Evening star., 1941-08-30
First Aid
For the.
AiIingHouse
By ROGER B. WHITMAN.

A homeoUner is much worried be-
his water supply pipes that comes
with the turning on of faucet. He
says that the vibration is so great
that it is felt all over his house, and
naturally enough, he wants to know
how it can be stopped. That trouble
comes from worn faucet washer, or
from some loose inside part OF a
faucet. The rush of water through
an opened faucet sets up a vibra-
ton that extends to the whole pipe.
The remedy is to put IN a new
washer or to tighten up any part
that may be loose. This vibration,
which occurs when a faucet is
opened, is quite different from the
bang or hard thump that may come
when a faucet is being closed, and
especially when the closing is abrupt.
That noise is due to the sudden stop
ping of the water flowing through
the pipe: of the overcoming of its
momentum. The noise Is accom-
panied by a sudden rise In pressure
that may strain the pipe and can
be overcome by an air cushion.
This is an extension of the pipe,
with the end tightly capped or by
q spring arrangement. Air contained
in the capped pipe, or the spring,
forms a cushion that takes up the
momentum of the water and brings
the flow to a gentle instead of an
Oh or Tho nf tho
trouble. which is known as water
hammer, calls for the services of a
plumber.
Damp House.
Question: There is a damp feeling
IN my house. Would putting insula-
ton in my basement ceiling keep my
rugs from getting damp?
Answer: BY far your best move
would be to learn the reason for
the dampness and to correct the
condition. If you have a bare dirt
floor in your basement. this is re-
sponsible. Cover it with concrete.
Chimney Cleaning.
Question: Our furnace chimney Is
80 clogged with SCOT that there is
no draft. Can the SCOT be cleared
out by anything used in connection
with the fire, such as salt? Or must
cleaning be done from the chimney
top?
Answer: Chemicals used as SCOT
cleaners have the effect of reducing
the temperature at which the SCOT
with ignite, so that it will burn
off, However. when a chimney Is
clogged with SCOT, this would be dan
gerous, for the fire might spread
to the roof or to the house itself
The safe and sure way to clean a
chimney is from the top. One easy
method is to let down an old tire
chain on rope, swinging it around
from side to side as it descends,
so that the SCOT will be scraped of
The opening at the bottom of the
chimney should have something over
1t to keep the powdery SCOT from
messing up the room.
Hornets Nest.
Question: There is hornets nest
In a crack in my roof, directly
above my back porch door. I am in
constant fear of being stung. How
can I get rid of it?
Answer: Tackle the job at dusk
on cool evening. when the hornets
will be partly dormant. Using a
spray filled with kerosene, approach
the nest quietly and force the spray
violently into the crack. The hornets
will be stunned before they can get
out. The crack can then be plugged
with putty or otherwise. Before
starting, you should observe care
fully to note whether or not there
is another opening to the nest, SO
that also can be closed
Tree Roots in Sewer.
Question: You have advised using
copper sulphate to destroy tree
roots in a sewer. How much should
be used and how often? Will it
have any effect on the pipe?
Answer: A half pound Of. copper
sulphate blue vitrioD dissolved in a
basin full of water should have a
killing effect on the roots, and will
ANU 4AAJuI CllIltI lllCldl plpCS Vi
clay tile. If the growth of trees
near the line of pipe is heavy, so
that there are many roots to con-
tend with, the treatment can be
given once every week or two.
Ceiling Finish.
Question: Would it be possible
to whiteWash hard finished cell
ing and one that has been calci-
mined?
Answer: WhiteWdsh can 90 on
bare plaster, but a calcimined finish
should first be removed Ordinary
UhiteWash is not satisfactory for an
interior finish. You will do much
better to use calcimine made with
glue or other binder, or a caseir
paint that comes as a paste to be
thinned with water.
Concrete Porch Floor.
Question: Would YOU advise put.