The master gardener in our neighborhood advises that because of the severe drought we had this summer, the trees and bushes in your yard are highly stressed. They could easily be lost over the winter if they are not well-watered before winter sets in. You should run your hose at about half flow on each tree for about an hour once or twice a week until the first freeze. The bushes will need one-third of that amount.
When you are done watering for the season, stretch the hose out and drain all the water. Coil the hose back up and store it in the garage. If you leave it outside with water in it, the water will freeze and ruin your hose.
Check that all outside faucets are turned off. You do not have to do anything else, such as turn off the water in the house.
Remove the extension hose from the sump pump discharge pipe. This needs to be done before the first freeze so you don’t freeze water in this hose and prevent the sump pump from discharging.
Some people cover the outdoor air conditioning unit. I’m not sure I know why, as the unit is designed to be outdoors, and it gets rained on all summer. With a cover on the unit, there will be condensation on the cold metal parts, as the cover insulates it from the air and keeps moisture in.
I also have a similar opinion about gas grill covers. I have never had the outside metal parts that are under these covers deteriorate before the burners and the grates disintegrate and need to be replaced.
My range is less than eight years old, and this is the problem I am having with it. I am a baker, and I bake a lot. In the past year, I have noticed that if I bake more than one thing at a time, it is not baking through. More recently, I notice that if I bake only one item, it is not baking through. Cookies I bake a little longer, but Bundt cakes do not bake through. I bought an oven thermometer, and it seems as though my oven is at the temperature it is set at. What could be wrong?
I’m not sure if you have a gas or electric oven. The possible causes are different with each, so I will address both.
With a gas oven, one thing that could cause the problem you report is a dirty burner. This is something you can repair yourself. Turn off the gas supply to the oven before doing any investigative or repair work. The gas line is behind or under the oven. Look for a knob or handle to turn it off.
You can clean the burner in your oven with a toothbrush and some baking soda. Remove any dirt on the surface of the burner and clean out the holes. Use a diluted baking soda mix and a toothbrush and gently brush clean the burner surface and the burner holes. Unbend a paper clip and use one end to poke through the burner holes to remove any buildup.
Another common problem with gas ovens is a weak or burned-out bake igniter, causing your oven to heat poorly and food to take too long to bake.
Find the bake igniter, located near the burner. It’s small — usually one-by-four inches. On some ovens, the bake igniter is round, and on others it is rectangular. Check to see that it is glowing bright red when you turn on the oven.
In some instances, the igniter will still put off a light but won’t ignite a flame if it’s too weak. If this is the case, consult a professional repair company to replace the bake igniter.
If you have an electric oven, the most common problem is a defective heating element. Your oven has two types of heating elements, one on top and one on the bottom. The heating element on top is known as the broil heating element. The one on the bottom is the bake heating element. If you have an element burning out, it is very easy to tell. When the elements are working, you can clearly see the bright red glow over the full length of the burner. If your oven is warm but not at the correct temperature, check your heating element.
When the oven is set at prebake, both of your heating elements will turn on. You can easily be fooled by one element working while the other is not. If you determine that the element is bad, you should call a service technician, as the problem could be a bad control, a loose connection, or a wiring problem. A voltmeter will be needed to track down the exact problem.
There are some excellent videos on the website Repair Clinic at:
www.repairclinic.com/RepairHelp/Range-Stove-Oven-Repair-Help. These will give you more information on these problems with specifics about your particular model.
When the power goes off, as it did last week, is it okay to flush the toilet?
Yes, it is perfectly safe to flush the toilet when the power is off. Electricity is not connected to your toilet in any way. The energy to make your toilet flush and refill comes from water raised up in the tanks you see around town that flows downhill to your house.
If you have suggestions for future tips or have questions about maintenance around your home, submit them to ask.the.woodchucks@gmail.com.
