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FeaturesApril 25, 2007

Gardening Things to do this week Soaker hoses and drip irrigation systems help you save water and money. Hummingbirds return from their winter home in Central America. Wasp and hornet queens begin nesting. Mole young are born in chambers deep underground. Honeybees are swarming. Notify a local beekeeper to find a new home for these beneficial insects. -- www.mobot.org...

Gardening

Things to do this week

Soaker hoses and drip irrigation systems help you save water and money. Hummingbirds return from their winter home in Central America. Wasp and hornet queens begin nesting. Mole young are born in chambers deep underground. Honeybees are swarming. Notify a local beekeeper to find a new home for these beneficial insects. -- www.mobot.org

Home improvement

Improving water pressure

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Q: In my house lately, whatever water we turn on -- sinks and tubs and even the toilet -- the water comes on with a burst of pressure before settling to normal. Could this have anything to do with a leak we had a couple of months ago? The plumber said it came from the pressure relief valve near the top of the heater. There have been no leaks since then.

A: The pressure relief valve has nothing to do with your problem. It sounds more like you need to "bleed" your water lines. Air is trapped in the system. Also, the pressure regulator at the outside of your home may be haywire. The least expensive of the two repairs is bleeding the lines. Here's how: Turn off the main water valve. Turn on the outside faucet nearest to the main valve. Also turn on a faucet in the house. Wait for all the water to drain from the system. Turn the main water valve on again When the outside faucet stops sputtering turn it off. When the inside faucet stops sputtering turn it off. If bleeding the lines doesn't work, call a plumber in to help you repair your pressure control valve. -- AP

Home tips

Nuts and bolts or screws

Let's talk fasteners -- like nuts and bolts and screws -- and how to decide which to use. Screws have better holding power than nails and different threads for various materials. There are flat- and round-head screws with slots, sockets or hexagon heads. Screws can be driven in with power tools, but nuts and bolts are stronger. And they're easy to remove, with little damage. There are different types for different jobs, and nuts and bolts can be power-tightened, too, or easily removed the same way. So next time before you start hammering nails, stop and ask yourself: "Would a screw work better, or maybe a nut and bolt? -- AP

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