The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-02-21
Saving in Repairs, Coal and Insur.
ance Offsets Added Cost
at the Beginning

model homes for employees OF cor
porations n otherwise. not in n
form feasible for individual use.
A really fireproof house has nothing
infiammable in IL except furniture and
clothes; not even partitions. floors,
doors, window sash. trim. Sometimes
there are even asbestos rugs and cur
tains; also metal bookcases-and one
Jerseyite has a concrete writing desk.
On that desk Billy Sunday could safely
write a m
The principle that half a loaf Is bet
ter than none applies to home making
1T is recognized by the hard headed
insurance men; and sc II We cannot be
absolutely fireproof II II worth while
to be as fircproof as We can. Any
degree Of fire protection whatever 10
valuable. II 10 not Q Quguon. ~
most Of IN think, Of q house burning
up. once 4 II started, despeae Q few
fireproof features. but Of eliminating
the causeB Of many bhze0 and Of
making It difficult for a casual blaze
to do harm. A house. like Q hastleship,
has v1tal parts which should Be- epe-
cially safeguarded. And thia local safe
guarding againSt fre - ~ Q protec-
ton against time and wear in v1lnrr.
able parts.
Some hints along THE hne were
given in . previous article on wooden
construction II might be further said
that a wooden house Is better OF for
a concrete fioored porch and outside
/. concrete steps Or stairs. Thus we
foil grass and rubbish blazes-and de-
cay. The chimney should DO carefully
built with rle fue lining. There IL
no more vulnerable part chan tho
chimney and none that IL more gem
orally scamped by crooked builders.
Everything that tho lighting
system needs special care: electric
wires should be we'll insulated and
carried in lead or iron pipes. Gas
pipes and fixtures should be first class.
I; gasolene IL used for cooking only
the best type of stove should be had
and extra precautions taken. A fire
extinguisher Is a good investment.
though It costs Sc to IS. 1t should be
kept In the kitchen. A length OF hose
attachable 90 a faucet Is an added
protection.
An open fireplace that Is o a mere
! ornament should AVE no wooden
mantel or other woodwork about II.
OF course They all do II" otherwise:
and some regret II. The outer hearth
should be w TO two and q half
feet wide. The least thickness OF
brick or concrete separating the FIRE
in the inner hearth from any wooden
beams or flooring should be eight
inches-better more. A fire screen
covering the entire opening should be
used. IL there Is an ash pit 10 the
cellar II should be first class.
There are many masons who claim
TO be experts on the construction of
open fireplaces. but when you give
EN- the password OF throat" and
the esoterio sign OF smoke chamber"
their blank response indicates that
they are hardly qualified to build a
bo's oven for the Hotel de Gink. ]
have seen freplaces that were I'M
mitigated frauds in a house that cost
upward OF $4,000. Yet there IS no
great difficulty about making a good
fireplace. In order 20 simplify the
Job and prevent mistakes 1t Is we'll 10
buy an iron throat and damper, which
costs about So: also a reinforced
concrete smoke chamber. These arti-
cles with a useful booklet on fire.
places may be had from any we'll
equipped dealer IN lumber and build
ing material. There should be a
separate tile lined fiue for an open
fire.
The roof Of any house IL the most
vulnerable part. II the exterior v
ering is safe against chimney sparks
and frebrands from an adjacent burn
ing structure. while Il would retard an
interior blaze, much has been gained,
A roof Is vulnerable as regards wear
and weather as well az Are; therefore
il requires extra good material and
construction. There are folks who
dote on a pretty roof"-"so artistic
and who turn up their noses at a
real roof made 10 last. A dollars
worth Of color and a dormer window
like a bilious Y make them quite
happy.