CONTENTS
| Preface | [v] |
| CHAPTER I | |
| Page | |
| The Steam Heating Plant Heat of Vaporization—Steam Temperature—Gage Pressure—Absolute Pressure—Two-pipe System—Separate-return System—Overhead or Drop System—Water-filled Radiators—Air Vents—Automatic Air Vents—Steam Radiator Valves—The House-heating Steam Boiler—Boiler Trimmings—The Water Column—The Steam Gage—The Safety Valve—The Draft Regulator—Rule for Proportioning Radiators—Proportioning the Size of Mains—Forms of Radiators—Radiator Finishings—Pipe Coverings—Vapor-system Heating. | [1] |
| CHAPTER II | |
| The Hot-water Heating Plant The Low-pressure Hot-water System—The High-pressure Hot-water System—Heating-plant Design—Overhead System of Hot-water Heating—Expansion Tanks—Radiator Connection—Hot-water Radiators—Hot-water Radiator Valves—Air Vents—Automatic Hot-water Air Vents. | [37] |
| CHAPTER III | |
| The Hot-air Furnace Construction—Furnace-gas Leaks—Location of the Furnace—Flues—Combination Hot-air and Hot-water Heater. | [51] |
| CHAPTER IV | |
| Temperature Regulation Hand Regulation—Damper Regulator for Steam Boiler—Damper Regulators for Hot-water Furnaces—The Thermostat Motor—Combined Thermostat and Damper Regulator—Thermostat-motor Connections. | [59] |
| CHAPTER V | |
| Management of Heating Plants General Advice—The Economy of Good Draft—General Firing Rules—Weather and Time of Day—Night Firing—First-day Firing—Other Day Firing—Economy and Fuels—For Burning Soft Coal—For Burning Coke—Other Rules for Water Boilers—Air-vent Valves on Radiators—The Air Valves—End of the Season—The Right Chimney Flue—“Smokey” Chimneys. | [70] |
| CHAPTER VI | |
| Plumbing Water Supply—Water Cocks—Bibb-cocks—Self-closing Bibbs—Lever-handle Bibbs—Fuller Cocks—Wash-tray Bibbs—Basin Cocks—Pantry Cocks—Sill Cocks—Valves—Kitchen and Laundry Fixtures—The Bathroom—Bath Tubs—Wash Stands and Lavatories—Traps—Back-venting—Soil Pipe—Water Closets—Washout Closets—Washdown Closets—Siphon-jet Closet—Flush Tanks—Low-down Flush Tank—Opening Stopped Pipes—Sewer Gas—Range Boilers—The Water-back—Excessive Pressure—Blow-off Cock—Location of Range Boiler—Double Heater Connections—Horizontal Range Boilers—Tank Heaters—Overheater Water—Furnace Hot-water Heaters—Instantaneous Heaters. | [82] |
| CHAPTER VII | |
| Water Supply Water Analysis—Pokegama Water—River Water—Artesian Water—Medical Water—Organic Matter—Ammonia—Hardness in Water—Iron in Water—Water Softening With Hydrated Silicates—Chlorine—Polluted Water—Pollution of Wells—Safe Distance in the Location of Wells—Surface Pollution of Wells—Water Table—The Divining Rod—Selection of a Type of Well—Flowing Wells—Construction of Wells—Dug Wells—Open Wells—The Ideal Well—Coverings of Concrete—Artesian Wells—Driven Wells—Bored Wells—Cleaning Wells—Gases in Wells—Peculiarities of Wells—Breathing Well—Freezing Wells—Pumps—The Lift Pump—The Force Pump—Tank Pump—Well Pumps—Wooden Pump—Pumps for Driven Wells—Deep-well Pumps—Tubular Well Cylinders—Chain Pumps—Rain Water Cisterns—Filters—The Hydraulic Ram—Single-acting Hydraulic Ram—The Double-acting Hydraulic Ram—Domestic Water-supply Plants—Gravity Water Supply—Pressure-tank System of Water Supply—The Pressure Tank—Power Water-supply Plants—Electric Power Water Supply—The Water Lift. | [125] |
| CHAPTER VIII | |
| Sewage Disposal The Septic Tank—The Septic Tank With a Sand-bed Filter—The Septic Tank and Anaerobic Filter—Limit of Efficiency. | [168] |
| CHAPTER IX | |
| Coal Oxidation of Hydrocarbons—Graphitic Anthracite—Cannel Coal—Lignite—Peat—Wood—Charcoal—Coke—Gas-coke—Briquettes —Comparative Value of Coal to Other Fuels—Price of Coal. | [182] |
| CHAPTER X | |
| Atmospheric Humidity Humidity of the Air—Relative Humidity—The Hygrometer—The Hygrodeik—Dial Hygrometers—The Swiss Cottage “Barometer”—Dew-point—To Determine the Dew-point—Frost Prediction—Prevention of Frost—Humidifying Apparatus. | [196] |
