Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 57, Number 182, Decatur, Adams County, 4 August 1959 — Page 2

PAGE TWO

Colonial Designs Coming Back As Nations Leading Home Style

A trend In home design that started in the New York sub- . urbs and is rapidly spreading throughout the rest of the country is a return to the Colonial* style home. Modified somewhat to meet the needs of modern living with family rooms, sun decks, and up-to-date kitchens, the new _ Colonials are outselling all other styles in every area wnere they are being built One of the more popular of these modifications is a combination of a two-story Colonial and a split level, with the advantages of both styles. Why has the Colonial, essen- 1 tially an “old style” house, become so popular? A survey among architects, builders, and other authorities in the home ~., building field reveals these principal reasons: 1. The home-buying public is tired of ranch styles, and supermodem flat-top homes. This is particularly true of young families, to whom an “old” style is something new. 2. A two-story house, especially one with the simple, center-hall design of a Colonial, provides more space between a smaller roof and foundation, resulting in a bigger house for , less money that can be built on a smaller lot. 3. Living and sleeping quarters on separate floors provide a natural zoning of activities without complicated floor plans. 4. Traditional design has the added advantage that traditional materials can be used. Asphalt shingles, for example, nave been used as the roofing material on Colonial-style homes for years, providing the rich, tex-

•I i DRY AIR = COMFORT More than 500 pints of water can be removed from the atmosphere of « single room in a week’s time by a one horsepower room air conditioner. This is during summer conditions with inside temperature of 80” F. and relative humidity of 50 per cent.,

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■ fi ■5 m ■ I llr* t Unique Colonial style home being built in the New York area Is this “Colonial split level,” which cembines the advantages of both styles. Below is a typical example of the equally popular “ranch Colonial.” Both have traditional wood windows and asphalt shingle roofs.

tured appearance without glare i that is appropriate to the dig- ' nity of Colonial design. , Other traditional materials that are necessary to good Colonial design are panel doors and double-hung windows. Today these are manufactured of ponderosa pine, and are available in stock as units, with window frame and sash or door and frame pre-fitted at the factory for low-cost installation. Among the disadvantages of the old two-story Colonial houses was that they were more difficult to heat than many lowslung ranch homes or compact Cape Cods. This has been completely overcome today by modern heating equipment and mineral wool insulation. Research has shown that 4 to 6 inches of mineral wool in the ceiling, 3 inches in walls, and 2 or 3 inches

MARKET EXPANDING Until the past two years, the South and Southwest represented the major market for home air-conditioning equipment. Recently the market has been shifting to the North and , East.

in floors over unheated areas results not only in uniform temperatures throughout the house, but saves on heating fuel as well. Colonial styling is not exclusive to two-story homes, however. In many parts of the country, particularly in the West and the Southwest, one-story homes with Colonial styling are becoming best sellers.

Experience Helps Builders Keep Home Costs Stable

Home builders in most parts of the country today are keeping their prices stable in spite of rising labor costs by applying cost savings methods they’ve learned over the years—methods that actually save construction dollars without sacrificing quality. Dee Clary, president of the Roofing Contractors’ Association of Southern California, says one example of this lies in the choice of roofing material. Clary, who heads the roofing contracting firm of Clary Bros, in Norwalk, near Los Angeles, explains: “The>applied cost of an asphalt

Playroom Problem? Louver Doors Hide Furnace 'Mi IrSMP *I R ■ b - MR* Na wLSpv 1 fiKp* |M By JHKwSbi a jgjjo Ponderosa pine louver doors keep furnace and air conditioning unit from view in basement playroom, yet permit them to “breathe.”

