It can be difficult to detect if your car is leaking oil, especially if your garage is poorly lit. One way to check is to lay clean newspaper on the ground underneath the car overnight. Wait for a dry day with no rain or snow, and make sure the floor beneath the newspaper is clean and dry. The next morning, check to see if any oil has leaked onto the newspaper; if it has, you’ll know to take your car to your local auto care shop to have the leak investigated and repaired.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

Many of us use a space heater as an energy-efficient way to add supplemental heat to warm up a room. Although the design of these little heaters has changed over the years to improve their safety, they still can pose a fire hazard. One important tip from the Consumer Product Safety Commission is that if you need to use an extension cord with your heater, use the 14-gauge heavy-duty kind. This type of cord (usually designed for outdoor use) ensures the electricity is properly grounded when you operate the heater.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

It sounds like a smart idea: Use stain- and water-resistant outdoor furniture inside the house. And why not? Many outdoor furniture pieces are gorgeous enough to work inside. The problem is that the fabric used to be tough-as-nails outside is treated with chemicals that are high in volatile organic compounds. These VOCs can be emitted into the air and cause pollution indoors. Leave furniture and fabric designed for outdoor use outside, and instead look for natural materials like wool, canvas and cotton for indoor use.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION