The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1921-10-28
u. s. TELLS HOW
TO Save FUEL
Ignorance of Care of Furnace Re-.
sponsible for Much Waste,
Says Bulletin.
SEALING CRACKS SAVES HEAT
Average House Owner Burns Too Much
Coal, Principally Because He Does
Not Know How to Regulate
His Heater.

WdSIllDktOn.-lne average nOusc
owner burns too much coal, principally
because he does not know how to
regulate his heater, say engineers Of
the United States Department of Agri-
culture in Farmers Bulletin 1894,
Operating a Home Heating Plant"
published by the department. Many
rural homes are now provided with
furnaces, and the publication was pre-
pared as guide to their efficient
operation, particularly In getting the
most heat out Of the fuel and In max
ing the home as healthful as possible
The satisfactory and efficient heat
ing of homes, according to the bulletin,
requires: That the chimney flue be OF
proper size and in the proper place;
that the proper heating equipment be
installed correctly; that the plant be
understood thoroughly and operated so
that It gives the most heat from the
fuel cOnsumed that the house be con-
structed so that the heat Is held In;
that the air be kept moist; and that
enough fresh air be admitted either
continuously or from time to time to
avoid the discomfort or unhealthful
conditions due to accumulation Of car
bOnic acid gas. In selecting fuel, the
bulletin suggests that different kinds
and sizes of coal be tried out.
Should Be Properly Installed.
The best and highest-priced heater
improperly installed may give less sat
isfactiOn than the poorest and cheap
est put I'm correctly, says the bulletin.
For this reason a man known to under
stand his business should install the
plant. In selecting the furnace, consult
owners of homes who have had ex-
perience In operating furnaces OF diff
ferent types.
Practically all heating plants have
four hampers. A draft damper In the
door Of the ash pit is opened to admit
air through the fire, which causes 1t
to burn rapidly. A check damper 10
Gated in the smoke pipe is opened to
admit cold air into the flue, thus inter-
fering with the draft and retarding the
burning of fuel in the heater. The
damper located In the feed doOris used
for the'sanle purpose. Through It cold
air is admitted directly over the fire,
and If opened wide, it acts as check.
When regulated properly, 1t admits just
sufficient air to supplement that adj
mitted through the draft damper and
causes more perfect combustion Of the
fuel. The smoke pipe damper Is To-
Gated between the furnace and the
check draft, and can he used to control
the draft above the fuel In windy
weather or at night.
Ashes should not he permitted to ac
cumulate in the ash pit. as this retards
the draft and the heat causes the crate
bars to become warped and bent. AS a
rule II Is not necessary to shake down
the ashes more than once or twice a
day, except in very cold weather, and
shaking should be stopped as soon as
live sparks begin to fall into the ash
pit In mild weather coal can be saved
by permitting an accumulation Of ashes
In the CRATE.
Sealing Cracks Saves Heat.
It Is economy TO seal the cracks
about doors and windows with weather
strips, and where the weather is I'M
usually cold, storm sash Is recon-
mendcd. With wind velocity Of
fifteen miles an hour a crack Of three
thirty-seconds of an inch, which Is
much less than the average fol- doors
and windows, permits the passage of
about one and One-half cubic feet Of
air minute for every linear foot. An
ordinary double sash window (thirty-
six inches wide and seventy-two inches
high) would thus admit thirty cubic
feet of air minute. In a room ten
feet wide by twenty feet long having
two windows Of this kind, there would
be required approximately so per cent
more heat units to heat 1t properly
than II the entrance Of the air was
controlled and complete change al
lowed once every hour.
, In addition to maintaining proper
temperature. the moisture present in
the air Is n great factor I'm beating
homes. The water pan in the furnace
should always he kept filed. and other
means provided for the evaporation Of
water In the living room. Not only are
rooms In which the air has high per-
centage OF moisture more economically
heated. but living conditions are more
healthful.