Practical hints to builders and those contemplating building / Facts worth considering relating to foundation, cellar, kitchen, chimney, cistern, brick-work, mortar, heating, ventilation, the roof, and many items of interest to builders.

by National Sheet Metal Roofing Co.

Builder and Woodworker.

HEATING.

STEAM AND WARM AIR COMBINED.

I once knew a church building committee who planned and built quite a large church, and when I was called in to arrange for heating the building with a large furnace, the furnace committee were astonished when told that the building committee had forgotten the fact that the hot-air furnace required a chimney.

The construction of many houses suggests that houses built in the hot months of summer needed no special provision for heating. This is an important subject, and should be carefully considered in the construction of the plainest house. Always take climate, location and fuel into consideration. The open fire place, with fire on the hearth, is without doubt the most cheerful and healthful. This is the favorite and best mode for plain country homes. But in all instances, for churches and public halls, the open fire-place is not to be depended upon. There is a variety of good steam-heaters and hot-air furnaces to choose from. Consult the parties from whom you buy as to the size of heater required; its location, size of cold-air duct, register, pipe, etc.

For small rural churches that have no basement, construct a small room under the front entrance or vestibule; eight feet square, inside measure, is sufficient. Near its floor have a cold-air entrance leading to the furnace. Cover the opening with wire netting to prevent the entrance of mice. Use brick for the room, building the walls eight inches thick; leave openings 2½ × 4 inches, about one foot apart all around the bottom next to the floor. Carry the wall close to the ceiling, and make it tight by plastering carefully inside and out where it joins the ceiling. Cover the ceiling, by nailing to joists, with bright sheets of tin, and white-wash the brick-work inside. For entrance make a door 6 × 3 feet. A plain wooden one will answer. In the aisle of the church, immediately over this room, put a large grating, such as your furnace-men will suggest. In this room place your furnace, and have it large enough to heat the room above during the coldest weather without excessive firing. With a larger capacity than necessary, the furnace will last longer, burn less coal, and give better results in every respect. As the furnace will radiate considerable heat, this can be utilized by running a pipe of proper size from the room to the vestibule or some other room. The objection to using this heat in the church is the noise of firing up, which would be annoying during church service. However, a furnace properly attended will not need firing during church service. Remember, a large volume of warm air is what you want, and not a small volume of hot air. Never cover the grating or close the cold-air duct to cool off while there is fire in the furnace, but open the doors or windows of the church and check the fire. The closing of the grating or cold-air duct will injure the castings of the furnace by overheating them.

CLOSE SHEATHING THE BEST.

While a rain-proof roof can be made with our shingles, our system, as well as all metal or slate roofing should not be put upon open sheathing. If walked upon the metal will not support the weight, and bends out of shape, and the roof is blamed. In high latitudes where we have driving storms of fine snow or “blizzards,” we specify close sheathing covered by paper (using same rules as for laying slate). We will then guarantee a perfect roof.