historic preservation and sustainability

The National Trust’s BARN AGAIN! Program

March 4, 2014 · historic preservation and sustainability

Did you know that Kentucky (where I was born and raised) is ranked first in the nation for the number of barns per square mile that are older than 1960? That’s a LOT of potentially historic and beautiful barns!!

I love seeing the dark hallmark tobacco barns when driving through rural and picturesque farmland….

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In North Carolina, where I currently am, we are ranked number 21 for barns per square mile–still above the halfway mark.

The National Trust for Historic Preservation’s BARN AGAIN! program advocates for the reuse and preservation of historic barns and other older farm buildings, providing technical assistance to property owners, hosting BARN AGAIN! training workshops and sessions, and working with barn owners to more effectively use their buildings for today’s farming needs as an alternative to building new structures.
Click Here for the NTHP site and for more information on this unique and valuable initiative.

The publication, Historic Barns: Working Assets for Sustainable Farms, contains much of the information that is detailed and promoted in the BARN AGAIN! program. It’s a fabulous resource for anyone owning a working farm with older barns and outbuildings seeking to preserve and practically put them to use again.

It breaks my heart to see so many of our beautiful agricultural barns and outbuildings disappearing so fast across our country’s rural landscape. We MUST be an advocate for their preservation for future generations! Our farming and agricultural heritage is just too important not to.

Window Types for Historic Houses

November 11, 2013 · architectural history, historic preservation and sustainability, restoration basics

Thank you all for the well wishes and congratulations on the arrival of our twin girls. We are all hanging in there and adjusting to life with these sweet babies. Sleep is certainly a luxury sometimes hard to come by and our days are a never-ending cycle of nursing, changing diapers, laundry and baby chores. Thank goodness I have family to help out!

Now on to the real post: I’m warning you now, I may go on a *bit* of a rant here when it comes to windows in historic houses. As you all probably know, I am VERY partial to retaining original windows not just because it preserves the original fabric and historic integrity of the property, but also for practical, sustainable, functional and economic reasons.

But before I get too much into why old houses need to retain their original windows (perhaps I’ll save it for the next post) , I’d like to start by highlighting some common types of original historic windows and the various ways that a lot of homeowners end up replacing them. Sometimes when an older home is purchased the owner may find the original windows were already replaced, and they may have the task of choosing new ones that best fit the historic character of the home.

Here are some various types you may see on older or historic buildings:

1. Double hung, wooden, 6/6 sash

Beaufort, NC

Chowan County, NC

2. Double hung, wooden, 2/2 sash

Midway, KY

Perquimans County, NC

3. Double hung, wooden 1/1 sash

4. Double hung, wooden 4/4 sash

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5. Double hung, 9/9 sash

Andrews-Moore House, Franklin County, NC

Window from Concord United Methodist Church, ca. 1928, McDowell County, NC

7. Fixed windows

Ernest Swarts House, Guilford County, NC

Interior of Ernest Swarts House, Guilford County, NC

8. Aluminum awning or “hopper” style windows (typically found on mid-century buildings)

9. Decorative, leaded glass, or stained glass windows (often fixed)

Woodford County, KY

10. Casement windows, wood or metal

Durham County, NC

This is just a small sampling of various types of windows found on historic buildings. Many more types exist not shown here that you may be familiar with or have seen before. For example, some houses have “cottage style” double-hung wood sash windows, with a six-over-one sash profile.

What window types do you have in your historic house? Or perhaps you may have a type not shown here that is common to your region?

Roofing Options for Historic Buildings

March 16, 2013 · historic preservation and sustainability, restoration basics

Have you thought much about the choice of roofing for your historic house or building? When it comes time for a new roof, the choice of style or material can make a huge impact on the look of your property.

My first and foremost preference for historic buildings would be if the property happens to retain its original roof, repair it in-kind rather than replacing. Most of the time older roofs can be repaired, unlike asphalt shingle which often must be replaced.

1. Standing Seam Metal

Standing Seam metal is a very durable option for many historic buildings and is on the more affordable side of the range of roofing options. It looks great on farmhouses and agricultural buildings especially. It can be repaired instead of having to be replaced in whole, and should last about 100 years or more if taken care of.

2. Slate

Slate is a very attractive option for historic buildings as long as it is appropriate for the style of the building. It can be costly, but will last for hundreds of years if well maintained and repaired as needed.

3. Terra Cotta Tile

Like slate, Terra Cotta Tile is also extremely durable and will last for hundreds of years if maintained well and repaired in-kind as needed. Most terra cotta roofing has copper trim, wells, gutters, and downspouts to fill gaps and control water flow. Terra Cotta tile is a beautiful option well suited to Spanish, Mediterranean or Mission Revival style buildings and will make a bold impact upon the look of a property.

4. Copper

A copper roof is certainly luxurious and expensive, but has a patina that only gets better with age and can last for hundreds of years if repaired and maintained. Copper can grow thin and suffer from holes due to water damage in spots such as gutters, but many times the holes can be filled or patched with new copper. I especially like the use of copper for accents such as dormer windows, cupolas, and turrets.

5. Wood Shingle

Historically wood shingle roofing is perhaps the most popular early choice of roofing for our Colonial settlers. It works well on older Colonial and Georgian style houses and can last surprisingly longer than you would think, especially if the material used is a wood that is water resistant.

