Evening star., 1941-11-08
First Aid
For the
Aiing House
By ROGER b. WHITMAN.

Each electric circuit in a house,
and there may be several, is pro-
tected by fuses which burn out when
a circuit is overloaded. Replace
ment of fuse for the restoration
Of the circuit is simple matter,
but, in order to do this, it must be
known which of the fuses protects
the blown-out circuit. A home
owner who is looking for something
to do on rainy day can spend some
OF his time by marking his fuse box
to indicate the circuit controlled by
each fuse. This may mean unscrew-
ing fuse and then going upstairs
to see which of the lights will not
20 on by the throwing of its switch.
A method that involves less run
ming around is to use small radio
set, turning it on loudly enough to
be heard in the cellar, or wherever
else the fuse box is located The
unscreWing of a fuse that stops its
playing proves the control of the
circuit of the room in which the set
is connected. The set is then moved
peated until all of the fuses are
identified. A diagram of the fuse
box can then be made, indicating
the circuit controlled by each fuse.
No fuse should be unSCreWed with
out first opening the house switch
to avoid a possible short circuit from
a slip or a mishandling. But it
should again be closed, of course,
before continuing with the test.
Moth Protection.
G. How can l protect a davenport
against moths? want to put on a
slip cover, and am willing to soak
the fabric with anything, even if the
material is discolored.
A. BY far your best move will be
to call in an eXterminator, who can
spray the davenport under air pres
sure with a solution that will make
~ 1Oi SOlllC
@. In the fall box elder bugs come
into the house and last through the
winter. Do they come down the
chimney?
A. They may, but are much more
likely to get in through open joints
around insect screens and elsewhere.
They are likely to appear in swarms
in a house. When that happens
take them up with a broom and
dustpan, or with vacuum cleaner,
and burn.
Stained Tile Floor.
@ How can I clean badly stained
tiled bathroom floor?
A. To find out whether or not the
staining is actually in the tile, scrub
small area with steel wool and an
abrasive securing powder. If the
stain remains add liquid bleach.
If this fails the stain is probably
permanent.
Q. For two winters we have been
troubled with sewer gas, which
comes through the laundry tubs as
we'll as through the basement floor
drain. When the city cleaned the
sewers last summer we thought that
the trouble had been eliminated,
but this has not been the case. How
can this be corrected?
A. There Is something wrong with
the traps in the. sewer line from
your tubs and floor drain. They may
have been improperly put in or
they may be so cracked that the
water seal leaks away. The remedy
Is very definitely job for a plumber.
Silver Plate.
@. The silver plating has worn
from large vase and bare copper
is exposed. How can all of the
silver be removed? How can
finish the copper?
A. The silver can be taken off with
acid, but this is hardly job to do
at home because of the risk of cor
rosion. Take the vase to a plating
shop and ask their advice on
whether to take off the remaining
silver or to give the entire vase
plating of copper.
@. 1 used transparent tape to hold
paper on my wall for the protection
of new wallpaper. The tape has
slipped and has left sticky mark.
How can I get rid of it?
A. Dab 1t lightly with fingernail
polish remover.
Protection Against Freezing.
Q. How can water pipes in a sum-
mer cottage be protected against
freezing? The pipes are above
ground on the outside, leading in
and up through the floor to the
plumbing.
$ A. You can inclose the pipes in
wood boxes of generous size, well
tarred in the joints, so that they will
be waterproof. For insulation they
can be filled with dry sawdust. Use
boards IL inches thick, to be tarred
on the outside as we'll as the edges.
1t is important to keep the sawdust
dry. If the pipes connect with an
underground water pipe the insu-
lating boxes should go down to it.
The water main, of course. should
be below the frost line. Plumbing
contractors may be able to provide
insulation in other forms.
@. I have painted my woodwork,
but find that the paint scales on
the window seats and on the top
part of the windows. How can this
be remedied?
A. You may have put the paint
on glossy varnish or glossy enamel,
the glossy surface would prevent the
new paint from adhering. The gloss
should first be dulled by rubbing
with sandpaper.
@. My house has been painted
only two months, but is now so dirty
and dusty that it looks worse than
before. Something was used to
give the paint gloss and it looked
lovely until the dust stuck to the
surface. Can it be washed?
A. The paint was evidently of a