Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1886-02-08

Air-Chilliness from Cold Walis-Opea
; Fires for Health and Comfort.
| What an important factor In our COM
I fort is the warming of our rooms and
houses, and yet comparatively few people
concern themselves with the scientific as
pect of the question so as properly to un-
derstand its practical bearings. The gen
eral idea Of warming a room is, after
making good fire, to stop up as far rs
possible all cracks and crevices through
which draughts can come with sandbags
on the window sashss, india rubber round
the doors, and SO on. The success that at
tends these strategic operations is more or
less complete according to the accuracy
of the various fittings of the room; but.
unfortunately, success in keeping the air
out means close, stuffy. room, and very
often a smoky chimney in addition, be-
cause the air can not go up the chimney
faster than il comes into the room OF
course the closeness and unhealthiness of
such q place is much aggravated In the
evening, when the lamp or gas-burner
pours its quota Of noxious vapors into the
apartment.
HOW TO MANAGE DRAUGHTS
Let it not be supposed from this that
we advocate draughts. We regard them,
on the contrary, as insidious enemies to
health and comfort. But the air will find
its way in, and If a special entrance be
not provided for it, 1t will rush impetu-
ously at any small opening that exists 1t
would be better, instead of trying to stop
up these openings, to Gisperse the cold
currents by fringes. etc, or direct them |
upward toward the ceiling.
Now, Objectionable as draughts are,
they are often credited with more than is |
really their due. Frequently the chilly |
feeling that one experiences from the !
windowward side as one sits in a ROOM is |
caused, not by a current Of cold air |
setting from the window to the fire, |
but by the coldness of the window |
itself For this latter, being kept at q !
low temperature by contact with the'out- |
side air, draws the heat from the body, or |
rather the heat radiates from the body to |
the window-the temperature of the air /
in between making no difference to this !
transference in accordance with we'll !
known property of radiant heat. For in
stance, the air in a room may be quite |
hot, and yet large window, however air |
tight, will make itself unpleasantly felt |
on a cold day, just as on board ship the |
propinquity of an iceberg is announced by |
a lowering of temperature. A screen in
terposed between a window and any one
exposed to its malign influence will often
afford great relief; and one reason why
rooms so frequently feel more comfort /
able in the evening is that the cold glass
is effectually shut of behind the closely
drawn curtains and blinds.
WALLS SHOULD WARM THE AIR
In countries where the winters are
habitually severe the advent of frost is
usually the signal for the fixing up of in
ner windows, the layer of air between
these and the outer ones forming an exrel-
lent barrier to the escape of heat, owing
to its low conductive power, Cold walls
also induce sense of chilliness, but if
they are properly built there should be no
difficulty in keeping them warm on the in
side. The experiment has sometimes been
tried of warming rooms by means Of rot
air only, but the result has never be en-
good, and for this reason, that, in or, er
to warm the walls to the requisite degree,
the air must he far hotter than Is healthy
or agreeable for breathing.
In fact, the principle is wrong, the air
should not warm the walls, but the walls
should warm the air. An open fire acts
in this latter way. The rays of heat from
it pass through the air without heating it,
and produce no effect till they impinge on
the walls, furniture and carpets of the
room. These being thus gently warmed,
communicate their heat by contact to the
air about them; and in this way, while
the objects in the room are raised to
sufficient temperature, the air is not rem
dered unpleasant by being ovsrheatnd
We see, then, that our favorite open fires
have much to recommend them, whate' er
may be said about their wastefulness, and
rs regards health and comfort they re
much better than close stoves, which,
though they radiate their warmth, also
heat the air in contact with them, and are
apt to do SO in excess.-Chicago Journal.