| CHAPTER XI | |
| Ventilation 196 Quantity of Air Discharged by a Flue—Cost of Ventilation—The Wolpert Air Tester—Pneumatic Temperature Regulation—Mechanical Ventilation—The Plenum Method—Ventilation Apparatus—Air Conditioning—Humidifying Plants—Vaporization as a Cooling Agent—Air-cooling Plants—Humidity Control. | [219] |
| CHAPTER XII | |
| Gaseous and Liquid Fuels Gaseous and Liquid Fuels—Coal Gas—All-oil Water Gas—Pintsch Gas—Blau Gas—Water Gas—Measurement of Gas—Gas Meters How to Read the Index—Prepayment Meters—Gas-service Rules—Gas Ranges—Lighting and Heating with Gasoline—Gasoline—Kerosene—The Cold-process Gas Machine—The Hollow-wire System of Gasoline Lighting and Heating—Mantle Gas Lamps—Open-flame Gas Burners—The Inverted-mantle Gasoline Lamp—Portable Gasoline Lamp—Central Generator Plants—Central-generator Gas Lamps—Boulevard Lamps—Gasoline Sad Irons—Alcohol Sad Irons—Alcohol Table Stoves—Danger from Gaseous and Liquid Fuels—Acetylene-gas Machine—Types of Acetylene Generators—Gas Lighters—Acetylene Stoves. | [250] |
| CHAPTER XIII | |
| Electricity Incandescent Electric Lamps—The Mazda Lamp—Candlepower—Lamp Labels—Illumination—The Foot-candle—The Lumen—Reflectors—Choice of Reflector—Lamp Transformers—Units of Electrical Measurements—Miniature Lamps—Effects of Voltage Variations—Turn-down Electric Lamps—The Dim-a-lite—Gas-filled Lamps—Daylight Lamps—Miniature Tungsten Lamps—Flash Lights—The Electric Flat-iron—The Electric Toaster—Motors, Fuse Plugs—Electric Heaters—Intercommunicating Telephones—Electric Signals—Buzzers—Burglar Alarms—Annunciators—Table Pushes—Bell-ringing Transformers—The Recording Wattmeter—To Read the Meter—State Regulation of Meter Service—Electric Batteries—Battery Formation—Battery Testers—Electric Conductors—Lamp Cord—Portable Cord—Annunciator Wire—Private Electric Generating Plants—Storage Batteries—The Pilot Cell—National Electrical Code—Electric Light Wiring—Outlet Boxes—Automatic Door Switch—Plug Receptacles—Heater Switch, Pilot and Receptacle—Service Switch—Local Switches—Pilot Lights—Wall and Ceiling Sockets—Drop Lights. | [305] |
| Index | [385] |
MECHANICS OF THE HOUSEHOLD
CHAPTER I
THE STEAM HEATING PLANT
The use of steam as a means of heating dwellings is common in every part of the civilized world. Plants of all sizes are constructed, that not only give satisfactory service but are efficient in the use of fuel, and require the minimum amount of attention.
The manufacture of steam heating apparatus has come to be a distinct industry, and represents a special branch of engineering. Many manufacturing companies, pursue this line of business exclusively. The result has been the development of many distinctive features and systems of steam heating, that are very excellent for the purposes intended.
Practice has shown that large plants can be operated more economically than small ones. Steam may be carried through underground, insulated pipes to great distances with but small loss of heat. This has lead to the sale of exhaust steam, from the engines of manufacturing plants, for heating purposes and the establishment of community heating plants, where the dwellings of a neighborhood are heated from a central heating plant; each subscriber paying for his heat according to the number of square feet of radiating surface his house contains.
In the practice most commonly followed, with small steam heating plants, the steam is generated in a boiler located at any convenient place, but commonly in the basement. The steam is distributed through insulated pipes to the rooms, where it gives up its heat to cast-iron radiators, and from them it is imparted to the air; partly by radiation but most of the heat is transmitted to the air in direct contact with the radiator surface.