Evening star., 1939-08-12
First Aid
For the
Aiing House
BY ROGER B. WHITMAN.

Question: Plaster is broken for
some space around an electric out
let, in one or two spots as much
as half an inch. How can this be
patched neatly?
Answer: You can fill the spaces
with patching plaster, to be had at
any hardware store. The difficulty
will come in matching the finish
In color and possibly texture to
the surrounding plaster. If the
present wall is rough the patch
should be roughened in the same
texture before the paster hardens.
Color must be supplied according
to the needs.
Care of Steam Boiler
Question: Kindly advise me how
to keep boiler in good condition
during the summer. 1t is a steel
steam boiler. Should it be drained,
and if so, would it not rust?
Answer: A steel or cast iron boil
er should not be emptied during
the summer. Add water to what
is already in the boiler Fill the
boiler to the top and hold the safety
valve open until the water runs
out. Remove all dust and SCOT
from the inner passages of the
boiler. Spraying them with a light
Oil will reduce rusting from the
basement dampnesS. Take down
the smoke pipe, clean and oil it, then
store 1t in a dry place. Leave all
boiler doors standing open.
Attic Ventilation.
Question: In my attic I have cut
out three small holes for ventila-
ton. removing brick at three
points. Would keeping the trap
door in hallway ceiling open per-
init better circulation through these
attic vents? Would this open door
permit the hot attic air to seep down
and produce the opposite result?
Answer: Those small openings in
the attic will afford little or no
ventilation, and the opening of the
trap door will not be effective Bet
ter results may be obtained by in
stalling windows in the attic. An
attic fan or blower will be more
beneficial and more positive ventila-
tion will be obtained.
Leaking Fish Pool.
Question: What is best for water
prooflng fish pool? There do not
seem to be any large leaks. Would
waterglass be all right?
Answer: Waterglass will not do.
Large cracks should be filled with a
patching cement. Hairline cracks,
as well as somewhat porous con-
crete, can be remedied by coating
the inside of the pool with a water
proof cement composition paint.
This paint comes in powder form
and is on sale at most mason ma
terial yards.
Water Does Not Heat
Question: Our hot water boiler
will not heat 1t is Connected with
both the furnace and kitchen range.
During last winter it began being
hot in the pipe that should be cold, |
and the boiler cold. Building a hot
fire in the kitchen range cured it.
Now, since the furnace is out the
same thing occurs with the range
going. Can you tell us what causes
such situation? The water is very
hard.
Answer: Your piping connections
between the furnace, range and
storage tank are evidently wrong:
If this is new installation. In an
old installation it is possible that
the circulation and heating are
very poor, due to the heavy lime
deposit in the pipes and water
Jacket. Shut off the water supply,
then empty the storage tank. Dis
connect some of the pipe joints and
examine the condition of the in
side of the pipe. In either case it
is advisable to have a competent
plumber check the system
Wallpaper on Shiplap Walls.
Question: In our small house in
the country by lake we have
shlplap walls in the living and
dining rooms. We cannot succeed
IN making wallpaper stay on with
out cracking and bulging. What to
do?
Answer: The trouble is with the
expansion and contraction of the
wood, which cause your trouble. One
remedy, which is not guaranteed as
being sure-fire, but is we'll worth |