New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1886-02-03
DOMESTIC ECONOMY.
Philosophy Of Properly Heating
aad Ventlating Houses
During Winter.
Topics Of Varied Interest to the Hus.
bandman.
How to Keep Warm.

How to Keep Warm.
What1an important factor in our COM
fort is the warming of our rooms and
houses, writes correspondent of The
Pail Nall Gazette, and yet compare
lively few people concern themselves
with the scientific aspect Of the ques-
ton Sc as properly to understand its
practical bearings. The general idea
of warming room is, after making a
good fire, to stop up as far as possible
all cracks and crevices through which
draughts can come, with sandbags on
the window sashes, india-rubber round
the doors, and so on. The success that
attends these strategic operations is
more or less complete according to the
accuracy of the various fittings of the
roem;;: but. unfortunately, success in
keeping the air out means close, stufy
room, and very often smoky chimney
in addition, because the air can not 60
up the chimney faster than it comes in
to the room. Of course the closeness
and unhealthfulness of such a place is
much aggravated in the evening, when
the lamp or gas-burner pours its quota
of noxious vapors into the apartment.
Let it not be supposed from this that
We advocate draughts. We regard
them, on the contrary, as insidious. enc
mics to health and comfort. But air
will find its way in, and, if a special en-
trance be not provided for it, it will
rush in impetuously at any small open
ing that exists. It would be better, in
stead Of trying to stop up these open
ings, to dispense the cold currents by
fringes, ETC., or direct them upward to-
ward 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
window-ward side as one sits in room
is caused, not by current of cold air
setting from the window to the fire, but
by the GOODNESS of the window itself
For this latter, being kept at low tenn
perature by contact with the outside 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
instance, the air in a room may be quite
hot, and yet a large window, however
air tight, will make itself unpleasantly
felt on cold day, just as on board ship
the propinquity of an iceberg is an
nounced by lowering Of temperature.
A screen interposed between the win
dow and any one exposed to its nalign
influence will often afford great relief;
and one reason why rooms so frequent
ly feel more comfortable in the evening
is that the cold glass is efectually shut
of behind the closely drawn curtains
and blinds. In countries where the
winters are habitually severe the ad-
vent of frost is usually the signal for the
fixing up of inner windows, the layer of
air between these and the outer ones
forming an excellent barrier to the es-
cape Of heat, owing to its low conduc-
tive power. Cold walls also induce a
sense of chiliness, but if they are prop
erly built there should be NO difficulty
in keeping them warm on the inside.
The experiment has sometimes been
tried of warming rooms by means of
hot air only, but the result has never
been good and for this reason: That,
in order to warm the walls to the ex-
quisite degree, the air must be far hot
ter 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 carpet of the
room. These, being thus gently
warmed, communicate their heat by
contact to the air about them, and in
- way, while the objects in the room
are raised to sufficient temperature,
the air is not rendered unpleasant by
being over heated. We see, then, that
our favorite open fires have much to
recommend them, whatever may be said
about their wastefulness, and as regards
health and comfort they are 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 to excess.
With regard now to the air. It is
very desirable that the impure yapors
due to respiration and the combustion
of gas or oil should be removed as con-
pletely and constantly as possible. Usu-
ally no special provision is made for
this, but fortunately our habit of using
y