There is a product that every car and home should not be without. It’s called “Magic Wrap”. It’s a tape, and before you say anything, it’s like no other tape that you have. It looks like electrical tape, and will stretch to 3 times its length. Let me tell you how useful this product is: if you have a drippy pipe under the sink, you can wrap it around the pipe while it is still wet and stop the drip. If you get a puncture in your garden hose, you can seal it up with “Magic Wrap”. You can seal a water hose on your car, and will with stand up to 212 degrees and be air tight up to 100 psi. It will even mend a fan belt on your car. This could save you $$$ if you got stuck out on the road and would have to call a tow truck. I keep one in the house and in my truck. “Magic Wrap” comes in a 1” x 16’ length and stretches almost to 50 ft. Cost is about $10.00. It should be found in most hardware stores, but if you can’t find it, check out the website www.acmelumber.com

Now to the e-mail…

Question: I am so glad you are back in the Greater Houston Weekly. What is the best kind and much insulation to put into my attic? The last time I had 8 ½” of blown in fiberglass insulation to my attic area was Jan. 2000. I also had Sherwin Williams spray on radiance barrier paint to the attic rafters Dec. 1999. I have never seen a difference in our a/c bills and we still keep our a/c at 73 degrees. Please help me out with this matter.
Answer: I feel that 8 ½” of blown in fiberglass insulation should be fine. I never have recommended anyone use a radiance barrier in the roof. Remember for every energy dollar that you spend; only 17cents of it goes through the roof. The biggest amount is 45 cents and that is on windows, 22 cents on the duct work and 7 cents on internal loss. So after 8” of insulation I would have someone check the duct work, put v strip insulation around all the doors and windows. If you are thinking about replacing the windows, go with a with a vinyl, that has soft low E and argon gas, and is double pane. Before you spend any money on things like radiance barriers, call me and I can show you how to get the best bang for your dollar. That’s my job!

Question: Mildew is growing in my glass enclosed shower. Especially around the caulking on the floor. Some mildew appears to be behind the caulk as no amount of scrubbing with various mildew removing product does the job. Could it be that water has penetrated the seal resulting in the “behind the caulk” mildew? So how do I fix that? How do I remove the caulk? And then what do I use to reseal?
Answer: The best thing to get rid of mildew is heat. Dry out the shower, don’t use it for a few days if that’s possible. And then use “Zep Mildew and Stain Remover”. You may have to apply it several times. Then use “Tile Lab Penetrating Sealer” so it won’t come back. This sealer can be applied with a small brush. Allow it to soak in for 5 – 10 minutes, and then wipe off. A great caulk is “Poly Seam Seal”. It comes in clear, white, and almond; it’s an adhesive and a caulk and it mildew resistant.

Question: I wish I could have you for a week at my house so you could fix everything that needs fixing. My question is what is the best way to cool your attic? We are considering turbines. Is this a good way to go?
Answer: Turbines are a good way to remove the heat from the attic. But you also need vents under the eves of your home. When you go into the attic make sure that the insulation is not covering the vents under the eves. A home that has a 3 ft over hang will be much cooler.

Got a question for Johnnie? Tune in to Johnnie's radio show Saturday mornings on KKYX from 11-12 or call (21) 341-1573. Reach him on the web at www.AcmeLumber.com.