Caring for your Historic Home

As a home ages, a diligent maintenance program can help you avoid costly repairs. Here are some helpful tips:

• Consult with licensed electrical, plumbing and heating specialists for an initial evaluation and arrange schedules for routine maintenance.
  
  
• Older homes often have less insulation. To help prevent pipes from freezing, you can insulate the pipes directly, shut off exterior faucets and maintain a comfortable heating temperature at all times. If your pipes do freeze, exercise care when thawing them. You can try applying hot rags and always begin thawing at the faucet side so that melted water may escape.
  
  
• Repairing or re-pointing mortar walls and chimneys becomes necessary if:
  - mortar is missing or cracked
  - bricks or stones are loose
  - walls are damp or plaster work is damaged
  
  
• During a rainstorm, check to see if gutters and downspouts are properly transferring water away from the house. Gutters may need to be cleaned and downspouts redirected or extended to improve drainage around the foundation.
  
  
• Proper ventilation and updated insulation in the attic can reduce the potential for damage or deterioration due to excess moisture and also reduce energy usage.
  
  
• Fuel lines can corrode or develop loose connections and should be checked by a professional for leakage.
  
  
• Schedule a periodic inspection of your roof to evaluate its condition. The type of roof covering will determine how often this should be done.
  
  
• Check the flashing around windows, skylights and chimneys to prevent rain from penetrating.