I knew it was coming, and here it is—summer! A little late, but just as hot. And with the hot weather comes those water bills. Do you realize how much good drinking water that is wasted on waiting on your hot water for the shower, or the sink? I never really understood how much until I moved into the last house. It came with a constant water demand system. We had the house for about a month before we moved in. No one was there. But my bill was $97.00! Wow was that an eye opener. It ran all the time. That doesn’t happen with a Metlund D’mand System. With a Metlund you still get hot water in 10 seconds but instead of costing $97 a month it costs about $1. Well I will take that any day. And it’s a DIY project, too. Just install it under the faucet that is the farthest away from the hot water tank. When you are ready for hot water just press the button and in 10 seconds turn on the water and you have hot water immediately. No more wasting water. The system cost about $400 in SA, and SAWS will give you a rebate of $150 on your water bill, and we discount them $50 at the time of sale. It’s a great deal. To learn more about Metlund, go to HYPERLINK "http://www.gothotwater.com" www.gothotwater.com or call 800-638-5863. You can ask questions, and ask for a retailer near you. I hope this helps you, because that’s my job. I am going to a hardware show next week to look for new ways to help you save money- so stay tuned.

Now to the e-mail…..

Question: Is there a product I can use to bring back the color in laminated wood floors where the sun has faded the wood?
Answer: The best product I know of is called Quick Shine. Put on a few coats and your laminate floors will look new again.

Question: Johnnie we dropped paint in the garage and we can not get it up. What can we do – or do we just paint the whole thing?
Answer: The best way to remove paint or varnish is to use “Soy-Gel”. Just put on a coat about a ? of inch thick and leave it alone for a few hours. And there is no smell. Go back and try and scrap it up with a putty knife- if it still is sticking, put on another coat and leave it alone for a few more hours. Then scrap it up and rinse it off. Then stain your garage floor with Mason’s Select. You have to etch it first with a product called Safe Solutions- then use the stain. Both of these products are made by Ducks Back, and you can read more about it on the internet go to HYPERLINK "http://www.superdeck.com" www.superdeck.com. Your floor will look great.

Question: Johnnie I enjoy reading your column and have been saving your articles that I think I might need to refer to. I know you have addressed the task of refinishing a wooden front door with leaded glass panes but I either misplaced the article or failed to keep it. I would appreciate it if you could send me your recommendations for preparation.
Answer: I have a door that also had not been taken care of. I used the SunWax product on the door and it looked so much better. Just put a few coats on. SunWax is made by Howard Products. They make Feed and Wax. Just wipe it on the door and it brings the color back to the door. And it has a UV protect ant in it.

Question: Our kitchen cabinets were painted about 8 years ago. They have lost their luster. What can you use to clean them and bring back the fresh paint look. Can you strip the paint and take them back to a stained look?
Answer: The best thing to do is clean the cabinets first with soap and water. Then use a primer called Grip and Seal. Then use a paint called Tough Walls in a semi gloss. These products are both made by Coronado Paint. Look in the yellow pages for the dealer near you. You cabinets will look fresh again, with out stripping off the old paint. Make sure you get some cabinet hardware in a new finish.

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.