1. Know your maintenance cycles. A lot of structures require tuckpointing maintenance every 50 to 60 years.
2. Match the mortar. New mortar need to match as carefully as possible in color, consistency, and elevation. Using too much Portland cement in the mix creates difficult mortars, which can harm old structures.
3. Never grind out joints. Only deteriorated mortar should be eliminated. If somebody informs you otherwise, run.
4. Never ever utilize sealants. Sealers trap moisture, intensifying problems throughout freeze/thaw cycles.
5. Replace in kind. Harmed masonry systems need to be changed entire or via Dutchmen of the same product. Spaces filled with putty don't last.
-- Jacob http://www.bbc.co.uk/search?q=Montclair Victorian Restoration Arndt, Preservation Specialist, Architectural Stone Carver
Radiators
6. Do not throttle a one-pipe steam radiator The steam and condensate need to share that restricted space. Keep the valve either fully open or totally near to avoid water hammering and squirting air vents.
7. Produce a perfect pitch. One-pipe steam radiators need to pitch toward the supply valve. Use two checkers under radiator feet-- they're the best sizes and shape.
8. Gain control. Thermostatic radiator valves are a terrific method to zone any radiator and conserve fuel. Hot-water and two-pipe steam radiators get them on the supply side; one-pipe steam radiators get them in between the radiator and the air vent.
Old radiator.
( Image: Sylvia Gashi-Silver).
9. Get a terrific surface. Pros agree that sandblasting followed by powder finishing gives the best, lasting, non-sticky finish-- but do not try this at home.
10. Do not worry about fires. Even with steam heat, a radiator gets only about half as hot as the temperature required to kindle paper, so you can rest simple.
-- Dan Holohan, Author, The Lost Art of Steam Heating.
Woodworking.
11. Usage heartwood. Heartwood is constantly the most disease-resistant. Sapwood of most species ought to modernizing a victorian house Montclair never be used.
12. Rift or quarter-grain cuts are best. These cuts are the most stable. Flat grain typically broadens and contracts seasonally at twice the rate of quartered stock.
13. Install plain sawn lumber with the heart side up. Flat lumber will wear better with the heart dealing with up. If there's cupping, the edges will remain flat, and only the center will hump somewhat.
14. Find out to use hand tools. Many historic woodwork was produced by hand tools, and most industrial millwork (late 19th century and after) was installed with them. Historical woodwork finishes produced with hand planes can't be reproduced by modern makers like sanders.
15. Use conventional joinery. Part repair work should be used conventional joinery instead of non-historic methods like a wholesale epoxy casting of a missing part.
-- Robert Adam, Founder and Senior Advisor, Preservation Carpentry Department, North Bennet Street School.
Slate Roofing, renovating old houses.
Slate roof on a turret, refurbishing old houses.
Slate roof on a turret. (Picture: Nathan Winter Season).
16. Determine your slate.To correctly take care of your slate roofing system, find out what kind of slate it is. Simply as you can't fix a Chevy with Ford parts, you ought to never ever utilize New york city red slate on a Pennsylvania gray slate roofing.
17. Understand your roof's durability. If your roofing system only has 100 years of durability and is 95 years old, it's not worth sinking money into. But a roof with 200 years of durability that's 75 years old is a young roofing that ought to be highly valued and correctly maintained.
18. Check your roof routinely. At least when a year, walk around your house (use field glasses if required) and look at your roofing. If you see missing, broken, or moving slates, or flashing that looks suspect, call your slater.
19. Look around for quality. Excellent slaters are out there, however you have to search for them. It's worth the effort to have somebody who really knows what he's doing.