Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1915-12-07
Mil shavns Perspective


- inc Duilul0B. l0b TOtll0R anu I0o
consequent heating cause the sawdust
to settle and leave open spaces which
further weakens the insulation. When
sawdust is to be employed it should be
thoroughly dried before use.
There are several makes of COM
mercial insulators that are a great
deal better than either shavings or
sawdust and are cheaper in the end,
but their initial cost is somewhat
greater. They are nearly uniform in
their insulating value, and moisture
has but little effect upon them. They
are practically fireproof, occupy but
little space, and will retain their eff
cheney indefinitely. To get the best
results, however, they should be in.
stalled by experienced men.
Drainage.
Provision should be made for thor
ough drainage. In houses that have
the floor below the level of the ground,
sufficient drainage usually can be OBJ
tanned through the soil, especially if
the soil is porous. 1t may be neces-
sary, however, with a clay soil, to ex-
cSvate a foot or two and fill in with
cinders or gravel, and to place a g.
inch porous tile under the floor. This
drain should be properly trapped or
sealed to prevent warm air from enter
ing the building through the floor. In
place of the tile a satisfactory drain
may be constructed in houses having
a ground floor by digging a ditch I'M
der the floor of the house and filling
the ditch with broken stone or gravel,
well packed into place. This drain
should be led out with sufficient fall
to carry away the water.
All floors should be sloped down
ward toward the center of the room
to prevent the ice from falling against
the walls of the building and in houses
having water-tight floors to carry the
water to the drain.
Ventilation.
There is bound to be more or less
melting of ice, no matter what the
construction of the building may be-
and this will cause moisture to settle
on the walls and ceiling of the room
If the building is of wood construction
the moisture is absorbed by the wood
and rot and decay follow. Therefore
wooden houses should be provided
with means of ventilation which can
be controlled at will. The ceiling of
such houses should be sloped up to
the center in order to assist the circu-
lation and carry the warm, moisture
laden air to the ventilatoT. In those
houses in which some form of COM
mercial insulation is used that will
take a cement finish on the interior
no ventilation is considered necessary.
The building should be so constructed
that there will be a circulation of air
through the outer walls and at the
caves to the ventilator on the roof,
as these air currents tend to break
up the heat radiation through the
walls and roof
Waterproofing.
It is of the utmost Importance that
brick. concrete, and wooden buildings
be waterproofed. Brick and concrete
work may be rendered waterproof by
painting the outside of the wall with
white lead and oil or by coating the
walls with a preparation of para6in
or asphalt, or by some of the patented
compounds. The preparation contain
ing parafiin or asphalt should be APP
piled hot. and the walls should also
be heated previously to application.
There are on the market several wa
ter-excluding paints and compounds
for preserving wood. Creosote is con-
sidered one Of the best preservatives,
provided the wood is thoroughly i'm
pregnated with it, but on account of
its odor ii should not be used in
houses where food products are
stored.