This was emailed to me and I thought was very interesting...
Radiant Barriers
What is a radiant barrier?
Radiant barriers are materials that are installed in buildings to reduce summer heat gain and winter heat loss, and hence to reduce building heating and cooling energy usage. The potential benefit of attic radiant barriers is primarily in reducing air-conditioning cooling loads in warm or hot climates. Radiant barriers usually consist of a thin sheet or coating of a highly reflective material, usually aluminum, applied to one or both sides of a number of substrate materials. These substrates include kraft paper, plastic films, cardboard, plywood sheathing, and air infiltration barrier material. Some products are fiber reinforced to increase the durability and ease of handling.
Radiant barriers can be used in residential, commercial, and industrial buildings. However, this fact sheet was developed only for applications of radiant barriers in ventilated attics of residential buildings. For information on other applications, see the references at the end of the Fact Sheet.
How are radiant barriers installed in a residential attic?
Radiant barriers may be installed in attics in several configurations. The simplest is to lay the radiant barrier directly on top of existing attic insulation, with the reflective side up. This is often called the attic floor application. Another way to install a radiant barrier is to attach it near the roof. The roof application has several variations. One variation is to attach the radiant barrier to the bottom surfaces of the attic truss chords or rafter framing. Another is to drape the radiant barrier over the tops of the rafters before the roof deck is applied. Still another variation is to attach the radiant barrier directly to the underside of the roof deck.
How do radiant barriers work?
Radiant barriers work by reducing heat transfer by thermal radiation across the air space between the roof deck and the attic floor, where conventional insulation is usually placed. All materials give off, or emit, energy by thermal radiation as a result of their temperature. The amount of energy emitted depends on the surface temperature and a property called the “emissivity” (also called the “emittance”). The emissivity is a number between zero (0) and one (1). The higher the emissivity, the greater the emitted radiation.
A closely related material property is the “reflectivity” (also called the “reflectance”). This is a measure of how much radiant heat is reflected by a material. The reflectivity is also a number between 0 and 1 (sometimes, it is given as a percentage, and then it is between 0 and 100%). For a material that is opaque (that is, it does not allow radiation to pass directly through it), when the emissivity and reflectivity are added together, the sum is one (1). Hence, a material with a high reflectivity has a low emissivity, and vice versa. Radiant barrier materials must have high reflectivity (usually 0.9, or 90%, or more) and low emissivity (usually 0.1 or less), and must face an open air space to perform properly.
On a sunny summer day, solar energy is absorbed by the roof, heating the roof sheathing and causing the underside of the sheathing and the roof framing to radiate heat downward toward the attic floor. When a radiant barrier is placed on the attic floor, much of the heat radiated from the hot roof is reflected back toward the roof. This makes the top surface of the insulation cooler than it would have been without a radiant barrier and thus reduces the amount of heat that moves through the insulation into the rooms below the ceiling.
Under the same conditions, a roof mounted radiant barrier works by reducing the amount of radiation incident on the insulation. Since the amount of radiation striking the top of the insulation is less than it would have been without a radiant barrier, the insulation surface temperature is lower and the heat flow through the insulation is reduced.
Radiant barriers can also reduce indoor heat losses through the ceiling in the winter. Radiant barriers reduce the amount of energy radiated from the top surface of the insulation, but can also reduce beneficial heat gains due to solar heating of the roof. The net benefits of radiant barriers for reducing winter heat losses are still being studied.
How does a radiant barrier differ from conventional attic insulation?
Radiant barriers perform a function that is similar to that of conventional insulation, in that they reduce the amount of heat that is transferred from the attic into the house. They differ in the way they reduce the heat flow. A radiant barrier reduces the amount of heat radiated across an air space that is adjacent to the radiant barrier. The primary function of conventional insulation is to trap still air within the insulation, and hence reduce heat transfer by air movement (convection). The insulation fibers or particles also partially block radiation heat transfer through the space occupied by the insulation.
Conventional insulations are usually rated by their R-value. Since the performance of radiant barriers depends on many variables, simple R-value ratings have not been developed for them.
What are the characteristics of a radiant barrier?
All radiant barriers have at least one reflective (or low emissivity) surface, usually a sheet or coating of aluminum. Some radiant barriers have a reflective surface on both sides. Both types work about equally well, but if a one-sided radiant barrier is used, the reflective surface must face the open air space. For example, if a one-sided radiant barrier is laid on top of the insulation with the reflective side facing down and touching the insulation, the radiant barrier will lose most of its effectiveness in reducing heating and cooling loads.
Emissivity is the property that determines how well a radiant barrier will perform. This property is a number between 0 and 1, with lower numbers indicating better potential for performance. The emissivity of typical, clean, unperforated radiant barriers is about 0.03 to 0.05. Hence they will have a reflectivity of 95 to 97 percent. Some materials may have higher emissivities. It is not always possible to judge the emissivity just by visual appearance. Measured emissivity values should be part of the information provided by the manufacturer.
A radiant barrier used in the attic floor application must allow water vapor to pass through it. This is necessary because, during the winter, if there is no effective vapor retarder at the ceiling, water vapor from the living space may condense and even freeze on the underside of a radiant barrier lying on the attic floor. In extremely cold climates or during prolonged periods of cold weather, a layer of condensed water could build up. In more moderate climates, the condensed water could evaporate and pass through the radiant barrier into the attic space. While most uniform aluminum coatings do not allow water vapor to pass through them, many radiant barrier materials do allow passage of water vapor. Some allow water vapor passage through holes or perforations, while others have substrates that naturally allow water vapor passage without requiring holes. However, excessively large holes will increase the emissivity and cause a reduction in the radiant barrier performance. The ability to allow water vapor to pass through radiant barrier materials is not needed for the roof applications.
What should a radiant barrier installation cost?
Costs for an attic radiant barrier will depend on several factors, including the following:
Whether the radiant barrier is installed by the homeowner or by a contractor.
Whether the radiant barrier will be installed in a new home (low cost) or in an existing home (possibly higher cost if done by a contractor).
What extra “features” are desired; e.g., a radiant barrier with perforations and reinforcements may be more expensive than a “basic” radiant barrier.
Any necessary retrofit measures such as adding venting (soffit, ridge, etc.)
Whether the radiant barrier is installed on the attic floor or on the rafters.
Department of Energy Radiant Barrier Fact Sheet
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Friday, July 10, 2009
freshening older woodwork prior to your home sale
Cleaning Wood Cabinets & freshening older woodwork prior to your home sale
Difficulty: Easy
Instructions
Step 1
Wipe down stained woodwork that has been treated with linseed oil or tung oil with a lemon oil polish. Linseed and tung oil dry to form a hard, protective film that is virtually invisible. A soft cloth dampened with lemon oil polish wipes away any surface grime.
Step 2
Use lemon oil polish as well as a mild mixture of white vinegar and water for stained woodwork treated with a wax that can both be felt and seen. Remember to reapply the wax layer after this step of cleaning to protect the wood.
Step 3
Clean wood the same as you would clean painted wood that has a semi-gloss or gloss finish .
Step 4
Use moistened baby wipes to clean woodwork and trim that has been painted or coated in polyurethane or varnish. Purchase a large bag of refillable baby wipes. Do not spend money on the expensive, scented brand names. Instead, buy the fragrance free, discount brand which can often be found in bulk.
Step 5
Wipe along the door frames, baseboards and crown molding with the help of a step ladder or taller ladder for high ceilings. You may be surprised at the amount of dirt you see on the wipe, and if cleaned on a monthly wipes will keep your trim work clean and shiny. These wipes easily remove surface dirt and more stuck on grease and grime without damaging the paint.
Difficulty: Easy
Instructions
Step 1
Wipe down stained woodwork that has been treated with linseed oil or tung oil with a lemon oil polish. Linseed and tung oil dry to form a hard, protective film that is virtually invisible. A soft cloth dampened with lemon oil polish wipes away any surface grime.
Step 2
Use lemon oil polish as well as a mild mixture of white vinegar and water for stained woodwork treated with a wax that can both be felt and seen. Remember to reapply the wax layer after this step of cleaning to protect the wood.
Step 3
Clean wood the same as you would clean painted wood that has a semi-gloss or gloss finish .
Step 4
Use moistened baby wipes to clean woodwork and trim that has been painted or coated in polyurethane or varnish. Purchase a large bag of refillable baby wipes. Do not spend money on the expensive, scented brand names. Instead, buy the fragrance free, discount brand which can often be found in bulk.
Step 5
Wipe along the door frames, baseboards and crown molding with the help of a step ladder or taller ladder for high ceilings. You may be surprised at the amount of dirt you see on the wipe, and if cleaned on a monthly wipes will keep your trim work clean and shiny. These wipes easily remove surface dirt and more stuck on grease and grime without damaging the paint.
Monday, July 6, 2009
I am a Realtor
Dubuque man picks a challenging time to jump into the business, but others say local market is about to take off
BY BEKAH PORTER TH STAFF WRITER
Photo by: Jessica Reilly
James Patterson is a real estate agent, but also works as a bouncer at the Mississippi Moon Bar at the Diamond Jo Casino. Patterson picked a difficult economic time to start that career, but he says he's had some success.
The band blares.
Pumping, throbbing, pulsating -- the music captivates the crowd.
While the audience inside the Diamond Jo Casino's Mississippi Moon Bar sways, one man stands apart.
"I am a bouncer," he said, "but it's my night job."
While James Patterson's eyes remain alert and on the crowd, his mind wanders to his day job.
"I have houses to sell," he said.
'I like a challenge'
In September, America's bubble burst, and the resounding "pop!" echoes across the nation. When the recession struck, it hit the housing market first -- and it hit hard.
A record 1.8 million Americans were ousted from their homes in the first half of this year, according to RealtyTrac Inc. In May alone, officials reported 300,000 foreclosure filings.
That means for-sale houses flood the market in a time of rising unemployment and shrinking incomes.
"Everybody knows the real estate business is tough nowadays," Patterson said.
In October, Patterson completed his classes
Advertisement
=5) {
document.write('');
} else if ((browVersion>=4)&&(ua.indexOf("mac")==-1)) {
document.write('');
document.write('');
document.write(adcode);
} else if (browVersion>=3) {
document.write('');
}
}
else {
document.write('');
}
// -->
and received the certificate that makes him an official real estate agent.
"What can I say?" he said. "I like a challenge."
'Some interesting trends'
Dubuque real estate agent Rob Cook craved that challenge when he jumped into the industry six years ago, and with each passing day, he notices a shift.
"I won't say that it's a difficult market now, but I will say it's a different market," he said. "Just look at the numbers."
Cook compiles statistics for his real estate blog, riverbankstocornfields.com, and the numbers speak for themselves, he said.
In 2006, Dubuque area Realtors assisted in the sale of 496 homes between January and June. In 2007, that number dropped to 449. Last year, 344 houses were sold in the six-month period, and this year, sales lag with 321 homes in the Dubuque area having been sold so far.
"But they are still selling," he said. "And while they are selling, they are showing some interesting trends."
Sales are down, but the average selling price for a Dubuque home is up. According to Cook's figures, the average sale price increased from $140,798 to $155,285 from June of 2008 to June of 2009 .
"That doesn't mean that house values have gone up that much, but the houses that are selling -- and granted, there aren't many of them -- are selling at a higher price this year," he said.
'Now was the time'
Everybody told him to wait before becoming a real estate agent.
"Even my financial adviser said now was a bad idea," he said.
Some dreams don't die, though.
"I've wanted to do this since I was a kid. Some boys dream of being a fireman or a police officer or a professional athlete. I wanted to sell houses," he said. "So I decided now was the time, and it was just a matter of ignoring the people who told me not to do it. I wanted to prove them wrong, and I'm doing just that."
Patterson took a position with Ruhl & Ruhl Realtors in Dubuque. On Dec. 15, he closed his first deal, and since starting, he has sold eight houses.
'Your body, your soul'
Being the best takes time, said Dubuque agent Gwen Kosel, of Re/Max Advantage Realty.
"You will most likely lose money the first year," she said. "The second year, you might make a little bit of profit. But around here, people have the idea that you become a real estate agent, and you make a ton of money. That's not the case. You have to figure that there's a five-year ramp, and during those five years, you are going to be pouring into it 24/7 your whole body, your whole soul."
