Evening star., 1941-07-26
First Aid
For the
AiHng House
By ROGER b. WHITMAN.

attic may become almost unoearaoly
hot. Even with insulation in the
attic floor, heat will penetrate to the
rooms beneath. The one remedy Tor
this condition is ventilation. For
comfort, an attic should be so made
that heated air is free to escape
through an opening in the upper
part, and with cross ventilation to
admit an ample volume of outdoor
sir. With cool air in the attic space,
the rooms beneath will remain cool;
or at least. as cool as the air out
doors. With the attic windows
closed and the attic door open, the
draft set up by the escape of air
through the ventilator Will draw air
from downstairs This will be re-
placed by outdoor air entering
through open windows, and give
cooling effect through the whole
house.
The effect can be greatly increased
through the use of an attic fan; a
large, slowspeed fan blowing out
of an opening in the attic wall or
roof These fans are coming into
wide use, but to be really effective
should have sufficient capacity to
change the air in a house at least
two or three times an hour.
Preventing Rust.
@. How can used nails be pre-
vented from rusting?
A, Put them in tin can and
spray them with kerosene or other
light oil. The can should have a
tight cover.
Cistern Filter.
@ Water from my roof runs di-
rectly into my cement ciStern.
How can l arrange a filter for it?
A. The first thing that you need
Is a sWitch-valve in the pipe lead
ing from the roof With this you
can divert the water of the first
part of a rain, which will clean the
roof of vegetable and other matter,
insects, etc. When the roof is clean,
the switch can be used to connect
the roof with the clstern. Switches
for the pipe can be had from hard
ware stores and the mail-order
houses.
Stained Sampler.
@. One corner of a 100-year-old
sampler is darker than the rest
from the breaking out of the corner
of the glass over it. How can this
discoloration be safely removed?
A. The discoloration is evidently
from dirt; have you tried washing
with mild soap and soft water? Be
fore doing this, of course, you should
be sure that the colors are fast. If
they are not, special processes will
be needed. Show the sampler to
the curator of textiles of an art
museum and ask for advice.
Smoking Stove.
@. have cook stove that has
given good service for many years
Last winter, however, it began to
smoke and in time would get choked
with SCOT. What do you think is
the matter? 1t cannot be the coal,
for ! have tried many different
kinds, and all of them gave the
same trouble.
A. Without question the draft has
been cut down, possibly from the
clogging of the chimney. The f1ues
should be given a thorough clean
ing. Other possible causes for poor
draft may be leaks in the chimney
or the connection of a second fire
with the same f1ue.
Damp Chimney.
@. After using oil heat for sew
eral years We now have gas heat.
Oil seems to have penetrated the
chimney and the surrounding walls
in the kitchen, and wall enamel blis-
ters and falls off. What can 1 do
so that the enamel will stay on
permanently?
A. 1 doubt if the trouble is from
oil. In burning, gas develops guam
titles of water vapor, and unless your
chimney has a f1reclay f1ue lining
this water will soak into the brick
work and go through. Ask the gas
company to examine your chimney
and to check on this.
Lipstick Stains.
q. have lipstick stains on a pink
alpaca dress. How can I remove
them?
A. Stains of some kinds of lip
stick can be taken out with warm
water and soap. For others, spot
remover must be used. You will
have to experiment For surest re-
suits send the dress to a good dry
cleaner.
Cracking Floor Paint.
Q. We have soft wood floors One
move Of bed or piece of furniture
cracks and peels the paint on it.
How can the floor finish be made
more lasting?
A. The kind of paint on your
floor is apparently brittle. You will
do better to use floor enamel, which
is more flexible and gives" with the
wood. Also, use casters with COM
pressed fiber or felt rollers, which
are not so damaging to a floor as
metal or hardwood rollers.
Relaying Linoleum.
Q. I have one room with inlaid
hnoleum cemented to the floor
Would it be possible to remove this
10 the floor of another room? How?
A. This can be done, but requires
careful work. BY far your best move
will be to call in a linoleum layer
If the linoleum is cemented over
felt, it can be taken up by splitting
the felt, but If the job is attempted
by some one not having experience,
the linoleum is likely to be torn.
Leaking Tubs.
Q. In my laundry tubs there is
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