House Preservation Information
|
Homes in Shaker were built by master craftsmen using authentic materials in a variety of architectural styles. Protect your investment by continuing to use authentic materials. The City recommends that you hire a contractor who is registered with the City (or is in the process of registering) and one that is in good standing with the Better Business Bureau. Get some pointers on how to hire a contractor.
|
|
How do I preserve a home's historic masonry?
To protect masonry from damage:
- Identify nature and source of soiling material and prior treatments.
- Identify exact nature of surface and construction materials to choose correct cleaning process.
- Consider whether paint removal would damage the masonry surface and if the paint is an appropriate part of the home's historical style.
- Cover windows, doors, and other non-masonry features that could be damaged by chemical cleaners.
- Test cleaner on small, inconspicuous section!
Choose an appropriate cleaning method based on the material and the desired results.
Consider water methods first; it softens and rinses the soil in the gentlest manner for the building, the environment, and the applicator. Options are:
- Soaking
- Pressure-water Washing
- Water-washing supplemented with non-ionic detergents
- Steam/hot-pressurized water treatments
Cautions:
- Ensure building is water-tight before beginning.
- Mineral traces in water may stain the building.
- Do not use in cold weather because freezing can cause cracking.
- Be conscious of using low-pressure with the nozzle at a safe distance.
Chemical Cleaners
- Acidic Cleaners - use on non-acid sensitive masonry (granite, most sandstone, slate, unglazed terra cotta, cast stone, concrete)
- Alkaline Cleaners - use on acid-sensitive masonry (limestone, marble, glazed brick and terra cotta, polished granite)
- Paint removal is most successful with alkaline, organic solvent, or other chemical paint removers.
Cautions:
- Do not use in cold weather (same hazards as water cleaning)
- Test first: Chemicals can stain, etch, or burn the surface.
- Always rinse thoroughly and test the surface for a neutral pH.
A poultice treatment involves use of an absorbent material and liquid paste to draw out stains.
There are a number of reasons why abrasive methods (sandblasting) are not safe for historic masonry.
In most cases, waterproof and water-repellent coatings are NOT recommended for historic masonry buildings. A better way to protect from water damage is to keep the building watertight and in consistently good, general repair.
Slate is one of the authentic materials that was often used in the construction of Shaker's homes. The City urges owners of homes with slate roofs to maintain them and consider carefully before replacing them with any other material.
Slate roofs can last 200 years or longer, depending on the type of slate used, the configuration of the roof and the geographical location of the property, according to a bulletin published by the Technical Preservation Services arm of the National Park Service. By contrast, the average life span of an asphalt roof is about 30 years.
Two additional factors help determine a slate roof's life span: how the roof was installed and how well it has been maintained. In Ohio, slate roofs on farmhouses and barns often date to the late 1700s and have been well maintained ever since.
How do you know when your slate roof needs maintenance?
Use binoculars to see what's going on in the fall, before the freeze/thaw cycles; and in the spring, see what the freeze/thaw did to your roof, checking for loose, cracked or missing slates.
It is also important to look in the attic for evidence of leaks, and to make sure gutters and downspouts are in good working order. If there is a leak, it is often the metal flashing at the seams, valleys and ridges of the roof is the real culprit. Slates usually outlive their flashing. Even copper flashing, the best in the business, typically lasts only 60 years (a spry and youthful age for most types of slate). Often, slate and wood shingle roofs are removed because of problems with flashings. A well-maintained slate roof should cost about $400 every couple of years to maintain.
Sindelar, who coordinated a City-sponsored workshop on slate and shake shingles in 2001, cautions that before replacing a slate roof with something else, "You have to look at the economics of it." Because building codes prohibit putting new roofing material over a slate roof, the existing slates must be removed before their replacement may be laid down. That cost should be factored in, he believes.
How do you know when your slates are beyond repair?
According to the Park Service, if over 20% of the slates on a roof or roof slope are broken, cracked, missing or sliding out of position, it is usually less expensive to replace the roof than to execute individual repairs. This is especially true of older roofs nearing the end of their serviceable lives, because even the most experienced slater will likely damage additional slates while attempting repairs.
The slates reaching the end of their serviceable lives are flaking and crumbling. At that point layers of mud that make up the slate are separating.
Clay tile, which along with slate and wood, were one of the three acceptable roofing materials for new homes constructed by the Van Sweringen company, are also a roofing material of choice today.
Windows are an integral part of a home's style and character, but they are also vulnerable to the elements.
When window frames deteriorate because of age and weather damage, homeowners should carefully consider the replacement options.
Additional Resources
