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, by Trudy Chuoke Author Article title
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, by Trudy Chuoke Author Article title
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, by Trudy Chuoke Author Article title
Thermo Cube
- , by Trudy Chuoke Trudy Chuoke
South Texas can be sneaky. One day it is 85 degrees, and we are enjoying a reprieve from the heat. And as quickly as the cool air hits, chilly air is right behind. Usually without any warning. We don’t really have seasons – we just have hot or cold with a little “warm” and “cool” in between. That’s why we get caught unaware and unprepared. So let me share a couple of ways that you can stay on top of it this year.
Thermo Cube has been around for quite a while. And though there are others on the market, Thermo Cube is made in the USA and has a long history in helping when it comes to unexpected cold weather. If you managed to keep your plants through that ridiculous summer that we had, the last thing you want to do is lose them to a cold snap that throws us down into the 20’s overnight. If you keep your plants in a sunroom or greenhouse you probably have a heat lamp or a heater that you use to keep them warm. But you don’t want to have that running all the time-- only when you need it. Plug in a Thermo Cube and then plug your lamp or heater into the Thermo Cube. Thermo Cube will cause the lamps or heaters to come on when the temperature drops to 35 degrees and go off when the temperature reaches 45 degrees.
A Thermo Cube is great for pump houses. There is nothing worse than freezing and no water. They are good for boat houses, sheds, and RV’s. Do you keep your pets in the garage during the winter? Place a heater and Thermo Cube to keep them safe and warm. Do you have chickens? My daughter has 12 in Alpine, and they use the Thermo Cube to keep the chickens warm and their water from freezing. Do you have a place at a ranch or hunting lease? Keep the pipes from freezing under the sinks by placing a clamp light under the sinks and then plug an extension cord into the Thermo Cube. When the temperature goes down the light will come on and keep the pipes from freezing. That is much simpler than wrapping all those pipes with insulation.
You know what I also like about Termo Cube, it’s simple! Plug it into the outlet, plug in your lamp or heater and let Thermo Cube do the work. It will be on our website www.happyhandyman.com.
For more tip and ideas on home maintenance, listen to The Happy Handyman radio show on Saturdays at 3pm on WOAI or on I Heart Media. You can also find us out on YouTube.
Now to the email….
Question: I have some cabinet doors that don’t close well because the screws in the hinges don’t grip the wood. I know I can put wood dough in the existing holes but is there a simple way? My neighbor told me to put toothpicks in the screw holes and that would work. I tried that but it didn’t work for long, and the doors were drooping again and not closing.
Answer: I found an anchor a few years ago and I think it’s a much easier way to secure the cabinet hinges. The product is called Screw It Again. It’s a tapered anchor that just goes into the existing screw hole. Remove the screw from the hinge, push the anchor into the hold. Place a screwdriver in the anchor and rock it back and forth until it breaks off at the hinge level. Now put back the existing screw and tighten. It will tighten up the cabinet door and keep it level and straight.
Question: I recently got a large water bill which I didn’t understand because I simply am not watering. I paid it. But when I received another bill, well I started investigating. Well, I found a faucet that I don’t use very often back by the garage was leaking. I don’t want to turn off the water and replace the hose bib right this minute– have any suggestions?
Answer: You could do a couple of things. You could put on a Freeze Mizer. It’s not freezing yet, but you should be prepared for the weather that I’m sure we will have. Since it’s not freezing, it will stop the drip. You could also put a cap on the faucet. But you need to take care of that hose bib before the freezing weather hits.