Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-01-26
Ways to Economize-How to,Burn Coal.
By Frederic ]. Haskin.

burning of COKE. for all signs indicate
that coke is the lhouse fuel of the fu-
ture
With regard totfuels, mention should
be made of the coal-powders that have
been put upon the market in the last
few years. These are chemical prepa :
rations, which usually sell at from 40
to 20 cents pound. and for which
make one ton Of coal do the work OF
two. FreQuently.tin very cold weather
these preparations are extensively dis
played and advertised and many per-
sons buy them.
The bureau of mines has to say con-
corning these preparations that it has
tested number OF them: has never
found one that had the slightest value.
any more of them because they do not
believe in the possibility of making
preparation which will substantially
increase the fuel value of coal at less
cost than the coal itself.
A test OF one of these substances
which was sold in Washington last
winter for % cents a pound was made
at the request Of Secretary of the In
terror Lane. with the result that coal
treated with the preparation was found
to have slightly less fuel value than
untreated coal.
Keep Fire Uniform.
With regard to the most economical
method Of firing coal, it Is impossible
here to give a full discussion, but some
of the conclusions Of the experts may
be summarized. In the first place. keep
your Are as near uniform as possible
The usual practice is to let the fire
burn too high, then open the door of
waste of fuel. The Are goes on burn
ing. but little of the heat reaches the
radiators. Checking the admission of
air under the frebox. and by means
the only correct ways to control the
fire.
II your furnace seems to have a poor
draught. keep the coal bed thinner by
firing more frequently. anc use a larger
size of coal. If the draught tends to
be too strong. you can afford to use a
smaller kind of coal.
Remember that your furnace requires
from $50 to 300 cubic feet of air for
each pound of coal burned. and that
there must be some reliable supply OF
air to the furnace room IL the full fuel
value of the coal is to be realized.
Though leakage through doors and
windows will usually supply tho neces-
mace rooms this factor is frequently
overlooked.
Use the most uniform size Of coal that
You can get, Keep a uniform fire. not
IL
down. Keep the fuel bed free Of air
holes. Shake the CRATES as little as
possible, and stop as soon as hot coal
begins to come through. Lots of good
coal departs with the ashman
Fire in Small Quantities.
When you want more heat quickly
put in coal frequently and little at a
time, and keep the fire bed of 4 uniform
thickness. Large quantities of coal
shoveled in at one time chill the firebox
SO that little heat is put in circulation.
They also reduce the draft and prevent
quick firing.
In mild weather do not shake the
CRATES much. Leave bed of ashes
under the burning fuel to break the
draft and keep the fire low.
Keep the fiues swept clean. If they
are dirty they do not absorb hehat, and
hence 1t does not reach the radiators.
SCOT, especially, will keep the fues
from absorbing the heat, and they
should be kept free Of it.
These suggestions will be nothing
new to the really skillful furnace man !;
bat they will give many a householder
a ne4y conception of that early morning
, job known as fixing the furnace" The
main consideration is to remember that
in fuel. as with regard to all the other
necessities of life. intelligent selection
and use are the really effective means
of economy.