Dear Readers: Temperatures should be chilly over most of the country now. Have you given thought to the PIPES in your home? Water expands in the cold weather — this can put pressure on your pipes.

Which pipes are at risk for freezing? Pipes on exterior walls with little insulation, pipes in unheated areas of your home such as the basement, and outdoor pipes for your pool or sprinkler system. Here are some hints to help keep pipes running and warm:

* Keeping kitchen and bath cabinet doors open can allow warm air to circulate (place chemicals up and away from curious kids and pets).

* When temperatures outside plummet, a dripping faucet can help prevent frozen pipes.

* Going away on vacation? Experts agree: Don’t let the temperature in your home drop below 55 degrees Fahrenheit.

For more hints on pipes, contact a licensed plumber in your area. — Heloise

CHECK IT OUT!

Dear Heloise: This week, an attempt was made to short-change me on one purchase, and then on another to charge regular price on an item that was on sale.

I think it’s simply because I am a senior and look vulnerable. Be alert! — L.B.B. in San Antonio

Always check your receipts to make sure you are charged the correct amount. — Heloise

TIPTOP SERVICE

Hi, Heloise: I saw a recent letter in your column about tipping housekeeping staff. Maids at hotels and motels are among the lowest-paid and hardest-working women in the workforce. Many are single mothers supporting families and barely earning enough to make ends meet.

When checking out, we always leave money on the pillow. — E.S., Redondo Beach, Calif.

Etiquette rules say to tip the housekeepers between $2 and $5 per day, since you may have different housekeepers. Tip daily, and leave the tip in a labeled envelope. — Heloise

CLASS ACT

Dear Heloise: My parents owned a store. They instilled in us the importance of being attentive to the customer. Be kind and gracious.

Four students from the high school senior class (as a class fundraiser) would come work in the store, and a percentage of the profits would go to the class. — Jeannette F., Rochester, N.Y.

P.S. I remember my father teaching one of the boys how to tie his necktie!

Wonderful lessons learned! — Heloise

LABEL LOVER

Dear Heloise: As a former illustrator and greeting card designer, I appreciate the artistic talent and work it takes to create beautiful cards.

Therefore, I recycle the cards by using the illustrated card front cover as a gift label. I cut off the front card cover and write the “To” and “From” on it and attach it to the gift. — A Reader, via email

TEXT MANAGEMENT

Dear Heloise: I like to hang on to my text messages. They are time- and date-stamped, and I can look back on them to verify many things. — Maria M. in ­Pennsylvania

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Hints from Heloise run occasionally in Lifestyles. Readers may send a hint to Heloise, P.O. Box 795000, San Antonio, Texas 78279-5000, fax it to 210-HELOISE, or email: Heloise@Heloise.com. Letters won’t be answered personally.