Why Important What to look for Condensation within a flue, bringing hygroscopic salts and tar to the surface, can cause damp patches on the chimney breast and, in some cases, on larger areas of wall. When to look How to fix In mild cases, sealing the wall with aluminium paint, applied once the plaster has …
Category: Heritage Guide
The Heritage Homes Guide
Checking the outside of the building
Check the pages below for more detail
Checking the inside of the building
Check the pages below for more details
Brass Hinges
Why Important What to look for Original butt hinges are distinguishable from their modern counterparts because they are generally larger with fewer knuckles per hinge. Main doors and internal doors to rooms (about 50 mm thick) were usually hung on a pair of five- knuckle steel butt hinges. Lighter doors (about 32 mm thick) for …
Bell Pulls
Why Important What to look for These are usually fitted on or recessed into the stone at the side of the door, the pull knob being mounted on a flat brass backplate or recessed into a cup- shaped backplate. Wires running in conduits built into the internal plaster with cranked junctions operate the bell. A …
Balustrades and Parapet Walls
Why Important The Georgian Quarter has an important architectural feature, involving extending the top of the front wall above the natural eaves level, which is used to increase the height and therefore improve the proportions of the front elevation whilst concealing the roof behind. Water Insulation and Ventilation ingress to joints allows water into the …
Balcony Brackets
Why Important Lighter balconies usually rest on the projecting string course at first-floor level, being fixed to the stonework with lugs which form part of the floor grid, staved into undercut holes. However heavier balconies are supported on a bracket of cast or wrought iron of various designs. The base and wrought-iron coping rail of …
Balconies and other Ornamental Ironwork
Why this is important Balconies are a very important feature of Georgian designs, and add to the overall character of a historic area, and are extremely important in Hamilton Square and surrounding area. It is important that these are well maintained as they provide a key embellishment of the building, and hence, the value of …
Attic Water Tanks And Internal Pipework
Attic Water Tanks and internal pipework Why Important If you still have a cold water tank and water pipes in your roof space, then any leak will cause serious damage to the ceilings, timbers, and lead to costly repairs. What to look for Water tanks are likely to be made of metal, asbestos, fiberglass or …
All-in-one Fireplace
All-in-one Fireplace The all-in-one register-grate, with a device for regulating draught flow, became popular during the 19th century. What to look for The register-grate completely filled the fireplace opening and its cast-iron or bright-steel structure often formed the throating’ as well as the firebasket. Nineteenth-century fireplaces often had decorative cast-iron arches, black-leaded and polished daily. …