Dickenson County herald. [volume] (Clintwood, Va.) 1939-195?, 1943-05-27
Painting Fire Escapes

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on my three-family brick house. I
have to paint them, but the paint
chips easily. Last year I gave them
a coat of best bridge paint and then
a coat of best outdoor green paint.
In no time rust began to show. What
can I use that will last?
Answer: Paint is apt to chip if
the metal has many coats of paint
on it. If this is the case, remove
the paint down to the bare metal.
This can be done by burning with a
blowtorch. When the metal is clean
and free of rust, apply a coat of
good quality red lead; allowing at
least a week for thorough drying.
Finish with two coats of top quail
ity floor paint, the kind used for
porches. If you are not familiar
with the use of a blowtorch, get
someone with experience to do this
part of the job.
Oil Burner Finish
Question: An oil burner used in
a living-room has a dark brown,
rough finish, and always looks dusty.
What kind of paint can / use on it
that will be glossy and not so much
Of dust catcher?
Answer: There are not many
kinds of paint that Withstand the
heat of an oil burner. Aluminium
paint will do it, but because Of the
priorities, it may be difficult to OBJ
tain. Another is the black finish that
is used on boilers. Whatever you
use, the first step must be the thor
ough cleaning of the surface with
something that will take off the re-
mains of the finish: a solution of
three pounds Of washing soda in a
gallon of water, for an example, fol-
lowed by thorough rinsing.
Noise Between Rooms
Question: I have a mean prob
lem: Two bedrooms with a connect
ing door. In one bedroom two peo-
pie sleep, and one person in the 9TH
er. 1t seems that no matter how
low the two people think they are
talking it disturbs the person in the
other room. What can be done with
that door to deaden sound?
Answer: I presume the door is
not used. If so, much Of the sound
can be cut down by mailing a sheet
of insulating wallboard on both sides
of the door frame.
Leaky Brick Wall
Question: During a recent rain
storm the water seeped through the
front of my house. I have checked
on all openings, and they seem to be
tightly caulked.. I have been adj
vised to brush boiled inseed oil into
the brick, as they are porous. Could
you advise better method?
Answer: Check the condition of
the mortar joints between the brick.
AL cracked mortar should be raked
out and re-pointed. To make the
wall more resistant to weather, coat
them with transparent waterproof
ing compound.
Dry Well Backs Up
Question: In our cellar floor we
have an opening which drains into a
dry we'll. After heavy rains this
sometimes backs up into the cellar.
What would you suggest to over
come this trouble?
Answer: If the drain is not vital
ly necessary, fill the hole with con-
crete. Or you could install a back
up sewer valve in the drain line.
Your plumber can supply this.
Worm Holes
Question: Are so-called worm
holes in woodwork actually made by
a worm, or are they the work of
an insect?
Answer: The most usual culprit
is the powderpost beetle; eggs laid
on the surface turn into worms that
work into the wood. Later these
worms develop into beetles, which
eat their way out and make the
holes in doing SO.