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Shovel snow safely. Early-morning snow shoveling might seem like a good idea, but intense exertion in freezing temperatures causes numerous heart attacks annually, not to mention pulled muscles and back injuries. Protect yourself with these tips from Consumer Reports Health Blog:
Prepare wisely by dressing in layers and wearing boots with slip-resistant soles. Use a shovel with an S-shaped handle, which causes less flexing of the spine.
Use good timing and technique by shoveling promptly when the snow is still light and powdery. Hold the shovel close to your body and push, rather than lift, the snow. If you must lift, use your legs and keep your back straight and feet apart.
Look for warning signs. If you feel pressure or pain in your chest or discomfort spreading to your shoulders, neck, jaw, arms or back, call for an ambulance immediately. Chew and swallow an aspirin and lie down. You could be having a heart attack.
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Cut back on heating bills. Reduce the cost of heating energy regardless of the kind of fuel you use in your home with these suggestions from Kathleen Kuhn, president of HouseMaster, a home-inspection franchiser:
Dial down. For every degree you reduce your thermostat setting, you may save about 3 percent on your heating bill.
Set it back. At night and when leaving your home unoccupied for a long time, set the thermostat back.
Don’t block registers or radiators. Keep rugs, furniture or drapes clear.
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DIY furniture fixes. Save space, money and time when you resolve to repair your own furniture boo-boos. DIY expert Bruce Johnson from offers these ideas:
Remove white rings. White rings from glasses are moisture trapped in the finish. Use ordinary lemon oil and lightly rub on top of the white ring with super-fine (Grade 0000) steel wool.
Conceal scratches on dining-table finishes by taking a Minwax Wood Finish Stain Marker that matches the wood and fill in the scratch. Try blending more than one color to get the best match. Then take a clean rag and wipe off excess stain.
Fill in holes from nails or small gouges caused by wear and tear. For minor nail holes, use a touch of Minwax Wood Putty that matches the wood color. Apply putty to the hole, and wipe off the excess.
