looking a l er historic buildings: an owner’s guide to ... · 8 bedding and every 12 months open...
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i n f o r m a t i o n s h e e t
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Looking a er Historic Buildings: An owner’s guide to maintenance
Introduc on
Historic buildings are a precious part of our heritage and contribute to the character of our landscapes and townscapes as well as providing an important connec on to our past. Historic buildings also off er dis nc ve environment for people to live, work and visit and their proper care and maintenance can ensure their con nued contribu on to general well-being. When planning maintenance it is important to understand your building. Understanding how it was constructed and the materials and techniques used will help to inform maintenance plans and approaches to repairs. Generally, repairs to your historic building should be undertaken on a like for like basis using matching materials and techniques to those originally used. This will ensure that works are compa ble in terms of the buildings performance, character and appearance. The use of modern materials and techniques on historic buildings can o en cause more serious problems to the building fabric in the long term.
Why maintain your building?
Without regular maintenance defects can occur that can prove both disrup ve and costly, and the historic features and fabric that give the building its special character can also be lost. There are many good reasons why a regular and planned approach to maintenance is so important: Maintenance and minor work can be budgeted for in advance, cos ng less than a series of larger
and unexpected payments for more signifi cant emergency repairs.
Regular upkeep enhances a buildings appearance, which can add value.
Regular maintenance allows for the early detec on of problems ensuring more of the original fabric is protected. This is a more sustainable approach, limi ng the need for new and o en costly materials and causing less waste.
September 2017
Planned maintenance is usually less disrup ve both for you and the building than an unexpected, extensive repair.
By adop ng a planned approach, you have me to select the best trades-person and materials for the building. When unexpected emergency repairs are required there is a need to engage a contractor quickly which does not necessarily lead to the best cra smanship and there is no me to obtain compe ve quota ons.
Maintenance safeguards the building and consequently its investment value.
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Roof Coverings1 General Roof Every 12 months Debris and Plant Growth. Retaining excess moisture can cause the Clear debris andAreas deteriora on of roof coverings. Plant cut back or remove growth can also cause slates and les to uncontrolled crack or become dislodged. plant growth
2 Slates & Tiles Every 12 months Cracks, slippage or missing slates Water penetra on can dampen roof Replace to match and les. mbers, o en going unno ced in less exis ng visited areas of the building, eventually leading to rot.
3 Ridge Tiles Every 12 months Missing les and failed mortar joints. Water penetra on can dampen roof Re-bed missing or mbers, o en going unno ced in loose les and re-point less visited areas of the building, as necessary. eventually leading to rot.
4 Metal Roofs Every 12 months Splits, erosion and fl a ened up-stands. Water penetra on can eventually lead Repair splits. Replace and Flashings Loose or missing fl ashings. to rot. lost fl ashings or make good mortar fi llets where loose.
5 Chimney Stacks Every 12 months Defec ve fl aunchings and poin ng. Moisture penetra on can occur if Make good and Parapet Walls Cracking and decayed bricks. poin ng or fl aunchings are defec ve. fl aunchings, re - Cracked or missing pots or copings. Cracking and the con nuous decay of point where necessary brickwork in such an exposed posi on to match exis ng and can eventually aff ect the stability replace missing or of the stack or wall. damaged pots/copings. Repair/rebuild as necessary. (NB. This may require Listed Building Consent).
Rainwater Goods6 Gu ers, hoppers Every 6 months Missing or damaged elements. Cracks Damaged, missing or blocked Replace missing or and down pipes During or a er and leaks. Leaf blockage, silt or debris. rainwater goods can dampen the damaged sec ons to stormy weather adjacent wall and wash out joints, match exis ng. Ensure gradually leading to penetra ng damp. cast iron is regularly painted to prevent rust. Clear debris.
External Walls7 Masonry Every 12 months Erosion, cracks and damaged masonry. Damaged or missing elements of Repair or replace Vegeta on Dampness masonry can allow water to enter the failed masonry property. Vegeta on can damage the only where necessary surface of the masonry and harbour to match the exis ng. damp. Control vegeta on Soil accumulated against the building growth and remove any at lower levels can also cause soil or other build - penetra ng damp. up against lower walls.
8 Bedding and Every 12 months Open joints. Vegeta on. Defec ve poin ng allows Re-point only where Poin ng moisture penetra on whilst necessary to match vegeta on can displace sound exis ng in colour, type masonry. and texture. Mortar mix will normally consist of lime and sand only.
9 Render Every 12 months Erosion, cracks and loss of adhesion Damaged render can allow moisture Patch repair to match to enter. Harder render will not allow exis ng in colour, type moisture to evaporate and water can and texture. But accumulate between the wall and render replace hard render causing damp internally. with lime if appropriate.
