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House Furnishing and Decorating: Ventilate

When to Ventilate. - It is a sure indication that, when the air in a room seems close and has a musty odor to a person coming in from outdoors, it is so impure as to be injurious to health. If, after stepping into the open air in the morning and taking a few deep breaths, one returns to a sleeping room and finds the air insufferably close, the room has not been sufficiently ventilated during the night, and evil consequences are sure to follow.

Or place a shallow glass dish containing lime water in a room to determine the presence of carbonic-acid gas. If there is much of this substance present the water will quickly become cloudy.

Or, to test for marsh gas, sewer gas, and the like containing sulphureted hydrogen, expose to the air moist carbonate of lead, which will turn black if this substance is present.

Night Air. There is a superstition prevalent in many parts of the country that night air is injurious. There may be some ground for this belief where the Anopheles mosquito is abroad in malarial districts, or the vicinity of swamps wherever a mist may arise at night and spread contamination. But in most localities this notion is entirely groundless and misleading. If we do not breathe night air at night, pray what shall we breathe? Either it is necessary to breathe over and over the air that has been in the sleeping room all day, or else to admit fresh air from outdoors, and whatever the danger in breathing night air, it is certainly less immediate than quick or slow suffocation from lack of ventilation.

To Ventilate Bedrooms. - The problem of ventilation is twofold: first, to let in the pure air; second, to let out that which is impure. There should be windows on two sides of the bedroom, and also, if possible, a fireplace for ventilation. The bed should be located so that the air will circulate freely around and beneath it without a draught. If possible, the door when open should screen the bed, or a screen should be interposed when necessary between the bed and the open door or window.

The simplest means of ventilation is to lower the upper sash of a window for several inches and raise the lower sash either of the same window or of one on the opposite side of the room.

If there is an open fireplace in the room, it will remove the impure air by creating a draught and causing suction.

Or lower the upper sashes of two windows opposite one another.

Or open the bedroom door and admit the fresh air to an adjacent room or hall by means of two or more windows in such a way that a draught passing near the bedroom door will create suction and draw the impure air out of it. The direction of these air currents may be determined by holding a lighted match or candle in them.

Just before retiring open all the windows and change the air in the room.

To Prevent Draughts. - To prevent a direct current of air crossing the bed on raising a window sash, take a piece of any firm, tightly woven cloth, as duck or light canvas or strong flannel goods, the width of the window and about eighteen inches deep. Make a heading at top and bottom to admit sash-curtain rods. Adjust one rod at the bottom of the window frame and the other about twelve or fourteen inches higher up. Thus when the sash is lifted as high as the upper rod the entering current of air will cause the cloth to belly out into the room, and the current will be turned on both sides and driven along the wall. A current of air, like a current of water, "The Air Will Follow Along the Wall." has a tendency to stick to any surface over which it flows; hence the air will follow along the wall, and even to some extent around the corners of the room, as can be seen by testing with the flame of a candle.

Or either end of this cloth screen may be closed by means of a pin or buttonhole and button, and the entire current turned in the opposite direction. Ordinary sash-curtain rods or even rollers such as are used for curtain shades or sticks used for the lower part of curtain shades may be adjusted permanently for this purpose in sleeping rooms.

Or the patent spring sash-curtain rods, that have a spring inside and rubber tips at the end to keep them adjusted, may be utilized to make one or more removable screens. These can be adjusted according to conditions from time to time on any windows in any part of the house.

Or stretch a piece of cheese cloth over the opening and tack it fast.

HOUSE FURNISHING AND DECORATING Or tack cheese cloth on a small removable frame that will fit into the opening.

Or put a sheet of finely perforated metal in place of one of the upper panes of glass in one of the windows.

Or tack a strip of thin wood or stiff cardboard eight to twelve inches wide across the lower part of the window frame, an inch or two from the glass.

When the sash is raised the current striking this obstruction is turned upward into the air and may be thrown entirely over the bed, just as a current of water might be thrown from a hose.

Or place a piece of board in the window casing below the bottom of the sash. When the window is closed down upon this board a space is left between the upper and lower sash which admits a current of air.

Or place an ordinary fire screen or wooden frame covered with cloth or paper between the window and the bed, as is often done in hospitals.

Or make a little curtain of sheeting to fit the head of the bed and tie at the four corners by means of tape.

Any of these devices may be used to ventilate other than sleeping apartments.