The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1917-12-22
TO SAVE FUEL IN HOUSE HEAT|NG|
Special Detailed Instructions by Government in Coal Econ
omy-Regulation Of Air Important Factor-Caution in
Regard to Shaking Crates


States has become so acute that the
coal administration is sending out ap-
peals almost daily for the conservation
of every available pound of fuel.
Among other things, it has suggested
that the schools be closed during Jan
uary and February, these two months
to be made up by having sessions closed
a month later in the spring and opened
a month earlier in the fall. House
holders have been urged to do their bit
by cutting down the temperature of
their homes from the usual 70 degrees
to GS, which medical experts assert is
more conducive to good health.
It is likely that the latter suggestion
will be entirely lost on majority of
those who are charged with the care
of residence furnaces, unless their APP
paratus happens 10 be deliberately
equipped, among other things, with a
thermostat. The average eommuter
who fires his furnace will not be in
terested in the proposal to change the
temperature in his home by two degrees
if he only can get the temperature up
TO normal and bank his fire before he
has to run to catch the 1.55 or the S.32
But what he can do is to save ton OF
so OF coal by properly regulating Ms
fire
How he can do this is explained IN
a pamphlet recently issued by the bu
reau of mines Of the department Of the
interior under the title of Saving
Fuel in Heating a House. If cop!
Of this pamphlet were put into The
hands eff every one having the care
of furnace, an immense saving OF
coal would be the result. One man
after careful study of these instruc
tions, has found that he will be abl'
to reduce his coal consumption from tel
to eight tons with a hot.water heating
system.
1.-THE total output of coal in Thu
world during the calendar year 1918,
| SAYS the introduction TO the instruc
| tions, according 10 government T,
! port, was | ,443 ,393 ,052 short tons, an,
| Of this amount 39.5 per cent or 90
| 04S, % tons, was mined in the Unita
States Probably 10 to Is per cent o
| the coal produced in the country wen
to purchasers who used ii largely i
heating dwellings,. The federal govern
nent used a large quantity of coal 10
/ heating the many small buildings o.
! cupied by its various departments an
| bureaus, and il, therefore, directly il
teresed not only in selecting prope
fuels but in obtaining the best possib!
results from their consumption.
THE Importance of providing an II
let for the air that must enter the ful
mace room is frequently overlooked
especially in small, tightly closed flu
mace rooms. Roughly. $50 TO 300 cubi
feet of air are required for each poun
Of coal burned, and, to prevent troubl
from insufficient draft, some means {
admitting this air into the furnac
room must be provided.
1.-THE suggestions following have
do especially with preventing ineon
plete combustion and the admission {
large excess Of air into the furnac
and the minimizing of the attentio
necessary 70 maintain the proper ten
perature in the rooms heated.
Whatever fuel may be seleetc,
convenience will be promoted by ma
ing the heater large enough to maintai
FOR at least eight hours, without a
tention, proper room temperature und,
any weather conditions, except Il
most severe. Ii a heater will not {
this, it is too small or the draft is il
sufficient. Satisfactory regulation {
the fire will be facilitated by the pro
CT equipment Of hampers, including
hand damper in the smokepipe, q chez
damper, also in the smokepipc, and
damper, preferably lift dampcr,
the ashpit The ashpit damper ar
ash door, as we'll as the pit itsel
should be made so that the supply
air under the CRATES can be entire
cut off by closing the door and dampe
otherwise proper control of the ii
will be difficult if not impossible. Tn
is a point often neglected. II bitumi
orss coal is 10 be burned a lift damp
in the firing door is advisable.
whether the fuel be hard or so
coal, coke, or wood, the stack damp
should be kept partly closed at a
times except III severe weather, unle
the conditions as to the size of ii
boiler and draft are such that all ava,
able draft is regularly needed. In mo-
cases, with the stack damper part
closed, the proper regulation can
obtained by varying the positions
the check damper and the ashpit dam
er. The fire door should not be ust
to check the fire except in emergeneie
for the reason that the cold air admi
ted through the open door cooks Il
tirepot at the same time that it cheel
the fire.
''other suggestions that apply /