External Joinery & Ironwork10 Windows, Doors, Every 6 months Cracked/broken glass, missing pu y, Failing to keep external joinery and Replace damaged Porches, Barge Boards, broken sash cords. Rot, rust, fl aking paint ironwork in good repair can lead to the glass, missing fi xtures, Railings, Gates steady deteriora on of fabric through hinges etc Lubricate rot and rust. hinges and locks. Re-paint.
Services11 Water and A qualifi ed person Leaks, blockages, general damage Leaks from both internal and Contact u li es hea ng supply, should regularly external underground pipes can damage company, qualifi ed Electrical installa on inspect electrical the internal fabric of the building and can electrician or GAS & gas installa ons lead to the weakening of founda ons. SAFE registered Ensure electrical and gas installa ons are gas installer. in good working order to prevent the possibility of fi re and other hazards.
Inspec on checklistBuilding element Inspec on What to look for Possible consequences Possible ac ons frequency
Day to day tasksThere are a number of simple but essen al tasks that can signifi cantly help in maintaining the appearance of your property and which will prolong the life of the building fabric if carried out on a regular basis. These include:
Clearing leaves and silt - This applies in par cular to valleys, valley gu ers, eaves gu ers, down pipes, gullies and fl at roofs. It is one of the most important tasks and failure to carry it out can cause major defects such as penetra ng damp and rot in structural mbers.
Controlling plant growth - Plant growth on or next to masonry needs to be controlled before it can cause
damage. Roots can quickly take hold, par cularly those of creepers such as ivy, penetra ng walls, damaging the masonry and mortar joints, and ul mately allowing moisture penetra on. Damage can also be caused to roof coverings and gu ers.
Ven la on - Ensure ven lators, par cularly those under mber ground fl oors are kept open and air bricks, grilles and louvres are free from obstruc on. Good ven la on is necessary to remove moisture from the construc on helping to prevent condensa on and the outbreak of wet and dry rot.
Pain ng - Paint provides both decora on and protec on. External joinery and ironwork should be regularly repainted to ensure they remain in good condi on. External features are more suscep ble to rot and rust if not properly maintained.
Regular Inspec on - Regularly inspec ng your property will allow you to assess its condi on and to iden fy any problems that may require repair work. You should contact the Council to ensure that Listed Building Consent is not required for the works. An experienced contractor should be employed to carry out works of repair. Repairs and replacements on a signifi cant scale should normally be specifi ed and monitored by a qualifi ed professional. The inspec on table suggests specifi c problems that you should look out for, the likely consequences if the problem is le untreated and possible ac ons for repair.
Safety: When undertaking an inspec on of your property, personal safety should be yourprimary concern. Always use the correct means of access and safety equipment. If you are in any doubt about the safety of carrying out an inspec on or any works of repair it is advisable to employ an experienced and reputable professional tradesperson. For further advice, contact the Health & Safety Execu ve.
It is important before undertaking any repair that the underlying causes of a defect have been iden fi ed and addressed so that you are not simply trea ng the symptom. If your property is listed you should contact Planning Services for further advice as whether Listed Building Consent will be required for any works or repairs.
Contacts and Further Informa on:
Environment & Planning DepartmentWrexham County Borough CouncilLambpit Street, Wrexham LL11 1ARTel: 01978 292019Email: [email protected]/planning
Ins tute of Historic Building Conserva onJubilee House, High StreetTisbury, Wiltshire, SP3 6HATel:01747 871717Email:[email protected]
Cadw: Welsh Historic MonumentsPlas Carew,Units 5/7 Cefn Coed,Parc Nantgarw, Cardiff CF15 7QQTel: 01443 336000Email: [email protected]
Royal Ins tute of Bri sh Architects (RIBA)66 Portland Place, London, W1B 1ADTel: 020 7580 5533Email: [email protected]
The Society for the Protec on of Ancient Buildings37 Spital Square, London E1 6DYTel; 0207377 1644Email: [email protected]: conserva [email protected]
Royal Ins tu on of Chartered Surveyors (RICS)Informa on Service12 Great George Street, LondonSW1P 3ADTel: 020 7222 7000www.rics.org.uk
The Georigan Group6 Fitzroy SquareLondon W1T 5DXTel: 020 7387 1720Email: [email protected]
Health & Safety Execu ve (HSE)Sheffi eld Informa on CentreBroad Lane, Sheffi eld, S3 7HQEmail:hseinforma [email protected]
The Victorian Society1 Priory GardensBedford Park, London W4 1TTTel: 020 8994 1019Email: [email protected]
Cadw: Managing Change to Listed Buildings in Wales (May 2017) available to view and download from h p://cadw.gov.wales/historicenvironment/publica ons/
Cadw: Heritage Impact Assessment in Wales (May 2017) available to view and download from h p://cadw.gov.wales/historicenvironment/publica ons/
Cadw: Conserva on Principles for the Sustainable Management of the Historic Environment in Wales available to view and download from h p://cadw.gov.wales/historicenvironment/conserva on/conserva onprinciples/