Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-08-07

| tractor knows that he will not be
paid until all fiues are tested and
proved tight he will take extra pre-.
cautions to see that all his workers
understand that condition, and they,
In turn, realizing what 1t will mean
to them to make 1t good IL their
work is defective. will take additional
pains to do 1t WELL"
Most of the things mentioned by
him, as he further states, ARE known
to and observed by the best brick
layers, but there are many others less
experienced who have not given as
much thought and attention as they
should to the importance OF safe
chimney construction. For the lat
ter's work a test is imperative. For
the good bricklayers such tests would
prove their fitness and afford protec.
ton against incompetent competition.
Specifications frequently call for the
heating contractor to test fiues be-
fore connecting heating apparatus
and to report any leaky flues for
correction'-but by this time the
mason may have left the building
and, as If often the case. the building
itself may have been plastered, or SO
far finished that corrections are both
difficult and costly, and SO the condi-
tions are tolerated in spite of the
perpetual lire menace as well as the
annoyance and added cost OF heat
ing
Mr.. Boyd goes on to suggest that
all specifications for building con-
struction contain clause under ma
sonry work" requiring that before
the scaffolding is removed from
around any chimney and before any
chimney walls or breasts are plas
tered. but not until after the mortar
has seasoned, each flue shall be given
q separate and thorough smoke test
by the mason contractor. Leaks into
adjacent flues should, he says, H"be
especially looked for, and not more
than one fiue shall be tested at one
time, and any leaks which may de-
velop shall be promptly made tight
before the chimney work will be nc.
cepted as satisfactory"
He concludes with this statement
which is the crux of his recommenda
tions: Fires caused by electricity
are clasSed as only partially pre-
ventable, yet with the widespread
use of electricity it is not responsible
for so great loss as defective CHM
neys and flues. This can be attribut-
ed in part to the National Electric
Code which regulates the installation
OF eleCLrlCdl wiring ana Appliances.
But even of more importance in less
ening the loss from this cause, espe-
cially in all new construction, is the
further fact that all electrical install
lations must be inspected by organ
izations having jurisdiction and that
a certificate must be issued by them
before fire insurance policies will be
written on the building. Why not
the same provision as to every Chin
ney built? The question then natural
~ arises, Why not a national CHM
ney code?
ITO design and build chimneys ac-
cording to the provisions of such
code would be perfectly feasible. To
inspect all fiues and when found tight
to issue a certificate to that effect and
to make all insurance contingent
upon such certificates is surely also
but common sense. The chimney
ordinance Of the National Board of
Fire Underwriters could serve as
basis on which a national chimney
code could be drawn up, and once it
was prepared and recognized as au-
thoritative it could be put into force
just as the electric code now is With
the backing Of fire underwriters, fire
prevention organizations, architects,
contractors, workmen and owners, it
would not be long before the fire
losses due to defective chimneys and
fiues would be practically eliminated
with respect to new construction