Evening star., 1942-02-07
First Aid
Forthe
AHingHouse
BY ROGER B. WHITMAN.

noticed last year that either one
or two radiators did not heat. We
turned OF the water, removed q
large radiator, and used q rod to
see II anything was plugging the
pipe. Heat started after that, but
this year We are having the same
trouble in another part Of the house.
Can you tell us any way to remedy
the situation more simply?
A. It Is quite possible that bends
IN the pipes form traps that check
the flow Of water. Any good heating
contractor should be able to locate
them. It would be well for you to
consider putting in a variety of
pump intended to force the water
through the pipes and radiators. It
will not be expensive, and will
greatly increase the efficiency of
your system. Heating contractors
know all about these pumps.
Birch Candlesticks.
q. nave several birch logs 4
inches thick that were cut in Sep
: tsmber. plan to saw them into
candlesticks. Would it be best to
finish them with shellac or varnish?
A. Either one will do. The sawed
surfaces should first be smoothed by
sandpapering. The idea sounds very
attractive.
Heat Circulation.
q. A davenport Is placed about
foot tn front Of radiator. Will
this prevent proper circulation of
heat?
A. II the top Of the radiator is
open 30 that heated air can rise
from 1t, there will be no interfer-
ence. Circulation will be checked
only II the top OF the radiator is
covered.
Seal on Floors.
@. After sanding our floors we put
On two coats of seal, but they do
not look well. They have an un-
finished look, very dull and rough.
Gould I varnish them?
A. Seal usually contains too much
wax for vanishing. The varnish
will not hold over it. Two or three
thin coats Of paste floor wax, each
well rubbed, should improve the
appearance, especially if a floor
polishing machine is used.
Heating Questions.
Q. We have moved into a house
which has an oil burner in a boiler
originally used for coal. /. Why is
1t impossible to build up pressure of
more than a few ounces and diff
cult to set steam In some radiators
In anything less than one-half
hour? The stack temperature is
900 degrees. 2. Is a draft balancer
desirable and would it tend to save
fuel? 8. Is the amount of air drawn
from the cellar by the burner suf1-
Client to require keeping a window
open? 4. Will bleeder valves at the
ends Of steam headers operate sat-
tsfactorily when mounted at a As
degree angle?
A. l. You may have a pressure
limit control on your boiler which |
shuts OF the burner when the pres
sure In the boiler has been built up |
70 the limit set on the control. Your |
dimculty in getting steam up into
some OF the radiators may be due
to their great distance from the
boiler. vari-port air valves on these
radiators may help. 2. A draft bal
ancer or adjuster will help conserve
fuel by reducing excessive draft.
8. That depends entirely on the
size OF the cellar and the amount of
air tnf1ltration through and around
windows and doors. In most cases
1t Is not necessary to keep q window
open. 4. Air valves work most eff
ciently when they are mounted ver-
tically.
Wax on Woodwork.
q. Would you advise me to wax all
the woodwork inside the house?
Some people claim it Is hard to re-
move the wax when you have to
paint again. Can you paint over
wax?
A. 1t Is not necessary to wax all
the woodwork In the house. Paint
cannot be applied over wax, grease
or oil; it would not dry.
Stucco Repair.
There have been many questions |
on the repairing of defective
magnesite stucco. One Of my cor
respondents noticed these, and has
explained how he did a repair job |
on his own house five years ago that |
Is still in excellent condition. Using
long, large-head shingle nails, he
nailed 1-inch mesh chicken wire
tightly over the stucco, the nails
going through to the sheathing
underneath. This held the old stucco
firmly in place and formed a sup
port for thin coating of cement |
stucco which he bought already pre-
pared. The cement was applied
with a trowel, guided by a straight |
edge. Before the new stucco had
set more of it, mixed to the con-
sistency of heavy cream, was spread
lightly over the wall to leave raised |
and crumbly effect. 1t would have
been easier, he says, to have tipped |
the cement on the wall with a
whiskbroom. He adds that better |
job could be done by first using q |
ope-tn.three y,oiYtI1re of cer,oept opd