PRACTICAL POINTS.--WATER.--LOCATION OF HOUSE ON LOT.--DRAINING THE
CELLAR.--MASON
WORK.--FOUNDATIONS.--WALKS.--PIERS.--FLUES.--CISTERNS.--DAMP
COURSE.
In this section of the book it is proposed to consider, in as plain a
manner as possible, the construction of all the details of a house.
LOCATING THE HOUSE.
First is the placing of the house on the lot. If it have an east or a
west front, it is common to set the north side of the house within a few
feet of the north line. On a small lot this gives more south and sun
exposure. The distance the house is set back from the front of the lot
depends largely upon what one's neighbors have done or may do. In the
case of a north or south frontage, the west side of the house is usually
placed to the west line. This brings the east side of the house in the
afternoon shade. Under any circumstances, there should never be less
than eighteen inches of space beyond the north or west wall. If the
projection of cornice is greater, there should be more than this.
WATER.
The next thing to do when one begins to build, is to provide water for
the builder. This is from the city water service, if any; otherwise from
a well. If a driven well is used, it is best to locate it on the inside
of the house, near the kitchen sink, and allow the builder to provide a
common pump for use during building operations. The cistern and well
pumps should go into the plumber's contract. It is not necessary that
all the plumbing contract be let at the time the city water service is
supplied. The method of letting contracts is explained in another part
of the book.
EXCAVATING.
In excavating for a house, the loam, or upper strata of earth, should be
separated from that which comes below. After the walls are placed, the
openings around the outside should not be filled at once; certainly not
until the wall is dry and the mortar set. After this, the grading and
filling should begin. The grade line of the house should be slightly
above that of the sidewalk, and there should be a general slope to it.
If there is an alley in the rear, the slope should be divided to reach
it, if possible. The drainage, excavating and filling connected with the
plumbing, gas supplies, etc., should be done early in the building
period. Thus the entire surface becomes compact and natural by the time
the building is finished. If it should become apparent that there will
be superfluous earth, it should be removed from the lot.
DRAINING.
Where there is a clay soil, and in sections of the country where cellars
are inclined to be damp, they should be drained. This is done in various
ways; usually by running an open farm tile around and below the level of
the cellar wall, which should have connection preferably with a dry
well; but if nothing better presents itself, with the sewer drain,
although a connection of this kind is not safe. The air which will come
into this drain from the sewer will contaminate the soil, and in that
way affect the health of the occupants of the building. In some
instances a sewer connection from this drain is necessary, but only then
should it be used.
Another method of draining a cellar is to excavate below the level of
lowest mason-work, and fill in a depth of about twelve inches with
broken stone, which is given a drain connection with proper outlet. The
space between stone particles acts as a drain.
MASON-WORK.
[Illustration: Fig. 30]
The mason-work should be of brick or stone. First, we will consider that
of brick, which is common to frame houses and is sometimes used for
brick buildings. The foundations, walks, piers, and flues should be of
hard burned brick. All should be laid wet, excepting in freezing
weather, with lime mortar. The outside exposed brick should be
preferably of a dark cherry-red color, laid in white or red mortar. The
latter is in most general use. The joints for exposed work should be in
form as indicated in Fig. 30; in mason's parlance, these are called
"rodded joints." The joint is first cut down from above, with trowel,
then the rod is placed along the upper edge of the joint, and the mortar
is cut away with a knife in the form indicated. Then the vertical joints
are trimmed in the same way; thus no mortar projects beyond the face of
the brick. This form of joint is desirable for all kinds of exposed
work, where one desires better work than is usual in foundations and
other exposed brick work. Brick work should have struck or common joints
in the cellar and outside exposed walls, only where small cost is of
great importance. Brick work should be left rough where it is desired to
plaster. Foundation walls and piers usually continue from sixteen to
thirty inches above grade; twenty or twenty-four inches is most common.
On this is placed a sill in most frame houses. Outside walls and piers
generally begin from eighteen to thirty inches below grade line, where
not influenced by the cellar. In an ordinarily cold climate the freezing
line is four or five feet. Eighteen inches or two feet is usual,
however, in the construction of frame buildings, and the results are not
unsatisfactory. A damp-course of slate or hard limestone is sometimes
placed just above the grade line, to prevent the passage of moisture
from the brick wall below to that above. These general statements as to
brick work apply alike to that used in brick and frame buildings, as do
also the statements as to interior walls, chimneys, etc., which follow.
To prevent the passage of moisture through brick walls below grade from
the outside, a coating of Portland cement is sometimes used. Coal-tar is
also used, but is not as good as the cement.