As many readers are aware, our Guest Author Program kicked off in late 2008, with the hope that we could dig up a few like minded people, to help everyone get just a bit more experience, on their own DIY Projects. We are thrilled to announce the participation of a very well known Do it Yourself Expert, Lou Manfredini, the Ace Helpful Hardware Man!
Who is Lou Manfredini?
After more than 10 successful years in construction, Manfredini had gained a tremendous amount of knowledge on homes that he began to consider ways to more broadly share his expertise with others. He believed that a house “was more like a living entity than an inanimate collection of lumber, wiring and plumbing.” By showing people how various systems and components in a house rely on each other and instilling a greater understanding of a house as a “whole,” Manfredini thought everyone could have greater success in their home improvement and do-it-yourself (DIY) projects.
Lou will be providing several tips and resources for readers, based off the topics that are currently on the minds of everyone! To see a sample of the quality advice from Lou, visit the Helpful Hardware Man Projects page.
Armed with his expertise and enthusiasm, Manfredini began his media career when WGN Radio in Chicago launched his idea for a home improvement call-in radio show. The show quickly caught on: today, The Mr. Fix-It Show is the number one Saturday morning radio program in Chicago.
Not long thereafter, Manfredini branched into television and print media. Currently, he is the official home improvement expert for NBC’s Today Show and a frequent guest on numerous network television stations across the United States as well as programming for CNN, HGTV, Discovery, and the History Channel. Most recently, Manfredini is the host of his own television show, HouseSmarts, which airs on the NBC affiliate in Chicago.
Reaching millions of DIYers every month with his friendly persona and down-to-earth project advice, Manfredini also has authored these successful DIY books: Lou Manfredini’s Bath Smarts (2004), Kitchen Smarts (2004), Room Smarts (2004) and House Smarts (2002); Mr. Fix-It Introduces You to Your Home (2002); and Mr. Fix-It: 101 Answers to the Most Commonly Asked Questions About Repairing Your Home (2000). These books have been featured in national magazines such as People and Newsweek, as well as major-market newspapers such as the Los Angeles Times and Chicago Tribune.
Manfredini is a nationally recognized DIY expert, sought after both for his expertise and his energetic, entertaining style. In an extension of his ongoing effort to help people maximize the value and enjoyment of their homes, he is also Ace Hardware’s “Helpful Hardware Man” and editorial media spokesperson. Along with his wife and four children, Manfredini lives in Chicago, where they also own and operate a neighborhood Ace Hardware store.
Hi folks, this is Lou Manfredini, Ace’s “Helpful Hardware Man” and I’ve got some tips for one of the most complained about household issues: pilot lights. Hopefully we are all moving to a world without pilot lights, but for those of us living in older homes, it’s not something we can get rid of just yet.
The biggest thing when dealing with pilot lights is to make sure that you have a good sensing device, called a thermocouple, which can sense when the light is on. These need to be changed every 5-6 years and need to be cleaned on a regular basis. If you are having a hard time keeping your pilot light on, 9 out of 10 times, you just need to check your thermocouple.
If your pilot light that is attached to your heater or furnace is going out, it could be from wind that is coming through the chimney and literally blowing it out. A way to stop this from happening is to use a mechanical damper, which opens and closes when needed.
Finally, if you have an electronic ignition, you might want to check that your flame sensor is working properly. This is a piece of metal that is shaped similar to a large paperclip. When the gas turns on it ignites and senses when the flame is on.
As well all know, college is NOT cheap. The price will vary depending on the school you go to, or whether it is a public or private institute. But wherever you go, you will have the opportunity of receiving student loans.
Student loans are loans that are distributed to students based on how well you may have done in high school, or how your parents income. There are many factors that could determine how much money you will receive.
The loans are mailed to you at the beginning of you academic school year in for of a check. It is your responsibility to decide what to do with this check. Obviously you will be using it towards paying tuition. But before doing this, there are many things you could do to help maximize the effectiveness of this loan.
You should start off by applying for each and every loan or scholarship available to you. The more money you receive, the less money that comes out of your own pocket. After you receive the money, you should sit down and meet with your financial advisor. He or she will help you decide where you should spend your money. There are many factors that could maximize your loans. Where you live, your type of meal plan, and your books are things that could affect this. Finding the cheapest apartment, eating at the cheapest food places, and the places you rent out your books will help you save money, and in the end you could find yourself using these loans to cover all of your tuition, or even having left over money in your pocket. Another thing that can reduce your cost of college is work-study jobs. This type of job is on campus and what it does is take a portion of your tuition and let you work for that money, so you are basically earning it back.
Student loans are underestimated by many people but if you play your cards right and do enough research to find out how to best maximize the loans, you could end up going to college for a low price, or even free.
