The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1869-07-10
FARM and OUSEHOLD,
Remedy for Wet Cellars.

s. Wilkinson, Landscape Gardener
and Rural Architect, of Baltimore, wri-
ting to Hearth and Home on the above
subject says:
| am frequently called to remedy wet
cellars under rural residences and farm
barns, which | have found in some in
stances to arise from the want of cutters
and properly-arranged spoutings by
which to convey the rain-water from
the roof to a distance from the building
from which the cellar will not be affect
ed. Some buildings have no cutters
or spouting, others have, but they are
so imperfectly arranged and so badly
neglected that the building is rendered
very damp and unwholesome by roof
water finding its way under the founda-
tons into the cellar.
l frequently find the surface of the
ground lowest along the wall of the
building, so that the water falling on
the building and around it, all tends to
drain into the cellar 1t is common to
find the place of discharge of the water
from the spoutings such that the water
is not conveyed from the building to a
point from which it cannot find its way
under the foundations, but is so graded
that large portion of the water is alb
sorbed by the ground, filters down until
it gets under the foundations near the
place of discharge, while other portions
arc kept comparatively dry. The effect
is to cause the building to settle irregu-
larry, and to crack the walls, greatly
lmpalring both strength and appear
ance. Good cutters, spoutings and
close conduits laid in the ground to a
place of discharge from which the water
cannot possibly find its way under the
walls or into the cellar, are very i'm
portant. L have known very valuable
buildings to be nearly DESTROYED by in
attention, improper drainage and gra-
ding about them. Cutters are usually
too small and have not sufficient fall,
and the mouth-piece " of the spouting
not being provided with proper screen
by which toprcvent leaves from getting
INTO them, the spouting is clogged and
neglected until it freezes and bursts and
the gutter overfows, which is worse
than no gutter
have found the hanging metal gut
ter under the ewes much safer and bet
ter than those built in and concealed bv
the cornlcc. Copper hung with copper
straps is cheaper in the end than tin.
They should be trihe lowest in the
front that they may not overflow
against the building in case they are
neglected. The spouting should be
soldeled at all the joints and be closely
connected with terra-cotta pipe laid
below part in the ground
II thus arranged and the conduit in
the ground is twenty feet or more in
length, the spouting will never be
closed by freezing.
The temperature Of the ground in
which the pipe lies being above the
freezing, the air in the pipe is rarified
and rises and meets the freezing water
in the spouting and melts it con-
tinually.
| have been arranging spoutine thus
Tor the past twelve years, and have
never known one to freeze. Where
leaves are liable to get into the cutters
l have found that they may be effect
ually prevented from getting into the
sporting, and the water not obstructcd
until the gutter is nearly full of leaves.
by arranging cage or screen as
shall describe
l have tested variety of forms, but
never succeeded until | invented the
form that | now use. | take circular
plate of galvanized iron or timed COP
per, the diameter of which is onc-fourt h
greater than the opening of the mouth
piece OF the spoutlng, and punch row
OF holes the size of an ordinary knitting
needle, half an inch apart and one-rourth
of an inch from the edge of the plate.
The plate should be punched on wood
that 1t may be countcr-sunk around the
| holes. l then insert in each of the holes
piece of timed wire, which for ordi-
nary sized gutter should be eight inches
i'll length, and solder one end of the
| Nh' III INC toulitti-Sillh Ill inc Diatc.
The wires arc all to stand perpen-
dlcular to the plate. When this screen
is inserted into the moutE-picce of the
Sp"utng in the gutter, grasp the hands
around all the wires and compress them
until they will all enter the mouth OF
the spouting, and press the screen down
until the plate is an inch above the
level of the top of the gutter This
screen eilectuLly excludes the leaves,
and being larger at the top than at the
bottom, no leaves accumulate on it, but
incline to pile fiat one upon another I'M
til the gutter is full. When, if properly
made, it will overflow in front and must
be cleaned out.
The general use of this screen. and
the protection from freezing in the
spouting by the conduit in the ground,
will save an immense amount of dam
age to buildings; will keep the founda-
tons and cellars dry, and prevent much
suffering that is produced by damp
| houses
| For ThrI ,ril