HOME PLANNING

New Zealand Times, Volume LIII, Issue 12608, 19 November 1926, Page 11

HOME PLANNING

bi JirmiNrn

(CONDUCTED BV

“ARCHITRAVE.")

This column, which is conducted by m expert, ip devoted to the service of those who build, or are interested in building houses. We trust that those of our readers who find them* selves confronted by the problems in which it seeks to assist them will make full use of it, and if they have any question tc which we can find a reasonable answer that they will address it to our contributor.

CHIMNEYS JND SMOKE PRECAUTIONS* TO BE TAKEN

In these spring days we ; caunot do entirely without fires, and the weather cannot be entirely without wind. A reader hqs asked us to go into this question and give our ideas—particularly on the chimney which shows a decided preference for discharging its smoke into the room.

One cannot always blam 6 the chimney though. Hilly cities which appear to be the focus for all the ventaila’tion which would he appreciated elsewhere do not ’provide the happiest pf Ipcali-

ties for chimneys—that is if one wants them tp. do tfieir job prpperjy. High hills, adjoining huildjngs or high trees cause most unaccountable eddies and changes of direction of the wind. This would perhaps present less (difficulty were it not for the variability of the direction and strength of the winds. However, " there are certain' precautions—certain principles—which should be in the building of a chim- . ney , often conspicuous by! their absence 'in the. work'of the chimney building bricklayer about Wellington, whose operations are made possible by the ' had designing and specifying so prevalent in the average small cottage. That this should be so would seem extraordinary, . and our readers , may be tempted to inquire the reason- We personally'are of the opinion that it is due to some extent to lack of knowledge—especially ’pn the part of bricklayers who have had ex r perience only in New Zealand, with its yasfc majprity of one story houses! Thp other cause is the low standard of work which has been accepted for year* with the idea that it was necessary in order to keep costs down to a minimum. WELLINGTON CHIMNEY DEFECTS In what particulars then are tho chimneys of Wellington in many cases defective? Or rather, ’ what defects render them less efficient against the difficult* local physical conditions—wind and hills, whjch of epurse must take a measure of blame? , 1. Chimneys are often too low. This is sometimes due to the chimney being located near the eaves instead of at the ridge of the roof, for the by-laws do not permit a single flue' to extend higher than eight feet. Where the rnpf itself is higher than eight feet it results in the chimney being built lower than the ridge: even if extended with a chimney pot it is often still too low. Fig. 2. 2. Chimneys are often built with no proper bends in them. They probably draw quite well until a certain wind causes a down draught. _ 3. The gathering in orey fireplaces is often not gradual enough, and consequently proves a check to the updraught. 4. Over reliance is placed on the many varied shapes of chimney pots designed fo remedy evils which are sometimes due to defects of design and construction of the chimney itself. ‘ AVOIDANCE OF DEFECTS If, then these defects are evident, what ideas are to be . adopted to obviate them? let ns put- down thp general principles governing the sound construction of chimneys. No hard and fast rules can bo laid down; tlje perfect chimney iq rather an elusive featupe, and the peculiar location of a particular chimney may make all precautions unavailing. The principle underlying chimney draughts is that when air is heated it becomes lighter in proportion to its volume and tends to rise, ' So, jf we have a body of air heated above the temperature of the outside air at the bottom of a .flue, M at A in figure 1, it tends to rise up with some velocity and produce an air current. This varies in its rate of rising in proportion tq its bsat. and to the size and height of the flue. If the flue is short, it should not be too large inside ; if it is unusually tall it should be larger inside. : Tho flue has to bo fed with air to replace the heated air which ascends. The fire also needs air for combustion. If the air when it enters the opening of the fireplace is already partially warmed the up draught is assisted. Therefore it is 1 necessary to Have only a small opening above the firp to ensure that the cold air passes close to the , fire and becomes warmed. If the flue is kept warm there is less tendency for its ’flow to be checked and • to sqcure this advantage flues inside a buihlipg Oye preferable: and the grouping of flues assists toward the same end. Thicker flue Walls outside —Din—Knve a similar result. Every flue should have a gradual bend in it. The nearer this is to the actual fire tho better the result. 4s

shown in figure 1, the portion of the flue below A tends to get heated by the fire beneath it and it consequently has an effect in warming the air which passes over its surface. Bends in flues also tend to lessen tho chances pf down draught succeeding in overcoming the up-draught; whereas with a straight flue the hot air is in direct conflict with any down draught without any hindrance flue to tho change of direction in the flue. Flues must be smooth of surface inside, and above the gathering in must proceed with an even diameter right up—except that nt the very top a slight amount of diminution assists tho draught. There must bo no sharp angles or roughness. To secure these advantages “flue liners," which are short lengths of earthenware pipe, are made, and prove very effective as well US providing' a surface very easy" to clean.

