We have no way of knowing if anyone reads our column, and we get very few emails, but this month we did receive several emails.
A resident wrote to us a few months back about a problem she had with her oven. She is a self-described baker and had noticed in the past year that cookies and cakes were not baking through like they used to. We answered her question and just received a follow up confirming that our advice fixed her problem.
“I want to thank you for solving my range problem. Evidently the igniter doesn’t just stop working; it seems to just wear out over a period of time. Slowly through the past year, all my baked items had taken more and more time to get baked through. Voila, a new igniter fixed it completely.”
We also received a nice complement for another project we worked on.
“I wanted to compliment the Woodchucks on the marvelous scenery that you made for My Fair Lady. I was sitting in the second row, so I got a good look at it. Very impressive. Not only was it lovely to look at, but it appeared to move easily for all the scene changes…and there were many scene changes. There does not seem to be anything you all cannot do and do very well. Congratulations.”
The Woodchucks have worked with the Sun City Theater Company for nine years now building sets for each of their plays. It started as a way to train members on the use of various woodworking equipment in the shop. It is now a fun activity for 30-40 members of the club. We enjoy making sets as much as the actors enjoy putting on the plays.
We recently received a question that we do not have a good answer for. Does anyone have a good solution for this security problem?
“Do you know of anything, other than expensive locking covers, that residents could do to secure their window well covers and have it also be easy to get out in case of an emergency? As is, the window well covers are easy to open and would allow a burglar easy access to a basement window.”
The solution is probably not in the cover, as anything that would keep intruders out would not allow residents easy exit in case of an emergency. A better lock to secure the window might be the answer, but it must be easily released from the inside. If anyone has a solution, please let us know.
Question: What temperature should we set our thermostat at in the winter time?
Answer: This is really a matter of personal preference, but the lower you set the temperature, the lower your heating bills will be. Each one degree you lower the thermostat will save you 2 to 3 percent on your heating bill. You should also have a thermostat with a night set-back capability. If you set the temperature back six degrees at night while you are sleeping, this will save you another 5 percent on your heating bill. My thermostat is set at 68 degrees during the day and 63 degrees at night, which I think is about average.
If you have suggestions for future tips or have questions about maintenance around your home, submit them to ask.the.woodchucks@gmail.com.
