Evening star., 1923-11-03
INSULATION MADE
BIG HOME FACTOR
Increasing Use of Methods to
Prevent Loss of Heat
Is Apparent.

The increasing use of insulation
against heat and cold as seen in the
work of modern American architects
is due principally to two things-in-
creasing fuel costs and better
knowledge of insulation methods and
practices.
In the older days, when building
construction was almost entirely hand
work, even to making sash and
frames. and when lumber obtained
was of a little different character
from that with which we are familiar
today. houses were possibly less SUBJ
Ject to leakage around windows and
doors than the average house at the
present time. The fact remains, how
ever, that people occupying the houses
at that period were not so particular
as TO the temperature maintained in
dwellings, as is the custom today.
There is an ideal at which every
pody aims in residential work, and
Inat is TO maintain constant degree
or warmth as well as a maximum of
cooiness In summer. Obviously this is
impossible in houses which are poorly
constructed or thrown together, and
the first thing to be considered with
regard to heat loss in wintertime is
III hitting of windows and poor con-
sructlon of walls and roofs. No mat
Ter now much protection one might
give to various parts of the house If
gale is permitted to blow through
openings around doors and windows
1t would be impossible to maintain
anything like livable conditions ex-
cept at an uneconomical rate of fuel
consumption. The first thing there
fore, in connection with insulation is
not necessarily to provide some me-
dlum to prevent heat loss in walls
and roof so much as it is to prevent
unnecessary heat loss at all.
Many Points of Loss.
Heat units eventually are dissipated
through these principal sources: Di-
rect radiation through walls and glass
surfaces, which is unavoidable: loss
of heat through radiation from the
heater or conducting pipes; loss of
heat through the necessary air
changes for ventilation in the various
rooms, which is accomplished to a
1arge narx degree Iasrty by fireplaces or by ordi-
transmission through walls, ceilings
and roofs.
:. In order to have a residence with
Hvable conditions both as to heat and
ventlatlon it is necessary to main
tain practically a continuous supply
OF heat throughout the twenty-four-
nour period. and this is absolutely de-
termined when the number of air
established. Changes of air beyond
the requirements of ventilation indi-
cate corresponding waste of heat
In the majority of dwellings no di-
rect system of ventilation is provided,
the leakage around doors, windows
ana attic spaces usually being con-
sidered sufficient. This is a haphazard
and uneconomical method,
In many of the older houses and in
many modern houses of better class
construction, unless the contractors
are carefully watched, the spaces be-
tween studs will be found to be open
nom the bottom to the top, with free
air passage into the basement and
INTO the various spaces between the
5oists of the floor construction. This
condition, due to a difference in tenn
perature, permits the circulation of
air so that these spaces soon become
nearly as cold as the outside tempera-
ture: For this reason, therefore, it
would be uneconomical to attempt to
insulate against the loss of heat
through the outside walls if condi-
tions of this sort are permitted. There
are a sufficient number of other rea-
sons in good building construction
why these spaces should be stopped
up, so that every architect or engi-
neer or home owner should be par
ticularly careful to see that there is
no direct leakage through the various
stories through channels of this sort.
Not only is it important to prevent
cold air from the outside coming into
the house, but it is also important to
prevent the warm air inside the walls
and ceilings from being chilled by al
most direct contact with outside air
This can be accomplished in a va
r1ety of ways. First, by doubling up
on present forms of construction. Sec
ond by eliminating some of the forms
OF construction now in use and sub
st1tutlng other materials which have
dennlte value as insulating medi-
nms. Third. by adding another insu-
latlng medium to the present form of
construction.