H must he rememhered that even when all these precautions have been adopted it is possible to have a smoky chimney. When one is certain that the best has been done it is time then to look around and observe what is tho direction from which the trouble comes and what building, hill or tree is causjng the eddy of wind. If carrying up the flues higher does not accomplish the work then it is time to try experiments with pots. From all this it ivill be readily understood . that in spite of sound, principles being followed! there are chimneys that will smoke whatever care is taken. Happy is the architect and the builder—for the bricklayer does not lose much sleep oyer it —when they are told that the chimney draws weil in southerly pr northerly weather—he it gentle zephyr or howling gale. Their happiness is not diminished by the fact that they know that they have done their best to secure the good result.

THE PORCH PROJECTING PORCHES

The porch that projects does not provide as much difficulty in giving suitable expression of. its function. The trouble rather is to bring it into relationship with ita, building! In this matter, as in the case of the recessed porch, the roof probably is of most assistance to us. A roof which extends its protective duties low flown which, as it were, comes out to meet us and form*. 4# umbrella o'veVoiif heads, pro- 1 vide* us with just the expression which is necessary. There may be cases where this cannot be done satisfnetprily, for porches show an infinite variety of type. This is particularly so m the case of the two-story house the r °cms of which are not in the roof. The projecting porqh is, of course,, very adaptable. If made of sufficient it is possible tq have an entrance On any ope of the three 1 sides in order L> avoid facing the wind. Indeed, to ensure that one side at least shall not face toward the wind, a square porch with two glass sidps each movable to pny ope side opening, has bpen design-

ed to provide wind protection on any two of the sides, the third being left open tq provide access. This no doubt would be very useful in a locality wijere the porch is likely to be exposed to winds op all ifs tljree outer sides. THIS PORCH IN AN ANGLE There is still another type of porch which we might well describe; that is the porch which fits into the angle of the house which is more or less “L”shaped in plan. This, if treated with ft eoptinuatioji of the main roof, may provide a very satisfactory; feature. PURPOSE OP DINING-ROOM. Within the last generation or so ideas ahunf the dinjng-room have received modification. it makes a very poor sitting-riwm, with its large table in the middle, and the other pieces of furniture standing near the walls all round. The big table is. always in the way, and one is forever perambulating round it.' The two easy-chairs are forced into set positions on each side of the fireplace. Lixcept when a meal is actually in progress, there is a lack of easy accommodation for half a dozen’ people. Of course, the answer to this is that the room is only for dining; and for nothing else. But the fact is that in hundreds of houses the diningroom, by custom, becomes the principal sittingrroom.. ThiS’ arises partly through the comparative social seclusion in which some people live, neittheir entertaining themselves nor accepting hospitality from others, and partly frqm that still powerful fetish which regards-the drawing-room as a place set apart only to be used on special occasions, like Sunday clothes, only to be put pn once a week. THE FURNITURE. The prevailing vice ill drawing-room furnishing is overcrowding. People do not set out in the first, instance to fill up the room, but (hey permit articles to accumulatp, and such articles art nearly always trivialities.. There is no way of guarding against this except by’ keeping a constant curb upon the temptation to buy pretty things. One of the hardest lessons to learn in the art of furnishing is that which teaches us what to do without. Anyone con add continually to the number of odds and ends' which complete the equipment, pf the rooms after the bare necessities have been nroyided hut p* a general rule it may be taken for gr.antpd tfiat the nwre we piifl into a drawing-room c iue Worse becomes thegeneral effect, and the less comfortable the apartment is in use. ! The most unsatisfactory result to achieve is that which leads our friends to declare that we have “a drawingroom full of beautiful furniture." Bear in mind, before yon begin, fliat’the room will be occupied chiefly in the afternoon and evening. Also

that it is a room for leisure, which does not necessarily mean idleness. Do not trouble about style, for a certain casualness of treatment is father charming. Remember, too, that people in a drawing-room are constantly moving about. TJiey crops the rooni from time to time, move their chairs here and there, and form little groups at cards or in conversation, so that the heavy pieces of furniture near the centre are inconvenient.