Problem for many a homeowner today: What do you do with the furnace when you build a playroom in the basement? Answer: Hide it behind two louver doors installed Frenchstyle as shown in the photograph. Louver doors are ideal when used this way because: 1. The louvers let heat from the furnace into the playroom. as well as permit air to reach 1 the heating unit. 1

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THE DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT, DECATUR, INDIANA

Air Pressure Helps Insulate Older Homes imn 3 ■ ’K'v' ■ Workman installs mineral wool insulation in attic floor of an older home, using “blow in” system. This method, developed especially by mineral wool engineers to make insulating existing houses easier, employs air pressure to force the insulation into hard-to-reach wall spaces, floors, and ceilings. PHYSICISTS COOL OFF . Air-conditioning is a “must” m the field of atomic fission. Industrial, agricultural and medical research have already made remarkable advances using as tools the new and improved radioactive tracer isotopes provided by developments in atomic fission.

shingle roof compared with the applied cost of a roof of other material permits a tract builder to save $lO or more for every 100 square feet of roof area.” This savings adds up to $l6O or $175 for an average-sized house, giving the builder money to add more space, to install a luxury appliance such as an automatic electric dishwasher, or to simply pass on as a cash savings to the purchaser. In terms of space, $l6O permits a tract builder to enlarge a house by 40 or 50 extra square feet of “bare footage” —builders’ terminology for living space that does not require plumbing : or mechanical equipment. .

2. They open wide for ready access w’hen the furnace needs servicing. 3. Louver doors are acceptable for any decor, from traditional to contemporary. 4. They give the room an interesting background that avoids the dull, empty look of a blank wall. .Louver doors of ponderosa pine are available from building ; material dealers in sizes and , styles for all needs. The clear, smooth wood can be stained or 1 painted with equal ease.

Comfortable Home Today Can Cost Less to Operate

It’s more vital than ever today that homes be constructed for low maintenance and operating expense, because of steadily rising taxes and higher costa of everything from food to fuel. Recent research has come up with proof that a house de- ■ n ; .?W' Workman lifts 6-inch halt of mineral wool insulation into place between ceiling joists of house being insulated for economical air conditioning. signed and built for year-round comfort costs less to own and operate. In many cases, even the cost of construction is less. The study was carried out in three separate climate areas of the country—North, Central, and

'Nobody Here But Us Guests' Old Chicken Coop Converted Info Handsome Guest House I j RLJ n., ?h. Ilißr ■ g® AFTER—SIeek guest house above was decrepit aback, below, prior to remodeling.

Industrial designer Paul Mac-' Alister, whose prowess in design of anything from parasols to Pullman cars is renowned from Peking to Poughkeepsie, has turned his talents to an old chicken house on his farm in Lake Bluff, 111. Applying many of the skills of his profession, Mac Alister remodeled the crumbling structure shown in the “before” photo into the modern house in the “after” picture. Aside from the difference in appearance between the old and the new, the two most important factors in the remodeling are compactness and cost. Using his experience as a designer of ships and Pullman cars, Mac Alister managed to fit an 18 x 15-foot living room, a den-study-bedroom, a large bathroom, dining area, kitchen, two-car garage, and workshop into 1,152 square feet, all the while maintaining a feeling of airiness and space. Part of this feeling is accomplished with tall, sliding windows of ponderosa pine that provide maximum light and ♦ ventilation while permitting the room to “expand” outdoors. There was a cost savings here, too. Thes.e windows of ponderosa pine are available in units with frame and sash fitted together

Asphalt Shingles Wear Armor Plate of Rock Tough asphalt shingles get their rugged ability to shrug off the wearing effects of weather from a thick layer of rock granules embedded in the surface of the waterproof asphalt. The granules provide a rich, textured appearance without harsh, ugly glare. They also carry the pigments that make possible the many colors avail* able in asphalt shingles.

Have Your FURNACE INSPECTED AND CLEANED NOW BY YOUR LOCAL FURNACE EXPENT PHONE 3-2615 ASHBAUCHERS’ TIN SHOP Established 1915 HEATING—ROOFING—SIDING—SPOUTING 116 N. Ist St. Phone 3-2615

