CHAPTER LXXXIII 

 HEATING THE COUNTRY HOME 



Systems of Heating. There are four systems of heating 

 farm houses in use : 



1. By stoves. 



2. By a hot-air furnace. 



3. By a hot-water furnace and radiators. 



4. By a steam furnace and radiators. 



Stoves. The first of these is in common use, and perhaps 

 little can be written here which will add to the general infor- 

 mation upon the subject. The stove was invented to burn 

 coal shortly after coal was discovered, for the fireplaces of 

 the time were not adapted to the purpose. As usually 

 designed the stove is not an efficient device, as perhaps 50 

 per cent of the heat is lost up the chimney. It has other 

 more serious shortcomings, however. In the first place the 

 stove d >es not produce a uniform temperature, owing to the 

 fact that the air circulation within the room is not perfect. 

 The success of any heating system depends primarily upon 

 perfect circulation of the air. Air near the hot stove expands 

 upon heating, becomes lighter and rises to the ceiling, and 

 colder air takes its place. As the warmest part of the stove 

 is several feet from the floor, the upper part of the room is 

 usually much warmer than the lower. The inconvenience of 

 handling and storing the fuel . in the room, and the dirt, 

 smoke and gases that are apt to result are also objectionable. 



If several rooms are to be heated, the management of the 

 stoves becomes a troublesome matter. Almost any kind of 

 fuel may be used in a stove, which is an advantage decidedly 



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