SOLAR HEATING.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 11732, 23 June 1916, Page 4

SOLAR HEATING.

•——— HOT WATER BY SUN'S RAYS. Perlaaps only one family in Australia has so Tar enjoyed the privilege ot having the sun as a bath-heater. Mr William Ferguson, of St Monans, Abbotsford (says the, Sydney "Sun"), is the pioneer, as far as can be ascertained, of an attempt to rmt the sun's rays to practical use for water-heating purpuses. \ When building his home Mr Ferguson arranged sufficient iron piping on tho galvanised rooliug at the back of his house to hold a liberal storage of water. Theso pipes aro connected with tho bathroom, tho kitchen and the washhouse, and aro quite apart from the usual household water connection, jhe iron roofing and the pipes hold the heat, and for tho greater part of *he year the household has a continuous hot water supply, at no greater expanse than the cost of installation. During the summer months the is almost at boiling point, and cannon be us<!<l without the addition of cold water. To say nothing of the comlors of warm baths, the houserrold has tno further advantago of labour'and fuel saving. Tho housewife' can pile her dishes in the sink, and allow the stream of hot water to pour over them. Til s, too, saves her hands from a great deal of wear and tear. She has hot water over her washing-tubs, and her copper in nearly on tho boil as soon as it is filled. Tho making of ten is a mafic of a couple of minutes, for her kettle, too, is nearly always on the boil. In winter time, when the hot water is most needed, it is sometimes not available. In the middle of the day one can indulge in a warm bath or shower, but on the days when the sun hides his face the network of pipes is as cold ns its ordinary neighbour. But the idea is a great one, and surely some inventive genius can devise a moans of retain : nc the boat so easily captured. Tn America, which even in its most favcurrd ppots cannot be more sunshiny than this land, a system of sun-ray heating has been perfected for civiasz hot water every day of the year the sun shines, and a day and a half