| Show FIRST AID o tv AILI HOUSE t i ilij iii mi by RogeiS roger 0 whitman kiil liil ai 5 roger B whitman service condensation on walls Q QUESTION my small bungalow is built on cinder block foundations the edges of m my y floors along the walls have become spotted and the inside walls to a height of three or four feet are continually damp what is the cause and what is the remedy answer there are openings between the top of your foundation wall and the house walls through which outside air blows in at the floor level As this air is cold the edges of the floor and the lower parts of the inside walls are chilled and condensation occurs against them you can probably feel the draft through the crack between flooring and baseboard and if you lay a thermometer there you will find that the temperature is low the remedy is to close all open joints above and below the sill and any other joints through which cold air can leak in at the level of the floor poor plastering job question I 1 paid 55 for ing a ceiling the plasterer said he would not take down the picture for he could do a good job with it in place it is now impossible pos sible to get a picture hook on for the space is filled with plaster am I 1 justified in deducting something from his bill he also splashed plaster on a large mahogany bed I 1 have wiped it off and used polish but I 1 fear that when the polish wears off the damage will show answer by rights you should have the picture taken off and replaced charging the plasterer tor for the expense or giving him the chance to do the job himself As to the bed if it is now in good condition it will undoubtedly remain so or can be kept in shape with occasional cas ional polishing house numbers at night question Is there any kind of paint that I 1 can use on my house number that will shine i e at night and make it easy to see answer the glow of phosphorescent paint can be seen only in darkness in a half light it will hardly be visible an electrical supply dealer can provide a house number lighted by a lamp so tiny that it will hardly work the meter you can also get a number made of reflectors tors that are used for highway signs but the electrically lighted number is more effective cistern repair question how can I 1 refinish nish a cistern that has bec become ome rotted and soft from age and wear answer you should look forward to replacing the cistern tor for any repair would be only temporary one treatment would be to coat the interior with asphalt paint you should do the job at a time when the walls are thoroughly dry and should first brush off all loose particles get a kind of paint that will not give the wa water ter a taste laundry floor surface question what kind of flooring that will not be slippery when wet can be used to resurface a wood floor in a room used as a laundry linoleum breaks and wears through quickly answer asphalt tiling should be excellent for it is waterproof and will not rot you can get it from any dealer in linoleum linoleum should not be used in laundries or similar places where the flooring would be wet bathroom wall finish question our bathroom walls and ceiling are smooth plaster and have never been painted how should we fill the cracks and then finish with enamel answer fill the cracks with patching plaster get it at a hardware store instructions are on the label for the first coat thin enamel with one eighth as much linseed oil allow to dry thoroughly then apply a coat of and finish with enamel |
