Evening star., 1940-03-23
First Aid
For the
AIing House
BY ROGER b. WHITMAN.

ny ncUEh ID. WHITMAN.
Question: recently had a hot
air gas furnace installed. Heating
requirements call for 10000 BTU's
The furnace is rated at 10000 input
and 10000 output. Would this be
considered oversize? Does the large
difference mean a waste of gas?
Answer-According to the usual
reckoning of gas company, the
furnace is the correct size, with a
little leaning to oversize. Whether
or not gas is wasted depends on the
efficiency Of the furnace, but on a
guess, it is probably about right.
Noisy Hot Water Pipes.
Question-Every morning when
we turn on the hot water it makes
a loud noise and all the pipes
vibrate. 1t caused one of the pipes
to work loose and start to leak. I
am told it is from the steam form
ing in the pipes Will you help me
to remedy this condition?
Answer-This condition is most
frequently caused by overheating
the water. During the night, when
little or no water is used. the water
IN the storage tank becomes over
heated, which builds up pressure.
A thermostatic check valve installed
in the pipe between the water heater
coil and the boiler will prevent over
heating of water in the storage tank.
aluminium Frying Pan.
QueStion-Could you tell me how I
can clean our aluminium frying pan
and broiler oven? Elbow grease has
been tried without much effect.
AnsWer-Make a paste of securing
powder and rub it on well with fine
steel wool. A few drops of house
hold ammonia added to the paste
may also help, plus elbow grease and
plenty of Chinese patience and per-
sistency.
Cracked Paint.
Question-My kitchen is newly
painted, and the paint is cracking
in different places. What is the
cause? In repainting, could the new
paint go over the old, or should the
old first be removed?
Answer-There will be cracking
when the final coat is put on before
the undercoats are thoroughly hard
and dry. Another cause is the use
of hard and brittle paint over
undercoats of kind of paint that is
softer. In a short time all cracking
win probably stop. If the paint is
on firmly the new paint can 60 on
top. The cracks in the paint should
first be filled with white lead, put on
with putty knife.
Plated Kettle.
Question: have a large kettle
which is supposed to be about 100
years old. 1t is covered with silver,
but the kettle is made of copper.
How can I remove the plating COM
pletely, then polish the copper and
use same by my fireplace?
Answer - Plating should be re-
moved by professional, as it re-
Quires the use of concentrated acids,
such as nitric acid. Electroplating
companies can do this work. To
remove the plating by rubbing with
emery is practically an endless task
Blistered Veneer.
Question-the veneering on the
panel of maple-veneered door has
cracked and blistered. Is there a
remedy?
Answer-Take the door off and lay
1t fiat. Blisters that have not
cracked should be slit down their
length in the direction of the grain,
using a razor blade. The veneer is
softened by laying damp cloth on
the blister. Glue is worked in un-
der the loosened veneer with
knife blade by pushing down first
one side of the shit or crack and
then the other. The veneer is then
pressed back into position, where i!
is held down by weights until the
glue dries.
StOker.
Question-We find our present
method of heating a two-family
house too expensive Would coal
stoker be economical and supply
plenty of hot water?
Answer-A stoker is about as eco
nomical system of automatic heat
as can be found. There is little about
q stoker to give trouble; should any,
thing go wrong. the only thing that
can happen is that the fire goes out.
If your heating plant uses radiators