Evening star., 1942-01-31
First Aid
For the
Aiing House
BY ROGER B. WHITMAN.

Question: My cottage has five
rooms downstairs and one in the
attic. Heating is by hot water
which works perfectly in the down.
stairs room. Recently, I was given
. radiator and had it installed in the
upstairs room. But I find that water
flows into 1t very slowly, If at oil.
Opening she vent has but little
effect. The radiator originally was
used on = steam heating system.
Would this be the trouble2 If not,
what else may be wronga
Answer-The expansion tank may
not be in the right place: it should
be higher than the highest radiator.
Also, the connection to the tank
should be from the upper part OF the
topmost radiator, for otherwise the
now Of air would have to be down.
ward, and this, of course, would not
work.
Lacquer for Silver.
Question: I have heard that q
coat Of lacquer will prevent polished
silver from furnishing. Is this true?
What lacquer should be used? How
II 1t apphed7
Answer-Lacquer prevents tar
niIhing by protecting polished silver
and other metals from contact with
the air. In preparation silver or
other metal must be well polished
and then all traces of grease left by
the polish or contact with the
fingers should be removed by wiping
with benzine (be careful of fire when
using benZine In the house,. Apply
one coat Of clear lacquer Of q kind
intended for the job. Metal should
be 10 degrees or warmer at the time
of Aoquering
Sandy Conerets Floor.
Question: In remodelling our
basement we wanted to have a slick
cement floor. For this we laid a
rough cement floor and then put
on q finish coat Of sand and cement
This last coat Is not hard, but at
least . shovelful of sand and cement
comes up each time 1t Is swept.
What went wrongp How can it be
corrected The man employed
thinks the cement Is inferior.
Answer-The sandiness of the
concrete is due TO the drying out Of
the cement before it had time to
cure. At the time the last coat
was put on the first coat should
still b soaking wet. 50 that water
would not be absorbed from the
new mixture. The last coat should
have been kept wet for at least
four days to give time for the ce-
ment to cure and come to full
density. Your best move will be to
roughen the surface. 50 that new
concrete will find secure bond. It
should then be we'll soaked with
water and the new surface applied,
using one part Of cement to three
of clean building sand. Allow plenty
Of time for curing and drying.
Insulating Board Sheathing.
Question: Is 1t practical to use in
sulating board as sheathing on a
combined garage and henhouse?
Could the outside be painted? Or
should 1t be covered with clapboards?
Answer-As a general thing, in
sulating board Is not intended to be
exposed to weather, although some
varieties are damp-proof. 1t is stif1
enough to use for sheathing as long
as 1t remains dry, but will be most
satisfactory for the purpose when
covered with clapboards or some
thing similar.
Ice Skating Rink.
Question: Can you give me any in
formation for the building of an
outdoor ice-skating pond, or suggest
where I can inquire?
Answer-Pamphlets on that sub
ject are published by manufacturers
Of equipment for winter sports. You
can get them from sporting goods
stores.
Cracked Plaster.
Question: A 10-year-old house
that I have just purchased is not
occupied. Water has been drawn of
and there Is no heat. Within the
last week cracks have appeared IN
the plaster ceilings and in the imita-
ton tile In the kitchen and bath
room. Do you think this is from
the cold or from the operation of a
steam shovel and tractor by which
three cellars have been dug and a
large tree removed; this within 50
feet Of the house?
Answer-The moderate cold that
We have had so far this winter
should have no Ill effect on the
plaster. Far more likely the crack
ing Is due to vibration from the OPP
erations Of the machinery.
Noise in Heating Pipes.
Question: My two-story house is
heated by hot water. When heat
comes on and water begins to circu-
late, there is a pounding In the pipes
for about l minute. This stops for
q minute or more and then pounds
again for another minute or two.
Can this be corrected?
AnSwer-That noise is probably
from the expansion OF the pipes,
which begins as soon as the water
starts circulating. Somewhere in
the walls or floors the pipes are
touching beams, studs, flooring, or
some other part Of the woodwork,
and the noise Is caused by the sliding
Of one against the other. Quite often
this condition is found in the hole In
the flooring through which q pipe
passes. The noise may also come
from Q long radiator; with one end
held IN place by the pipes, the other
end may slide on the floor as the