6. Green Roof, anyone?

A Green roof would work well if the roof is flat, especially if there is a bit of a parapet to conceal and contain the vegetation grown on the roof. Buildings suited to this are often civic or commercial buildings located downtown, or Victorian or early-twentieth century storefronts buildings. Occasionally modernist houses possess flat roofs that could possibly be converted into a green roof.

7. Architectural Shingle

Finally, an architectural shingle roof is a nice option that mimics the look of a more expensive slate or tile roof, but is much more affordable for the every day American. It is certainly a step up from the usual asphalt shingle roof and much more appropriate for historic buildings.

Which is your favorite?

Historic House Winter Upkeep 101

January 30, 2013 · historic preservation and sustainability, restoration basics

For those of us that live in old houses, performing basic maintenance and upkeep can prevent potentially more serious problems and keep your home running efficiently. During the winter, energy efficiency and proper maintenance is especially important with sensitivity to its historic character-defining features.

Below are some tips for winter upkeep in your historic house:

1. If you must add insulation, add it to the attic and the basement, where most of the house’s heat escapes. (Adding blown-in insulation to walls can cause problems in the long run for historic houses).

2. Have your furnace system serviced regularly to make sure it is working efficiently. Change your furnace filters. Bleed radiators and clean forced-air registers.

3. Install a programmable thermostat to save on heating costs when you are not home.

4. Insulate pipes and duct work.

5. Weatherstrip and caulk windows to prevent any air leaks. Repair windows that are not functioning or closing properly. Make sure they are locked tight.

6. Close fireplace flues or dampers when not in use.

7. If windows are proving to be a problem in heat loss, consider adding energy efficient storm windows, which can be just as effective as replacing with new window sashes. Additionally, you can receive a $1,500 tax credit.

8. Use heavy drapes or shutters to keep additional heat from escaping from your windows.

9. Inspect your doors for gaps where air can escape, and seal or fill any holes/gaps.

10. Use a roof rake to remove snow and ice from your roof.

11. Consider getting an energy audit.

Hopefully these tips are helpful to you! Remember, always retain first, then repair, and if you must replace, replace in-kind. Stay warm, friends!

What both the Preservation and Homesteading Movements Have in Common

November 9, 2012 · historic preservation and sustainability, Homesteading

Hello, friends! I first just want to welcome all my new followers- I’m so excited to get to know you and am humbled that you are interested in my musings here at the Roost 🙂

Oh, and this is totally off the subject, but recently I found Rosemary (our old, ruthless hen who is desperately trying to maintain her top pecking order spot) trying to lay an egg underneath the old church pew bench on our porch! LOL

Rosemary trying to hide from everyone and lay an egg in peace

I know I’ve talked before on this blog about historic preservation and sustainability–and why the “greenest” building is the one that has already been built. If you missed this post, please click here to learn more.

Today I want to discuss ways in which the recent homesteading or “back to the land” movement can also be tied into the historic preservation movement (or at least, in my mind). Hopefully we can educate the throngs of people jumping onto the homesteading bandwagon about the merits of historic preservation and why it should be relevant to them!

So, here we go:

Historic farms and their siting/topography: most old farmsteads were sited in ways that maximized energy conservation and efficiency (winds, sun, access to water, etc.) For example, in the North Carolina mountains, early settlers positioned their homes often at the bottom of hillsides surrounded by mountainous terrain that offered protection from harsh winds, but high enough to be above the flood plane. A stream, creek or spring ran near the house most of the time, in order for a spring house to be placed upon it for easy access to water as well as a method of keeping dairy products cold. Energy independence is a common theme/goal in today’s homesteading community, and the farmsteads of yesteryear achieved this without even knowing it by the siting of their houses to best take advantage of the outside elements. Many modern homesteaders are forgoing their dyers for outdoor line drying of clothes, hand-washing of dishes, and even weaning themselves from electricity.

historic farmstead in Haywood County, NC

Some historic farmsteads retain their various but useful outbuildings which were meant for practical purposes: springhouses, smokehouses, bank barns, root cellars, poultry houses, corn cribs, livestock barns, etc. Some of these, such as a root cellar for example, can be extremely practical for the modern homesteader as it essentially preserves fall and winter root vegetables and squashes without the need for refrigeration. Already existing outbuildings from a historic farm reduces the need to build new, thus saving energy and money!

outbuildings in Haywood County, NC

Historic buildings themselves (until around the mid 20th century) were designed to be as energy efficient as possible without having air conditioning. The careful placement of windows, the use of fireplaces or wood stoves, and the materials used in construction were meant to last and aid in keeping the house cool in summer and warm in winter.

Many historic farms already have infrastructure in place for the keeping of animals (chickens, goats, turkeys, cattle, hogs, etc.) and often had a water source nearby.

Even through the first quarter of the twentieth century, some cities and many small towns allowed yards for the keeping of a small flock of poultry and a garden. Many cities are returning to this idea, with chicken ordinances allowing for a small flock of hens to be kept in the city limits. This is more difficult to attain in suburban neighborhoods with so many having homeowners association restrictions. Of course, historic districts too have local design guidelines but many downtowns are now allowing homeowners to keep a flock of hens in their backyard.

Both movements share a fundamental passion for saving and preserving old traditions, whether they be homesteading, gardening and farming traditions or traditional building patterns.

I’m not sure about you, but I think this connection between the homesteading and preservation movements is pretty darn cool!