Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-02-04
Fuel Economy Is Practical
Results May Be Achieved Through Proper ManA
agement of Heating Plant-How Housewife
Can Prevent Fires in the Home


In the average furnace, according to
the results of tests by scientists, not
quite one-half of the heating value OF
coal is utilized in actually heating the
house. The rest escapes up the CHM
ney. often 1t has been found that only
one-fourth of the full heating value
was obtained
1t is important to see that the heat
ing equipment is right Cover pipes,
clean flues and chimneys and see that
the fit of the ash-pit doors, hampers and
furnace parts is in the best possible
condition. Damper control Is one of the
chief secrets of economical heating.
Clean heating surfaces are very i'm
portant, because SCOT is a poorer con-
ductor of heat than asbestos.
Your object should be to maintain a
steady heat in your house and steady
fire in the furnace, rather than to have
first a very hot fire and then let it get
so low as to require very heavy appli-
NAL Another general rule about your
furnace or stove Is to feed the fire reg
ularly whether In cool weather or very
cold weather. Keep the fire pot full, no
matter whether you are burning the
fuel slowly or rapidly. A thin fire
wastes coal. Disturb your fire as little
as possible Too frequent stocking or
poking impairs efficiency.
It is economy to keep a hard-coal
fire over from day to day, especially if
stove is used as source of heat for
the room. Usually wood fire is hard
to keep over, but a hard-coal fire can
be easily kept. In the evening rake out
the ashes, put coal on and open the
hampers until the fresh fuel is burn
ing well. Put on coal until the fire
hampers except the check-draft DAM
per in the stovepipe.
Causes Of Loss of Heat.
One common cause of loss of heat in
a house is through radiation. That is,
heat escapes in the cellar by radiation
| from the hot furnace and the pipes
carrying the hot water or steam to the
points where they pass through the
flooring to the radiators on the floors
above. In its passage through these
pipes, exposed to the cold air of the Gel
| lar. considerable amount of heat is
| to check this is thoroughly and COM
pletely to wrap the furnace and all
| pipes with asbestos or some similar
preparation effective as a non-conduc-
tor of heat.
To sum up: The flow of air through
| ignited fuel is what makes a fire burn
Learn to control this flow of air. One
of the very best general rules for fur
mace or range is to provide just enough
flow of air through the fuel below, and
then check that flow of air from below
by regulating the check damper above,
which lets cold air flow directly into the
rhi,,onou Thic ynofhod fi1roichoc tho
necessary oxygen from below to give
good combustion to the fuel and for the
consumption of the coal gases, and also
allows time for the burning of these
gases before they are sucked up the
chimney. 1t is the escape of too large
proportion of these combustible gases
up the chimney, before they have
burned which accounts for the very low
percentage of disable heat obtained from
many furnaces. Large quantities of
fuel may be consumed with no other
result than throwing most of the heat
up the chimney. The heat must do
needleSsly to warm unoccupied spaces
and the chimney.
In addition to keeping steady and
not an intermittent fire. good thing
co do Is to keep one or two small pans
or open-top jars of fresh water on top
of your radiator or in front of registers.
This will keep the air in your house
moist. Most people are unaware of the
very important bearing a correct de-
gree of moisture has upon both health
and comfort. A temperature of So de-
grees is sufficient for active adults in
good health Try to keep your house
temperature up to that point.
With houSe-heating apparatus of any
kind, whether 1t be a hot-air furnace,
steam heater or hot-water system,
the matter of SCOT on the heating sur
faces Is of great importance. The
quantity of coal wasted by coated heat
ing surfaces is far greater than the ma
jority of people suppose. Keep your
furnace and stoves clean. Every two
weeks throughout the Winter every
SCOT particle should be routed. This
may seem unnecessary and you may
think that furnaces are supposed to
be sooty, but they are not. If the fire
box Is clogged with ashes, air cannot
pass through the fuel to make it burn.
If SCOT hangs on the stove lids. less
heat can come through it. A layer of
ashes over the top and one under the
oven keep it from heating quickly.
Some Ways to Save Coal.
Sift your ashes from the stove and
sift those from the furnace, too. From
each sitting you will get enough coal
to run the furnace over night. Orange
and lemon rinds are rich in oil. Save
them for fuel. Dried, these rinds burn
splendidly. A way to save fuel on
ironing day is to turn a long-handled
frying pan over the irons and they will