Home Improvement Timesavers

11/3/2005

Like many people with lots of home repair and improvement projects to tackle, you probably have other things you would prefer to do. James and Morris Carey, hosts of the nationally syndicated "On the House" radio show, share a few shortcuts to get those jobs done quickly and easily so you can maximize your leisure time:

Prioritize. Sometimes the "to-do" list can be overwhelming, so make a plan. Prioritize and group similar projects together, breaking them down into small increments that can be accomplished in one work session. For example, you may decide to hang pictures and shelves one weekend and save all plumbing chores for another work session.

Quick and Easy Caulking.

For a quick, professional caulking job, run a strip of masking tape next to each side of the area you plan to seal. Apply the caulk, wet your finger and drag it down the caulk, feathering it out to the masking tape. Remove the tape and you have a perfectly straight caulk line.

Electrical Jobs.

The first step in any electrical job is cutting power to the circuit. Sounds simple, but identifying the right circuit can be time-consuming. A simple tool that will do the work for you quickly is a circuit breaker finder. Just plug the transmitter into the electrical outlet, scan the breakers with the receiver and the proper breaker will be identified.

Loose Showerhead Pipes.

For loose gooseneck pipes in shower stalls, use an expanded foam sealant. It will lock the pipe in place in less than five minutes. (NAPSI)