Kosel maintains the career is worthwhile, and those dedicated to it can find success.
'Selling yourself'
Patterson knows the battle will be fought uphill.
According to local real estate agents, 15 percent of homes on the active market are selling monthly. An estimated 370 houses remain unsold in the Dubuque area.
"Nobody's saying it's not hard," Patterson said. "This isn't for everybody. You have to be dedicated, and I mean really dedicated. This is definitely a tough business to be in."
Home values dropped 3.3 percent nationally at the end of last year, according to the Federal Housing Finance Agency. Iowa ranks 11th best in maintaining home values, only having fallen 1.2 percent in the last year.
Another obstacle is finding new clients looking to purchase in the poor economy, but here's where Dubuque differs from other American cities, local Realtors say.
'No matter'
Kosel's and Cook's combined 10 years of experience tell them the same thing: Dubuque's housing market is primed to peak.
Both talk about the one group ready to take Dubuque's market to the next level -- the incoming IBM employees.
"If it weren't for the IBM folks, our housing numbers would be much worse off," Cook said. "Those IBMers are the driving force behind our housing market."
Cook specializes in corporate relocation work, which means he helps business people moving in and out of town buy and sell their houses.
"Right now, I have a couple who wants to move here, and they have even found some houses they absolutely fell in love with," he said. "The problem is that the housing markets are terrible where they live, and they can't sell their houses there."
The problems run deeper than the troubled national economy.
"Good agents recognize that no matter what the economic conditions are, there is still stuff going on," Cook said. "Divorces, deaths, young couples starting families, older couples downsizing -- this happens all the time, no matter what the local or national economy is doing, and we have to be there to help our clients."
'Make it work'
Patterson grasped onto this concept when he signed up for his job.
"I can make a go of this," he said. "You just have to make a plan and stick to it."
But making it takes time. The 31-year-old family man works solely on commission. "You do what you have to do to make it work," he said.
Dubuque man picks a challenging time to jump into the business, but others say local market is about to take off
BY BEKAH PORTER TH STAFF WRITER
Photo by: Jessica Reilly
James Patterson is a real estate agent, but also works as a bouncer at the Mississippi Moon Bar at the Diamond Jo Casino. Patterson picked a difficult economic time to start that career, but he says he's had some success.
The band blares.
Pumping, throbbing, pulsating -- the music captivates the crowd.
While the audience inside the Diamond Jo Casino's Mississippi Moon Bar sways, one man stands apart.
"I am a bouncer," he said, "but it's my night job."
While James Patterson's eyes remain alert and on the crowd, his mind wanders to his day job.
"I have houses to sell," he said.
'I like a challenge'
In September, America's bubble burst, and the resounding "pop!" echoes across the nation. When the recession struck, it hit the housing market first -- and it hit hard.
A record 1.8 million Americans were ousted from their homes in the first half of this year, according to RealtyTrac Inc. In May alone, officials reported 300,000 foreclosure filings.
That means for-sale houses flood the market in a time of rising unemployment and shrinking incomes.
"Everybody knows the real estate business is tough nowadays," Patterson said.
In October, Patterson completed his classes
Advertisement
=5) {
document.write('');
} else if ((browVersion>=4)&&(ua.indexOf("mac")==-1)) {
document.write('');
document.write('');
document.write(adcode);
} else if (browVersion>=3) {
document.write('');
}
}
else {
document.write('');
}
// -->
and received the certificate that makes him an official real estate agent.
"What can I say?" he said. "I like a challenge."
'Some interesting trends'
Dubuque real estate agent Rob Cook craved that challenge when he jumped into the industry six years ago, and with each passing day, he notices a shift.
"I won't say that it's a difficult market now, but I will say it's a different market," he said. "Just look at the numbers."
Cook compiles statistics for his real estate blog, riverbankstocornfields.com, and the numbers speak for themselves, he said.
In 2006, Dubuque area Realtors assisted in the sale of 496 homes between January and June. In 2007, that number dropped to 449. Last year, 344 houses were sold in the six-month period, and this year, sales lag with 321 homes in the Dubuque area having been sold so far.
"But they are still selling," he said. "And while they are selling, they are showing some interesting trends."
Sales are down, but the average selling price for a Dubuque home is up. According to Cook's figures, the average sale price increased from $140,798 to $155,285 from June of 2008 to June of 2009 .
"That doesn't mean that house values have gone up that much, but the houses that are selling -- and granted, there aren't many of them -- are selling at a higher price this year," he said.
'Now was the time'
Everybody told him to wait before becoming a real estate agent.
"Even my financial adviser said now was a bad idea," he said.
Some dreams don't die, though.
"I've wanted to do this since I was a kid. Some boys dream of being a fireman or a police officer or a professional athlete. I wanted to sell houses," he said. "So I decided now was the time, and it was just a matter of ignoring the people who told me not to do it. I wanted to prove them wrong, and I'm doing just that."
Patterson took a position with Ruhl & Ruhl Realtors in Dubuque. On Dec. 15, he closed his first deal, and since starting, he has sold eight houses.
'Your body, your soul'
Being the best takes time, said Dubuque agent Gwen Kosel, of Re/Max Advantage Realty.
"You will most likely lose money the first year," she said. "The second year, you might make a little bit of profit. But around here, people have the idea that you become a real estate agent, and you make a ton of money. That's not the case. You have to figure that there's a five-year ramp, and during those five years, you are going to be pouring into it 24/7 your whole body, your whole soul."
Kosel maintains the career is worthwhile, and those dedicated to it can find success.
'Selling yourself'
Patterson knows the battle will be fought uphill.
According to local real estate agents, 15 percent of homes on the active market are selling monthly. An estimated 370 houses remain unsold in the Dubuque area.
"Nobody's saying it's not hard," Patterson said. "This isn't for everybody. You have to be dedicated, and I mean really dedicated. This is definitely a tough business to be in."
Home values dropped 3.3 percent nationally at the end of last year, according to the Federal Housing Finance Agency. Iowa ranks 11th best in maintaining home values, only having fallen 1.2 percent in the last year.
Another obstacle is finding new clients looking to purchase in the poor economy, but here's where Dubuque differs from other American cities, local Realtors say.
'No matter'
Kosel's and Cook's combined 10 years of experience tell them the same thing: Dubuque's housing market is primed to peak.
Both talk about the one group ready to take Dubuque's market to the next level -- the incoming IBM employees.
"If it weren't for the IBM folks, our housing numbers would be much worse off," Cook said. "Those IBMers are the driving force behind our housing market."
Cook specializes in corporate relocation work, which means he helps business people moving in and out of town buy and sell their houses.
"Right now, I have a couple who wants to move here, and they have even found some houses they absolutely fell in love with," he said. "The problem is that the housing markets are terrible where they live, and they can't sell their houses there."
The problems run deeper than the troubled national economy.
"Good agents recognize that no matter what the economic conditions are, there is still stuff going on," Cook said. "Divorces, deaths, young couples starting families, older couples downsizing -- this happens all the time, no matter what the local or national economy is doing, and we have to be there to help our clients."
'Make it work'
Patterson grasped onto this concept when he signed up for his job.
"I can make a go of this," he said. "You just have to make a plan and stick to it."
But making it takes time. The 31-year-old family man works solely on commission. "You do what you have to do to make it work," he said.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
History of Fair Housing in US
On April 11, 1968, President Lyndon Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act of 1968, which was meant as a follow-up to the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The 1968 act expanded on previous acts and prohibited discrimination concerning the sale, rental, and financing of housing based on race, religion, national origin, sex, (and as amended) handicap and family status. Title VIII of the Act is also known as the Fair Housing Act (of 1968).
The enactment of the federal Fair Housing Act on April 11, 1968 came only after a long and difficult journey. From 1966-1967, Congress regularly considered the fair housing bill, but failed to garner a strong enough majority for its passage. However, when the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated on April 4, 1968, President Lyndon Johnson utilized this national tragedy to urge for the bill's speedy Congressional approval. Since the 1966 open housing marches in Chicago, Dr. King's name had been closely associated with the fair housing legislation. President Johnson viewed the Act as a fitting memorial to the man's life work, and wished to have the Act passed prior to Dr. King's funeral in Atlanta.
Another significant issue during this time period was the growing casualty list from Vietnam. The deaths in Vietnam fell heaviest upon young, poor African-American and Hispanic infantrymen. However, on the home front, these men's families could not purchase or rent homes in certain residential developments on account of their race or national origin. Specialized organizations like the NAACP, the GI Forum and the National Committee Against Discrimination In Housing lobbied hard for the Senate to pass the Fair Housing Act and remedy this inequity. Senators Edward Brooke and Edward Kennedy of Massachusetts argued deeply for the passage of this legislation. In particular, Senator Brooke, the first African-American ever to be elected to the Senate by popular vote, spoke personally of his return from World War II and inability to provide a home of his choice for his new family because of his race.
With the cities rioting after Dr. King's assassination, and destruction mounting in every part of the United States, the words of President Johnson and Congressional leaders rang the Bell of Reason for the House of Representatives, who subsequently passed the Fair Housing Act. Without debate, the Senate followed the House in its passage of the Act, which President Johnson then signed into law.
The power to appoint the first officials administering the Act fell upon President Johnson's successor, Richard Nixon. President Nixon tapped then Governor of Michigan, George Romney, for the post of Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. While serving as Governor, Secretary Romney had successfully campaigned for ratification of a state constitutional provision that prohibited discrimination in housing. President Nixon also appointed Samuel Simmons as the first Assistant Secretary for Equal Housing Opportunity.
When April 1969 arrived, HUD could not wait to celebrate the Act's 1st Anniversary. Within that inaugural year, HUD completed the Title VIII Field Operations Handbook, and instituted a formalized complaint process. In truly festive fashion, HUD hosted a gala event in the Grand Ballroom of New York's Plaza Hotel. From across the nation, advocates and politicians shared in this marvelous evening, including one of the organizations that started it all -- the National Committee Against Discrimination In Housing.
In subsequent years, the tradition of celebrating Fair Housing Month grew larger and larger. Governors began to issue proclamations that designated April as "Fair Housing Month," and schools across the country sponsored poster and essay contests that focused upon fair housing issues. Regional winners from these contests often enjoyed trips to Washington, DC for events with HUD and their Congressional representatives.
Under former Secretaries James T. Lynn and Carla Hills, with the cooperation of the National Association of Homebuilders, National Association of Realtors, and the American Advertising Council these groups adopted fair housing as their theme and provided "free" billboard space throughout the nation. These large 20-foot by 14-foot billboards placed the fair housing message in neighborhoods, industrial centers, agrarian regions and urban cores. Every region also had its own celebrations, meetings, dinners, contests and radio-television shows that featured HUD, state and private fair housing experts and officials. These celebrations continue the spirit behind the original passage of the Act, and are remembered fondly by those who were there from the beginning.
The enactment of the federal Fair Housing Act on April 11, 1968 came only after a long and difficult journey. From 1966-1967, Congress regularly considered the fair housing bill, but failed to garner a strong enough majority for its passage. However, when the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated on April 4, 1968, President Lyndon Johnson utilized this national tragedy to urge for the bill's speedy Congressional approval. Since the 1966 open housing marches in Chicago, Dr. King's name had been closely associated with the fair housing legislation. President Johnson viewed the Act as a fitting memorial to the man's life work, and wished to have the Act passed prior to Dr. King's funeral in Atlanta.
Another significant issue during this time period was the growing casualty list from Vietnam. The deaths in Vietnam fell heaviest upon young, poor African-American and Hispanic infantrymen. However, on the home front, these men's families could not purchase or rent homes in certain residential developments on account of their race or national origin. Specialized organizations like the NAACP, the GI Forum and the National Committee Against Discrimination In Housing lobbied hard for the Senate to pass the Fair Housing Act and remedy this inequity. Senators Edward Brooke and Edward Kennedy of Massachusetts argued deeply for the passage of this legislation. In particular, Senator Brooke, the first African-American ever to be elected to the Senate by popular vote, spoke personally of his return from World War II and inability to provide a home of his choice for his new family because of his race.
