Adding storm windows can help your older windows perform better, protecting your interior windows from storm damage, serving as a shield and a barrier. More importantly, they provide an additional layer of insulation. Today, a lot of options exist for exterior and interior storm windows, which can be made to fit virtually any window opening and type.

Home energy audits give homeowners a complete assessment of their home's energy performance and a prioritized list of improvements/repairs. A home-energy rating system (HERS) certified auditor will give you the most complete report.

While historic buildings possess much embodied energy and quality building materials, there is no arguing that many of these buildings lack energy efficient HVAC systems. In a country that is growing increasingly aware of the need for sustainable building practices, it is important for the preservation community to both protect and retrofit the historic building stock.

The National Park Service has published two briefs that discuss HVAC and energy efficiency in historic buildings: Conserving Energy in Historic Buildings (brief 3) and Heating, Ventilating, and Cooling Historic Buildings: Problems and Recommended Approaches (brief 24).

Lead-based paints were widely used for both exterior and interior applications until 1978, when the federal government banned the use of this toxic material in residential housing. Consequently, most historic homes in the United States contain some lead-based paint, often located beneath recent layers of non-lead-based paint.

Due to the hazard of lead poisoning from ingesting lead it is important to carefully plan and implement lead-hazard control measures that seek to preserve historically significance materials and features while protecting both the environment and human health and safety.

The National Park Service provides such information in Preservation Brief 37: Appropriate Methods for Reducing Lead-Paint Hazards in Historic Housing.

Limewash is a mixture of slake lime and water, sometimes with additional ingredients, that is a traditional finish. The National Park Service National Center for Preservation Technology and Training has produced a short video demonstrating how to prepare and apply limewash.

It can be difficult to abide by building codes without compromising the integrity of a historic structure. While safety and accessibility are extremely important issues for architecture today, they were not always considered in the construction of our historic buildings. Consequently, many historic structures must be updated to align with codes and regulations, which can be a daunting task.

Repairing and maintaining, rather than replacing, historic wood windows means long-term savings for the property owner and long-term benefit for the environment.