Dear Heloise: In a recent column, comments came in about high water pressure in the home and how to respond. The best answer is to go to your local hardware store and buy an inexpensive pressure gauge (I paid $12) that fits on your outside water connection. If the pressure is higher than 55-60 PSI, consider putting a pressure regulator valve on your incoming cold water supply.

You can ask several plumbers to quote you on the cost for the install.

You can also price it yourself by going to a big-box store and seeing what they are charging for this labor. — Phillip C., in Roanoke, Virginia SEND A GREAT HINT TO: Heloise@Heloise.com

CHANGING YOUR TOOTHBRUSH Dear Heloise: To the reader who asked when to change their toothbrush, I change mine when I get my teeth cleaned, which is twice a year. If you conwhatever

Hints from Heloise

sistently do this, there are no questions as to when to change your toothbrush. You just do it. God bless! — Jacqueline S., via email AS THE SEASONS CHANGE Dear Heloise: I lose track of the last time I changed my toothbrush, the last time I washed the blankets on my bed, the last time I cleaned the dust off the top of my refrigerator, etc. So, now I have a list of items that I take care of every time the seasons change. No more guesswork! — K.B., from Ohio CLEVER PAINTING HINT Dear Heloise: Today’s column included a painting tip from Michelle about wrapping your used paintbrush in a plastic bag when you need a break. We had a painter who just finished our offices at work. His tip

was to put the brushes in a bag and put them in the break room refigerator overnight. Thank you! — Linda, from Iowa RECYCLING IDEA Dear Heloise: Instead of storing food scraps in a plastic bag in the freezer to put in the green bin for composting on recycling day (as another reader suggested), consider using a small brown paper lunch sack instead.

It can fit conveniently inside the freezer door for veggie scraps all week long; then it gets tossed right into the green bin on recycling day — adding no plastic at all to a compost pile! — Jude M., in San Antonio Jude, this is the way I recycle scraps from my veggies. The paper bag can be recycled, and nothing goes to waste! — Heloise SCREENING PHONE CALLS Dear Heloise: Recently, your column recommended contacting one’s phone company to create

at home

a list of up to 30 numbers from which one wishes to receive calls. All other callers would receive a response that the number has been disconnected or not in service. I think such a course of action is irresponsible. The list of persons or companies from which I want to receive calls changes constantly.

For instance, I would not want a medical provider who is calling to set up an appointment to receive such a notification. It is safer to simply not answer calls from unknown numbers. If it is important, the caller will always leave a message. — Fred H., Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania Fred, for you and many like you, this would not work.

However, there are people for whom this is a solution to scam callers.

Personally, I’d rather just not answer the call, but this is me and my solution. — Heloise