With the cities rioting after Dr. King's assassination, and destruction mounting in every part of the United States, the words of President Johnson and Congressional leaders rang the Bell of Reason for the House of Representatives, who subsequently passed the Fair Housing Act. Without debate, the Senate followed the House in its passage of the Act, which President Johnson then signed into law.
The power to appoint the first officials administering the Act fell upon President Johnson's successor, Richard Nixon. President Nixon tapped then Governor of Michigan, George Romney, for the post of Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. While serving as Governor, Secretary Romney had successfully campaigned for ratification of a state constitutional provision that prohibited discrimination in housing. President Nixon also appointed Samuel Simmons as the first Assistant Secretary for Equal Housing Opportunity.
When April 1969 arrived, HUD could not wait to celebrate the Act's 1st Anniversary. Within that inaugural year, HUD completed the Title VIII Field Operations Handbook, and instituted a formalized complaint process. In truly festive fashion, HUD hosted a gala event in the Grand Ballroom of New York's Plaza Hotel. From across the nation, advocates and politicians shared in this marvelous evening, including one of the organizations that started it all -- the National Committee Against Discrimination In Housing.
In subsequent years, the tradition of celebrating Fair Housing Month grew larger and larger. Governors began to issue proclamations that designated April as "Fair Housing Month," and schools across the country sponsored poster and essay contests that focused upon fair housing issues. Regional winners from these contests often enjoyed trips to Washington, DC for events with HUD and their Congressional representatives.
Under former Secretaries James T. Lynn and Carla Hills, with the cooperation of the National Association of Homebuilders, National Association of Realtors, and the American Advertising Council these groups adopted fair housing as their theme and provided "free" billboard space throughout the nation. These large 20-foot by 14-foot billboards placed the fair housing message in neighborhoods, industrial centers, agrarian regions and urban cores. Every region also had its own celebrations, meetings, dinners, contests and radio-television shows that featured HUD, state and private fair housing experts and officials. These celebrations continue the spirit behind the original passage of the Act, and are remembered fondly by those who were there from the beginning.
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Great Book
This is a fantastic book for those like minded people that are looking for a project home.
The preservation of historic architecture By Department of Interior, United States. Office of Archeology and Historic Preservation. Technical Preservation Services Division
The preservation of historic architecture By Department of Interior, United States. Office of Archeology and Historic Preservation. Technical Preservation Services Division
Hormel & IBM more Great Reason to purchase a new home in Dubuque Iowa!
Our Dubuque Iowa housing market is going strong. With the large companies like IBM and Hormel making Dubuque their home this year, it is boosting our local economy. We have a lot of relocation purchasers as well as new renters in our market place. Great news if you are a seller. If you are a buyer there is a lot to choose from in any of the pricing categories that we have to offer. See more & photos at GetMovingDBQ.com. If you are new to the real estate market in Dubuque and are getting a job and relocating to our market, you may want to consider purchasing a small house rather than renting. Rental prices have seen an increase of 20% first quarter of 2009. We are anticipating a short lived shortage of urban housing. Meanwhile you can still get a great value on smaller homes and pay far less than current rental rates. Maybe get a co-worker as a roommate. Some of our relocation people need short temp housing while their current home is for sale in another marketplace. Let them help you make your house payment! Rest assured we have some great multi-family homes available too for that savvy investor that wants to capitalize on our market.
--------------
If you're like most first-time home buyers, you've probably listened to friends', family's and coworkers' advice, many of whom are encouraging you to buy a home. However, you may still wonder if buying a home is the right thing to do. Relax. Having reservations is normal. The more you know about why you should buy a home, the less scary the entire process will appear to you. Here are eight good reasons why you should buy a home.
Pride of Ownership
Pride of ownership is the number one reason why people yearn to own their home. It means you can paint the walls any color you desire, turn up the volume on your CD player, attach permanent fixtures and decorate your home according to your own taste. Home ownership gives you and your family a sense of stability and security. It's making an investment in your future.
Appreciation
Although real estate moves in cycles, sometimes up, sometimes down, over the years, real estate has consistently appreciated. The Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight tracks the movements of single family home values across the country. Its House Price Index breaks down the changes by region and metropolitan area. Many people view their home investment as a hedge against inflation.
Mortgage Interest Deductions
Home ownership is a superb tax shelter and our tax rates favor homeowners. As long as your mortgage balance is smaller than the price of your home, mortgage interest is fully deductible on your tax return. Interest is the largest component of your mortgage payment.
Property Tax Deductions
IRS Publication 530 contains tax information for first-time home buyers. Real estate property taxes paid for a first home and a vacation home are fully deductible for income tax purposes. In California, the passage of Proposition 13 in 1978 established the amount of assessed value after property changes hands and limited property tax increases to 2% per year or the rate of inflation, whichever is less.
Capital Gain Exclusion
As long as you have lived in your home for two of the past five years, you can exclude up to $250,000 for an individual or $500,000 for a married couple of profit from capital gains. You do not have to buy a replacement home or move up. There is no age restriction, and the "over-55" rule does not apply. You can exclude the above thresholds from taxes every 24 months, which means you could sell every two years and pocket your profit--subject to limitation--free from taxation.
Preferential Tax Treatment
If you receive more profit than the allowable exclusion upon sale of your home, that profit will be considered a capital asset as long as you owned your home for more than one year. Capital assets receive preferential tax treatment.
Morgage Reduction Builds Equity
Each month, part of your monthly payment is applied to the principal balance of your loan, which reduces your obligation. The way amortization works, the principal portion of your principal and interest payment increases slightly every month. It is lowest on your first payment and highest on your last payment. On average, each $100,000 of a mortgage will reduce in balance the first year by about $500 in principal, bringing that balance at the end of your first 12 months to $99,500.
Equity Loans
Consumers who carry credit card balances cannot deduct the interest paid, which can cost as much as 18% to 22%. Equity loan interest is often much less and it is deductible. For many home owners, it makes sense to pay off this kind of debt with a home equity loan. Consumers can borrow against a home's equity for a variety of reasons such as home improvement, college, medical or starting a new business. Some state laws restrict home equity loans.
This information courtesy of about.com
--------------
If you're like most first-time home buyers, you've probably listened to friends', family's and coworkers' advice, many of whom are encouraging you to buy a home. However, you may still wonder if buying a home is the right thing to do. Relax. Having reservations is normal. The more you know about why you should buy a home, the less scary the entire process will appear to you. Here are eight good reasons why you should buy a home.
Pride of Ownership
Pride of ownership is the number one reason why people yearn to own their home. It means you can paint the walls any color you desire, turn up the volume on your CD player, attach permanent fixtures and decorate your home according to your own taste. Home ownership gives you and your family a sense of stability and security. It's making an investment in your future.
Appreciation
Although real estate moves in cycles, sometimes up, sometimes down, over the years, real estate has consistently appreciated. The Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight tracks the movements of single family home values across the country. Its House Price Index breaks down the changes by region and metropolitan area. Many people view their home investment as a hedge against inflation.
Mortgage Interest Deductions
Home ownership is a superb tax shelter and our tax rates favor homeowners. As long as your mortgage balance is smaller than the price of your home, mortgage interest is fully deductible on your tax return. Interest is the largest component of your mortgage payment.
Property Tax Deductions
IRS Publication 530 contains tax information for first-time home buyers. Real estate property taxes paid for a first home and a vacation home are fully deductible for income tax purposes. In California, the passage of Proposition 13 in 1978 established the amount of assessed value after property changes hands and limited property tax increases to 2% per year or the rate of inflation, whichever is less.
Capital Gain Exclusion
As long as you have lived in your home for two of the past five years, you can exclude up to $250,000 for an individual or $500,000 for a married couple of profit from capital gains. You do not have to buy a replacement home or move up. There is no age restriction, and the "over-55" rule does not apply. You can exclude the above thresholds from taxes every 24 months, which means you could sell every two years and pocket your profit--subject to limitation--free from taxation.
Preferential Tax Treatment
If you receive more profit than the allowable exclusion upon sale of your home, that profit will be considered a capital asset as long as you owned your home for more than one year. Capital assets receive preferential tax treatment.
Morgage Reduction Builds Equity
Each month, part of your monthly payment is applied to the principal balance of your loan, which reduces your obligation. The way amortization works, the principal portion of your principal and interest payment increases slightly every month. It is lowest on your first payment and highest on your last payment. On average, each $100,000 of a mortgage will reduce in balance the first year by about $500 in principal, bringing that balance at the end of your first 12 months to $99,500.
Equity Loans
Consumers who carry credit card balances cannot deduct the interest paid, which can cost as much as 18% to 22%. Equity loan interest is often much less and it is deductible. For many home owners, it makes sense to pay off this kind of debt with a home equity loan. Consumers can borrow against a home's equity for a variety of reasons such as home improvement, college, medical or starting a new business. Some state laws restrict home equity loans.
This information courtesy of about.com
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Dubuque Iowa has Many Victorian Homes on the Market
Dubuque Iowa on the Mississippi River boasts a lot of Victorian Homes. I have several of these home currently on the market here in Iowa you can check out pictures of them at http://www.getmovingdbq.com/.
Victorian StyleVictorian architecture dates from the second half of the 19th century, when America was exploring new approaches to building and design.Advancements in machine technology meant that Victorian-era builders could easily incorporate mass-produced ornamentation such as brackets, spindles, and patterned shingles. The last true Victorians were constructed in the early 1900s, but contemporary builders often borrow Victorian ideas, designing eclectic "neo-Victorians." These homes combine modern materials with 19th century details, such as curved towers and spindled porches. A number of Victorian styles are recreated on the fanciful "Main Street" at Disney theme parks in Florida, California, and Europe.
ARTS AND CRAFTS
England; c. 1880-1910This style was largely inspired by the Utopian ideals of two Englishmen, John Ruskin and William Morris, during the late 1800's to 1910, who believed that living among handmade objects of natural materials would have a humanizing effect on society. These two architects were influential in the Craftsman, Mission, and Rustic styles and Frank Lloyd Wright’s early works. Their principal tenets of functionality and organic, sustainable methods and materials are still highly influential today.The notable features of this style included the use of local stone and brick, Rustic, stone-dressed doorways and windows; Open porches; Projecting eaves; Overhanging rafters; Large windows with leaded-glass decoration, Large, square chimneys; Exposed construction; Intricate, crafted joints; Asymmetrical plans.
CARPENTER GOTHIC
United States; c. 1840-90This style flourished in mid-nineteenth century America, made possible by the advent of the steam-powered scroll saws that were used to create the elaborate ornamental woodwork. Notable features include pointed, steep intersecting Gothic gables; Pointed-arched windows; Cupolas and towers, Asymmetrical floor plan; Large verandahs; Opulent applique work, scroll work, pinnacles, finials, barge boards, moldings, balustrades, and stick work: Intricate paintwork.The Carson House in Eureka, CA is said to be the most photographed Victorian House of this style in the United States.
GOTHIC REVIVAL STYLE
North America, 19th Century
The influence of English romanticism and the mass production of elaborate wooden millwork after the Industrial Revolution fueled the construction of Gothic Revival homes in the mid-1800s. These picturesque structures are marked by "Gothic" windows with distinctive pointed arches; exposed framing timbers; and steep, vaulted roofs with cross-gables. Extravagant features may include towers and verandas. Ornate wooden detailing is generously applied as gable, window, and door trim. Other notable features include: Pointed arches over doors and windows; Interior Vaulting; Tall Turrets; Pinnacles; Leaded Glass. American architects Alexander Jackson Davis and Andrew Jackson Downing championed Gothic in domestic buildings in the 1830s. Most Gothic Revival homes were constructed between 1840 and 1870 in the Northeast.
ITALIANATE STYLE
Western Europe & United States; c. 1840-1885
Italianate homes, which appeared in Midwest, East Coast, and San Francisco areas between 1850 and 1880, can be quite ornate despite their solid square shape. Features include symmetrical bay windows in front; small chimneys set in irregular locations; tall, narrow, windows; and towers, in some cases. The elaborate window designs reappear in the supports, columns, and door frames.More notable features: Overhanging eves with decorative brackets; Windows arched or curved at the top; Windows aligned in threes; Low pitched or flat roofs; Center front facing gables; Arcaded porches with balustrade balconies.
