Carbon-monoxide detectors can prevent illnesses or deaths

Dear Readers: You should install carbon-monoxide detectors near bedrooms in your home to prevent possible sickness or death. Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless, deadly gas that occurs when fuels, such as gas, oil, coal or wood (in boilers, oil burners or water heaters), are burned incompletely. The gas then permeates your home — about 65 percent of carbon-monoxide-related deaths come from heating systems.

•Have your furnace and water heater maintained properly and checked by a professional at least once a year. This is a must!

•Buy a detector that is certified by the Underwriters Laboratories. The packaging should have the UL letters in a circle logo. Do not buy a used detector.

•Carbon-monoxide detectors should be placed either high or low on the wall and within 15 feet of every bedroom. Newer-model detectors can detect both low and high levels of carbon monoxide.

•If the alarm goes off, open the windows. Get everyone out of the house as fast as possible. Call 911 from outside when all family members are safe. Heloise

Dear Heloise: I save the credit-card-size plastic cards that come in the mail as advertisements, calendars, etc. It began as a collection for the grandkids to play “shopping.” Then I began to use them to “sweep” up small spills or gummy spots on the counter, floor and table. It saves getting out the whisk broom or hand vacuum.

My second suggestion applies when someone is ill and the caretaker is struggling to keep up. You may not be able to change bed linens, but changing pillowcases is quick and refreshing. Kate, Vienna, Va.

Dear Heloise: I never liked throwing away a paint roller at the end of the day, especially when I wasn’t finished with my project. Wrapping the roller in foil did not work for me. I save tall chip containers and store the roller inside overnight. Place the roller in the can and snap the lid on tight. Duane Belseth, Fairmont, Minn.

Duane, be sure to wipe the inside of the chip container beforehand, because it may be greasy. We’ve printed many hints about how to reuse these handy containers. They make perfect storage for spaghetti, pens and pencils, nails and screws, cookies, crackers, coins, trash in the car, straws, yarn, etc. You also can use them as building blocks for small children, shoe trees or cover them with pretty paper for a fun vase. Heloise.

Dear Heloise: My wife wanted to buy two pairs of new garden gloves because she had two old left-hand gloves. The right-hand fingertips were missing, having worn through. I told her to just turn one of the left-hand gloves inside out to make it a right-hand glove. It worked. Now she has a pair of garden gloves. Kaz in Connecticut

SBlt Send a money-saving or timesaving hint to Heloise, P.O. Box 795000, San Antonio, TX 78279-5000, or you can fax it to (210) HELOISE or e-mail it to Heloise@Heloise.com.

King Features Syndicate