Imperial Valley press., 1930-10-06


Service Bureau OF the United
States. Inc.
In the last few weeks there ha.
come to the editor of this column
literally hundreds of letters from peo
pie who have sweating walls" Man.
have written that wall paper decora
tions are falling from their walls
Many Cd the writers who recently
had moved into new buildings
thought that this dampness came
from the use of unseasoned lumbe,
and were inclined to blame the con
tractors. Others, moving into olde,
buildings and finding the walls damp
thought that there was some quality
inherent in the walls themselves tha:
caused the dampness. Few have
guessed the real truth, that these
walls are cold.
Cold Walls Gather Moisture
The darnpness came. not through
the walls or out Of them, but from
the air in the room. The cold walls
gather moisture much like q pitcher
OF ice water becomes encrusted with
drops Of water in the summer time.
To avoid this unsightiness Of ruined
wall decorations and Of the nearby
woodwork and floors it is simply a
matter Of insulating the outside walls
so that the plaster planes will not be
chilled.
In the last 20 years much has been
done to make the small homes more
hveable. Heating and plumbing
methods and devices have been i'm
proved greatly. The use of electric,
tty has advanced steadily to tighten
the drudgery of housekeeping and 10
improve Illumination. The modern
woodworking machines have been
made possible TO the average home
builders pocketbook, many beautiful
forms OF fittings that were once re-
served only for the well-to-do. There
have been numerous improvements
In other ways, but perhaps none OF
them is Of greater consequence to the
home builder than the Introduction Of
insulation. Extensive tests have been
run in laboratories showing conclu-
sive evidence that insulation applied
Ia or on the outside walls, keeps cold
out and holds heat in. It not only
reduces the cost of coal bills, but
saves capital investment in heating
plants, for these may be made smaller
when outside walls are properly insu.
lated Such walls do not sweat"
The plaster planes are not cold.
Corrective Measures
For those who contempla build
ing their homes now, we advise the
in all outside walls above grade. It's
cost will be overcome by the savings
you will make. Be sure also to insu.
late the second story ceiling, as this
Is, a great source of heat loss. Do
not make the mistake Of putting in.
sulation on the rafters. 1t should go
On the ceiling. For those who are
troubled with old sweating walls,
many correcting devices are possible.
One Of the simplest is 10 furr the
wall with wood stripping, upon which
new lath and plaster may be applied.
Insulation may be used underneath
the stripping with telling effect.
Plaster board may be applied on the
stripping il place Of ordinary lath
and plaster, with satisfactory results
and avoidance Of the mess occasioued
Uy applying wet plaster.
One word OF warning: There has
been an opinion expressed Ia many
quarters that a course Of sheathing
paper over the boarding is sufficient
insulation. This is erroneous. II is
not sufficient. Sheathing paper Is
effective as q wind-stop and as a
method Of damp proohng, but it will
not retain heat and keep out the
cold.-Copyrigh - The Archi-
tects' Small House Service Bureau of
the United States, Inc. Home Build
eys' Clinic.