QUEEN ANNE STYLE
North America; c. 1850-1900
A sub-style of the late Victorian era, Queen Anne is a collection of coquettish detailing and eclectic materials. Steep cross-gabled roofs, towers, and vertical windows are all typical of a Queen Anne home. Inventive, multistory floor plans often include projecting wings, several porches and balconies, and multiple chimneys with decorative chimney pots.Wooden "gingerbread" trim in scrolled and rounded "fish-scale" patterns frequently graces gables and porches. Massive cut stone foundations are typical of period houses. Created by English architect Richard Norman Shaw, the style was popularized after the Civil War by architect Henry Hobson Richardson and spread rapidly, especially in the South and West.Other notable features include: Large porches along exterior walls and many overhangs and wall projections.
SECOND EMPIRE STYLE
Western Europe & North America; c. 1855-1885
Popular in the Midwest and Northeast, this Victorian style was fashionable for public buildings during Ulysses S. Grant's presidency, but its elaborate, costly detail fell out of favor in the late 1800s for economic reasons. Second empire homes feature windows, molded cornices, and decorative brackets under the eaves, balconies and bays. One subtype sports a rectangular tower at the front and center of the structure.Notable features include high mansard roofs with rounded cornices, wrought-iron cresting, dormer windows projecting from the attic, cupolas, patterned slate roofs, classical pediments and paired columns, and small entry porches.
SHINGLE STYLE
North America; c. 1880-1900s & 1900s - present day
This American style originated in cottages along the trendy, wealthy Northeastern coastal towns of Cape Cod, Long Island, and Newport in the late 19th century. Architectural publishers publicized it, but the style was never as popular around the country as the Queen Anne. Shingle homes borrow wide porches, shingles, and asymmetrical forms from the Queen Anne.They're also characterized by unadorned doors, windows, porches, and cornices; continuous wood shingles; a steeply pitched roof line; and large porches. The style hints at towers, but they're usually just extensions of the roof line.
STEAMBOAT GOTHIC
North America; c. 1850-1890
A steamboat Gothic house is resplendent with gingerbread scroll work, latticework, and trellises - like the fancy steamboats that were once a frequent sight on the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers.Notable features include Pointed, steep intersecting Gothic gables; Cupolas and towers; Battlements; Asymmetrical floor plans; Opulent applique work, finials, barge boards, balustrades, stick work, and moldings; Gingerbread scroll work, lattice work, and trellises; Intricate paintwork; Emphasized verticality; Grand wrap around porches and verandahs; Metal “smokestack†chimneys.A fine specimen of Steamboat Gothic is the Mark Twain House, Hartford Connecticut..
STICK STYLE
United States; c. 1860-1880
A member of the Victorian family, the Stick house boasts a lot of detailing. However, few Stick homes incorporate all the possible features. Typical characteristics include gabled, steeply pitched roofs with overhangs; wooden shingles covering the exterior walls and roof; horizontal, vertical, or diagonal boards--the "sticks" from which it takes its name--that decorate the cladding; and porches.You'll find traditional sticks in the Northeast and their sister, the Western Stick, in California. The Western Stick is rectangular with sliding glass doors, a small chimney, and large panes of glass.
TUDOR REVIVAL STYLE
North America, Europe; c. 1880-1940s, 1970-1985
This architecture style was popular in the 1920s and 1930s and continues to be a mainstay in suburbs across the United States. The defining characteristics are half-timbering on bay windows and upper floors, and facades that are dominated by one or more steeply pitched cross gables. Patterned brick or stone walls are common, as are rounded doorways, multi-paned casement windows, and large stone chimneys. A subtype of the Tudor Revival style is the Cotswold Cottage. With a sloping roof and a massive chimney at the front, a Cotswold Cottage may remind you of a picturesque storybook home.
Victorian StyleVictorian architecture dates from the second half of the 19th century, when America was exploring new approaches to building and design.Advancements in machine technology meant that Victorian-era builders could easily incorporate mass-produced ornamentation such as brackets, spindles, and patterned shingles. The last true Victorians were constructed in the early 1900s, but contemporary builders often borrow Victorian ideas, designing eclectic "neo-Victorians." These homes combine modern materials with 19th century details, such as curved towers and spindled porches. A number of Victorian styles are recreated on the fanciful "Main Street" at Disney theme parks in Florida, California, and Europe.
ARTS AND CRAFTS
England; c. 1880-1910This style was largely inspired by the Utopian ideals of two Englishmen, John Ruskin and William Morris, during the late 1800's to 1910, who believed that living among handmade objects of natural materials would have a humanizing effect on society. These two architects were influential in the Craftsman, Mission, and Rustic styles and Frank Lloyd Wright’s early works. Their principal tenets of functionality and organic, sustainable methods and materials are still highly influential today.The notable features of this style included the use of local stone and brick, Rustic, stone-dressed doorways and windows; Open porches; Projecting eaves; Overhanging rafters; Large windows with leaded-glass decoration, Large, square chimneys; Exposed construction; Intricate, crafted joints; Asymmetrical plans.
CARPENTER GOTHIC
United States; c. 1840-90This style flourished in mid-nineteenth century America, made possible by the advent of the steam-powered scroll saws that were used to create the elaborate ornamental woodwork. Notable features include pointed, steep intersecting Gothic gables; Pointed-arched windows; Cupolas and towers, Asymmetrical floor plan; Large verandahs; Opulent applique work, scroll work, pinnacles, finials, barge boards, moldings, balustrades, and stick work: Intricate paintwork.The Carson House in Eureka, CA is said to be the most photographed Victorian House of this style in the United States.
GOTHIC REVIVAL STYLE
North America, 19th Century
The influence of English romanticism and the mass production of elaborate wooden millwork after the Industrial Revolution fueled the construction of Gothic Revival homes in the mid-1800s. These picturesque structures are marked by "Gothic" windows with distinctive pointed arches; exposed framing timbers; and steep, vaulted roofs with cross-gables. Extravagant features may include towers and verandas. Ornate wooden detailing is generously applied as gable, window, and door trim. Other notable features include: Pointed arches over doors and windows; Interior Vaulting; Tall Turrets; Pinnacles; Leaded Glass. American architects Alexander Jackson Davis and Andrew Jackson Downing championed Gothic in domestic buildings in the 1830s. Most Gothic Revival homes were constructed between 1840 and 1870 in the Northeast.
ITALIANATE STYLE
Western Europe & United States; c. 1840-1885
Italianate homes, which appeared in Midwest, East Coast, and San Francisco areas between 1850 and 1880, can be quite ornate despite their solid square shape. Features include symmetrical bay windows in front; small chimneys set in irregular locations; tall, narrow, windows; and towers, in some cases. The elaborate window designs reappear in the supports, columns, and door frames.More notable features: Overhanging eves with decorative brackets; Windows arched or curved at the top; Windows aligned in threes; Low pitched or flat roofs; Center front facing gables; Arcaded porches with balustrade balconies.
QUEEN ANNE STYLE
North America; c. 1850-1900
A sub-style of the late Victorian era, Queen Anne is a collection of coquettish detailing and eclectic materials. Steep cross-gabled roofs, towers, and vertical windows are all typical of a Queen Anne home. Inventive, multistory floor plans often include projecting wings, several porches and balconies, and multiple chimneys with decorative chimney pots.Wooden "gingerbread" trim in scrolled and rounded "fish-scale" patterns frequently graces gables and porches. Massive cut stone foundations are typical of period houses. Created by English architect Richard Norman Shaw, the style was popularized after the Civil War by architect Henry Hobson Richardson and spread rapidly, especially in the South and West.Other notable features include: Large porches along exterior walls and many overhangs and wall projections.
SECOND EMPIRE STYLE
Western Europe & North America; c. 1855-1885
Popular in the Midwest and Northeast, this Victorian style was fashionable for public buildings during Ulysses S. Grant's presidency, but its elaborate, costly detail fell out of favor in the late 1800s for economic reasons. Second empire homes feature windows, molded cornices, and decorative brackets under the eaves, balconies and bays. One subtype sports a rectangular tower at the front and center of the structure.Notable features include high mansard roofs with rounded cornices, wrought-iron cresting, dormer windows projecting from the attic, cupolas, patterned slate roofs, classical pediments and paired columns, and small entry porches.
SHINGLE STYLE
North America; c. 1880-1900s & 1900s - present day
This American style originated in cottages along the trendy, wealthy Northeastern coastal towns of Cape Cod, Long Island, and Newport in the late 19th century. Architectural publishers publicized it, but the style was never as popular around the country as the Queen Anne. Shingle homes borrow wide porches, shingles, and asymmetrical forms from the Queen Anne.They're also characterized by unadorned doors, windows, porches, and cornices; continuous wood shingles; a steeply pitched roof line; and large porches. The style hints at towers, but they're usually just extensions of the roof line.
STEAMBOAT GOTHIC
North America; c. 1850-1890
A steamboat Gothic house is resplendent with gingerbread scroll work, latticework, and trellises - like the fancy steamboats that were once a frequent sight on the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers.Notable features include Pointed, steep intersecting Gothic gables; Cupolas and towers; Battlements; Asymmetrical floor plans; Opulent applique work, finials, barge boards, balustrades, stick work, and moldings; Gingerbread scroll work, lattice work, and trellises; Intricate paintwork; Emphasized verticality; Grand wrap around porches and verandahs; Metal “smokestack†chimneys.A fine specimen of Steamboat Gothic is the Mark Twain House, Hartford Connecticut..
STICK STYLE
United States; c. 1860-1880
A member of the Victorian family, the Stick house boasts a lot of detailing. However, few Stick homes incorporate all the possible features. Typical characteristics include gabled, steeply pitched roofs with overhangs; wooden shingles covering the exterior walls and roof; horizontal, vertical, or diagonal boards--the "sticks" from which it takes its name--that decorate the cladding; and porches.You'll find traditional sticks in the Northeast and their sister, the Western Stick, in California. The Western Stick is rectangular with sliding glass doors, a small chimney, and large panes of glass.
TUDOR REVIVAL STYLE
North America, Europe; c. 1880-1940s, 1970-1985
This architecture style was popular in the 1920s and 1930s and continues to be a mainstay in suburbs across the United States. The defining characteristics are half-timbering on bay windows and upper floors, and facades that are dominated by one or more steeply pitched cross gables. Patterned brick or stone walls are common, as are rounded doorways, multi-paned casement windows, and large stone chimneys. A subtype of the Tudor Revival style is the Cotswold Cottage. With a sloping roof and a massive chimney at the front, a Cotswold Cottage may remind you of a picturesque storybook home.
What Design Style is that house???
Neoclassical Style or Classicism RevivedA well-publicized, world-class event can inspire fashion for years. At least that's the case with the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago, which showcased cutting-edge classical buildings that architects around the country emulated in their own residential and commercial designs. The Neoclassical style remained popular through the 1950s in incarnations from one-story cottages to multilevel manses. Its identifying Ionic or Corinthian columned porches often extend the full height of the house. Also typical: symmetrical facades, elaborate, decorative designs above and around doorways, and roof-line balustrades (low parapet walls).
GEORGIAN STYLE
Eastern United States; c. 1730-1840
Befitting a king--in fact, the style is named for four King Georges of England--Georgian homes are refined and symmetrical with paired chimneys and a decorative crown over the front door. Modeled after the more elaborate homes of England, the Georgian style dominated the British colonies in the 1700s. Most surviving Georgians sport side-gabled roofs, are two to three stories high, and are constructed in brick. Georgian homes almost always feature an orderly row of five windows across the second story. Modern-day builders often combine features of the refined Georgian style with decorative flourishes from the more formal Federal style.
FEDERAL STYLE
United States; c. 1776-1800
Ubiquitous up and down the East Coast, Federal-style architecture dates from the late 1700s and coincided with a reawakening of interest in classical Greek and Roman culture. Builders began to add swags, garlands, elliptical windows, and other decorative details to rectangular Georgian houses. The style that emerged resembles Georgian, but is more delicate and more formal. Many Federal-style homes have an arched Palladian window on the second story above the front door. The front door usually has sidelights and a semicircular fanlight. Federal-style homes are often called "Adam" after the English brothers who popularized the style.
