Well you knew that summer would get here.  And now that it is here I want to remind you of some things that you can do to save money on your utility bills.  The first and cheapest way is to get rid of that old ceiling fan, and get a fan where the blades have a pitch of 13% and more.  Remember, a good ceiling fan does not cost that much.  Regency is the one that I prefer, and they have one that regularly sells for 129.99 and I put it on sale for 69.96 and that includes a light kit.  They have a life time warranty on the motor, with triple capacitors that make the fan completely silent, you know no more click, click, click.  I even put a ceiling fan on my patio at the lake.  It has a 20% pitch on the blade and boy can that fan keep you cool.  And the best part is that they run on pennies a day.  So now you can raise the thermostat on the AC and still feel cool in the heat of the day.  Now if you are not in the room, turn off the fan.  The only reason that the fan feels cool is because of wind chill against your skin, not because it lowers the tempreture in the room.  Another way to save is to put a window insulating kit on the windows.  Maclanburg Duncan makes one that goes up with a tape and it will give you a dead air space(great insulator) and a added feature is that it reduces street noise in the house.  The new vinyl window made by Visions makes a big difference on you utility bill.  It will save you an honest 23%.  Visions window is different because of the honeycomb frame and the southern soft low E on the glass.  Last check the AC ducts in the attic for leaks.  I found a 4” hole in a 2 year old home.   So if you don’t do anything, at least check the duct work- that won’t cost you a dime. 

Now to the e-mail…..

Question:  I love to read your column.  It really helps us single women that need to do things and don’t know how.  So I’m wondering what is the easiest way to remove the popcorn ceiling texture from the room?

Answer:  First get a roll of plastic and tape it around the room draping the floor and coming about 6 inches up from the floor.  Now get a ladder and a 6 inch putty knife and move across the ceiling removing the texture as you go.  It comes off very easy, and since you have the floor covered with plastic, everything will fall in the plastic.  Then after removing the texture, sand the ceiling and prime with a latex primer called Grip and Seal.  Give it 2 coats.

Question: Johnnie, I have oil drops on my driveway and my house is only 2 years old.  What can I do to clean this up?

Answer:  There is a miracle product called “Drive Up” that removes oil and grease from concrete and asphalt driveways.  Here is what to do:  Spray the area really well about 4 times in a hour, making sure it never dries up.  Then after the last spray use a broom to sweep the area and then rinse with clear water.  Let dry and if there is any shadow after it is dry – repeat the process.  I did it in my garage and it only took 1 time- and it smelled great for weeks. 

Question:  Johnnie I have ceramic tile on my floor in the kitchen, and no matter what I use to clean with – it still looks dirty.  The grout looks bad too.  Do you know of something I can clean the tile with?

Answer:  The best cleaner is T.S.P. for real stubborn dirt.  It’s strong, so wear gloves.  Then to clean the grout- use Stone Tech Restore.  It will clean colored grout without bleaching it out, and will make white grout look brand new. 

Question:  Johnnie I have dining room chairs with a cane insert on the back.  The finish has worn off in some places.  I have tried various methods to restain it, but the cane is not pourous and will not absorb the stain.  Do you have any tips or techniques that I can use?

Answer:  Take off the sealer(probably varnish)with a product called Soy Gel.  It’s made from soybeans and is very gentle.  Then after removing the varnish, you can re-stain the cane.   

Got a question for Johnnie? Tune in to Johnnie's radio show Saturday mornings on KTSA (5500 AM) from 9-11 or call 828-8907. Reach him on the web at www.AcmeLumber.com.