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Show FIRST-AID AILING 'HOUSE bv Roger B. Whitman BogerB. WWtman-WNU Features. MOSQUITOES ENTER HOUSE AT NIGHT THROUGH CHIMNEY FLUES u A LTHOUGH my living-room is A tightly screened," writes a correspondent, "we find many mosquitoes mos-quitoes in it. especially at night In spite of careful watching, we nave'not seen any coming through the screens, and are completely puzzled puz-zled as to how they get m. Can you make any suggestions? If there is a fireplace in the room, and being a living-room there prob-ably prob-ably is one, the mosquitoes are undoubtedly un-doubtedly coming .down the chimney chim-ney At night when the room is lighted, the fiying insects see the glow down the flues, and are attracted attract-ed by it The remedy is to keep the throat damper closed; or if the fireplace fire-place has oo throat damper, the throat connecting with the flue can be stuffed with newspapers. I feel sure that this precaution will end the trouble. Of course, with a fire going, the insects will not come down. Naturally if the fire is to be lighted on a cool evening, the damper damp-er must be opened, or the newspapers newspa-pers taken out. Cellar Wall Finish Question: My cellar walls are tinted tint-ed with something that I believe comes from acetylene gas. A second sec-ond coat is needed. Can you tell me what the material is and where I can get more of it? Answer: That material is actually a form of lime and is left over when acetylene gas is made from calcium carbide. This gas is used for welding weld-ing and for other purposes, and welders are usually glad to give away the residue that comes from the generators. Companies making the generators, as well as the producers pro-ducers of calcium carbide, issue booklets describing the many uses for carbide residue, including whitewash. white-wash. Hornet's Nest Question: There is a hornet's nest in a crack in my roof, directly above my back porch door. I am in constant con-stant fear of being stung. How can I get rid of it? Answer: Tackle the job at dusk on a cool evening, when the hornets will be partly dormant. Using a spray filled with kerosene, approach the nest quietly, and force the spray violently into the crack. The hornets hor-nets will be stunned before they can get out. The crack can then be plugged with putty or otherwise. Before Be-fore starting, you should observe carefully to note whether or not there is another opening to the nest, so that also can be closed. Too Much Humidification Question: Last summer I added a humidifier to my heating plant The humidity varies from 30 to 40 per cent. The guide calls 40 to 60 per cent normal. My windows steam up considerably and the woodwork is getting black. What should I do? Answer: Your percentage of humidity hu-midity is evidently too high. The black on the woodwork is mildew. Shut off the humidifier for a few days and give the house a chance to dry out. You should turn on the humidifier only to the point at which the windows just begin to cloud over. That is your limit. Sealing Sappy Wood Question: When resinous wood is used for clapboards, is it only the knots that need sheUacking to prevent pre-vent bleeding into the paint? Should the shellac be sandpapered before painting? Answer: All resinous places should be sealea. But before shellacking shel-lacking wash liberally with benzine to clear aU of the surface pores of the resin, so that the shellac can soak in. Sandpapering will be necessary nec-essary only when the shellacked surface sur-face is smooth and glossy. Seasoning a Dutch Oven Question: I recently purchased a cast iron Dutch oven which I cannot use because rust forms as it is being used. Some one told me that such a utensil has to be "seasoned." How is this done? Answer: One method is to render a chunk of beef suet in the Dutch oven, then rub the hot fat into aU par s of the oven while it is hot. Let with soap and water. Do not use scouring powder. Attio Insulation Question: Where can I get infor mation on the insulating of ,w" rooms that! intend to build to m Answer: All manufacturers nf t sulating materials issue in! I and without rooms. You can get these instructions direct from thl manufacturer, from lumberyards -dfcorn balers to buildtmt! Cutting Linoleum straight? 11115 oleum and the edge is T"1 Wade New York oW. , Sharp' line. p keeP straight |