William H. Smith House c1881

What to Think About When Purchasing a Historic Home
So you would like to live in a historic home. Historic homes appeal to people for a variety of reasons. Many homeowners like the idea of a historic home because it had significant relevance in the past, while others may just like "the look" of architecture from years past. A large contingency of buyers, while certainly admiring the property's aesthetic qualities, appreciate living in a manner that is just not possible in a modern home, even a McMansion !

Of course, you have concerns. Is the home structurally sound? How old is the heating system? How much does it cost to heat? How is the electrical? How old is the roof? Is it insulated? Are the windows cold and drafty? Are the water pipes ready to burst?

We know these are some of your practical concerns. And no amount of highly polished mahogany or breathtaking stained glass windows, raised panel walls and ceilings or copper sinks will ease these concerns. So we will answer those questions for you here.

We have done a lot to bring this home mechanically and structurally forward. We didn’t entrust this job to just anyone. We are lucky enough to have trades people among our family and friends. Carpenters, plumbers and electricians who would take the care just as though it were their own home, people who we trusted to do the job right and with confidence that this home would be functional for another 100 years.

Why did that matter to us, when we were probably only going to occupy this home for 20 years? We have a deep love of architecture and history. We felt a certain responsibility that this home should be around for the next generation and the next.

Structurally Sound?

This home has been standing for 130 years. The carriage house had to have some structural work performed on it when we purchased it in 1994. The main home had little damage from wood-eating insects. These were all eradicated in 1994 and we have maintained a contract with a pest-control company ever since. The home is inspected each spring and preventative spraying is done for carpenter ants. All prior bug damage has been addressed, and wherever necessary, replaced or reinforced with new beams and/or bug retardant materials, such as mahogany.

Heating System?

The steam heating system was installed in the 1920’s and as was the custom at the time, the system is larger than is necessary. Steam-fed radiators are in every room and in the halls and staircases. Steam heating systems have several benefits that aren't often discussed. They have few moving parts, making them more reliable and durable than newer, more complicated heating systems. They also provide clean and dust-free heat, a huge plus for homeowners who react negatively to the dust and other allergens that can be stirred up by forced air and other modern heating systems.

The heart of the steam heating system is the boiler that heats the water to turn it to steam which is then fed to the radiators throughout the house. The gas-fired boiler in the William H. Smith House was installed in 2002. Unlike many steam boilers, this new high efficiency boiler heats water to steam so quickly, it does not need to run to keep the water supply at a high temperature waiting for the house to call for heat and then heat the hot-water an additional few degrees to generate steam. When the thermostats (2 zones) are not calling for heat, the boiler does not run saving energy and money.

Prior to this, the home was heated by an oil-fired boiler probably dating back to the ‘60s. However, because the house was fully insulated during the 1970’s energy crisis and contains triple-storm windows, the oil burner consumed only about 10 gallons of oil per day, already efficient prior to our heating system upgrade. Now using natural gas and new high efficiency burner, the heating cost for the winter of 2008-09 was approximately $1,800.

Hot Water

Hot water heaters are famous for leaking as soon as their warranty is up. No need to worry here. The 50 gallon electric hot water tank was replaced in September, 2009.

Electrical

The electrical system was continually updated from the time electric lights replaced gas lamps. A major electrical service upgrade was completed in the 1980’s with circuit breakers replacing the old fuses and a general upgrade to the supply. In 2000, we had a second upgrade to the electricity on the third floor, family room in the finished basement and carriage house – all areas that were ignored in the 1980’s upgrade. The 2000 upgrade was actually also an upgrade to the main electrical service as it reduced the load on the electrical panel installed in the 1980’s and installed two additional electrical panels in the carriage house and on the third floor of the main home.

Roof

The roof is steeply pitched, an architectural detail of Queen Anne Victorians, and a prominent feature of the home. It is covered by 30-year Certainteed® Landmark Architectural Asphalt Shingles that were installed on both the main house and the carriage house in 2004, In addition, when the roofing job was done, the old shingles were completely removed and a layer of ¾ inch plywood was applied over the 1881 roofing material. We did this because the number of roofs applied over the previous 100+ years had resulted in many nail holes in the original roofing material. By installing the plywood over the original roofing, the new shingles had a smooth, solid base to adhere to and the result is a tighter, stronger roof. Ridge vents were added at that time to insure maximum ventilation.

Insulation

As mentioned above, the entire exterior walls and attic floor were insulated during the 1970’s energy crisis. This is blown-in cellulose insulation. Cellulose Insulation is one of the greenest products in the world. Cellulose insulation is made from recycled newsprint and other paper sources, paper that might otherwise end up in landfills, releasing greenhouse gases as it decomposed. With cellulose insulation you get both great value and great performance, including the highest R-value per inch, excellent fire retardant capabilities and exceptional sound control.

Research from the Colorado University found that cellulose is at least 36% better than fiber glass in tightening buildings against the cold. Cellulose is not subject to convective heat loss, which has been shown to reduce the actual R-value of comparable mineral fiber materials from 20 to 40 percent in cold weather. The Oak Ridge National Laboratory measured actual values as low as R-12 at nine degrees F for an R-19 fiber glass installation. Oak Ridge found no R-value erosion with cellulose.

In addition to insulation, the windows in the William H. Smith House are unusually draft-free. The home has traditional exterior aluminum combination storm windows and screens. Inside the storms sit the original single-pane windows. During the 1997 exterior restoration, every window was removed and the weights and hanging ropes were replaced and repaired and every window opened – an unusual feat in a historic home! Inside the home there are plexi-glass storm windows that inconspicuously fit onto the window frames magnetically. The seal between these windows and the window frame is similar to the seal on a refrigerator door.

Water

There are no remaining lead water pipes in the home. Lead pipes were the norm when water systems were installed in this historic structure. Of course, the problem with lead is that it is prone to leaks and each glass of water contains traces of lead! There is nothing to worry about at the William H. Smith House. All water pipes are now copper.

Summary

In summary, there is nothing to be concerned about. It is unusual to find a historic home that has enjoyed a series of concerned home-owners who have taken the time to bring the home into the 21st Century while not destroying the historical accuracy and historic fabric of the structure. These are the things that are most troublesome – and they are all taken care of for you!