Warming: by Gas. Continued from p. [79].
Sugg’s Gas Fires.—During a greater part of the year in this country, the variations in the temperature are so great and sudden, that those persons who have weak throats, or are subject to bronchitis—especially children who have a tendency to croup—find the cold, air of the early mornings a source of great discomfort and even danger. Although by the use of coal fires, with constant attention, the temperature of a bedroom or sick room can be maintained as required during the day, yet at night it is next to impossible to do so. The fire, if properly made up, gets too hot in the first part of the night, and goes out in the early morning, so that the room gets cold. If it has to be made up, the noise of putting on coals, or poking the fire, is most disturbing in all cases, and positively unbearable to a sick person. The object of the gas fire is to obviate these inconveniences, and to maintain an equal temperature throughout the entire day and night if required. The construction of this stove differs from every other stove hitherto introduced. The burners act independently, each being regulated by its own governor, and each is provided with a separate tap. The arrangement of the fire by which the flames from the burners play freely into a space left between the solid bottom of the grate and the asbestos lumps, permits of the perfect combustion of the gas, and the attainment of the highest point of incandescence. The consumption of London gas is 7 cub. ft. per hour for each burner. The quantity of gas being regulated to its proper rate by the governors (the taps always being turned full on), it necessarily follows that the admixture of gas and air is always in the right proportion to develop the greatest radiant heat. This gas fire is always ready, and can easily be lighted without explosion by the most timid person, and in a few minutes it will be glowing. After the room is warmed to the required degree, one or more of the burners can be turned off, and the consumption reduced by 7 ft. for each burner so turned off, without affecting these left on, which still continue to develop their full heating power.
This latter is a great advantage, because in ordinary stoves, where the burners are all controlled by one tap, the reduction of gas at once produces more or less imperfect mixture of gas and air, with an imperfect combustion, accompanied with a disagreeable odour, and a very imperfect development of heat. From this cause, together with ungoverned burners, the consumer is frequently disappointed in the working of gas fires, and lays the blame on the principle of heating by gas, when the discomfort and waste of gas arise solely from the imperfect construction of the stove he is using. The cost of gas for Sugg’s Patent Charing Cross Bedroom Stove at full power is less than 1d. per hour. But as on a very cold night, a bedroom 20 ft. by 15 ft. by 10 ft. high, after being once warmed to 60° F., can be kept at a temperature of 58°-60° F. through the night by two of these burners left burning, the cost per hour for maintaining this temperature will be actually less than ½d. It will be readily seen that to keep a room warm by gas, at the price above mentioned, is cheaper than by using coal; and that if the readiness, saving in trouble, and the absence of all noise and dirt are taken into consideration, the advantages of gas over coal are simply incalculable. This stove is constructed with a chamber around the sides and back, which keeps up a circulation of warm air in the room; and if desired a fresh air flue may be connected to this chamber, thus supplying the room with warm fresh air. The asbestos material is carefully made at Sugg’s own factory; it is very durable, and gives out a good heat. The stove, when fixed in front of an ordinary chimney, is provided with a flue pipe, which is made to go up through the register to carry off the products of combustion. In most cases of smoky chimneys, where it is found impossible to use a coal fire, a small wind guard can be fitted to the chimney, which will prevent down-draught, and make the use of the gas fire successful. The fire is very bright and cheerful, and having been carefully tried for upwards of 3 years in all kinds of weather, its successful working can be guaranteed. Directions for measuring grates, to enable a “Charing Cross” gas fire to be sent complete, and ready for fixing by an intelligent gasfitter, in any part of the kingdom, are furnished by the makers, William Sugg & Co., Limited, Grand Hotel Buildings, Charing Cross, London, whose illustrated catalogues show innumerable patterns of stove, adapted for halls, bedrooms, libraries, nurseries, &c., at various prices.
Cadogan Gas Fires.—A specially prepared indestructible fire clay lump is fitted into the grate and covered with small pieces of asbestos fuel, which should be carefully packed, so as to allow the gas flames a free action without any loss. The fire clay lump has apertures through which the gas flames pass from a swing bar, fitted in front of and underneath the grate, the gas supply being connected up with the bar either at the back or front of the hearth. The bar has an air-chamber fitted to it, so that the gas is consumed on the atmospheric principle, being, for heating purposes, the most economical, and one preventing the formation of soot, thus keeping the fire always clear and the grate clean.
A regulating valve can be fitted in a convenient position, either in front or at side of hearth, so that the gas may be controlled as easily as an ordinary gas burner.
To burn the gas economically, the flames should not be allowed to show much above the top of the fuel.
These fires are eminently suitable for all modern grates, but they can be fitted into most grates of old-fashioned pattern. Messrs. Strode & Co., 48, Osnaburgh Street, London, N.W., will advise as to their applicability on receipt of templet of grate, which can be made by cutting a piece of paper to the size of bottom of grate, and pencilling the openings.
Warming: by Hot-water. Continued from p. [82].
S. Deards’s coil adapted to open grates ensures healthy heating and perfect ventilation. The coil pipes are so adapted as to form the bars of an ordinary grate, and yet so arranged as to contain water, which, as soon as the fire is lighted, will put into circulation the water contained therein, and the coil grate being attached to other similar pipes, so arranged in any convenient position around the walls of the room or any adjacent room, hall, landing, or passage, will at once transmit that heat to those rooms, &c., without extra cost or expense of fuel. It is apparent and well known to all practical persons that the heat given out from the sides and back of an ordinary fire grate is actually lost in the brickwork surrounding it, yet by the application of S. Deards’s coil grates, that otherwise lost heat is retained and made use of, and it is by this heat that the other rooms are warmed for nothing.
The heating of schoolrooms by means of hot-water is often objected to by scientific men, doctors, and architects, as by doing away with the open cheerful fire, and the chimney shaft, the cheerfulness of the room is destroyed; and the “lungs of the schoolroom” being the ventilation by the chimney shaft is also absolutely lost. But by the adoption of the above-named coil grate the cheerful open fire is retained, the chimney still acts as the ventilator to carry off all foul air, and the furthermost parts of the schoolroom are as equally warmed by the circulation of hot-water as in the immediate vicinity of the fire.