GREEK REVIVAL STYLE
United States & Europe; c. 1820-90
This style is predominantly found in the Midwest, South, New England, and Mid-Atlantic regions, though you may spot subtypes in parts of California. Its popularity in the 1800s stemmed from archeological findings of the time, indicating that the Grecians had spawned Roman culture. American architects also favored the style for political reasons: the War of 1812 cast England in an unfavorable light; and public sentiment favored the Greeks in their war for independence in the 1820s.Identify the style by its entry, full-height, or full-building width porches, entryway columns sized in scale to the porch type, and a front door surrounded by narrow rectangular windows. Roofs are generally gabled or hipped. Roof cornices sport a wide trim. The front-gable found in one subtype became a common feature in Midwestern and Northeastern residential architecture well into the 20th century. The townhouse variation is made up of narrow, urban homes that don't always feature porches. Look for townhouses in Boston, Galveston, Texas., Mobile, Ala., New York, Philadelphia, Richmond, Va., and Savannah.
REGENCY STYLE
Britain, United States; c. 1800-1830
Although they borrow from the Georgian's classic lines, Regency homes eschew ornamentation. They are symmetrical, two or three stories, and usually built in brick. Typically, they feature an octagonal window over the front door, one chimney at the side of the house, double-hung windows, and a hip roof. They often have curved bow fronts and narrow high windows with iron They've been built in the United States since the early 1800s.
SPANISH ECLECTIC STYLE
Mexico, American Southwest; 18th Century
Most common in the Southwest and Florida, Spanish-style architecture takes its cues from the missions of the early Spanish missionaries--such as the one at San Juan Capistrano in California--and includes details from the Moorish, Byzantine, Gothic, and Renaissance architectural styles. The houses usually have low-pitched tiled roofs, white stucco walls, and rounded windows and doors. Other elements may include scalloped windows and balconies with elaborate grillwork, decorative tiles around doorways and windows, and a bell tower or two.
GEORGIAN STYLE
Eastern United States; c. 1730-1840
Befitting a king--in fact, the style is named for four King Georges of England--Georgian homes are refined and symmetrical with paired chimneys and a decorative crown over the front door. Modeled after the more elaborate homes of England, the Georgian style dominated the British colonies in the 1700s. Most surviving Georgians sport side-gabled roofs, are two to three stories high, and are constructed in brick. Georgian homes almost always feature an orderly row of five windows across the second story. Modern-day builders often combine features of the refined Georgian style with decorative flourishes from the more formal Federal style.
FEDERAL STYLE
United States; c. 1776-1800
Ubiquitous up and down the East Coast, Federal-style architecture dates from the late 1700s and coincided with a reawakening of interest in classical Greek and Roman culture. Builders began to add swags, garlands, elliptical windows, and other decorative details to rectangular Georgian houses. The style that emerged resembles Georgian, but is more delicate and more formal. Many Federal-style homes have an arched Palladian window on the second story above the front door. The front door usually has sidelights and a semicircular fanlight. Federal-style homes are often called "Adam" after the English brothers who popularized the style.
GREEK REVIVAL STYLE
United States & Europe; c. 1820-90
This style is predominantly found in the Midwest, South, New England, and Mid-Atlantic regions, though you may spot subtypes in parts of California. Its popularity in the 1800s stemmed from archeological findings of the time, indicating that the Grecians had spawned Roman culture. American architects also favored the style for political reasons: the War of 1812 cast England in an unfavorable light; and public sentiment favored the Greeks in their war for independence in the 1820s.Identify the style by its entry, full-height, or full-building width porches, entryway columns sized in scale to the porch type, and a front door surrounded by narrow rectangular windows. Roofs are generally gabled or hipped. Roof cornices sport a wide trim. The front-gable found in one subtype became a common feature in Midwestern and Northeastern residential architecture well into the 20th century. The townhouse variation is made up of narrow, urban homes that don't always feature porches. Look for townhouses in Boston, Galveston, Texas., Mobile, Ala., New York, Philadelphia, Richmond, Va., and Savannah.
REGENCY STYLE
Britain, United States; c. 1800-1830
Although they borrow from the Georgian's classic lines, Regency homes eschew ornamentation. They are symmetrical, two or three stories, and usually built in brick. Typically, they feature an octagonal window over the front door, one chimney at the side of the house, double-hung windows, and a hip roof. They often have curved bow fronts and narrow high windows with iron They've been built in the United States since the early 1800s.
SPANISH ECLECTIC STYLE
Mexico, American Southwest; 18th Century
Most common in the Southwest and Florida, Spanish-style architecture takes its cues from the missions of the early Spanish missionaries--such as the one at San Juan Capistrano in California--and includes details from the Moorish, Byzantine, Gothic, and Renaissance architectural styles. The houses usually have low-pitched tiled roofs, white stucco walls, and rounded windows and doors. Other elements may include scalloped windows and balconies with elaborate grillwork, decorative tiles around doorways and windows, and a bell tower or two.
Residential Design Styles and Terms for Real Estate
Early Modern StyleThe foundations of Modernism in Architecture were evident during the Victorian era, with industrialization and new technologies paving the way for change. The skyscraper was engineered to answer to the space needs of cities, and architects were scorning the need for adornment, advocating instead a purity of form. Modern Architecture takes on a wide variety of meanings and manifests itself in many different forms.
ART DECO STYLE
United States to Western Europe; 1930sThe 1925
Paris Exhibition Internationale des Arts Decoratifs launched the Art Deco style, which echoed the Machine Age with geometric decorative elements and a vertically oriented design. This distinctly urban style was never widely used in residential buildings; it was more widespread in public and commercial buildings of the period.Towers and other projections above the roof line enhance the vertical emphasis of this style, which was popularized by Hollywood movies of the 1930s. Flat roofs, metal window casements, and smooth stucco walls with rectangular cut-outs mark the exteriors of Art Deco homes. Facades are typically flush with zigzags and other stylized floral, geometric, and "sunrise" motifs. By 1940 the Art Deco style had evolved into "Art Moderne," which features curved corners, rectangular glass-block windows, and a boat-like appearance. Popularized in the United States by Finnish architect Eliel Saarinen, the style enjoyed a revival in the 1980s. The Empire State Building and the Chrysler Building, both in New York City, are in the Art Deco Styles.
BUNGALOW STYLE
England and United States; c. 1870-1930
These narrow, rectangular one and one-half story houses originated in California during the 1880s as a reaction to the elaborate decoration of Victorian homes. The style then moved eastward to the Midwest in the early 20th century, where it remained popular until the Great Depression. Bungalows have low-pitched gabled or hipped roofs and small covered porches at the entry. The style became so popular that you could order a bungalow kit from Sears and Roebuck catalog. The name "bungalow" had its origins in India, where it indicated a small, thatched home.
CAPE COD STYLE
New England, 1930s - present
Some of the first houses built in the United States were Cape Cods. The original colonial Cape Cod homes were shingle-sided, one-story cottages with no dormers. During the mid-20th century, the small, uncomplicated Cape Cod shape became popular in suburban developments. A 20th-century Cape Cod is square or rectangular with one or one-and-a-half stories and steeply pitched, gabled roofs. It may have dormers and shutters. The siding is usually clapboard or brick.
CRAFTSMAN & MISSION STYLES
United States; c. 1900-30Popularized at the turn of the 20th century by architect and furniture designer Gustav Stickley in his magazine, The Craftsman, the Craftsman-style bungalow reflected, said Stickley, "a house reduced to it's simplest form... its low, broad proportions and absolute lack of ornamentation gives it a character so natural and unaffected that it seems to... blend with any landscape."The style, which was also widely billed as the "California bungalow" by architects such as Charles Sumner Greene and Henry Mather Greene, featured overhanging eaves, a low-slung gabled roof, and wide front porches framed by pedestal-like tapered columns. Material often included stone, rough-hewn wood, and stucco. Many homes have wide front porches across part of the front, supported by columns. Other notable features include: Rustic appearance with exposed structural components acting as decorative features; Natural, native materials used; An emphasis on horizontal and asymmetrical components; Casement windows, often with art glass.A great example of this style is seen in the Gamble House in Pasadena, CA
FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT STYLES
United States; c. 1893-1959
Frank Lloyd Wright sought to create homes that harmonized with their environment while appreciating the practical, technical, and financial constraints inherent in a building project.
TEXTILE BLOCK: Use of concrete blocks offered an inexpensive material with which to build a creative home environment since the blocks could be cast from local sand and poured to any size or shape, then stacked to take advantage of natural light and uneven surfaces of the site.
USONIAN: These homes focused on the uniquely American state of mind and experience that finds the authentic, egalitarian expression in the built environment. Ensuring low construction costs, simplicity of mass production, low heating costs by incorporating radiant-heating elements in the foundation, while never compromising the quality or humanity of his designs, and still making the hearth a focal point. Notable features included concrete slab foundations incorporating radiant heat piping, Natural materials including timber and brick, the absence of attics and basements, carports rather than basements, geometric shapes and limited ornamentation, open plan interiors featuring alcoves, wall seating and other built-in elements.
ORGANIC: A design coined in 1908 by Frank Lloyd Wright, Organic Architecture was one in which natural forms were translated into architectural shapes. The buildings appear to have grown and evolved from their natural surroundings: Interiors are designed to harmonize with exteriors. Crucial to these buildings were the sophisticated engineering techniques that underpinned his buildings, notable cantilevers and such ingenious supports as the dendriform concrete, steel-reinforced, mushroom columns supporting glass roof.
INTERNATIONAL STYLE
Western Europe, North America; c. 1925-45
Initiated by European architects--such as Mies van der Rohe--in the early 20th century, this is the style that introduced the idea of exposed functional building elements, such as elevator shafts, ground-to-ceiling plate glass windows, and smooth facades.The style was molded from modern materials--concrete, glass, and steel--and is characterized by an absence of decoration. A steel skeleton typically supports these homes. Meanwhile, interior and exterior walls merely act as design and layout elements, and often feature dramatic, but non-supporting projecting beams and columns. With its avant-garde elements, naturally the style appeared primarily in the East and in California.Other notable features include: Cubic, rectilinear forms; Horizontal orientations, low elevations; Flat roofs; White painted walls; Metal framed windows; and the absence of ornamentation.Examples: Lovell Beach House, Newport Beach, CA; Units @ Aluminum City Terrace, Newkensington, PA.
PRAIRIE STYLE
Chicago & the Midwest; c. 1905-1930
In suburban Chicago in 1893, Frank Lloyd Wright, America's most famous architect, designed the first Prairie-style house, and it's still a common style throughout the Midwest. Prairie houses come in two styles--boxy and symmetrical or low-slung and asymmetrical. Roofs are low-pitched, with wide eaves. Brick and clapboard are the most common building materials. Other details: rows of casement windows; one-story porches with massive square supports; and stylized floral and circular geometric terra-cotta or masonry ornamentation around doors, windows, and cornices. Many have large cantilevered terraces and verandahs. The surfaces are generally unornamented. Windows often contain art glass.
RUSTIC STYLES
United States; c. 1920-1940
Rustic architecture is best identified by our state and national park lodges, although it had its origin in the British Arts and Crafts movement. Notable features include unpeeled-log framing, Thatch or bark roofing; Boulder walls and chimneys; Informal design; Corner notches with exposed log ends; Steep roof lines; Overhanging eaves; Porches with railings of unpeeled timbers; Large fireplaces and chimneys.
ART DECO STYLE
United States to Western Europe; 1930sThe 1925
Paris Exhibition Internationale des Arts Decoratifs launched the Art Deco style, which echoed the Machine Age with geometric decorative elements and a vertically oriented design. This distinctly urban style was never widely used in residential buildings; it was more widespread in public and commercial buildings of the period.Towers and other projections above the roof line enhance the vertical emphasis of this style, which was popularized by Hollywood movies of the 1930s. Flat roofs, metal window casements, and smooth stucco walls with rectangular cut-outs mark the exteriors of Art Deco homes. Facades are typically flush with zigzags and other stylized floral, geometric, and "sunrise" motifs. By 1940 the Art Deco style had evolved into "Art Moderne," which features curved corners, rectangular glass-block windows, and a boat-like appearance. Popularized in the United States by Finnish architect Eliel Saarinen, the style enjoyed a revival in the 1980s. The Empire State Building and the Chrysler Building, both in New York City, are in the Art Deco Styles.
