Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-03-28
OUNCES OF PREVENTION.
Open Fires.
Titus Munson Coan. in Harper's Weekly.

Titus Munson Coan. in Harper's Weekly.
Whether 1t Is OF wood or coal, the virtues Of
an open fire are these: BY its peculiar heat
action 1t warns the air of a room less than its
walls and less than the occupants Of the room,
producing comfortable warmth. It gives the
most thorough ventilation, and 1t is the most
cheerful as well as comfortable source of heat.
Its faults are its expensiveness and the greater
trouble required in taking care Of 1t.
Why does an open fire give comfortable heat
when the heat from system of pipes is often
oppressive, and sometimes sitting? Because Of
the great difference between the WAYS in which
the fire and the hot pipes dispense their heat
The heat rays from an open fire pass directly
through the air without much heating it; they
heat any solid object in their way, whether it be
the walls and furniture OF the room or the per-
son OF the sitter. but they leave the air itself
cool until this is heated in turn by radiation
from the walls. The occupant of the room does
not have to wait for this secondary radiation;
he is impartially and promptly warmed, like any
other solid object in the room, by the direct
glow OF the fire. while the air around him NAV
remain comparatively cool 1t does not. in
point OF fact. get to be quite as warm as the
walls and furniture. while by choosing a less or
greater distance from the fire, or by the use of
screens, you can adjust the heat Of direct rada-
ton exactly to your personal comfort.
This is not the case with any other system Of
heating: Warmed pipes. stove at anything
short OF red heat. and hOt-air register directly
heat the air itself, leaving the walls compare
lively cool. The room is full of hot air, which
you can not temper instantly to your comfort as
you can temper the radiation of the open fire,
While the walls remain cooler than the air when
these heating appliances are used and abstract
heat from the occupants Of the room instead of
supplying heat to them, as they do when
warmed by the open fire.
For these reasons the open fire is the most
comfortable way of heating. As to it's virtue in
producing ventilation, an open fire lis powerful
enough to draw into the room all the air it
wants, and for this purpose will use in
discriminatory all openings, whether in
often happens. when this is cold, and the
house is not tightly built, the fire may easily
cause too much ventilation. so that the feet be-
come chilled and the temperature of the room
does not reach comfortable degree of warmth.
In such case register supplying warmed air
from furnace below is a necessary supplement
to the open fires; q similar compensation is
needed in large buildings where hot pipes are
used to warm the halls. The open fire, indeed,
is often in our climate luxury tor single
room, rather than a sufficient means of heating
the house; but the open fire is a great comfort.
Other sources of heat may usetully supplement
1t; but no other, at whatever expense of money
and scientific cOntrivance can take the place of
1t. have known more than one builder of his
own house who has found out that it's winter
comfort was by no means wholly decided by the
height or the thermometer
The cheerfuness Of the open fire requires no
eulOgy. But the open flame, whether of wood,
soft coal, or hard coal. is a costly luxury. Soft
OF fue but it is worth remembering that one
good lump Of 1t upon hard-coal fire will fill
room with cheerful flame for hours.
Of the heat furnished by an ordinary open coal
fire only about One-eghth is utilized In room.
This waste has led inventors to cOntrlve various
rpt9 n Of ho hoat hat
capes directly up the chimney. The principle is
to warm an ascending current of air in proximity
TO the fire. but not to an excessive degree,
and to disengage the air near the top
OF the room Cation has devised one of
the best Of these contrvances, but 1t
is little known in this country. In any Fireplace
the forms and materials employed make good
deal of difference with the amount of heat
saved. Brick and tiles are better than iron for
the backing; the CRATE should project certain
distance into the room, and a projecting chin
ney-plece absorbs and radiate5 u considerable
amount Of heat. The fashion. now going out,
Of concealing the mantel-pece with board,
suitably trimmed and decorated, was thus a
other coverings of the false mantel-pece serv-
ing to retain and distribute the heat of the fire
beneath.
The hob Is an attachment that should be
found upon the CRATE of every open fire. Any
one can make good hob i'm Ave minutes Take
II piece OF stout wire One-lfth OF an inch in d-
ameter and ~ to d inches long, bend it into the
shape OF long capital Z, 5 or six inches broad,
pat the points OF this Z between the two upper
CRATE bars and bend down the loop of it until 1t
stays level aud YOU will have convenient
movable hob, and quite as good one as can
be bought for money. The hob and kettle are
very scryceable for evaporating water accord
Ing to the plan have recommended for keep
ing the air moist hob thus makes the crate
fire in the i1arlor more healthful, while the tea
kettle simm cring upon 1t adds it's own element
of domestic comfort