Safety steps: Extension ladders raise concerns

Extension ladders allow you to reach up much higher than an ordinary step ladder. But, unlike step ladders, an extension ladder needs to lean against a surface in order to reach those heights. Here are some tips to help you do so safely and a few extra hints for how to deal with other situations.

Before you ever use the ladder, take a closer look at it. Make sure that everything looks like it’s still in place and there are no broken joints or loose nuts and bolts. Check the rope for frays and cuts.

Having a spotter or assistant when working is always a smart thing to do.

Consider the angle at which you place the ladder. It should be about 1 foot away from the wall for every 4 feet in height — that’s a 1:4 ratio.

Check the weight limit of your ladder as well, especially if you are carrying a heavy load up with you.

Always make sure your ladder is on stable ground. If you are trying to work on soil, grass or rocks, set your ladder on top of a piece of plywood.

Any time you need to set the ladder up on a slick or slippery surface, place a rubber mat under the legs. This is a great idea when working on slippery floors or wet surfaces.

If you need to lean the extension ladder against a wall, your siding or any other surface where you don’t want to leave marks or scratches behind, slip a pair of socks over the top rails. The socks will protect the wall from damage.

One way to avoid a slipping ladder is to tie it in place. This may not always be possible, but if it is, do so.

If you are working around electrical wires, use a wooden or fiberglass ladder.

There are some really nice extenders that can be added to the base of your ladder that enable you to work on an uneven surface, like a step. You can get creative and can make your own, but make sure that it will be very secure.

Always keep both feet on the ladder rungs. It might be tempting to put one foot on another surface like a window sill, but don’t do it. It can cause the ladder to be off-center and slip.

Q: I have a copper range hood in my kitchen. It’s spectacular, but hard to maintain. I’d like to see if there is a way to protect the shine once I get it cleaned. What do you recommend? — V.W.

A: You can use a spray polyurethane once it’s clean. Just make sure you read and follow the directions on the can and add extra ventilation while doing so. Hardware chess set

If you are one of those people who likes to make things for the home or to give as gifts, you’ll love a hardware chess set. The plans are easy to follow and use a variety of different hardware items to make up the individual chess pieces. You already may have some of these odds and ends laying around in your workshop. If not, it won’t cost much to put a complete set together. Just send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to The Super Handyman, in care of the Houston Chronicle, P.O. Box 4260, Houston, TX 77210; allow six to eight weeks for delivery. The plans also are available on www.thesuperhandyman.com. Of course, you’ll have to master the game yourself.

Handy paper towel holder

We needed a couple of paper towel holders and didn’t want to spend a lot of money on them. I just made some simple ones from a scrap of wood and a dowel rod. The piece of wood for the bottom needs to be stout enough to hold the roll upright and keep it from tipping over. The dowel rod should be a little longer than the roll of paper towels and about half the diameter. Drill a hole about halfway through the base, in the center, with a spade bit. Drop some glue into the hole and twist the dowel into it. Slide the roll of paper towels onto the dowel, and you’re ready to go. It’s a simple holder, but it will work well and it’s great for picnics, workbenches, craft rooms and your kitchen.

Dear Kelly: I wasn’t sure what I had run over, but I just knew there was something under the mower deck. I remembered reading years ago in your column to disconnect the spark plug to prevent it from accidentally starting up. Well, I did this, and it took only about one minute extra. It was a good thing I did, too: There was a wire cable wound up around the blade. It took me about 30 minutes and a hacksaw to get it off. Never work under your mower without doing this. Just a reminder to keep you safe. — J.B.

A super hint — I get a lot of plastic bags when I shop. My store recycles them, so I bring them back in every time I shop. But I like to keep some for things around the house. They make great disposable trash bags and disposable gloves for painting or other messy projects.

Dear Ms. Carrell: We always wanted a flag, but just have never really had a good place to mount a holder for it on our house. We bought a metal umbrella stand and a large flagpole that fits into this. We just set the flagpole into the stand, which is made heavy enough not to tip over, and twist the set screw to hold the pole in place. It’s easy to bring in every night, and it allows us to fly our flag every day if we want to. — G.A.

Q: I have a water pipe that runs through my closet downstairs. It is dripping condensation and has ruined the floor. What can I do to make it stop dripping? — H.G.

A: It might be just as simple as adding some insulation to the pipe. The inexpensive foam insulating pipe covers will be the easiest to install and should do the job.

Keep knickknacks safe

I’m certainly not a clean freak, but because of my allergies I do try to keep the dust to a minimum. When I need to vacuum an area that has a lot of small pieces that might be sucked up along with the dust and I don’t want to empty the area to clean out the dust, I slip a scrap of netting over the vacuum nozzle. It will get the dust, but nothing else. This works great for drawers, toolboxes, desks and craft areas.

Dear Kelly: I’ve used the powdered carpet fresheners for years. I love the ease with which they work to control odors and how they leave the carpet with a nice smell. My husband, however, thinks the smell is way too strong. I decided to compromise, and what I came up with was to mix the scented carpet powder half and half with plain baking soda. This does a good job for me, and my husband thinks it’s OK, too. I am probably saving a ton of money, too. — H.S.

A super hint — If your freezer is crowded and you’re afraid to open the door for fear of what will fall out, then you need to add some storage bins to organize food. Put like meals into each container so that finding what you want will be much easier. Pull out the bin, get what you need and put it back.

Dear super HandyMom: I like wallpaper. I have papered almost every wall in our house at one time or another. I’ve learned a lot of tricks, too. For example, if you are going to hang a picture on your wall and want to protect the wallpaper from getting torn or botched up, just use a very sharp knife to cut a small “V” in the paper.

Then gently work the point up from the wall and pull it down enough to install the hanger. When you finally remove the hanger, you can use some paste on the “V” and press it back into place. Your hole won’t show. — G.C.