Added Ventilation to a 17th Century Home

Challenge

Refining historic carpentry is always rewarding, but is also an obstacle. This home in Rocky Hill was built in 1720 and has a tremendous amount of old world detail. There were 3 layers of wood shakes on it, with a great deal of leakage and ongoing damage occurring from a lack of sufficient roofing. Houses built during this time were not equipped with proper ventilation, so any pre-existing issues were being accelerated by poor air flow. 

Solution

First, we stripped three shingle layers and removed and replaced all of the deteriorated wood. Next, outlets for ventilation were installed along with ice & water shields, as a preventive measure. The roof was re-shingled with architectural asphalt shingles and zinc strips added to keep moss and lichen buildup under control.

The home is now in superb condition, with a high performing roof that keeps water out and provides a more comfortable environment inside.