Corazon Cordobes

Posts Tagged ‘home foundation repair’

Here are some household hints which will save you time and effort.

Light for Emergencies

To prevent accidents and confusion when storms knock down power lines, it is wise to prepare for storm damage ahead of time by keeping emergency lights on hand. Locate a few miniature, inexpensive pocket flashlights in strategic spots around the home. Keep one near the fuse box, one near the cellar stairs, one near the furnace, and one near any other potential danger area.

When Lights Go Out

Simplify the job of locating flashlights, tools and other items when lights suddenly go out during a power failure by taking time now to paint on dabs of luminous paint, or to stick on strips of luminous tape. These will glow in the dark and make the emergency supplies much easier to locate.

Protect Hardware

Brass doorknobs, escutcheon plates and other ornamental hardware can be protected from corrosion and pitting by periodically rubbing on a thin layer of paste wax. Clean thoroughly with metal polish or scouring powder first, then rub on the wax and buff vigorously when dry. Renew once or twice a year to assure continuing protection.

Protect Walls

To keep the corners of picture frames from scratching painted or papered walls against which they are hung, try pushing a thumb tack into the back of the two lower corners. The smooth heads will slide easily, leaving no marks on the wall when the picture is shifted for dusting.

Touch-Up Paint

When small chips or scratches on painted walls or woodwork must be touched up and no leftover paint is available, a small quantity of the needed color can usually be mixed by using a few drops of the children’s poster paints. Intermixing the primary shades will give almost any tint desired, and the easily mixed water paint can then be dabbed on with a pointed brush. The touch-up will not be washable, but it will serve nicely as a temporary repair until the next coat of paint is applied. It can be made washable by coating with thin shellac or varnish.

Prevent Lids Sticking

To eliminate the annoying problem of screw top lids and corks sticking on jars or cans which contain glue, shellac, or other adhesives, here is a simple solution. The first time the lid is removed rub a small amount of petroleum jelly over the inside of the threads on the lid. Renewed occasionally, this will keep lids from sticking in the future.

Lengthen Broom Life

Ordinary brooms wear down rapidly when used to sweep up rough cement floors in basements or garages. Their lives can be lengthened considerably by dipping the ends of the bristles into a shallow pan of thinned shellac.

Pouring Trick

To simplify the job of pouring a fine stream of liquid from a bottle or can, hold a large nail or pointed lead pencil across the opening before pouring. If done gradually, the liquid will flow down along the sides of the pencil or nail and will stream evenly off the point into the exact location desired.

Tighten Handles
When the threaded wooden handle on a floor brush or other tool works loose, emergency repairs can be quickly made by unscrewing the handle and then wrapping the exposed threads with several layers of cellophane tape. Twisting the handle back into its socket will squeeze the tape into the threads and will take up the slack nicely.

Fire Safety

Be sure all volatile and inflammable liquids such as solvents, torch fuels, gasoline, etc., are stored in metal cans with non-leaking tops. Such liquids stored in glass bottles may expand from heat and burst the container. If this happens with a spark or open flame nearby, you may end up with a serious fire.

Wax on Woodwork

When waxing painted woodwork, remember that the wax will have to be removed completely before the trim can be repainted. For this reason, use the liquid self-polishing kind. It can be easily removed when necessary with warm, soapy water and will not require the use of strong solvents.

Follow these hints, and jobs around the house will be finished more quickly and easily.

When a new home appliance or power tool is delivered, always make certain you read all instruction booklets and other accompanying literature carefully before putting the gadget to work for the first time. Fill out and mail whatever guarantee cards accompany the item, and, most important of all, be sure you file this literature in a safe place where it can be referred to later on whenever repairs are needed.

The booklet may tell you how to make some of the simpler repairs and adjustments yourself, and will give you serial numbers, model numbers and other pertinent data which you may need in the future when trouble occurs.

Lubrication

When oiling small motors and other delicate moving parts of appliances, most manufacturers recommend that only a few drops of light oil be applied. To simplify the task of measuring out the required amount, and to avoid dangerous over-oiling, apply the oil with an eyedropper so that the exact amount can be accurately measured.

Clean Motors

Electric motors in appliances and workshop machines can have their efficiency cut considerably if heavy accumulations of dust or grit are allowed to accumulate on the inside around the windings, bearings or commutator. To prevent trouble before it happens, the homeowner should get in the habit of cleaning all motors thoroughly with a vacuum cleaner at least twice a year. Use the narrow crevice attachment to suck out dust and dirt where possible. Then use the blowing end to puff out the remainder. Needless to say, make certain the motor being cleaned is turned off before starting this job.

