The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1907-12-13
Watch the Stovepipe.

State Fire Marshal Lloyd T. McGill, Jr.,
has issued a bulletin advising the people
how best to guard agtinst and to prevent
fire loss. The Marshal says:
The fires caused by errors in construc-
ton or lack of attention to the avenues
for the escape of smoke from heaters, it
is estimated, number in Maryland each
year about 200, and the accruing loss is
about $12O.0OO.
1.-TWO thirds of this big loss could be
saved if each householder, before severe
weather sets in. has inspected and clean
ed the hues in his or her house. Why not
protect your property and its occupants
by devoting II minutes to the commonest
of all fire Dangers
Fires from defective chimneys usually
occur in the attic, and thus get good
start in the dry wood before discovery is
made. Attics being difficult to reach
with water bucket, the fire is likely to
get beyond control quickly.
The settling of afoundation OF house
may open a crevice between the bricks or
stones, enabling sparks to escape. Some
times a new chimney in settling forms
crack because one side OF it is supported
by floor timbers.
"a chimney built on joists or bracket
is continually a source OF danger, because
of the liability of cracks being caused by
springing of the timbers. Chimneys so
built often have as their base plank,
and its only protection from sparks
and heat is a layer of mortar on it.
Many fires result from this cause.
SOME THINGS TO BE REMEMBERED.
Poor mortar crumbles out, leaving
openings.
Mails driven into brick chimneys are
likely to come out, leaving holes.
"a joist end should not rest in CHM
ney wall,
Tile chimneys of all sorts are unsafe,
because they are likely to crack off at the
| level of the roof, where cold air strikes
| them.
"a hood should make no offset to hold
SCOT
"a chimney top should be inspected and
SCOT swept down and removed from
below.
"A stovepipe must be cleaned frequently.
| Earring the SCOT down is not enough. A
scraper should be used inside to remove
scales and then it should be inspected.
section BY section, for rust holes, which
might permit sparks to fly outward in
stead of upward.
"See that the pipe when upis sparktight
throughout and is not pushed into the
fue so far as to choke it.
San elbow in the stovepiDe lessons the lla-
bility of particles of kindiing or fuel being
drawn from the chimney top and alight-
ing still red-hot on tie shingles. If such
sparks are given elbow room they are
likely to bump in making the turn and
fall back harmless. While a fire is burn
ing the air in the chimney travels up at
the rate of three to six feet second.
Rag filled holes cause fires.
MOVE ON sTovEPIPEs.
"a stovepipe should not pass where 1T
cannot be seen, as through lath-ano'
plaster partition or through an attic or
unused room, because openings IN 1t may
occur from rust or the parting OF seam
, or Joint. In such cases the pipe becomes
covered with fluff and is liable toignite
"a pipe should not pass through a
wooden roof, windo W frame or siding o.
a summer kitchen. tits liable to become
| red
"No flue should be smaller than Sxs
inches, which is the length OF brick. l
) any green wood is used the tiue should
be SKIP inches.
The effective way to deal with thu
: enormous loss caused by fires from de
fective fues is through State building
r law, similar to that of North Carolina
which controls the building of chimney
and many other details of architecture
{ This would cure the evil in fifty years"