The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1905-04-29
Correspondence Baltimore Coanty Union.
HEATING SYSTEM CONSIDERED.

HEAIlNG SYSTEM CONSIDERED.
TowsoN, Nd, April 25th, 1905.
Messrs. Editors THE heating Of public and
private buildings is a subject which concerns
both public and private individuals two thirds
of the states of the Union. In fact there are
severe spells OF cold weather which reach the
other third of the states and are more keenly
felt by the residents of those states than is the
case with those of northern attitudes, because
the South is nearly free from the severe colds
and binding snow storms of the winter months
which occur quite frequently In higher ATTITUDES.
The past winter has been of unusual severity all
over the United States. consequently all heating
appliances were fully tested by the intense cold
weather. ~ aS
There is no general rule Of heating which can
be applied to all the states alike or even to any
locality in the respective states, because the
conditions vary so much that 1t would be i'm
possible to give fixed rule for heating. GEN
orally those who plan heating systems for build
ings never see the buildings, and therefore,
know very little, If anything, about the condi-
tions and difficulties which have to be overcome.
My experience has been that heating engineers
do not allow sufficient amount of boiler power.
The engineers are not always to blame for this,
as the cost of increased boiler power multiplies
very rapidly and Is therefore seriously objected
to by the owner of house or building, as the
case may be. With public buildings, however,
there is no excuse which would justify public
officials having an inadequate boiler installed,
unless they are deceived by false representa-
ton, which, am sure, is the case sometimes.
The reason of this deception is very easily ac-
counted for. In every community there are
influential members of our political society,
who, in turn, have friends political or personaD
whom they want to favor, and by using their in
fiuence with public officials they secure the pa
tronage for such political or personal friend.
The recipient of the public favor. having secured
the good will of the official. starts in to make all
he can out of the proceeding. consequently the
job, when finished, is of inferior workmanship
and entirely insufficient for the purpose for
which It is intended There is mo- way to dis
cover the inadequacy of the system immediate
ly after its installation, because. as rule, a
heating apparatus is not fully tested until the
real cold weather sets in. If a test is had imme-
diately after the job is finished the weather is
warm inside and outside the building and all the
occupants. big and little, clerks, porters, mes
sengers and all are sending those who are test
ing the heating apparatus to hotter place.
Therefore the machine is not tested until the
"Blustering God of the Weather" makes his APP
pearance then it is too late to better the condi-
ton. Perhaps the. so-called engineer who in
stalled the plant is called upon the following
year. He sends force of men to make altera-
tions and substitutions, which should properly
be termed ''prostitutions," and. in the end, the
continuance is only fit for the bone-yard or the
junk-pile or scrap-heap, and 1t is pity the man
who installed the affair could not be forced to
accompany the remains to their final resting
place.
A few of the various systems of heating will
be considered in order. The most ancient meth
cd of heating that know of for homes is the
open fireplace, with the historic log stretched
across the andirons, the whole scene giving
Pilgrim Father appearance to the surroundings
This method of heating is still retained among
the exclusive set in high life. In England heat
ing building is a very simple affair. While it
requires thought to consider the situation very
little engineering skill is required. There is
more mechanical and practical
skill required of engineers who plan an equip
ment for an ordinary seagoing steamer than any
class of engineers. s,ss
Therefore the problem of heating buildings
rests on three things-boiler power, radiating
surface properly distributed, and last but not
least, building with good fitting doors and win
dows. Windows were made to admit light and
air. if necessary; doors were made for ingress
and egress to and from buildings. 1t is a good
plan to provide doors with vestibules, as they
afford great protection against the weather.
Enclosed porches, especially In the country,
would be great protection alsu against severe
ly cold weather. If these precautions are taken
it would be an easy matter to heat building and
the result will be particularly noticed In the size
of the coal pile. ~ r 81
AS the various kinds of heating apparatus
are fairly well understood by the majority of
intelligent people, it is useless to make more
than passing reference to the usual methods
of heating. Each method has for its primary
object the heating of the air in buildings and is,
therefore. accomplished in two of the methods
in the same manner, namely: By the radiation
of heat from radiators enclosing steam or hot
water the result is the same in both cases, while
the mode differs only in one particular, i. e the
hot water system requires larger amount Of
radiating surface, as the temperature of the
water is always lower than that of steam, while
steam heat increases with pressure.
The writer planned system for the Rev.
Father O'Keefe's Catholic Church. which for
simplicity and economy will compare favorably
with any system extant. We were fortunate in
getting the apparatus in operation on the 18th
day of November. 1904, made memorable by the
commencement of the longest period of snow
storms 1 have ever seen. Father O'Keefe's
Church is reputed to be the best and most uni
formly heated of any church in the country, and
all this done on consumption of sixteen tons
of coal. This simple system Of heating is known
as the gravity circulating system" All the
water of condensation is returned to the boiler
by its own gravity. b9e $3.50
This system of heating is very desirable where
regular water pressure is not available As
the steam travels through the system it is con-
densed by contact with the cold internal surface
of the pipes. then by grayitation is returned to
the boiler with very little apparent loss. There
fore it is to be commended for economy and
simplicity of construction, being capable of
withstanding an enormous pressure. It is the
safest system known to mechanical science.
M G.. NJ. MULLEN.
IT LOOKS like the fight for the loans in Balti-
more city is practically won. The american
said editorially on Thursday: "Party lines
have been completely wiped out in this con-
test. The Republican organization has put it.
self on record in favor of all three loans, and
the announcement has now been made that
word has been sent out all along the line from
Democratic headquarters to vote for them.
.oox,, - ,,,,sk kho:-