How to Remove Glaze and Paint Metal Window Frames | Ep. 157

Painting old metal window frames that are rusted and stuck with decades-old glaze is not for the faint of heart, but can be done. Mary from Magnolia Springs, Ala., lives in her grandparents’ 1941 home and needs advice on painting the metal cranking windows in the home.  Listen to the Today's Homeowner Podcast to learn how to remove old glaze, apply fresh glaze, and prime and paint the frames. Simple Solutions Sawhorse Saddle — To prevent sawhorses from scratching up finished pieces, such as a painted door or cabinet, try covering the sawhorses with pool noodles. Use a serrated bread knife to cut a pool noodle about an inch longer than the horizontal rail on each sawhorse. Next, cut a slit along the length of the noodles with a utility knife. Then, slip one pool noodle onto the rail of each sawhorse. The soft pool noodle grips on tightly and will protect workpieces from dings, dents and scratches. And when you’re done, simply pop off the pool noodles and you’re back to a pair of standard wooden sawhorses.  Tarp Tie-Down — To prevent plastic tarps from being blown away, try this trick: Fill a few one-liter plastic bottles with sand or water, then tie one bottle to each corner of the tarp, and one or two in between on larger tarps. The weighted bottles will hold the tarp securely place. Question of the Week Q: How is a hybrid water heater different from a regular water heater? A: A hybrid water heater is an electric water heater equipped with a heat pump. The pump captures heat from room air and transfers it to the cold water entering the water heater. This system makes it so the water heater element doesn't have to work as hard and, therefore, uses less energy.