Building Technology - Introduction

Owners of older buildings in the Rochester region may wonder where to turn for reliable technical information about maintaining, repairing, restoring, or rehabilitating their properties. Fortunately, the Internet has made a wealth of information easily available.

• Rehab Rochester is a Landmark Society book tailored to the maintenance and repair needs of homeowners in the Rochester region. The entire text and all illustrations may be viewed online.
• Good guidance for the responsible treatment of historic buildings is provided in the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties; the online version of the Standards includes guidelines for the preservation, rehabilitation, restoration, and reconstruction of historic buildings.
• Interested in restoring or maintaining a historic barn? The New York State Barn Coalition is a nonprofit organization that offers advice and assistance to owners of barns and other agricultural resources. Their website has information on grants and tax credits as well as a list of contractors who work on historic barns.

• The National Park Service’s Preservation Briefs provide technical information about a wide variety of topics:

1. Assessing Cleaning and Water-Repellent Treatments for Historic Masonry Buildings
2. Repointing Mortar Joints in Historic Masonry Buildings
3. Conserving Energy in Historic Buildings
4. Roofing for Historic Buildings
5. The Preservation of Historic Adobe Buildings
6. Dangers of Abrasive Cleaning to Historic Buildings
7. The Preservation of Historic Glazed Architectural Terra-Cotta
8. Aluminum and Vinyl Siding on Historic Buildings: The Appropriateness of Substitute Materials for Resurfacing Historic Wood Frame Buildings
9. The Repair of Historic Wooden Windows
10. Exterior Paint Problems on Historic Woodwork
11. Rehabilitating Historic Storefronts
12. The Preservation of Historic Pigmented Structural Glass (Vitrolite and Carrara Glass)
13. The Repair and Thermal Upgrading of Historic Steel Windows
14. New Exterior Additions to Historic Buildings: Preservation Concerns
15. Preservation of Historic Concrete: Problems and General Approaches
16. The Use of Substitute Materials on Historic Building Exteriors
17. Architectural Character - Identifying the Visual Aspects of Historic Buildings as an Aid to Preserving Their Character
18. Rehabilitating Interiors in Historic Buildings - Identifying Character-Defining Elements
19. The Repair and Replacement of Historic Wooden Shingle Roofs
20. The Preservation of Historic Barns
21. Repairing Historic Flat Plaster - Walls and Ceilings
22. The Preservation and Repair of Historic Stucco
23. Preserving Historic Ornamental Plaster
24. Heating, Ventilating, and Cooling Historic Buildings: Problems and Recommended Approaches
25. The Preservation of Historic Signs
26. The Preservation and Repair of Historic Log Buildings
27. The Maintenance and Repair of Architectural Cast Iron
28. Painting Historic Interiors
29. The Repair, Replacement, and Maintenance of Historic Slate Roofs
30. The Preservation and Repair of Historic Clay Tile Roofs
31. Mothballing Historic Buildings
32. Making Historic Properties Accessible
33. The Preservation and Repair of Historic Stained and Leaded Glass
34. Applied Decoration for Historic Interiors: Preserving Historic Composition Ornament
35. Understanding Old Buildings: The Process of Architectural Investigation
36. Protecting Cultural Landscapes: Planning, Treatment and Management of Historic Landscapes
37. Appropriate Methods of Reducing Lead-Paint Hazards in Historic Housing
38. Removing Graffiti from Historic Masonry
39. Holding the Line: Controlling Unwanted Moisture in Historic Buildings
40. Preserving Historic Ceramic Tile Floors
41. The Seismic Retrofit of Historic Buildings: Keeping Preservation in the Forefront
42. The Maintenance, Repair and Replacement of Historic Cast Stone
43. The Preparation and Use of Historic Structure Reports
44. The Use of Awnings on Historic Buildings: Repair, Replacement & New Design

• The Preservation Briefs and the Secretary’s Standards (above) are two of the most useful resources on the National Park Service’s Preservation website. Old-building owners may want to explore this site in depth, as it contains an impressive wealth of information, and is updated frequently.
• The General Service Administration, the steward of many federally owned historic properties, has made available its database of Historic Preservation Technical Procedures. The database provides detailed instructions on maintaining and repairing historic buildings, organized into categories including Masonry, Metals, Wood and Plastic, Thermal and Moisture Protection, Doors and Windows, Mechanical, and Electrical.

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