BUNGALOW STYLE
England and United States; c. 1870-1930
These narrow, rectangular one and one-half story houses originated in California during the 1880s as a reaction to the elaborate decoration of Victorian homes. The style then moved eastward to the Midwest in the early 20th century, where it remained popular until the Great Depression. Bungalows have low-pitched gabled or hipped roofs and small covered porches at the entry. The style became so popular that you could order a bungalow kit from Sears and Roebuck catalog. The name "bungalow" had its origins in India, where it indicated a small, thatched home.
CAPE COD STYLE
New England, 1930s - present
Some of the first houses built in the United States were Cape Cods. The original colonial Cape Cod homes were shingle-sided, one-story cottages with no dormers. During the mid-20th century, the small, uncomplicated Cape Cod shape became popular in suburban developments. A 20th-century Cape Cod is square or rectangular with one or one-and-a-half stories and steeply pitched, gabled roofs. It may have dormers and shutters. The siding is usually clapboard or brick.
CRAFTSMAN & MISSION STYLES
United States; c. 1900-30Popularized at the turn of the 20th century by architect and furniture designer Gustav Stickley in his magazine, The Craftsman, the Craftsman-style bungalow reflected, said Stickley, "a house reduced to it's simplest form... its low, broad proportions and absolute lack of ornamentation gives it a character so natural and unaffected that it seems to... blend with any landscape."The style, which was also widely billed as the "California bungalow" by architects such as Charles Sumner Greene and Henry Mather Greene, featured overhanging eaves, a low-slung gabled roof, and wide front porches framed by pedestal-like tapered columns. Material often included stone, rough-hewn wood, and stucco. Many homes have wide front porches across part of the front, supported by columns. Other notable features include: Rustic appearance with exposed structural components acting as decorative features; Natural, native materials used; An emphasis on horizontal and asymmetrical components; Casement windows, often with art glass.A great example of this style is seen in the Gamble House in Pasadena, CA
FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT STYLES
United States; c. 1893-1959
Frank Lloyd Wright sought to create homes that harmonized with their environment while appreciating the practical, technical, and financial constraints inherent in a building project.
TEXTILE BLOCK: Use of concrete blocks offered an inexpensive material with which to build a creative home environment since the blocks could be cast from local sand and poured to any size or shape, then stacked to take advantage of natural light and uneven surfaces of the site.
USONIAN: These homes focused on the uniquely American state of mind and experience that finds the authentic, egalitarian expression in the built environment. Ensuring low construction costs, simplicity of mass production, low heating costs by incorporating radiant-heating elements in the foundation, while never compromising the quality or humanity of his designs, and still making the hearth a focal point. Notable features included concrete slab foundations incorporating radiant heat piping, Natural materials including timber and brick, the absence of attics and basements, carports rather than basements, geometric shapes and limited ornamentation, open plan interiors featuring alcoves, wall seating and other built-in elements.
ORGANIC: A design coined in 1908 by Frank Lloyd Wright, Organic Architecture was one in which natural forms were translated into architectural shapes. The buildings appear to have grown and evolved from their natural surroundings: Interiors are designed to harmonize with exteriors. Crucial to these buildings were the sophisticated engineering techniques that underpinned his buildings, notable cantilevers and such ingenious supports as the dendriform concrete, steel-reinforced, mushroom columns supporting glass roof.
INTERNATIONAL STYLE
Western Europe, North America; c. 1925-45
Initiated by European architects--such as Mies van der Rohe--in the early 20th century, this is the style that introduced the idea of exposed functional building elements, such as elevator shafts, ground-to-ceiling plate glass windows, and smooth facades.The style was molded from modern materials--concrete, glass, and steel--and is characterized by an absence of decoration. A steel skeleton typically supports these homes. Meanwhile, interior and exterior walls merely act as design and layout elements, and often feature dramatic, but non-supporting projecting beams and columns. With its avant-garde elements, naturally the style appeared primarily in the East and in California.Other notable features include: Cubic, rectilinear forms; Horizontal orientations, low elevations; Flat roofs; White painted walls; Metal framed windows; and the absence of ornamentation.Examples: Lovell Beach House, Newport Beach, CA; Units @ Aluminum City Terrace, Newkensington, PA.
PRAIRIE STYLE
Chicago & the Midwest; c. 1905-1930
In suburban Chicago in 1893, Frank Lloyd Wright, America's most famous architect, designed the first Prairie-style house, and it's still a common style throughout the Midwest. Prairie houses come in two styles--boxy and symmetrical or low-slung and asymmetrical. Roofs are low-pitched, with wide eaves. Brick and clapboard are the most common building materials. Other details: rows of casement windows; one-story porches with massive square supports; and stylized floral and circular geometric terra-cotta or masonry ornamentation around doors, windows, and cornices. Many have large cantilevered terraces and verandahs. The surfaces are generally unornamented. Windows often contain art glass.
RUSTIC STYLES
United States; c. 1920-1940
Rustic architecture is best identified by our state and national park lodges, although it had its origin in the British Arts and Crafts movement. Notable features include unpeeled-log framing, Thatch or bark roofing; Boulder walls and chimneys; Informal design; Corner notches with exposed log ends; Steep roof lines; Overhanging eaves; Porches with railings of unpeeled timbers; Large fireplaces and chimneys.
More Design Style for Resid
CONTEMPORARY LOG HOMES
North America; c. mid 1600's onward
The log home, brought to the new world by settlers of the northern colonies and later adopted across the North American Continent, was a symbol of the independent, self-sufficient spirit of the American Pioneers.The new log home technology provides quality and durability at a cheaper cost than the average new suburban home. No longer simple cabins, contemporary log homes are sturdy, weather-tight structures that need surprisingly little upkeep. While some choose to build unique log homes form scratch, factory kits for log-home construction are also widely available.
SALTBOX STYLE
New England; c. 1650-1850This New England Colonial style got its name because the sharply sloping gable roof that resembled the boxes used for storing salt. The steep roof line often plunges from two and one-half stories in front to a single story in the rear. In Colonial times, the lower rear portion was often used as a partially enclosed shed, which was oriented north as a windbreak. These square or rectangular homes typically have a large central chimney and large, double-hung windows with shutters. They are of timber construction. The exterior walls are made of clapboard or shingles. They may have an overhanging second story. In the South this style is known as a "cat's slide" and was popular in the 1800s.
DUTCH COLONIAL STYLE
Mid Atlantic Colonies; c. 1625-1840 (1900s Revival)This American style originated in homes built by German, or "Deutsch" settlers in Pennsylvania as early as the 1600s. A hallmark of the style is a broad gambrel roof with flaring eaves that extend over the porches, creating a barn-like effect. Early homes were a single room, and additions were added to each end, creating a distinctive linear floor plan. End walls are generally of stone, and the chimney is usually located on one or both ends. Double-hung sash windows with outward swinging wood casements, dormers with shed-like overhangs, and a central Dutch double doorway are also common. The double door, which is divided horizontally, was once used to keep livestock out of the home while allowing light and air to filter through the open top. The style enjoyed a revival during the first three decades of the 20th century as the country looked back with nostalgia to its colonial past.Other notable features include: Straight-sided gables finished with parapets raised on elbows; Board and batten shutters; Front Stoops; Wide horizontal board siding.
North America; c. mid 1600's onward
The log home, brought to the new world by settlers of the northern colonies and later adopted across the North American Continent, was a symbol of the independent, self-sufficient spirit of the American Pioneers.The new log home technology provides quality and durability at a cheaper cost than the average new suburban home. No longer simple cabins, contemporary log homes are sturdy, weather-tight structures that need surprisingly little upkeep. While some choose to build unique log homes form scratch, factory kits for log-home construction are also widely available.
SALTBOX STYLE
New England; c. 1650-1850This New England Colonial style got its name because the sharply sloping gable roof that resembled the boxes used for storing salt. The steep roof line often plunges from two and one-half stories in front to a single story in the rear. In Colonial times, the lower rear portion was often used as a partially enclosed shed, which was oriented north as a windbreak. These square or rectangular homes typically have a large central chimney and large, double-hung windows with shutters. They are of timber construction. The exterior walls are made of clapboard or shingles. They may have an overhanging second story. In the South this style is known as a "cat's slide" and was popular in the 1800s.
DUTCH COLONIAL STYLE
Mid Atlantic Colonies; c. 1625-1840 (1900s Revival)This American style originated in homes built by German, or "Deutsch" settlers in Pennsylvania as early as the 1600s. A hallmark of the style is a broad gambrel roof with flaring eaves that extend over the porches, creating a barn-like effect. Early homes were a single room, and additions were added to each end, creating a distinctive linear floor plan. End walls are generally of stone, and the chimney is usually located on one or both ends. Double-hung sash windows with outward swinging wood casements, dormers with shed-like overhangs, and a central Dutch double doorway are also common. The double door, which is divided horizontally, was once used to keep livestock out of the home while allowing light and air to filter through the open top. The style enjoyed a revival during the first three decades of the 20th century as the country looked back with nostalgia to its colonial past.Other notable features include: Straight-sided gables finished with parapets raised on elbows; Board and batten shutters; Front Stoops; Wide horizontal board siding.
Residential Design Styles
I will post a premier for a few residential design styles over the next few days. Understanding the evolution of home styles or architecture is a great place to base your education or start you new home search.
-------------------------------------
New World Styles
New World StylesAs European settlers began colonizing North America, they began adapting their knowledge and building techniques to the "new world". While encountering different climates and raw materials, they incorporated the construction styles of the indigenous peoples which were tailored to these environments, thus developing new forms and styles.
PUEBLO OR ADOBE STYLE
American Southwest; from c.1050
Taking its cues from Native American and Spanish Colonial styles, chunky looking Pueblo style homes emerged around 1900 in California, but proved most popular in Arizona and New Mexico, where many original pueblo style home designs still survive.The style is characterized by flat roofs, parapet walls with round edges, earth-colored stucco or adobe-brick walls, straight-edge window frames, and roof beams that project through the wall. The interior typically features corner fireplaces, unpainted wood columns, and tile or brick floors.
COLONIAL STYLE
New England, Pennsylvania, New York, Midwest; c. 1600s - 1800s
America's colonial period encompassed a number of house plan styles, including Cape Cod, Saltbox, Dutch Colonial, English Colonial, Shaker Architecture, and French Colonial. However, when we refer to the Colonial style, we often are referring to a rectangular, symmetrical home with bedrooms on the second floor. The double-hung windows usually have many small, equally sized square panes.During the late 1800s and throughout the 20th century, builders borrowed ideas from Colonial home designs to create refined Colonial Revival homes with elegant central hallways and elaborate cornices. Unlike the original Colonial architecture, Colonial Revival homes are often sided in white clapboard and trimmed with black or green shutters.
-------------------------------------
New World Styles
New World StylesAs European settlers began colonizing North America, they began adapting their knowledge and building techniques to the "new world". While encountering different climates and raw materials, they incorporated the construction styles of the indigenous peoples which were tailored to these environments, thus developing new forms and styles.
PUEBLO OR ADOBE STYLE
American Southwest; from c.1050
Taking its cues from Native American and Spanish Colonial styles, chunky looking Pueblo style homes emerged around 1900 in California, but proved most popular in Arizona and New Mexico, where many original pueblo style home designs still survive.The style is characterized by flat roofs, parapet walls with round edges, earth-colored stucco or adobe-brick walls, straight-edge window frames, and roof beams that project through the wall. The interior typically features corner fireplaces, unpainted wood columns, and tile or brick floors.
COLONIAL STYLE
New England, Pennsylvania, New York, Midwest; c. 1600s - 1800s
America's colonial period encompassed a number of house plan styles, including Cape Cod, Saltbox, Dutch Colonial, English Colonial, Shaker Architecture, and French Colonial. However, when we refer to the Colonial style, we often are referring to a rectangular, symmetrical home with bedrooms on the second floor. The double-hung windows usually have many small, equally sized square panes.During the late 1800s and throughout the 20th century, builders borrowed ideas from Colonial home designs to create refined Colonial Revival homes with elegant central hallways and elaborate cornices. Unlike the original Colonial architecture, Colonial Revival homes are often sided in white clapboard and trimmed with black or green shutters.
