Evening star., 1942-08-29
Paint Called Vital
In Safeguarding
Homes From Fire
Surfaces Less Likely
To Burn if Covered
By Protective Cout

Fire prevention should be a ma
tional and individual first-line OF
home defense at all times, for safe
guarding life and property. but in
wartime with the imminent and
serious possibility of enemy bomb
ing or enemy sabotage in many
areas, it becomes doubly important.
More than that, it is now an out
right patriotic duty.
Any one who has ever used kind
ling wood, probably has noted that
rough, weathered. or dry-rotted
wood catches fire and burns more
quickly than wood which is covered
with a smooth, protective coat Of
paint, but probably many have
never considered that a similar de-
gree of susceptibility to fire applies
to buildings which have been neg
lected to a point which renders
them potential tinder In the event
of fire.
This applies to homes, garages,
barns, stores and all business, In
dustrial and institutional buildings
and other structures which have
exposed, weathered woodwork In
walls, trim and roofs.
Protective Factor Of Paint.
The National Board OF Fire Un-
derwriters, in its ofiicial publication,
Safeguarding America Against
Fire" has published an article en-
titled Protecting Property With
Paint" In which it emphasizes the
value of paint as a protective factor
in the following statement:
THE fire insurance industry Is
particularly interested in the value
of paint from the fire protection
standpoint. Unprotected wood has
tendency to weather and to dry
out until 1t becomes like tinder.
Paint, however. keeps wood in good
condition, 50 that wooden build
ing painted, is less likely to take
fire than one that is unpainted.
Another important point is. that In
order to paint. it is first necessary
to clean up, thus eliminating the
hazard of accumulated refuse"
The National Fire Protection As
sociation, in its promotion of Ma
tional Fire Prevention Week. re-
iterates this advice by saying:
Unprotected wood has tendency
to weather and dry out until 1t
becomes like tinder. Paint keeps
wood in good condition"
Special Attention to Roofs.
Removal of cracked or broken
boards, wherever they are found in
the structures, and their replace
ments with sound, well-painted
lumber. should be a must" with
every property owner, especially in
these war days. Special attention
to roofs, to make sure that they
are kept well painted. will, in a
very large proportion of buildings,
be an important precaution against
the hazard of chimneys burning
out or sparks from a neighboring
fire, to say nothing of possible haz-
ards from incendiary bombs.
Another and important factor is
the psychological value OF paint In
promoting and maintaining respect
for property. It Is rare that any one
will use well-painted structure
as a repository for rubbish which
may become kindling for fire.
Rather, in the majority of cases,
the instinct will be to respect the
property and to keep 1t in q safe
and orderly condition.
Savings resulting from the inteli-
gent use OF paint can many times
outweigh the relatively small cost
of paint protection. For example,
in the interior of business buildings
and industrial plants, paint, while
acting as a fire retardant, also at
the same time automatically pro-
notes efficiency, health and morale
The best modern schemes in paint
styling should be used when the
painting is done, for when paint is
applied for protection and conser-
vation of property it does not cost
any more for material or for labor
to select and use the proper color
combinations and there is no ad-
vantage to be gained, and lot may
be lost, by failing to observe the
factors of beauty, for in this re-
spect wartime painting, unless 1t
be camounage, does .-aot differ from
peacetime painting as far as the
civilian use Of paint is concerned.