Evening star., 1941-12-13
First Aid
For the
AHingHouse
By ROGER b. WHITMAN.

Small garden pools can be left
empty during the winter. Generally
speaking, larger pools should be left
filled, so that the pressure OF the
water will offset the pressure OF the
earth against the sides. II the sides
slope, the pressure that accom-
panies freezing will be taken up by
sliding the ice upward. If the sides
are vertical. the pressure OF freezing
might crack them, but this can be
prevented by floating logs or heavy
timbers in the pool, extending from
end to end. The pressure will be
absorbed by the compression of the
wood fibers. When a pool does not
freeze solidly to the bottom, the
water beneath the ice does not go
below 40 degrees, which is not kill
ing to most varieties of fish. 1t is
only when the pool freezes solidly
10 the bottom that the fish life will
be imperiled. One good way to pro-
tect the pool during the winter is
10 cover it with boards on which
dead leaves are piled and held in
place by strips of chicken wire. Snow
will make the insulation still more
effective. The leaves should be
omitted at one end of the pool, the
hole that is left being plugged with
a bag Of dead leaves. In clear
weather this can be taken up for the
airing of the space over the water.
Leaking Chimney.
Question My brick chimney goes
through the attic at slant. but is
straight above the roof. In rainy
weather water drips from the lower
side of the slanted part, seeps
through the floor of the attic and
spoils the paper on the walls below.
We have had the part above the
roof covered with cement, and the
roofer says that the flashing around
the chimney looks all right. How
can the leakage be stopped?
Answer-The trouble is probably
IN the Joint between the upper end
of the slanting part and the straight
part above the roof. There may also
be leakage through the cement
covering and the brickwork above
the roof: water leaking in will work
down throught the masonry outside
of the f1ue lining. Your surest
method of repair would be to re-
build the chimney from the upper
section of the slanting part, so
that the joint is tight. Flashings
should also be renewed.
Gas Pipe.
QueStion-The closed end of a
gas pipe protrudes from my base
ment ceiling above the furnace. The
smoke pipe of a small water heater
runs just below the gas pipe, which
at times gets quite hot. Is there
danger of fire or of gas explosion?
AnsWer-Danger would come only
from the ignition of a gas leak
You will do well to have an inspec-
ton made by the gas company
which will be done without charge.
WoOd-Lined Walls.
Question: have heard of build
ing house walls with a lining of To-
inch logs of various sizes, laid in
plaster or cement and strengthened
by brickWork at the corners. The
length of the logs would determine
the thickness of the walls. What do
you think of the idea?
Answer-Leakag of water into the
walls will lead to rotting, which in
time would take place with even the
most resistant of woods. Also,
there would be the probability of
attack by termites and other insects.
The advantage, Of course, would be
insulation.
Hot-Water Radiator.
Question: have hot-water heat
only on my first floor, and would
like to put a radiator in an up
stairs bedroom. The expansion tank
is now In one of the downstairs
closets Is it true that would have
to move this upstairs and higher
than the radiator?
Answer-It would be possible to
change your present open system
to a closed system with the ex-
pansion tank alongside the boiler
but it would be simpler and much
less expensive to move the present
expansion tank upstairs, for it is
true that it must be higher than
the radiator.
Removing a Tree.
Question-A tree in our backyard
has proven to be nuisance. Where
should 1 look for someone to take
1t down?
Answer-Look under the heading
Tree Surgeons" in the classified
telephone book.
Dirt Cellar Floor.
Question-My cellar has a dirt
floor. Nearly everything in it is
covered with silvery streaks caused
by snails. How can I get rid OF
them?
Answer-You should put down 8
concrete floor, not only to keep out
the snails, but to make your cellar
drier and more practical. The dirt
floor should be packed and leveled
covered with layer of heavy tai
paper: the concrete is poured or
top. If you cannot do this at thu
present time, you can kill the snail'
by scattering three or four pounds
of moth crystals (paradD all ovel
the floor. Close the doors and win
dows and keep them closed for al
many hours as possible. The heav!
fumes will settle to the floor ant
should smother the snails. Fume
are non-inflammable.
Note: Mr.. Whitman Is sorry he
can no longer answer personal
letters. He does, however, Of
fer readers leaflets on a variety
of subjects. Today's leaf1et tell
HOW TO PREVENT HEAT
LOSSES. Be sure to send g.
cent stamped, self-addressed en-
velope with your leaflet request
TO Mr.. Whitman, P. o. Box $50,
Times Square Station, New York,
n. Y. Leaflets cannot be mailed
unless self-addressed envelope
bears the correct amount Of post
age.