Care & Feeding of an Old House: Can a snow shovel save this old house?
The answer is yes, and it can prevent thousands of dollars of damage, to boot!
The humble snow shovel can deal a deadly blow to the No. 1 enemy of an old house, water. Because snow (eventually) melts, water can get into the foundation, mortar between bricks, and under siding. If you think you are done shoveling when you get the sidewalk done, think again. (Sorry.)
To save your house from its No. 1 enemy, get rid of the snow in these areas:
Window Lintels (outside sills)
Remove snow from the bricks or wood under windows, using you gloved hand or a broom – not a shovel, in this case.
Roofs
Particularly if your home has a flat roof and the snow is very heavy, you may want to consider removing some of the snow, or having someone do it for you.
Porches
If your porch is surrounded by brick, remove the snow next to the brick on the inside and outside of the porch and on top of any brick ledges. Shovel the whole porch. If your porch has a wood floor, shovel off all of the snow.
Foundations
Remove snow all around your foundation. If your house is very close to your neighbor’s, be sure and get all of the snow out between the houses. Shoveling the snow into a cart or wheelbarrow works. You can then dump the snow in your yard.
You can reach Elizabeth at www.historicgenie.com.