St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1889-01-12

FACTS ABOUT FURNACES.

FACTS ABOUT FURNACES.
4 Noted Sanitary Engineer on the Ensctl
Of Furnace Heat ON Health.
In February. 1881, the committee o
aygiene Of the Medical Society ol
Kings County rendered a report, which
Is published in full in the proceeding.
Of that society. upon catarrh and
whether that disease was aggravated
by residence In cities. The opinion,
of a large number Of ofphysicians Of long
experience were obtained and theil
testimony showed ''that though c.i
matte and city influences have much to
do with the creation of catarrh. yet de-
fective heating. lighting. airing. sun
ming and drainage of houses, with i'm
proper views as to mir. clothing. bath.
ing and exercise are the main causes.
Individual physicians laid special
stress upon individual influences. as
''dry and irritating air from villainous
furnaces" Increased furnace heat and
artificial Aethods of living.
Furnace air per Sc is not so unwhole-
some, but it is the absence Of ventila-
tion which makes it SO. II a furnace
Of sufficient size to warm a building
without opening every draft and heat
ing the firepOt red hot. and If the fresh
air supply is taken from a proper
source and not from damp area of un.
clean cellar; and, furthermore, if there
are sufficient openings at the top OF
the house to allow the impure air
which rises to that point to escape and
thus cause a constant circulation Of
sufficiently warmed but not overheated
air through the house; under these
conditions = furnace is not objection
able.
Furnaces are often badly located.
1t is easier to force warm air through
. furnace flue fifty feet away from the
prevalent wind than ten fest IN the
opposite direction. Hence. the furnace
should be placed nearest the Northern
side Of the building or two should b
provided Hot-air Aues should mot Be
carried for any distance through cold
cellars halls or basements. - they
will become chilled and will not draw
without being cased with some non-
material. as mineral wool.
Don't set furnace in pit, especially
in wet soil where water will collect
after every rain storm, but stand it on
brick arches, SO as to raise it above
the ground; also cement the pit 1t is
unfortunately very common to find
such depressions filed with water;
this causes rusting of the furnace itself
and damp in the cellar. In very many
bouses occupied by persons Of means
the furnaces are. no longer used. but
have been replaced by open ires. This
is costly comfort, but it is a commend
able plan, rs it furnishes ample ven.
tilation to the living rooms. 1t is de-
sirable that one room should at least
be thus supplied with . cheerful and
fire.
Where fresh-air inlets arc carried
from the house drain to the front of a
house at the yard level they should not
be located near to the cold-air supply,
IS there is a chance that during heavy
states Of the atmosphere down draft
may be created and the foul air sucked
into the air box and thence upward in
10 the house. Registers should never
be placed at the floor level. as they will
collect dust and sweepings. which are
liable to take fire.
Furnaces with heavy castings heat
slowly and arc less easily cracked or
warped and they cool more slowly, SO
hat the heat involved is more uni
orm. 1t is we'll to retain the air close
o the firepot and thus keep it longer
n contact with the fire-heating sur
ace.
Water pans are often badly arranged
% that they admit dust, and rs they
ne seldom cleaned that may become
'ffensive. They should always be sup.
'lied by ball cock, SO as to be auto
natic, rather than by a stop cock.
which has to be opened by q servant
vhO may be neglectful.
Attempts have been made to filter
he air before entering the furnace but |
hey usually fail. A screen of gall
anized iron wire Of one-sixteenth
mesh will exclude most floating ma
erial from the air. The air supply is |
ometimes taken from the attic, but it |
> apt to be dusty and tmpure. Others
axe it from vestibules OF halls or piaz-
as, which are not bad places. Charles
TInQdte, in PHILADELPHIA Press.