"The open fire has its place as a method of heating single rooms or small houses or as an adjunct to other heating systems. Even when not actually needed, it adds much to the enjoyment of home life, if the fireplace is properly built. Comparatively few understand the principles involved in the construction of chimneys and fireplaces, and even experienced builders make mistakes which not only affect the efficiency of the heating unit but frequently create a menace to life and property. This bulletin is designed to give the householder and prospective builder, and especially the farmer or other rural resident who builds or superintends the building of his own home, a working knowledge of the principles to be observed in planning and building chimneys and fireplaces, which if the are observed will go a long way to promote the comfort of the home and insure the safety of the property."--Page ii.

"Many know the annoyance and ill effects of wet basements and cellars, but comparatively few are familiar with good remedial methods. This bulletin gives needed information ... Many wet cellars might be dry had a little more attention been given to their location and construction and to grading the earth around them to shed water quickly. Frequently wet cellars can be made dry by gravity drainage of the site -- the simplest and surest method of avoiding ground-water troubles. Many dam cellars can easily be made less damp by better window ventilation. Water-tight construction and waterproofing and damp-proofing methods require good materials, but the most important thing -- in fact the vital thing -- is thorough workmanship in each and every detail."--Page ii.