Читать книгу Mechanics of the Household - E. S. Keene - Страница 61

—It is best to keep the pot full of fuel—keeping a large body of coke under a low fire rather than a little fuel under a strong fire.

It must be remembered that coke makes a very “hot fire” because the coke is free-burning. Care should be taken not to leave drafts on too long in boilers not having regulators.

Coke burns best for house-heating purposes with less draft than is required for coal, therefore to keep a low fire the ash-pit draft damper should be kept closed, and the smoke-pipe damper almost entirely closed. The regulator (when used) can be set to keep the dampers about as here advised. Coke is practically smokeless and its quick-burning character makes a cut-off damper in the smoke pipe (which will stay fixed as it may be set) quite necessary.

It is well to keep a layer of ashes on the grates and when shaking stop before red-hot coals come through the grate. The coke then burns more slowly, which increases its effectiveness.

With some drafts it may be well to “bank the fire” at night with coke—pea coal size. This is a matter of experiment, and depends on the character of the chimney draft.

Fire should be tended regularly—two times a day, or four at the outside.

With an extra strong draft, at night the fuel should be packed down by tamping with the back of a shovel.

With ordinary condition of draft, crushed coke, small egg size, should be used.