Show FIR FIRST S TAID T AID nr ake i AIL AILia by P I 1 S rozer roeer B whitman features you yon may not be able to replace worn or broken household equipment this Is war government priorities come first so take care of what you yon have as well as you Y possibly can this column by the homco c owners friend tells yo you u how FLYING INSECTS question in our bungalow we are bothered with flying insects that come down the chimney when the fire is out to stop this we plan to put a piece of window screening over the top of the chimney would this MIS interfere with the draft ot of a wood fire answer window screening laid flat on the chimney would be quickly clogged with ashes instead of laying the screening flat use it to make a box the size of the flue to rise at least 12 inches above the chimney top the opposite side should be left open with long pieces that will extend down into the flue and hold the box in place wind blowing across the box will prevent ashes from clinging moisture spots question since the heavy summer rains small cracks in our cement basement floor show spots of moisture these cracks are near the corners of the walls and floor the brick of the walls is crumbling how should I 1 make repairs answer you can check the crumbling of the brick by coating it with a cement base paint the kind that comes ln in powder form to be mixed with water for the small floor cracks begin by wire brushing the area wet it with clear water and then give it a coat of portland cement mixed with water to the consistency sis tency of thick paint garage floor question the garage attached to my house has a floor of crushed rock screenings this is being tracked into the house continuously what can be done to this floor answer if the screenings are very fine pulverized calcium chloride sprinkled over the floor will settle the dust but if the aggregate is larger an asphalt binder can be used your local road commissioner is familiar with both materials and can advise you where they can be obtained the asphalt binder may be difficult to procure at present yellowed refrigerator question my electric refrigerator has a yellow cast to it was perfectly white when I 1 bought the unit how can I 1 bring it back to the original whiteness answer it may not be possible to restore the box to its original whiteness but you might try the following wash the enamel with mild soap and warm water then rinse with a solution of javelle water about three tablespoonfuls in a quart of water and wipe dry if the above does not help have your local refrigerator service man spray a new lacquer finish on the box sticking casements question what can I 1 put on my steel casement windows to prevent their sticking when I 1 want to open them have tried liquid wax but it is not of much help windows were enameled two months ago answer if the windows stick at the points where the sash comes in contact with the frame apply a thin coat of shellac of course the wax will have to be removed by first wiping with turpentine should the thai binding occur at the hinges loosen them up and oil them waterproof frames to prevent rusting doing over armchair question the wood of an armchair is scratched badly we want to stain and varnish the chair but should prefer a dull varnish t to 0 the shiny kind can we get this answer certainly you can get a semi semi gloss I 1 0 ss or dull varnish that should be just what you want the present finish first should be rubbed down with very fine sandpaper then wiped with turpentine and for a really good job the first coat of varnish also should be rubbed down |