The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1875-05-29
Health and Comfort in House building.


are many who propose building residences
this season. The best advice which can be
given in many cases where this is proposed
is that competent architect be employed
and that his directions be followed Some
things are SO often neglected by those build
ing that few suggestions may do good, even
| il they be Of the Kind which suggests the re.
mark, Everybody knows that"
! On many farms the location OF the resi-
Gence is determined by the water supply
Water is good thing, but 1t is coming to be
understood that IN the wrong place 1t is q
very bad thing. Dry earth is healthful il
absorbs unpleasant odors and bad gases.
Wet earth gives out these things. Many dis.
eases have their cause in malarial vapOrs
arising from stagnant water. Hence the first
suggestion we make is that, II the spot Sc.
lected is not by nature so liked as to do this,
it should be so graded that water will not re.
main near the house, especially not under it,
very little banking of earth against the tOun.
tations will do much good. 1t is also es.
pecially important that grading be done
about the we'll so that the surface water may
run from rather than to and into it,
Cellars should he well drained and well
ventilated, especially if they are to be used
for storing vegetables. 1t is beyond doubt
that sickness is frequently caused by the
dampness and bad Odors arising from cellars.
THIS is so true that there is much force in the
suggestion that the cellar should be made
outside OF the house, at least not under the
parts usually occupied.
Ordinarily the house that Is warmest in
winter is coolest and most comfortable in
summer Where little money can be spent
some things which would add to comfort
cannot be afforded, but often saving in the
first cost is poor economy, as the increased
expenditure in the cou,se of years may far
exceed the cost Of the thing omitted. In
wooden houses II is important that special
care be taken to prevent ingress of the ey-
IRENE cold or heat. The use OF building
paper is great help at small cost 1t will
pay well to use it not only on the sides but
under the floors and roofs of houses. Win. |
dows and doors should be made to tit closely
and the wide opening under the Dashboard
often should be avoided if possible.
Ventilation is very generally neglected. |
Many intelligent people seem 20 believe that
the purity OF the air is determined by its
that cold air is necessarily
pure. Almost everybody admits that fresh
air" is desirable in hot weather or in too
warm room, but very bad air is tolerated,
perhaps unnotlced, if it be only cool. Ven
lilation Is secured in room with many
cracks and loosely.fltted doors and windows,
but in an extensive and undesirable way.
Currents of cold air flowing on the floor are
very bad for the health and often cause I'M
noticed suffering on the part of small chill
dren. In an ordinary house. lying on the
floor in winter by grown person soon shows
how uncomfortable it is, yet the children
creep and lie there unno,ced. So direct
drafts are to be avoided. 1t is better to have
the loom so it can be made nearly alright
and admit air End allow it to escape by open
Ings conirolled7at pleasure.
In every case where it is practicable,
room should have windows on two sides,
perfect ventilation is very difficult
unless special apparatus is supplied. The
windows should extend to within foot of
the ceiling which should never be less than
eight feet from the floor, and better ten, and
should always let down from the top as well
as raise from the bottom.
One of the simplest and cheapest cOntri-
vances for ventilation in winter OF which we
know is to introduce fresh air through tin
Dr. wooden pipe under the floor, coming up
he stove, and extending up beside it and the
,toye-pIpe to the height OF, say SIX feet, The .
,ir is warmed as ii passes up, and the ten
N, at the cracks and openings.
Shade trees ear the house are exceedingly :
desirable, but they should not be too close to
he house nor too thickly planted. Sunlight
Ind fresh air should not be excluded even to
secure shade. Thick hanging vines on the
walls are also to be avoided Western RHrol.