To fix window frames, use an epoxy repair kit

To fix window frames,use an epoxy repair kit
In the remodeling industry, window replacement is big business.
Damaged wood sills and frames prompt consumers to consider spending $5,000, $10,000, $15,000 and more in replacement costs.
This is because most folks don't realize that rotted wood frames can be repaired.
A two-phase, two-part epoxy repair kit is needed.
Scoop out the soft, rotted wood, mix the two-part liquid that makes up phase one and apply it to the affected area as a weather seal and bonding coat. Next, use the two-part putty that makes up phase two to fill the hole.
The finished product can be planed or sanded just as wood is. Use an oil primer and an oil- or latex-finish coat to make the frame look new again.
For gift ideas, browseSky Mall magazine
From the current issue of US Airways' Sky Mall magazine, come the following home products.
UFrom SilvoHome ([800] 331- 1261, www.silvohome.com), there's a convection heater, a rolling laundry cart that fits between a washer and dryer, and a shoe cubby, with or without doors. The heater ($79.99) is a sleek model that fits into just about any decor, and it has a quiet turbo fan that won't interrupt TV viewing. There are 750/1,500-watt dual-heat levels with indicator lights. The rolling cart ($34.99) needs just 8 inches of clearance between the washer and dryer. It has three shelves that can hold detergents and such. The shoe cubby ($139.99 to $269.99), made of laminated particleboard, ranges in width from 173/8 inches to 333/8 inches and is 321/4 inches high.
UFrom Plow & amp; Hearth ([800] 494-7544, www.plowandhearth.com) comes a reproduction Crosley turntable with radio and cassette and a 16th-century thermometer. The turntable looks like something out of the 1940s. You can buy it separately ($129.99), or with the radio and cassette ($179.99), and with the turntable stand ($99.95).
UThe Galileo thermometers ($14.95 to $69.95) are blown-glass cylinders filled with glass balls that rise and fall with the temperature.
UFinally, from Lizell, which "redefines your work space," comes the Lapstation 1, a 16-by-25-inch work surface for your laptop that folds into a briefcase. Price: $69. For more information, call (800) 718-8882 or visit www.lizell.com on the Web.
Follow tips to helpcut your heating costs
One way of paying for those Christmas gifts is to save on heating costs, and HouseMaster, the home-inspection company, offers some tips:
UMake sure that doors to spare rooms are kept closed, with the heat turned off in each room.
UAttic vents should be kept open so that outdoor air circulates and removes water vapor, but ducts should be insulated to reduce heat loss.
UCaulk around windows and door cracks to reduce air and moisture leakage.
UReduce the use of exhaust fans in the kitchen and bath; they remove heated air from the home.
UEntry doors should be weather-stripped, and a storm door with a closer (that will close it promptly and keep it closed) should be installed.
UChange the filter on the furnace so that it will run more efficiently (cost is about $2).
UGarages containing furnaces or water heaters should be fully insulated.
UInsulate hot-water pipes and heating vents in unheated crawl spaces to prevent heat loss; insulate cold-water pipes to prevent freezing.