Show AID FIRST to AILING HOUSE I By ROGER ROGERS B. B WHITMAN Summer House QUESTION We recently looked Q QUESTION x at a two-story two summer house 23 3 year yean old I would woud say the walls wall ne ire re plasterboard Upstairs bed rooms room have very narrow boards fora for a ceiling Personally I dont don't think the he house although small can be heated In its present condition Da Do you think the house could be insulated insulat- insulat ed ed d and would a furnace be sufficient Answer Make certain there Is a awood awood awood wood sheathing and sheathing paper underneath the outside wall cover cover- Ing ng Many summer houses have been built without It Sheathing helps keep the weather out Insulation Ion tion will help make any type house more comfortable At a slightly higher cost a hot air furnace with ducts connected to each room would be preferable to the type Creaking Floor Hoards Boards Question Occasionally at regular intervals Interval there is a tapping noise which we discovered Is a creaking of the tile floor boards The same thing has las happened in another room How can this noise be stopped Answer The tapping noise may maybe maybe maybe be caused by the expansion and contraction contraction con con- traction of floor boards due to the absorption of moisture and to drying drying dryIng dry- dry Ing out Nothing much can be done to stop this except to maintain a uniform amount of humidity in the air Creaking of floor boards caused by loosening from the beams may maybe maybe maybe be stopped by driving finishing nails nans through both of the flooring into the beam Nails should I be driven In pairs at opposite an an- The heads of nails are driven below the surface of the floor boards with a Plug the nail holes I with plastic wood Talcum powder worked in between the floor boards may also correct this condition Inherited House Question The house which we recently recently re reo re- re Inherited has ha five rooms upstairs upstairs upstairs up up- stairs and four rooms downstairs We plan to alter it Can the roof be taken off oft and a bungalow type made of the building with all rooms on one floor We haven't much moncy money money mon mon- ey cy and wonder If It the FIlA would woud give us a loan for remodeling Can plans be had on modernizing a ahouse ahouse ahouse house Answer The roof root can be taken of oil oft and the upper story removed I strongly recommend that you employ employ employ em em- ploy the services of an architect lie He will be able to plan pan all aU of the necessary structural changes change to tobe tobe tobe be made as well as rearranging the rooms and specifying the proper materials to be used In making these thee alterations alteration Loans on this type of work are ore made through local banks after the local office has approved approved approved ap ap- ap- ap proved the arrangements Tourist Cabins Question Where can I secure plans for tourist cabins Answer All AU of the larger manufacturers manufacturers manu manu- of insulating boards Issue pamphlets on this subject so do several several sev soy eral oral of the lumber associations Pong Ping Table A correspondent has sent in the following suggestion for finishing a pong pin table Apply two coats of linseed oil allowing ample time forthe forthe for forthe the first coat to dry thoroughly and coating both surfaces and the edges Finish with two coats of heavy dark green house paint which should last las for several years Wall Coverings Question Is it advisable to use oilcloth oilcloth oil oil- cloth on the ceilings and wall wallpaper wall paper on the side walls Answer You may find it more practical to use wall wall cloth cloth or washable washable washable wash wash- able wall paper for the walls a and d ordinary wallpaper on the ceilings Soiling is more apt to occur on the walls than the ceilings Stuck Doors Door Question In two garages that I know the tha type hinge doors have stuck at the bottom on the concrete concrete concrete con con- crete drive in cold weather although entirely free tree in warm weather eather Can CanI I you explain Answer That is not due to expansion Stun sion as 55 you suggest but to the heaving ing of the concrete apron by the freezing of water underneath The rendition condition is quite common To get getaway getway way away from It drainage should be provided under the apron In many eases cases ases a deep bed of cinders is sufficient suf suf- Fumigation Question Please advise me on the fumigation of a house that we have just bought Answer Within city limits fumi fumigation fumigation gation Is I. generally only done by a concern licensed to do such a job Even where here there are no regulations regula tion it Is most advisable to havethe havethe have havethe the job done by an expert both for sureness of results and for safety Wooden Steps Question The wooden steps of my old house are in need of rebuild rebuilding mg The side boards are burled in earth the dampness rots the boards very quickly My carpenter claims the quality of the wood is poor nowadays nowadays nowa nowa- days and advises brick Brick or stone would not look well ell with the house Could you suggest something somethIng some some- thing Answer Lumber nowadays if it isis n is nIs nIs Is of good quality is ii just as good as 81 was You can now get treated treated treat treat- ed lumber which will retard the rot ting One of th tr v suitable for your Our purpose is e good grade of cy cy- press t 10 Roger Roser a. a Service |