South—using 70 houses with the cooperation of their builders. In the North, 2 houses cost an average of $168.10 more per house to Duild because of extra insulation, shading devices, and ventilation. But this saved $133.83 because it meant that smaller heating and cooling equipment could be used, resulting in a more comfortable house for only $14.27. Even this amount already has been recaptured by the owners, since their heating and cooling operation costs $50.83 less per year than it would otherwise. In the Central zone, comparable figures for 19 homes are: Cost of added insulation and other comfort improvements—s234.Bs; savings on equipment— I $263.69; initial cost change— I $28.84 less; annual operating | savings—$64.78. I For 30 houses in the South: Cost of comfort improvements t —5224.80; savings on equipment » —5257.14; initial cost change—--1 $32.34 less; annual operating ■ savings—$123.54. Recommendations for insulation to produce results like these 1 generally are a 6-inch thickness I of mineral wool in the ceiling, » at least 3 inches in walls, 3 inches in the floor above uni heated areas, and 2 inches f around the edges of a concrete 1 floor slab.

BEFORE at the factory, greatly reducing the cost of installation. Mac Alister’s choice of a roofing material also netted a cash savings. He selected asphalt shingles because he knew they could be applied without wasted labor. The result is a roof that will provide years of protection while it contributes a colorful, soft-textured appearance to the exterior. Since the house was to be used as a guest home for clients, Mac Alister wanted it to be com. sortable in all seasons. To be sure of this, he insulated completely. Cost was not a problem here, because the designer knew that the thick mineral wool blankets would pay for themselves in fuel savings within a few years.

•DutchDoors’Available Ready , for Installation The Dutch-style panel door, popular because it comes in two sections that permit the top half to be opened while the bottom half remains closed, can be obtained ready to install from building material dealers. A do-it-yourselfer who is handy with tools can make nis own Dutch-style door by obtaining a stock panel door of ponderosa pin® cutting it in naif.

Tight House Shrugs Off High Winds It’s too late to protect your home from a hurricane, tornado, or other violent windstorm after storm warnings are posted. This is why home owners all over the country are taking advantage of the late-summer lull in chores to get their houses ready for the rough weather of fall and winter. What can you do to protect your home from wind damage? Here are some suggestions from leading insurance companies: 1. Inspect the outside of the house carefully for such things as loose shutters, siding, and gutters, and doors and windows that do not close tightly. Ripped loose in a high wind, any one of them can become a dangerous missile. 2. Inspect trees and shrubs and remove all dead or dying limbs. Dead or weakened trees should be cut down. 3. Check bird houses, TV antennas, outside lighting accessories, clothes drying racks, and lawn furniture to be sure they can’t be tom loose by violent wihds. Lightweight lawn and patio furniture, flower pots, and the like should be taken inside when a windstorm is approaching. 4. Look carefully at your roof. If it is old and shabby, or if any of the roofing material is loose or uneven, call in a reliable roofing contractor for a professional inspection. This is an essential precaution, because roofing material torn away by wind exposes the interior of the house and its contents to rain. If the contractor recommends a new roof, he can apply asphalt shingles especially designed to resist winds of even hurricane force. These provide a tight roof that will protect the house from harsh weather for years. Some other precautionary measures you can take include having flashlights or lanterns handy, an emergency, supply of water and foodstuffs, and a portable cooking stove or supply of charcoaL

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TUESDAY, AUGUST 4, 1959

WiWow Planning Important Step For Safe Home . Careful window planning makes a house safer for its occupants, says the Small Homes Council'of the University of Illinois in its copyrighted circular, “Hazard Free Houses for AH.” Here are some of the Council’s suggestions for windows in any' home: 1. To avoid collisions with projecting awning and casement windows, planting beds should be put beneath them, never sidewalks. 2. All windows which cannot be reached from lhe ground or Small, high windows are attractive and practical especially for bedrooms, but one large window, such as this casement style, is needed for emergencies. porch should be of a type that can be washed from inside. 3. All major rooms, including basement playrooms, should have a door leading outside, or at least one window no smaller than 24 x 30 inches to permit easy escape in case of fire. 4. Floor to ceiling windows should start 6 to 10 inches from the floor to avoid the hazard of mistaking the window for a door. 5. Minimum sill height for stairway or second floor should be 36 inches. These should be screened securely, but with screens readily removable in case of fire. Building material dealers carry a wide variety of wood windows in stock that are adaptable to all of these safety recommendations-