Potential Issues to Look Out For When Purchasing a Historic Home

Historic homes have oodles of charm — original features, beautiful woodwork, built-in cabinetry. There is a lot to love! And...there's a lot to hate. Historic homes, while a delight to look at, can hide a multitude of worries. Here are a few potential issues to look out for.

Outdated electrical

Electricity became a staple in family homes around the 1950s. People were hooking up fun new technology left and right! But at the time, these old electric systems often only had a few circuits — enough to run an appliance or two, but not much more than that.

As a result, older electric panels (sometimes even those from the 1980s) don't have the capacity that a modern family needs to function. To resolve the issue, hire a home inspector to examine your main panel and get their advice.

Inefficient heating

Many current family homes still have the original furnace in place. And by original, I mean: inefficient, noisy and a potential fire hazard...

Old furnaces also use energy very inefficiently. Many still have a standing pilot light that stays on year-round, instead of electronic ignition. They also generally rely on convection (not a modern forced air system) to get hot air throughout the house.

If your furnace is more than 20 years old, you're probably paying an arm and a leg for your heating, when you could be saving!

Faulty plumbing

Another system that is likely to be at the end of its useful life in an old home is the plumbing system. Older homes were typically plumbed with galvanized steel pipes with have a propensity to rust over, causing clogs and leaks.

Upgrading your draining system can be costly, but necessary, as avoiding the issue can cause serious water damage down the line — to the tune of thousands of dollars!

Poor insulation

Prior to the 1960s, most homes simply didn't have insulation as a required feature. At the time, insulation was reserved for affluent home buyers with lots of cash to spend, not your Average Joe. As a result, the majority of historic homes throughout the United States are under-insulated. In this modern age, that feels absurd!

Luckily, we are experienced in "drill and fill," an insulation process that allows our team to insulate the cavities in existing walls and floors. You can learn more about that here!

Wondering if your insulation is up to snuff?

Give us a call and we'll give it a look!