Roofs, chimneys and heating

[ben_issacs]

Folks, 

I've put this post in this section, it could probably gone into Structures.

Its subject is Japanese roofs.

Looking through a 2016 RM Models calendar, which has aerial shots of various railway locations, it's of interest to see the variety of roof coverings that appear there.

For the ones that seem to be tiles, colours vary from red, brown, various shades of grey and on one shot above an Enoden station there are buildings with glazed royal blue tiles.

From my memories of earlier travels in Japan, I can remember seeing glossy black tiles, with white mortaring on the ridge edges, and a silver-grey colour somewhere else,' these also were somewhat glossy.

Green tiles don't  seem to be at all common, but done on metal roofs sometimes.

Some of these colours could be peculiar to certain localities.

With regard to the glazing effect, this is where the Sankei and Amagai and other card models fall down, none of their roofs are glazed, and it's hard to see how this effect could be done on a card model, possibly the application of a transparent glossy finish might work, but whatever was used cannot affect the card and cause warping.

On a slightly different subject, looking at these aerial views, one is struck by the absence of chimneys from the various buildings. 

Flying over Australian, and probably also over other European and American cities, one would see each house with one or more chimneys, but not so in Japan!

This, then, brings up the question, how do the Japanese heat their houses?

Gas or electricity seem to be the only possibilities, maybe steam or hot water in the thermal areas.

Regards, 

Bill, 

Melbourne. 

 

 

 

 

[maihama eki]

From what I have seen, many Japanese homes and apartments are heated with small kerosene heaters.  I don't think central heating and cooling is as prevalent in Japan as in the US for example.

 

 

[Beaver]

In the northern island of Hokkaido, which gets winds from Siberia in winter, buildings have ordinary central heating, not sure if gas or electric.

 

Across the rest of Japan, houses generally do not have any dedicated heating system (or much insulation).

 

The same air conditioners that cool houses in summer can also heat air to warm houses in winter. There is also a wide range of portable heating devices in use which can be stored away for the rest of the year, from simple resistance bar heaters to the traditional kotatsu.

 

Traditionally it is expected that life will be somewhat colder in winter and everyone should expect to change their clothes and habits according to season.

[ben_issacs]

Folks, 

I'm building up a collection of Japanese station buildings from Sankei and Amagi Modelling. 

Of the thirteen stations that I already have, only two have chimneys.

One is from the long defunct Yubari Rly. in central Hokkaido, which does get damn cold, the chimney looks to serve the booking hall and the station offices.

The other is from the Yamagata Rly., which is up in north-eastern Honshu in the mountains, this building has two small metal chimneys.

All the others, no chimneys, and no signs of A/C units, ordinary or reverse cycle. 

But these stations are largely from an earlier era, when A/C units would not be all that common.

And looking at the RM Models shots, very few A/C condensing units can be seen in them.

Kero heaters inside pose the danger of build-up of carbon Mon. and Carbon Di. as would the Hibachis (? spelling), but they were obviously used widely.

As Japan is a mountainous country, with many fast flowing rivers, Hydro plants are common so probably elec.heating would be fairly common.

Do the Japanese believe in Santa Claus, if so, without chimneys on houses, how does he deliver the Christmas presents?

Regards, 

Bill, 

Melbourne.

 

 

[Beaver]

1 hour ago, ben_issacs said:

Do the Japanese believe in Santa Claus, if so, without chimneys on houses, how does he deliver the Christmas presents?

 

The chimney business is an American invention.

 

In the original German tradition, St Nicolas politely knocks at the front door to hand the presents over. (And wears green, is accompanied by the demon Krampus plus a team of young black men who are all called Peter.)

 

I imagine he also does this in Japan, though I get the impression most people aren't so into the whole business as to consider those sort of details.

[ben_issacs]

Space Beaver,

Thanks for your comments in re S.Claus.

As he is a Christian tradition, and Japan is only partly Christian, , yes, that's why he isn't much thought about in that country

Regards, 

Bill,

Melbourne.

 

[railsquid]

Santa-san is very popular in Japan, also "Christmas", though arguably closer to its pagan origins as a festival of shiny when it's dark.

 

FWIW here is a chimney visible from Chez Railsquid:

 

 

though it's the only house I ever recall seeing with a chimney. Presumable there must be some others.

 

 

[railsquid]

On 1/12/2019 at 4:41 PM, Space Beaver said:

In the northern island of Hokkaido, which gets winds from Siberia in winter, buildings have ordinary central heating, not sure if gas or electric.

 

Across the rest of Japan, houses generally do not have any dedicated heating system (or much insulation).

 

Or double-glazing. Happily Chez Railsquid is fitted to modern insulation/glazing standards :)

 

Quote

The same air conditioners that cool houses in summer can also heat air to warm houses in winter. There is also a wide range of portable heating devices in use which can be stored away for the rest of the year, from simple resistance bar heaters to the traditional kotatsu. 

 

Under-floor heating is also available in more recent builds, we rely on that with additional hot air from the air conditioner if it gets really cold.

[Kiha66]

Older structures (more of the rural, single family sort) often had coal stoves to heat the rooms.  Plenty of old structures have vents from these stoves, however they usually seem to come out the wall rather than out of the roof.  My experience comes from seeing rural coal mining towns and stations, so life in the city may be different, and probably very little of such methods survive to the modern day.  IIRC part of the damage from the great kanto earthquake of 1923 came from such heating and cooking stoves toppling and starting numerous fires which engulfed Yokohama.

[Beaver]

1 hour ago, railsquid said:

 

Or double-glazing. Happily Chez Railsquid is fitted to modern insulation/glazing standards 🙂

 

 

Under-floor heating is also available in more recent builds, we rely on that with additional hot air from the air conditioner if it gets really cold.

 

Sadly, such innovations seem unavailable in cheapo ワンルーム/アパート land.

 

I did wonder if the use of minimal insulation was intended to prevent houses getting too hot in summer. Modern buildings don't naturally stay cool in summer like old wooden ones do.

[railsquid]

22 minutes ago, Space Beaver said:

 

Sadly, such innovations seem unavailable in cheapo ワンルーム/アパート land.

 

I've done my time in various abodes of less than adequate insulation comfort, if it's any consolation...

 

Quote

I did wonder if the use of minimal insulation was intended to prevent houses getting too hot in summer. Modern buildings don't naturally stay cool in summer like old wooden ones do.

 

Insulation works both ways... Methinks it's one of those chicken-and-egg situations, people not accustomed to something and workarounds are available, so there's little demand for structural improvements. I also suspect it doesn't get cold enough for long enough in most of Japan to justify the expense and maintenance of a full central heating system.

 

I like to quote the example of fancy heated toilet seats as demonstrative of this - no central heating means toilets will be cold in winter, so the uniquely Japanese fancy heated toilet seat evolved as an alternative solution.

[Beaver]

If it is at all relevant, modern central  heating systems do not actually need chimneys. A few vents and intakes in the wall are enough. Many houses in 'Western' countries built with chimneys in the past few decades probably have only dummies to make the building look traditional.

 

I grew up in an 80s built UK house of very utilitarian design with no chimney. Went to see new houses being built nearby and they had lots of 'traditional' fancy bits, including 'chimneys' which were just boxes with pots on the top and the actual central heating outlet clearly sticking out of the end wall below.