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INTERIOR HOME CARE -
Refurbishing & Simple Repairs (continued)
c. You can also very easily replace knobs and handles on cabinets. Just take off a handle that you want to replace, and find a replacement at the home improvement store that is suitable. If it is a handle with more than one screw, make sure to buy replacement handles that have the same screw spacing as the original handles.
d. Depending on the type, hinges on cabinets can also be adjusted so cabinet doors fit correctly and tightly. Many hinges have more than one adjustment screw on the inside. Just play around with the adjustment screws until you understand what direction they make the cabinet door adjust, and then make your final adjustments so the doors fit properly.
10. Often doors in a house will not close properly because they stick or do not latch properly. After checking to see if all the hinges are fastened to both the door and door jamb properly, consider the following:
a. For doors that stick, often the easiest solution is to sand down the edge of the door that sticks. Once the door fits, touch up the sanded area with some paint for both looks, and to prevent moisture from swelling the door.
b. For doors that do not latch properly, usually the strike plate (the small plate on the door jamb that the door latch goes into) is not aligned properly with the door latch. Fixing this involves moving the strike plate up or down, or in or out, so it aligns with the door latch. This can be tricky because it is held by two screws and sometimes it is difficult to just move the screws a little bit. Just play around with it until you get the right adjustment.
11. If you have screws in wood furniture or door jambs, etc. that are loose, because the hole in the wood has become too large, try breaking off some wood toothpicks in the hole and then screwing the screw back in. The toothpicks fill the hole up and allow the screw to secure firmly.
Many people have interior pest control handled by a professional company at significant cost. For the most part, this is not necessary and can be handled quite easily by the homeowner at minimal cost. To control bugs consider the following:
1. At any home improvement store, you can purchase a gallon of bug spray that will control bugs inside your home for several months. This spray can be applied along all baseboards, exterior doors and windows, under appliances, around all plumbing pipes that go through walls under sinks, etc. to provide a barrier for bugs. The spray does not stain and is safe for use indoors, and it costs less than $10 per gallon. This is pretty much all a pest control company does in any case. If you want to spray powder under some appliances or other hard to reach places this is also available at the store. If you think your problem is behind a bathtub that you cannot reach, try taking off the overflow drain plate at the top of the tub. You can usually get to the side of the pipe and either pump liquid or powder bug killer behind the tub.
2. If you have a particular problem with ants or roaches, try buying ant and/or roach “traps” at the store. These are very inexpensive and safe to use, and have a chemical bait that will kill ants and roaches. They are only a couple inches square and disposable, and can be placed under sinks, in cabinets and on the floor in corners. If you have a particular problem with ants, you can find “ant gel” at your home improvement store that the ants will take back to their nest and share, helping to kill the whole colony.
3. Caulk around all doors and windows on both the inside and outside of the house to help prevent bugs from getting into your living spaces. Often, particularly on the inside of the house where trim surrounds the windows and doors, there are gaps between the trim and the wall where it should have been caulked, but was not. This is particularly prevalent above windows and doors and under windows, where spaces that have not been caulked are not readily visible. Sealing these gaps (as well as any other holes or gaps on the inside or outside of your home) with caulk will often reduce bug issues significantly, as well as reduce drafts and heating bills. Caulking gaps under your sinks where pipes come through the wall or floor can also be helpful in preventing bugs.
4. If you have a severe problem with bugs throughout a large portion of your home, you can purchase bug bombs at the home improvement store that can be set off, and will emit a gas that will kill all the bugs in your house. These bug bombs can be used in various rooms of your house, as well in basements, crawl spaces and attics to eliminate bugs. They are inexpensive and safe to use. Just follow instructions.
5. Finally, you can also install bug protection outside your home by sprinkling about a two foot wide swath of granulated lawn bug control product on the ground around and against the outside walls of your house. Doing this three or four times a year will help prevent bugs from entering your house, and it is relatively inexpensive. These products will not harm shrubbery around your home.
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