Evening star., 1941-10-11
First Aid
For the
AHing House
By ROGER b. WHITMAN

at finding that the hardware on the
front door of her new house could
not be polished to its original bril-
liancy. Instead o. the bright and
glowing brass that she had in mind
the hardware was dull and lifeless
IN spite of her hard polishing. The
trouble came because the hardware
was not solid brass, but was made
of brass-plated steel. The plating
was so thin that a few polishlngs
took it off. Her remedy was to re-
place the hardware with solid brass
which could either be cast, or formed
of sheet brass. Any Well-stockeo
hardware store carries brass door
knobs and plates. push-button plates
and other parts, with which the
original hardware can easily be re-
placed. When new, brassplated
hardware looks Just as attractive as
solid brass and is used only because
1t is lower in price. The difference
can be told by applying magnet
on which solid brass will have no
effect. On brass-plated steel, how
ever, the magnet will stick. The test
is easy to make and should be ap-
piled when going over house be-
fore making purchase.
Refinishing Copper Pots.
@. The lining of our old copper
pots has been worn through, and
food that stands in them becomes
contaminated. How can the pots
be restored to usefulness?
A. The usual lining of copper
pots is tin. The process of lining is
difficult, and an excellent substi-
tute would be to have the inside OF
the pots plated with chromium.
This Job can be done by plating
shops at no great expense. Any ga
rage can give you the name and
address of one in your neighborhood
SoiIed Paint.
Q. Paint on our house is in good
condition, but is darkened by smoke
and SCOT. What can we use for
cleaning its
A. Scrub with any mild soap.
You could also use solution of one
to two tablespoons of trisodium phos-
phste in a pail of water, for this
chemical is destructive of grease
Begin washing at the bottom and
go upward. If you begin at the top
and work down, dirty water run
ming over the dry paint will make
streaks that cannot be taken out.
Follow by thorough rinSing with
clear water.
Rain Pipe Odor
O. In my new home there is a
terrible odor around the front attic
window. apparently coming from
the rain pipe just below. How can
this be remedied?
A. It is probable that the odor
comes from a dead bird or mouse
in the pipe. or from decaying vege-
table matter. You may be able to
get rid of it by running a strong
stream from your garden hose into
the pipe. The alternative is to take
down the section of pipe and clean
1t out with long wire.
Damp Basement.
Question: The basement of our
e-year-old house feels damp, al
though there is no standing water
in it. We have 6-inch cement
channels under the rainwater
leaders, but no underground drains.
as We we're warned that these might
become stopped. Is the trouble in
the foundation? Is the dampness
to blame for the appearance of
many cobwebS at the windows?
Answer: When rainwater leaders
discharge close to house. the water
may work back to the foundation
walls and make the cellar damp
This Is probably your trouble. The
discharge should be at least IS feet
away To get rid of the cobwebs,
pull them down as they appear with
a vacuum cleaner, and spray the
space with an insect liquid. Work
It into all cracks and joints In the
woodwork and elsewhere, for it is
there that spider eggs develop.
Patched Stucco.
Question: Three sides of my stucco
house are in good condition. Cracks
on the front side have been patched
and the patches spoil the looks.
Could I have this side shingled over
the stucco? Or must the stucco first
be taken off?
Answer: s. ingles can be put on
over stucco through the use of hard
ened steel nails, which are on the
market for Just such a purpose
Ordinary nails would bend on being
driven into stucco, but these hard
nails will do the trick. If your house
is detached, its appearance with
three sides of-stucco and the front
shingled might be odd. The effect
would be better if the defective
stucco is taken off and replaced.
Plasterboard Ceiling.
Question: We are planning to
use plasterboard for the ceiling of
our basement. Is this advisable?
Answer; Yes; plasterboard is
often used for basement ceilings
and Is very satisfactory.
Leaking Stucco.
Question: My stucco home. two
years old. is cracked so that rair
water soaks through to the interior