Preservation Retrofitting

In addition to passive measures, building owners may undertake certain retrofitting measures that will not jeopardize the historic character of the building and can be accomplished at a reasonable cost. Preservation retrofitting improves the thermal performance of the building, resulting in another 20%30% reduction in energy.

When considering retrofitting measures, historic building owners should keep in mind that there are no permanent solutions. One can only meet the standards being applied today with today's materials and techniques. In the future, it is likely that the standards and the technologies will change and a whole new retrofitting plan may be necessary. Thus, owners of historic buildings should limit retrofitting measures to those that achieve reasonable energy savings, at reasonable costs, with the least intrusion or impact on the character of the building. Overzealous retrofitting, which introduces the risk of damage to historic building materials, should not be undertaken.

The preservation retrofitting measures presented here, were developed to address the three most common problems in historic structures caused by some retrofitting actions. The first problem concerns retrofitting actions that necessitated inappropriate building alterations, such as the wholesale removal of historic windows, or the addition of insulating aluminum siding, or installing dropped ceilings in significant interior spaces. To avoid such alterations, refer to the Secretary of the Interior's "Standards for Historic Preservation Projects" which provide the philosophical and practical basis for all preservation retrofitting measures (see last page).

The second problem area is to assure that retrofitting measures do not create moisturerelated deterioration problems. One must recognize that large quantities of moisture are present on the interior of buildings.

In northern climates, the moisture may be a problem during the winter when it condenses on cold surfaces such as windows. As the moisture passes through the walls and roof it may condense within these materials, creating the potential for deterioration. The problem is avoided if a vapor barrier is added facing in.

In southern climates, insulation and vapor barriers are handled quite differently because moisture problems occur in the summer when the moist outside air is migrating to the interior of the building. In these cases, the insulation is installed with the vapor barrier facing out (opposite the treatment of northern climates). Expert advice should be sought to avoid moisture-related problems to insulation and building materials in southern climates.

The third problem area involves the avoidance of those materials that are chemically or physically incompatible with existing materials, or that are improperly installed. A serious problem exists with certain cellulose insulations that use ammonium or aluminum sulfate as a fire retardant, rather than boric acid which causes no problems. The sulfates react with moisture in the air forming sulfuric acid which can cause damage to most metals (including plumbing and wiring), building stones, brick and wood. In one instance, a metal building insulated with cellulose of this type collapsed when the sulfuric acid weakened the structural connections! To avoid problems such as these, refer to the recommendations provided here, and consult with local officials, such as a building inspector, the better business bureau, or a consumer protection agency.

Before a building owner or architect can plan retrofitting measures, some of the existing physical conditions of the building should be investigated. The basic building components (attic, roof, walls and basement) should be checked to determine the methods of construction used and the presence of insulation. Check the insulation for full coverage and whether there is a vapor barrier. This inspection will aid in determining the need for additional insulation, what type of insulation to use (batt, blownin, or poured), and where to install it. In addition, sources of air infiltration should be checked at doors, windows, or where floor and ceiling systems meet the walls. Last, it is important to check the condition of the exterior wall materials, such as painted wooden siding or brick, and the condition of the roof, to determine the weather tightness of the building. A building owner must assure that rain and snow are kept out of the building before expending money for weatherization improvements.