[MassHistPres] Heating, Ventilating, and Cooling Historic Buildings

[Jack]

I am on the Warwick, Massachusetts Building and Energy Committee. My reason
for joining in 2007 was to save the 1910 windows in our 1910 Town Hall.

We put good quality aluminum storms on the exterior.  We also air sealed
the attic and insulated the walls and attic with cellulose. Hayward
Restoration restored the sash and jambs, and we built Winserts for the
interior storms. Wooden windows need aluminum storms, or they will rot. We
don't have lead paint any more. Plastic acrylic paint won't adequately
protect old windows.

We cut the building's carbon pollution by about 75%, short term. Long term,
the cellulose might cause a problem, because the walls are not air sealed.

We have a building with no fresh air ventilation, and I am concerned about
condensation in the walls. Fortunately, we did not destroy the building
with spray foam. What we did can be reversed. We should have installed
foundation drains to reduce mold.

The HVAC problem for old buildings is improved if the cellars are dry.
That's not enough for indoor air quality in public spaces. Warwick now uses
the 23 year old school for public functions. We re-engineered the HVAC
system there to provide adequate fresh air. Long term, I am hoping to
install a fresh air HVAC system in the Town Hall.

The State is giving out money to throw out good windows, and replace them
with vinyl. Vinyl lasts 20 years, and goes into a dumpster. Repairs last
100 years. Five replacements, vs repairs and maintenance of the original
sash.

Jack Cadwell
Cadwell Windows
Warwick,  Massachusetts.


On Tue, May 16, 2023 at 8:17 AM Diane Gilbert via MassHistPres <
masshistpres at cs.umb.edu> wrote:

> The Dartmouth Heritage Preservation Trust manages a historic building, the
> 1762 Akin House in Dartmouth, MA, which has no insulation and is subject to
> drafts and moisture. Five years ago, we installed a ductless heat pump
> system that has proven ineffective, impractical, and is no longer
> functional.
>
> While the structural integrity of this historic house is reasonably sound,
> its viability and longevity as a historic house also depends on keeping the
> climate/atmosphere/temperature at a certain level during all seasons to
> manage and mitigate the inherent moisture and dampness from further
> damaging or deteriorating the structure, including the rare wallpaper in
> the sitting room, the furnishings, and other objects and materials,
> including paper documents, within.
>
>
> We cannot address the building's air quality without a solution that
> provides heating and cooling with improved ventilation. The house itself
> cannot be sustained in an ongoing and unpredictable environment, now
> subject to climate change. The air quality will be intolerable for visitors
> as well. After fifteen years managing this house, the air quality can have
> a tremendous impact on all we do to keep it operational and on our
> pulmonary health.
>
>
> We are pursuing various mechanical system options along with plans for the
> installation of interior storm windows to further protect the building.
> While the building is open to visitors on a seasonal basis, the house
> itself must be maintained at a certain temperature for its own protection
> and longevity.
>
>
> The NPS Preservation Brief 24 offers guidance along with the MHC. My
> question to this group is whether or not you have encountered this
> situation and how did you resolve it.
>
>
> As noted in the Preservation Brief, "No set formula exists for determining
> what type of mechanical system is best for a specific building. Each
> building and its needs must be evaluated separately."
>
>
> The Akin House may be a building with such unique
> characteristics––electricity as its only utility; uninsulated in keeping
> with the original historic nature of a 260-year-old building––it's not
> air-tight and subject to an unusual amount of dampness and moisture.
>
>
> Thanks in advance for any advice or solutions from your own experiences,
> if applicable. Suggestions for the storm windows also appreciated.
>
>
> You can also email me or call me outside of the listserv.
>
>
> Thank you, Diane Gilbert
>
> (508) 965-7265
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> MassHistPres mailing list
> MassHistPres at cs.umb.edu
> https://mailman.cs.umb.edu/listinfo/masshistpres
>
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mailman.cs.umb.edu/pipermail/masshistpres/attachments/20230516/55b0fc18/attachment.html>