Pull up and chair and listen in… you’re about learn something today. I wanted to hear some other’s opinions before I introduced the advice and wisdom from our preservation guru Douglas Claytor. Some of you probably know him as he is one of the leading repair specialist in the field of 200 year old glass pane window repair. He has attended work shops all up and down the east coast and has put his able hands to work as both contractor and as a volunteer in many historic preservations both public and private.
Doug on his visit first gave us the run down and history of our structure immediately telling us this cabin was reassembled. That was sad news because I can no longer tell people that George Washington probably slept here LOL. His structural advice was consistent and made sense and was in two parts. First was the process, which was used in many state projects repairs, was to always use the same materials that were originally used… so it’s best to replace the logs with some oak logs or better yet locust.
The most interesting knowledge he shared reaches into today’s building structures where we were informed about all the mold and moisture problems new housing is experiencing because the materials used today create air tight enclosures. In reality wood structures all need to breath and it’s now being considered to leave new homes without insulation in the walls and only insulate the floors and ceilings… leaving the structure to “breath”. My 100 year farm house has zero insulation in the wall and zero mold or milldue smells. I have one of the biggest wood stoves Fisher makes to over compensate LOL.
The second tidbit of advice given that day was to leave some vents in the foundation so that air can travel thru and under the home during rainy times. The vents could be blocked in the winter to keep the floors a bit warmer, or maybe just get some big rugs..! So there you have it folks… ventilation is key to your 200 year old structure as well as your home today. Will we put the stop on the concrete plan and do the job right only time will tell. I harken back to that tv commerial for Fram oil filters and how they used to warn us: “You can pay me NOW, or you can pay me LATER”.
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