unsubscribe from our weekly newsletter, please refer to the unsubscribe directions at the bottom of this newsletter.
back to the top
Copyright 2007 Squeaky Door Productions, Inc.
|