Preventing Motor Burn-Out

If a homeowner has trouble with motors on power tools or appliances burning out for no apparent reason – especially if several are plugged in on the same circuit – he should call a competent electrical contractor to check his wiring and to check the loads on each circuit. When circuits are overloaded, voltages delivered at the outlets will drop. Though this may not be severe enough to blow a fuse, if continued long enough it may eventually cause motors to burn out. The only sure cure lies in adding extra circuits, or in having a larger meter and fuse box installed.

Prevent Kinking

To prevent electric power cords on portable appliances from twisting and kinking, home handymen can cover them with a spiral plastic cord wrapper of the type that is sold in many hardware and home-furnishing stores for use on telephone cords. These are installed by simply twisting in place around the outside of the cord.

Electric Plugs

To keep plastic electric plugs on appliances from cracking when they are accidentally banged or crushed, wrap them with one or two layers of plastic or rubber tape, particularly if the appliance is to be used around the garage or workshop. This method can also be used to make an emergency repair on one of these plugs after the damage has been done. However, replace it with a new plug as soon as possible.

Parts Tray

When making repairs on small appliances, screws, gears and other miniature parts are often easily misplaced. Eliminate this problem by folding up a small tray of white cardboard or aluminum foil. The light-colored material will make parts easier to spot, and the lip that is folded around the edge will prevent the parts from accidentally rolling away.

Appliance Touch-Up

When the finish on a kitchen appliance becomes scratched or nicked so that the bare metal underneath is exposed, it should be touched up as quickly as possible to prevent rusting. Special touch-up materials are sold in most paint, hardware and appliance stores, or you can use any good grade of enamel in a matching color.

In an emergency even a little clear fingernail polish could be used to protect the metal till a permanent repair can be made. Apply the touch-up with a small cotton swab wrapped around a toothpick, and build up in layers if necessary to fill in a deep scratch.

Take care of your appliances in the ways mentioned above, and they should give you years of good service. It’s worth taking the time and making the effort.

There are many small jobs the home handyman must complete to maintain the exterior of his home. Here are some of these jobs and how to carry them out satisfactorily.

Roof Shingles

After heavy windstorms, homeowners who inspect their roofs may find that some roof shingles have been lifted up or curled back so that they no longer lie flat. This leaves the roof more susceptible to leaks since the next heavy rainstorm may blow water up under the shingles where it can seep down through the roof boards. To correct this situation, climb up on the roof and apply a dab of roof cement under each of the curled shingles so as to hold them flat. During the next warm spell, shingles will uncurl and will continue to lie flat even if the cement dries out.

Anchoring Railings

When railings or other fixtures must be anchored to concrete floors or stoops, handymen can do the job best by using one of the special, quick-setting hydraulic cements that are available in most hardware stores or lumber yards. After the bolt hole is drilled (using a star drill or a tungsten carbide bit), the bolt is placed head first in the hole with threads protruding.

Then pour a freshly mixed batch of the hydraulic cement in around it. This cement sets up very quickly and very hard, and it expands tightly in the hole so that it grips permanently and securely. The grip will be improved if a washer is first slipped around the head of the bolt before anchoring.

Removing Efflorescence

The white, powdery stain that occurs on outside brickwork is unsightly in appearance and should be removed before paints or waterproof coatings are applied. Mix muriatic acid with four parts of water, adding the acid to the water (never the water to the acid) in a glass or wooden container – not metal. Wear rubber gloves, and scrub the solution on with a stiff bristle brush. Wait several minutes, then hose off with plain water.

Frozen Locks

During the winter, moisture may get into outdoor garage or tool shed locks and then freezes. This will make it difficult to insert the key and may make the lock impossible to open. When this happens, heat the key a few times by holding it in the flame of a lighter or match. Then work the key gently back and forth inside the lock. Repeat until the lock warms sufficiently to melt the ice inside.

Protecting Padlocks

When padlocks are used around the outside of the house, dirt, rust or other corrosion will sometimes form in the mechanism, making the lock difficult to open. To prevent this, place a strip of waterproof tape over the keyhole when it is not in use. The tape can be easily stripped off and replaced each time the key is inserted.

Outdoor Paneling

When building outdoor cabinets, storage boxes and other projects using plywood or hardboard, the home handyman should make certain he purchases only those grades designed for exposure to weather. Hardboard comes in a special tempered variety for outdoor use, and plywood comes in an exterior grade made with special waterproof glues.

Rust Streaks

Rust stains on exterior painted siding are frequently caused by exposed nail heads which may be corroding beneath the surface of the paint. To correct this, sand off the nail head and spot-prime with a little shellac or a metal primer. Then countersink the nail head and fill the hole with putty before repainting.

Removing Metal Stains

To remove rust stains or other metal stains from light colored exterior siding, try washing with a water solution of oxalic acid. This is sold in crystalline form at paint and hardware stores. Dissolve three-quarters of a pound in one gallon of water and sponge over the stain. Allow to dry for several minutes, then rub off with a clean cloth.

Using these quick methods will make the tasks easier and safer to complete.