Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1940-10-19
First Aid
For the
Aiing House
BY ROGER b. WHITMAN.

by HOGEH b. w nj MAN.
Question-What can I use to I'LL
cracks between window frame and
cellar walls? The spaces are so
small I cannot push felt IN.
Answer-Use caulking compound,
to be had at a hardware store. 1t is
like putty but does not become
quite hard. 1t is best used with a
tool called a caulking gun, which
works like the grease gun of an
automobile. Without this, press the
compound into the crack with q
flat-end tool like screwdriver.
Night Temperature.
Question-With an oil burner,
what should be the thermoStat set
ting at night? Some people say it is
best and most economical to shut
the heat off entirely at bedtime and
turn it on quite high in the morn
ing, while others recommend turn
ing the thermostat back to so at
bedtime and up to 70 in the morn
ing.
Answer-With the heat off at
night, the house will cool off SC
greatly that much oil must be
burned to return it to the right
temperature in the. morning. A long
series of tests have shown that the
greatest economy is in dropping the
night temperature to degrees or
so below the day temperature; for
instance, IS at night and 70 in the
daytime With this setting the house
does not become so cool at night
that an excessive amount of oil
must be burned in the morning to
bring it to comfortable tenn
perature.
Painting OilclOth.
Question-My bathroom is finished
with oilcloth. Ca nthis be painted
Answer. Oilcloth can be finished
with oil paint or with enamel after
cleaning of all dirt and traces of
oil and grease.
Siging for Plaster.
Question. What kind of sizing
should be used for a new plastered
ceiling?
AnsWer-If the ceiling is to be
painted, use glue size For calcl-
mine or cold-water paint. no sizing
will be needed; they can be ap-
piled directly to the plaster.
Building a Cabin.
Question: have in mind the
building of a four room cabin in
Canada. I should like to get plans,
information on cutting the logs. on
the digging of well and on sewage
disposal.
Answer-You can get all this in
formation and more in an excellent
book on log cabin construction that
is published by Popular Science.
353 Fourth avenue, New York City.
Storing a Rug.
Question: have a rug that is 100
large to use and must store it in my
cellar. How can it be packed to
prevent deterioration or mildeW?
Answer: Include plenty of moth
crystals when you are rolling up the
rug and cover with heavy water
proof paper; all joints should be
sealed with heavy gummed paper.
The whole covering should be mois-
ture- proof and, of course, the rug
should be thoroughly dry at the
time it is wrapped. Do not lay the
roll on the floor; suspend it from the
beams overhead. If you can Eon the
rug around pole so much the
better, for it would keep the rug
from wrinkling. However, a cellar
Is not a good place to store house.
hold effects, for dampness is likely
to creep in and mildew will follow.
It would be better to store the rug
In an attic.
Oil Burner Selection.
Question: What are the relative
merits of oil burners for domestic
use? My steam boiler is square and
fairly new.
Answer: The most important point
tn consider in selecting an oil burner