HELPFUL HINTS

DEAR HELOISE: I was reading about how long appliances should last. I have a question regarding these new appliances: Should we be using surge protectors on them? The reason I ask is that I had a refrigerator (4 years old), and there was a power surge. I called a repairman out, and he said it was the motherboard, which would cost $500 to $800 to fix. So I bought a new refrigerator and put a surge protector on it. — Ron T.,

Huntington Beach, Calif. DEAR READER: Great question, and the quick answer is yes! Surge protectors should be used on major appliances in your home, with refrigerators and washing machines being first on the list because they both contain at least one control board. The surge protector will help protect against a sudden increase, or surge, in voltage. They are available in most stores and online, so shop around for what will work best in your home. Prices vary, and not all surge protectors are the same.

For smaller appliances, like toaster ovens, get in the habit of unplugging those items when they are not in use.

DEAR HELOISE: I bought a big desk (unassembled) that was delivered in a box with bags of multiple-size screws, etc. — but no instructions. There was nothing on the website, so I contacted the company, which emailed the instructions — all 13 pages! It turned out great, but some instructions were counterintuitive, so it’s a good thing I got them!

— Lyn R. in Houston DEAR READER: This is an example of technology being a great resource. Emailing instructions when you cannot find them otherwise or they are not included with a product is so fast and easy.

DEAR HELOISE: Ladies, check the heels of your shoes every time you put on a pair. They can become worn down and unsightly before you realize it. Pay particular attention to the area around the heel of your right shoe. That’s the foot you drive with, and it can become scarred and scratched long before the left one.

— Peggy C., Cypress, Texas

DEAR HELOISE: Packing boxes can be annoying when the end of the tape is difficult to find and retrieve. Use a hair dryer on warm and scratch at the tape end. It comes up much more easily.

— Karen N., Post Falls, Idaho

Send a money- or time-saving hint to Heloise, P.O. Box 795000, San Antonio, Texas 78279-5000; fax to (210) 435-6473; or email Heloise@Heloise.com