How to Install an Electric Iron and Ironing Board Holder

A hot iron sitting on an ironing board is an accident waiting to happen when there are small children running around your home. Install a device that may be used to store the iron and board safely away and also free up needed space.

Choose the best place for the iron and board to be stored. This may be in a closet or bathroom area, but it should be a room with a door that can be closed in order to prevent access to it by small children. It is also a good idea to store the iron and board in a low-traffic area that is not frequently accessed by guests.
 

Using an electronic stud finder, locate the left and right edges of a wooden stud inside your wall. Mark the edges lightly with a pencil so that you will know where the middle of the stud is. These marks should be made in close proximity to the position on the wall where you will mount the holder.
 

Position the plastic holder on the wall in the area where you would like it to be permanently mounted. Firmly hold the plastic holder with one hand and with your other hand, hang the ironing board on the holder to be sure the holder is positioned high enough for the board to clear the floor. If there is a door nearby, check it for clearance too. Remove the board from the holder and align the holder so that that center mounting holes are between the pencil lines that you made to mark the wooden stud. Mark these holes using your pencil. It is a good idea to also check the sides of the holder using a level. If the holder is level, the board will hang level when the installation is complete.

Remove the holder from the wall and drill small pilot holes for each mounting hole. The pilot holes should be just smaller than the screw that will occupy the hole. If any of the screws do not match up with the wooden stud, insert a wall anchor to provide extra support. Place the plastic holder back onto the wall and apply screws to each one using your Phillips screwdriver. Do not over tighten the screws!

Insert the iron and wrap the cord so that it fits underneath. Insert the board and inspect the installation from all sides. Pull on the board and make sure the holder doesn't budge.


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How to Give Your Spouse a Relaxing Massage at Home

Treat your spouse to a well-prepared massage. Help them relax and ease the tension from a long hard day.  Begin by learning proper massage technique. You can take massage classes from a massage therapy school or you can find training DVD videos online. It is important not to hurt your spouse by using improper techniques. Also, do not attempt a hot stone therapy unless you know what you are doing.

Purchase the necessary equipment. At very least have a massage table, some linens, and some massage oil. Find a quiet room in your home where you can avoid the outside world for at least an hour. Take the phone off the hook and if you have children, let them stay with a relative for a few hours. The goal is to achieve uninterrupted quiet time with your spouse. Prepare the room by setting up the table and covering the windows with blankets to block any outside light. Turn on some relaxing music. Soft piano music is perfect for this or even some soft nature sounds. Be sure to turn the music down very low. Put a glass of ice water in the freezer so that it has time to become very cold. A heated massage table pad is a nice touch because it feels much better to lay naked on a table when it is warm. Light some scented candles or burn some scented oil to appeal to their sense of smell. Do not wear any jewelry or strong cologne or perfume.

Before you begin, find out if your spouse has any trouble areas, like shoulders, neck, or back that are bothering them. Then, while giving the massage, do not speak if you can help it. Your spouse will tell you whether the pressure you’re applying is too weak or too strong. Be mindful of your posture while giving the massage. You can very easily hurt your back if you are not careful. Breathe deeply through your nose and exhale through your mouth while you massage them. The sound of your breathing will help to relax them. Take your time and massage their entire body. When you are finished, let them lay still and relax for awhile.

When the massage is finished, offer your spouse the cold water and be sure to extinguish the candles. They may experience dizziness or even nausea after the massage. If this is the case, care for them and keep the house quiet for as long as possible. Take turns giving and receiving massages and make it a monthly or even weekly routine.

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How to Determine Which Wire is “Hot” in Household Wiring

Your home repair project involves installing a light fixture and an electrical outlet. You flipped the breakers and disconnected the existing fixture, but now you’re uncertain which wire is the “hot” one. What now?

In the United States, household wiring code offers us a clue as to which wire SHOULD correspond to what. Extreme caution should be used, however, when dealing with electricity, even if you feel certain that you know which wire is which. The possibility exists that a misguided handy-man who came before you made the wrong choice connecting the wires. You can never be too careful when your life is at risk.

According to code, the black wire is always the "hot" or "live" wire, meaning, it is connected to a source supplying 110 VAC. If you are connecting this wire to an electrical outlet, this wire should connect to the narrow spade, or brass colored terminal. If you have not switched off the breakers like you're supposed to and you grab the copper conductor of this wire, you will probably feel an unmistakable tingling sensation quickly travel up your arm. If you do feel it, let go of the wire because this sensation is not good for you. If this happens to you often, be sure to have someone around who knows CPR and first aid when you do home repairs.

The green wire is your friend. This is the ground wire. Its sole purpose for existing is to save your life by providing electricity an alternate path to ground. In the case of a short circuit, the current passes through the ground wire and overloads the breakers, causing them to trip. Sometimes this wire will also have a yellow stripe. Be sure to connect the ground wire properly when performing an electrical repair. If the copper conductor of the "hot" wire that we just discussed were to maneuver it's way over to the metal casing of, for example your ceiling fan, and make contact with it without the ground wire attached, you would be in for a nasty surprise when you touched the metal casing of the fan.

The white wire is known as the "neutral" wire. In any circuit, whether AC or DC, there has to be a complete path in order for the electrical current to flow. The white wire alone should not have a charge and should not hurt you if you touch it. If installing an electrical outlet, this wire connects to the wide spade or silver colored terminal.  Sometimes, you will find a red wire living side-by-side with the black, white, and green wires. This wire is known as a "traveler" wire and is used to connect power between 3-way light switches.

Always use caution when working with household wiring. Turn off the breaker that corresponds to the circuit that you are working on. If you are not certain which one is which, switch off the main breaker. Even then, it is a good idea to test the wires with a multimeter to be absolutely certain that the wires are not "hot". It's a good idea to test between the black wire and the white wire and then between the black wire and the green wire. It is important to note that when reading AC voltage with a multimeter, if you connect your probes between two wires that are both "hot" (110VAC) the reading will be 0 volts. (A lesson that I learned the hard way!) Always know what you are doing when dealing with electricity. Small mistakes could prove to be fatal.



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