With the winter's cold air howling outside most of us begin to get house bound. A growing family especially with one or more teenages can have the most flexible person feeling like the walls are closing in. The dream of a special place where you can escape from the everyday stresses starts to grow into a reality with just a little planning.

"But where can I go?" is often the problem. If your home can't go out, consider up! What is your attic used for? Storage or just clutter is often the answer. One homeowner had dreamed for an "exercise and relaxation center with the distinctive feeling of the country." The space features district areas for exercise, relaxation and entertaining with gym equipment,game and pool tables (custom top to convert to a dining area),a fireplace with tile surround,wet bar,TV and stereo equipment and casual furniture.

The room was to remain one large open area but needed some sort of division. This was accomplished by using bordered carpet to separate the areas visually instead of walls or half walls which can be limiting, depending on the use.

The whole space was first hollowed out and the floors were reinforced with steel rods for extra support. Rafters were removed and a row of skylights were added to draw in the natural light. The entire space was drywalled. Extra HVAC was concealed in closets at one end of the design. Raised panels surround the room to bring a unified look. One end of the room offers relaxation with many hi-tech pieces of equipment concealed behind custom bookshelves and cabinetry. Fun is always available in the center with the pool table or other games. The exercise equipment has a wall of mirrors to amplify the light.

With this wonderful hideaway, a family can have their space and enjoy each other too.

Woodburning stoves provide welcome warmth on a cold night. With regular cleaning and periodic overhaul, it can also last a good, long time. We have listed some simple techniques that will help you keep your woodstove burning efficiently.

First, remove the cooled ashes with a shop vacuum or a fire safe vacuum. If your stove has a catalytic converter, remove it according to the manufacturer's instructions. Clean away any ashes or creosote blocking the converter's honeycomb passages. If you find cracks or missing sections in the ceramic element or excessive creosote in the chimney, replace the element. To remove creosote from the chimney, you might want to consider hiring a chimney sweep. There are also videotape cassettes available for the "Do-It-Yourselfer." Gaskets on a stove door or griddle should be replaced every few years. Remove the old gasket and scrape away any dried cement from the gasket groove. Apply new cement to the groove and push the new gasket in place. Close the door to seat the gasket, then open the door and wipe away excess cement.

After you have taken the ashes out of the stove and have replaced any parts needed, wipe the stove clean. For enameled stoves, use a 50/50 solution of vinegar and water. Repair chipped paint with a touch-up kit from the stove manufacturer. Cast iron stoves should be cleaned with a damp rag. Then dry the surfaces thoroughly and apply a coat of stove polish.

The stovepipes that connect to the chimney also need regular maintenance. For single wall pipe, wipe the outside with a dry rag and follow with a coat of polish. Painted double or triple wall pipe that's discolored or peeling near the stove collar will need repainting. Sandblasting is the easiest way to remove discolored, oxidized paint and primer in preparation for repainting. A wire brush and sandpaper are also effective. Stove suppliers and large paint stores will carry high temperature, silicone based spray paint. Two cans will provide two coats for a 5 ft. pipe. Always paint outdoors or with good ventilation.

Here's how to dust the bulbs in your recessed lights. Turn off the electricity. Then, put a soft cloth on a long-handle plunger. Place the plunger against the bulb and gently turn the handle.

Protect the bark on your trees from weed wackers. Cut the top and bottom off a plastic two-liter bottle. Take the center part of the bottle, cut it vertically, and place the bottle around the trunk for protection.

Attach hook and loop fasteners (such as Velcro) on the corners of your car mats. This will keep them from sliding but still allow them to be removed for cleaning.

Organize Your Garage:

You can keep your garage organized with the help of a plastic shoe bag holder. Simply place garden tools, sports equipment, cleaning supplies, and other items in each shoe pocket.

Avoids Hanger Lines:

Here's how to avoid those unattractive hanger lines that may appear on the shoulders of your shirts, jackets, and blouses. Take shoulder pads that have been discarded from old garments and place them over each end of your hangers. You can attach the pads to the hangers with hook and loop fasteners or double-back tape.

Water Heater Life Saver:

To extend the life of your water heater, once a month draw a pail of water from the bottom of your tank. This helps to remove dirt and residue buildup that could damage your heating elements.

An ice dam forms when snow melts and refreezes on tne roof edge or soffit. The dam blocks the drainage path for additional melted snow, which then leaks though the roofer down into the outside walls. To prevent ice dams, ventilate the attic as well as possible. Usually, a combination of continuous soffit vents and a continuous ridge vent works well.

When you re-roof, install eave flashing, which is a soft, tarlike sheet of modified bitumen that is sticky on one side and oil-faced on the other. It prevents accumulated water from leaking though theme admit also seals around the shingle nails.

Eave flashing is laid over the metal drip edge and the roofing felt. When you install it, the flashing should extend up form the roof edge 12 to 24 inches past the inside of the house wall. Eave flashing can be purchased at home centers or roofing-supply outlets. Don't bother installing heating cables on the roof. According to recent research done at the University of Minnesota, using them merely causes the ice dam to form away from the cables, further up the roof.