Friday, June 12, 2009
Do you replace or restore historic windows? What are the facts and myths in this most contentious of debates?
The big question in fixing up older and historic homes is do you replace all of the old windows with vinyl replacements? My feeling is not always and in some cases not ever. Windows are the soul to your house and are one of the leading contributor to "curb appeal". The wrong replacement product can make a sure seller into the dud on the market. I think the best thing to do is to educate buyers that new windows are not always the right thing to do. Wood windows are not bad windows, they may need some glazing or maintenance to get them in top condition. Restoration can happen for old windows and locally Four Mounds does a great job, give Jay a call in the shop. If you must replace a wood window, consider Dubuque Sash and Door is great for custom wood replacements - they only cost a little more than the cheaper vinyl and in the long run give you better curb appeal and aid in the sale of your home. Remember is you live in a historic preservation district there may be grant money to help you with the cost of doing it right. If you need to replace, keep your style of home in mind and not just cram any new window into a space where it does not fit. Nothing is worse than taking out a large older window, shoving a "box store" stock vinyl replacement in that is the wrong size and style. It will not only change how the outside light fills the interior space, but add the problem of how do you get the beautiful old trim to look right on the inside.
Now, Go out and make your difference.
----------------------------------------------
(Thank you Bethany for forwarding this to me)
Do you replace or restore historic windows? What are the facts and myths in this most contentious of debates?
Share
09 April 2009 at 09:25
The Right Thing Do you replace or restore historic windows? What are the facts and myths in this most contentious of debates? By Walter Sedovic and Jill H. GotthelfIn just the past few years, both sides in the debate over replacement vs. restoration of historic windows have been called upon to clarify their stance. For those advocates of restoration, there has been a virtual watershed of support, mostly in the form of states, historical commissions and preservation organizations across North America identifying historic wood windows as ?endangered? elements.The damage wrought by replacement windows is self-evident and increasingly pervasive. All photos: © Walter Sedovic Associates On the other side of the fence, and in response to this newfound ?endangered? status, replacement window manufacturers have sought to develop standards that would demonstrate their products? effectiveness in a format that would ? much like the FDA?s nutrition labeling system ? allow consumers to more readily compare apples to apples. At least one major manufacturer, Marvin Windows & Doors of Warroad, MN, has been reaching across the aisle to develop products that respond to the concerns of preservationists when replacement is appropriate. To their immense credit, it has even joined in arguing for retention and restoration of historic wood windows as a first option.What has been gained by all of this activity? Despite this surge toward restoration, a generation (it has been 28 years since the first fully assembled replacement window system was introduced by Andersen Windows in 1980) of listening to the marketing mantra of ?replace those old drafty windows? continues to run deep in our national psyche. The preservation community, armed with increasingly useful information, is now in the position of responding: ?Go ahead. Replace those old drafty windows--with new drafty windows.?Indeed, much of the current outcry against wholesale choices toward replacement has to do with how poorly many replacement windows perform. Payback periods are not promoted, and, unlike historic windows that have been in service for 50, 75, 100 or more years, replacement windows are creating a costly cycle of replacing, over and over again.This window replacement resulted in reduced visibility and daylight. Still working against preservation, however, is the dearth of useful facts that counter the assertion that old windows are inherently detrimental to the energy performance of a building. That notion is beginning to change; at present, people are considering the alternatives, and that alone is a huge leap in the right direction. In time, we will be armed with the facts and talking points that will facilitate a full-fledged movement toward restoration. And that is important on many levels: economic, environmental, educational and aesthetic.To help this movement along, we have assembled a list of talking points, backed by data currently available (and growing at an accelerating pace), that will help arm those in search of truth, balance and a desire simply to do the right thing.1. Replacement window manufacturers have now all but abandoned the claims of ?U? factors that were given for the glass, not the assembly. They now favor a standardized rating system offered through the independent National Fenestration Rating Council (NFRC), which measures whole window performance.Misleading. While it is true that in response to the misuse of ?U? values, the NFRC has been engaged in the testing and evaluation of whole window assemblies, what is not said is that every manufacturer has the option of discounting ? and not revealing ? two important markers: infiltration and condensation. U-factor is the universal measure of heat gain or loss due to differences between inside and outside temperature, or the measure of how much heat may be conducted through a building element. It is the inverse of R-value, which measures a material?s resistance to heat transfer. For U-values, lower numbers are better. A U-factor may refer to just the glass or glazing alone, but the NFRC?s U-factor ratings are intended to represent the entire window performance, including frame and spacer material. Data requirements for the ratings have been relaxed, to permit the exclusion of condensation, air infiltration, visible transmittance (VT) and light-to-solar gain, the ratio between solar heat gain coefficient (SHGC) and VT.Simply put, that means that a consumer may very well be purchasing a replacement window system that allows as much or more infiltration as their existing windows. While in the past, the argument favoring historic windows was largely based on anecdotal information, preservationists have tools already at their disposal to discount replacement window arguments: namely, standardized tests defined by the American Society for Testing & Materials (ASTM) that allow for both field and laboratory testing of infiltration. Employing these testing methods will clearly reveal the performance of existing windows and help put to rest claims that new windows perform better. Also missing from the equation is visual transmittance (VT) and light-to-solar gain (LSG). LSG is important as a component of sustainable performance since glass and films used to receive low (i.e., positive) SHGC ratings often reduce the amount of visible light and therefore require a correspondingly increased use of artificial lighting. Clearly, consumers will benefit as more information is provided on labels, and despite efforts, we are not too much further along in understanding the performance of one window over another, and certainly not over the performance of an existing historic window assembly. Windows are not the only elements maligned by inappropriate replacements. 2. Replacement window manufacturers offer the option of reusing existing frames and replacing just the sash, at a more economical cost.Misleading. As stated above, it is the whole window assembly that determines the performance benefits. Infiltration through a window occurs in many locations, not just the sash. Reusing an existing frame that is not tight, within a wall system that leaks will produce the same effects that existed before the replacement window was installed. Any window system ? new or old ? must be part of a weather-tight system from the sash to the walls. Further, several independent studies have shown that windows contribute only 10-12% of overall infiltration to the building envelope. Much more infiltration occurs at roof eaves, foundations and even through wall receptacles, dryer and plumbing vents and fireplaces. Concentrating funds to these elements has a much greater potential of providing a quick payoff than replacing windows. Replacing sash alone is not holistic, and very likely not economical. It is far better in the long run to replace or restore the entire window assembly.3. Replacement windows are maintenance free.No. As Michael Jackson, FAIA, chief architect of the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency pointed out in a recent presentation, ?Embodied and Operating Energy: Balancing the Eco-Equation,? "maintenance free" means it can?t be repaired. This truism is critically important when deciding whether to replace or restore. Vinyl, fiberglass and aluminum windows ? and insulated glass ? are formed using materials and techniques that by and large are not conservable. Once they deform, fade, warp or fail in other ways, there is virtually nothing that can be done but turn to replacements--again. 4. Replacing historic wood windows with new wood windows is a fair trade-off.Not likely. The quality of new wood from managed forests, tree farms and fertilized stock is no match for that of early, natural-growth wood that comprises historic window frames and sash. ?Wood density is a good predictor of economic value and strength of wood products, determined by the simultaneous increase in late-wood percentage and tree ring density. The short rotation and intensive treatments associated with industrial forestry prolong the growth of low quality juvenile wood, while postponing the growth of the stronger and more stable mature wood.? This is according to a report published in May, 2007, by Robert A. Andrus for Willamette University, ?How Tree Rings Reflect Wood Quality: Evidence from Industrial and Sustainably-Managed Stands.?Traditional storm window systems offer not only superior performance and energy efficiency, but can also be a graceful complement to the historic sash.Current wood-grading standards for density were developed during the period of old-growth forestry and may not be applicable to woods harvested from today?s industrial forests. The bottom line is, new wood is not comparable to early wood. Beyond that, other factors that lead to windows of less desirable qualities include methods of milling, drying and joining woodwork; all of these affect durability and performance. Aesthetically, modern mullions ? even when attempting to emulate historic profiles ? can be exceedingly large, obscuring sight lines and reducing visible light. It remains an unfortunate reality that after much discussion regarding this topic throughout the preservation and sustainability communities, noted landmark commissions still cling to the idea that replacement windows are acceptable as long as they somewhat copy the superficial elements of their historic counterparts.5. Installing storm windows will lead to condensation.Quite possibly. In discussing storm window applications, the choice is often based on aesthetics, or ease of installation and maintenance, rather than on specific regional and environmental conditions. Properly fitted storm windows outfitted with laminated or low-e glass may help to offset the emergence or amount of condensation present, which forms when warmer, moisture-laden air comes into contact with colder glass surfaces. This effect may be mitigated by thoughtful design and selection, and even improved upon over time with alternate choices of weather-stripping systems and glass types.6. Replacement windows are more energy efficient and are therefore sustainable.Not true. If you?re not already reconsidering replacement based on energy considerations alone, consider these other non-sustainable features of many replacement windows. A poorly performing window that requires replacement after just a few years means additional debris in our landfills, resources extracted for production and energy for manufacturing and transport, none of which is sustainable. Also, the materials that comprise many replacement windows ? aluminum, vinyl and glass ? are among the greediest in terms of energy consumption, resource depletion and inability to recycle. All leave a heavy environmental footprint.Replacing sash while ignoring the primary sources of infiltration can have detrimental and costly results.7. In order to be energy efficient, windows need to have argon-filled, low-e, insulated glass.Not true. It?s a fallacy to believe that there is a one-size-fits-all solution to proper window assembly. Environmental conditions, including orientation, play heavily into the choices offered for glazing. Laminated glass is an appropriate substitute for insulated glass and has many ancillary benefits. It can incorporate historic blown (wavy) glass, it can be field cut, it is safety glass, it is less expensive initially, it won?t fail and fog when the desiccant seal fails, it may be outfitted with low-e glass, and it has excellent noise abatement characteristics. Plus, it can be installed in existing or new true-divided-light sash and won?t require enormous mullions to support it.8. Storm windows are cumbersome and high maintenance, requiring removal, storage and reinstallation each year.Not true. Multiple manufacturers offer elegant wood storm windows that can be outfitted and custom designed for virtually all historic window configurations. They are available in a variety of styles ? hinged; multi-paned with laminated, low-e and blown glass; and interchangeable screens ? that work in concert visually and functionally with operable historic windows. They can be installed (and removed) from the interior or left in place if desired, without affecting the ability to open windows, and allow for natural ventilation throughout the year. Of course, they may also be removed and stored seasonally, if desired. They are a relatively inexpensive solution, with demonstrated superior energy-saving benefits that translate into short payback periods. Plus, storm window systems are reversible and easily upgraded.A 2007 report by Keith Haberern, licensed architect and engineer and chairman of Collingswood (NJ) Historic District Commission, supports this statement. It shows that the payback time for adding a single-pane storm window to an existing single-pane window is 4? years. On the other hand, the payback time for replacing a single-pane window with insulated glass window is 41? years, and for replacing a single-pane window and storm with a low-e insulated glass window, it?s 222 years!9. Replacement windows increase property value.Highly dubious. Interestingly, this claim has surfaced with increasing regularity as the argument for payback has become universally disproved. Credible data regarding elevated or declining property values relative to window replacement installations have yet to appear. Arguably, as more becomes known about the shortcomings of many types of replacement systems, data will prove that retaining historic windows actually provides for more stable (or increased) property values; in fact, historic commissions already are advocating just that.10. Replacement windows pay for themselves.Nonsense. Replacement window manufacturers generally have backed off this once ubiquitous claim, simply because it?s patently untrue. As discussed herein, varied studies have shown that far better payback periods are realized through restoration, careful glazing choices, the incorporation of well-designed storm window systems and a healthy cynicism about unproven, off-handed claims. Facts and research are quickly putting this ? the most blatant of them ? to rest. Click here for a listing of window restoration companies Click here for more product reports Walter Sedovic, AIA, LEED AP, is principal & CEO of Walter Sedovic Architects, Irvington, NY. He speaks often on sustainability and preservation and is a guest editor for the APTI Bulletin special issue on sustainability and preservation. Jill H. Gotthelf, AIA, is senior associate at Walter Sedovic Architects. She is co-chair of the Association for Preservation Technology Sustainable Preservation Technical Committee. Restore Media, LLCFor more information on sponsoring an issue of the Traditional BuildingSpecialProduct Report e-newsletter or other newsletters published by Restore Media, contact Sean Aalai at saalai@restoremedia.com.Restore Media, LLC 1054 31st St., NW Suite 430 Washington, DC 20007 • All Rights Reserved.
