Search

Old Houses

The Good News About Deferred Maintenance

Old houses get a bad rap for needing tons of maintenance. Let’s set the record straight - ALL houses need maintenance. New houses may be especially problematic because 1) they use materials that are touted as “maintenance free” - e.g., vinyl siding and windows, 2) those materials can age in unattractive and sometimes calamitous ways, and 3) it is often impossible to repair modern materials and...

Through the Glass: A History of Windows and Their Significance

Is there one historic feature you consider “to die for” - literally? For you, maybe it’s a cupola or a wraparound porch. For me, it’s windows. I once campaigned to preserve the old wood windows in my New York City tenement apartment (needless to say, the landlord paid no heed). When I finally became the owner of my own ca-1890 house, its original windows were among the main attractions. The...

Easy Tips to Keep Your Historic Home Toasty All Winter

"There is nothing inherently drafty about old houses; in fact, many of them are built with stronger, old growth wood, brick and plaster that are far better insulators than cheaper modern materials. However, deferred maintenance may mean that spaces are no longer airtight, which can lead to drafts." — Elizabeth Finkelstein in HuffPost