Now, Go out and make your difference.
----------------------------------------------
(Thank you Bethany for forwarding this to me)
Do you replace or restore historic windows? What are the facts and myths in this most contentious of debates?
Share
09 April 2009 at 09:25
The Right Thing Do you replace or restore historic windows? What are the facts and myths in this most contentious of debates? By Walter Sedovic and Jill H. GotthelfIn just the past few years, both sides in the debate over replacement vs. restoration of historic windows have been called upon to clarify their stance. For those advocates of restoration, there has been a virtual watershed of support, mostly in the form of states, historical commissions and preservation organizations across North America identifying historic wood windows as ?endangered? elements.The damage wrought by replacement windows is self-evident and increasingly pervasive. All photos: © Walter Sedovic Associates On the other side of the fence, and in response to this newfound ?endangered? status, replacement window manufacturers have sought to develop standards that would demonstrate their products? effectiveness in a format that would ? much like the FDA?s nutrition labeling system ? allow consumers to more readily compare apples to apples. At least one major manufacturer, Marvin Windows & Doors of Warroad, MN, has been reaching across the aisle to develop products that respond to the concerns of preservationists when replacement is appropriate. To their immense credit, it has even joined in arguing for retention and restoration of historic wood windows as a first option.What has been gained by all of this activity? Despite this surge toward restoration, a generation (it has been 28 years since the first fully assembled replacement window system was introduced by Andersen Windows in 1980) of listening to the marketing mantra of ?replace those old drafty windows? continues to run deep in our national psyche. The preservation community, armed with increasingly useful information, is now in the position of responding: ?Go ahead. Replace those old drafty windows--with new drafty windows.?Indeed, much of the current outcry against wholesale choices toward replacement has to do with how poorly many replacement windows perform. Payback periods are not promoted, and, unlike historic windows that have been in service for 50, 75, 100 or more years, replacement windows are creating a costly cycle of replacing, over and over again.This window replacement resulted in reduced visibility and daylight. Still working against preservation, however, is the dearth of useful facts that counter the assertion that old windows are inherently detrimental to the energy performance of a building. That notion is beginning to change; at present, people are considering the alternatives, and that alone is a huge leap in the right direction. In time, we will be armed with the facts and talking points that will facilitate a full-fledged movement toward restoration. And that is important on many levels: economic, environmental, educational and aesthetic.To help this movement along, we have assembled a list of talking points, backed by data currently available (and growing at an accelerating pace), that will help arm those in search of truth, balance and a desire simply to do the right thing.1. Replacement window manufacturers have now all but abandoned the claims of ?U? factors that were given for the glass, not the assembly. They now favor a standardized rating system offered through the independent National Fenestration Rating Council (NFRC), which measures whole window performance.Misleading. While it is true that in response to the misuse of ?U? values, the NFRC has been engaged in the testing and evaluation of whole window assemblies, what is not said is that every manufacturer has the option of discounting ? and not revealing ? two important markers: infiltration and condensation. U-factor is the universal measure of heat gain or loss due to differences between inside and outside temperature, or the measure of how much heat may be conducted through a building element. It is the inverse of R-value, which measures a material?s resistance to heat transfer. For U-values, lower numbers are better. A U-factor may refer to just the glass or glazing alone, but the NFRC?s U-factor ratings are intended to represent the entire window performance, including frame and spacer material. Data requirements for the ratings have been relaxed, to permit the exclusion of condensation, air infiltration, visible transmittance (VT) and light-to-solar gain, the ratio between solar heat gain coefficient (SHGC) and VT.Simply put, that means that a consumer may very well be purchasing a replacement window system that allows as much or more infiltration as their existing windows. While in the past, the argument favoring historic windows was largely based on anecdotal information, preservationists have tools already at their disposal to discount replacement window arguments: namely, standardized tests defined by the American Society for Testing & Materials (ASTM) that allow for both field and laboratory testing of infiltration. Employing these testing methods will clearly reveal the performance of existing windows and help put to rest claims that new windows perform better. Also missing from the equation is visual transmittance (VT) and light-to-solar gain (LSG). LSG is important as a component of sustainable performance since glass and films used to receive low (i.e., positive) SHGC ratings often reduce the amount of visible light and therefore require a correspondingly increased use of artificial lighting. Clearly, consumers will benefit as more information is provided on labels, and despite efforts, we are not too much further along in understanding the performance of one window over another, and certainly not over the performance of an existing historic window assembly. Windows are not the only elements maligned by inappropriate replacements. 2. Replacement window manufacturers offer the option of reusing existing frames and replacing just the sash, at a more economical cost.Misleading. As stated above, it is the whole window assembly that determines the performance benefits. Infiltration through a window occurs in many locations, not just the sash. Reusing an existing frame that is not tight, within a wall system that leaks will produce the same effects that existed before the replacement window was installed. Any window system ? new or old ? must be part of a weather-tight system from the sash to the walls. Further, several independent studies have shown that windows contribute only 10-12% of overall infiltration to the building envelope. Much more infiltration occurs at roof eaves, foundations and even through wall receptacles, dryer and plumbing vents and fireplaces. Concentrating funds to these elements has a much greater potential of providing a quick payoff than replacing windows. Replacing sash alone is not holistic, and very likely not economical. It is far better in the long run to replace or restore the entire window assembly.3. Replacement windows are maintenance free.No. As Michael Jackson, FAIA, chief architect of the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency pointed out in a recent presentation, ?Embodied and Operating Energy: Balancing the Eco-Equation,? "maintenance free" means it can?t be repaired. This truism is critically important when deciding whether to replace or restore. Vinyl, fiberglass and aluminum windows ? and insulated glass ? are formed using materials and techniques that by and large are not conservable. Once they deform, fade, warp or fail in other ways, there is virtually nothing that can be done but turn to replacements--again. 4. Replacing historic wood windows with new wood windows is a fair trade-off.Not likely. The quality of new wood from managed forests, tree farms and fertilized stock is no match for that of early, natural-growth wood that comprises historic window frames and sash. ?Wood density is a good predictor of economic value and strength of wood products, determined by the simultaneous increase in late-wood percentage and tree ring density. The short rotation and intensive treatments associated with industrial forestry prolong the growth of low quality juvenile wood, while postponing the growth of the stronger and more stable mature wood.? This is according to a report published in May, 2007, by Robert A. Andrus for Willamette University, ?How Tree Rings Reflect Wood Quality: Evidence from Industrial and Sustainably-Managed Stands.?Traditional storm window systems offer not only superior performance and energy efficiency, but can also be a graceful complement to the historic sash.Current wood-grading standards for density were developed during the period of old-growth forestry and may not be applicable to woods harvested from today?s industrial forests. The bottom line is, new wood is not comparable to early wood. Beyond that, other factors that lead to windows of less desirable qualities include methods of milling, drying and joining woodwork; all of these affect durability and performance. Aesthetically, modern mullions ? even when attempting to emulate historic profiles ? can be exceedingly large, obscuring sight lines and reducing visible light. It remains an unfortunate reality that after much discussion regarding this topic throughout the preservation and sustainability communities, noted landmark commissions still cling to the idea that replacement windows are acceptable as long as they somewhat copy the superficial elements of their historic counterparts.5. Installing storm windows will lead to condensation.Quite possibly. In discussing storm window applications, the choice is often based on aesthetics, or ease of installation and maintenance, rather than on specific regional and environmental conditions. Properly fitted storm windows outfitted with laminated or low-e glass may help to offset the emergence or amount of condensation present, which forms when warmer, moisture-laden air comes into contact with colder glass surfaces. This effect may be mitigated by thoughtful design and selection, and even improved upon over time with alternate choices of weather-stripping systems and glass types.6. Replacement windows are more energy efficient and are therefore sustainable.Not true. If you?re not already reconsidering replacement based on energy considerations alone, consider these other non-sustainable features of many replacement windows. A poorly performing window that requires replacement after just a few years means additional debris in our landfills, resources extracted for production and energy for manufacturing and transport, none of which is sustainable. Also, the materials that comprise many replacement windows ? aluminum, vinyl and glass ? are among the greediest in terms of energy consumption, resource depletion and inability to recycle. All leave a heavy environmental footprint.Replacing sash while ignoring the primary sources of infiltration can have detrimental and costly results.7. In order to be energy efficient, windows need to have argon-filled, low-e, insulated glass.Not true. It?s a fallacy to believe that there is a one-size-fits-all solution to proper window assembly. Environmental conditions, including orientation, play heavily into the choices offered for glazing. Laminated glass is an appropriate substitute for insulated glass and has many ancillary benefits. It can incorporate historic blown (wavy) glass, it can be field cut, it is safety glass, it is less expensive initially, it won?t fail and fog when the desiccant seal fails, it may be outfitted with low-e glass, and it has excellent noise abatement characteristics. Plus, it can be installed in existing or new true-divided-light sash and won?t require enormous mullions to support it.8. Storm windows are cumbersome and high maintenance, requiring removal, storage and reinstallation each year.Not true. Multiple manufacturers offer elegant wood storm windows that can be outfitted and custom designed for virtually all historic window configurations. They are available in a variety of styles ? hinged; multi-paned with laminated, low-e and blown glass; and interchangeable screens ? that work in concert visually and functionally with operable historic windows. They can be installed (and removed) from the interior or left in place if desired, without affecting the ability to open windows, and allow for natural ventilation throughout the year. Of course, they may also be removed and stored seasonally, if desired. They are a relatively inexpensive solution, with demonstrated superior energy-saving benefits that translate into short payback periods. Plus, storm window systems are reversible and easily upgraded.A 2007 report by Keith Haberern, licensed architect and engineer and chairman of Collingswood (NJ) Historic District Commission, supports this statement. It shows that the payback time for adding a single-pane storm window to an existing single-pane window is 4? years. On the other hand, the payback time for replacing a single-pane window with insulated glass window is 41? years, and for replacing a single-pane window and storm with a low-e insulated glass window, it?s 222 years!9. Replacement windows increase property value.Highly dubious. Interestingly, this claim has surfaced with increasing regularity as the argument for payback has become universally disproved. Credible data regarding elevated or declining property values relative to window replacement installations have yet to appear. Arguably, as more becomes known about the shortcomings of many types of replacement systems, data will prove that retaining historic windows actually provides for more stable (or increased) property values; in fact, historic commissions already are advocating just that.10. Replacement windows pay for themselves.Nonsense. Replacement window manufacturers generally have backed off this once ubiquitous claim, simply because it?s patently untrue. As discussed herein, varied studies have shown that far better payback periods are realized through restoration, careful glazing choices, the incorporation of well-designed storm window systems and a healthy cynicism about unproven, off-handed claims. Facts and research are quickly putting this ? the most blatant of them ? to rest. Click here for a listing of window restoration companies Click here for more product reports Walter Sedovic, AIA, LEED AP, is principal & CEO of Walter Sedovic Architects, Irvington, NY. He speaks often on sustainability and preservation and is a guest editor for the APTI Bulletin special issue on sustainability and preservation. Jill H. Gotthelf, AIA, is senior associate at Walter Sedovic Architects. She is co-chair of the Association for Preservation Technology Sustainable Preservation Technical Committee. Restore Media, LLCFor more information on sponsoring an issue of the Traditional BuildingSpecialProduct Report e-newsletter or other newsletters published by Restore Media, contact Sean Aalai at saalai@restoremedia.com.Restore Media, LLC 1054 31st St., NW Suite 430 Washington, DC 20007 • All Rights Reserved.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
