Tips to Weatherize Your Historic Home

The devastating freeze from Winter Storm Uri brought Houston to a shivering standstill. Residents across the state experienced burst pipes and extensive home damage. For many Houstonians, it was a crash course in learning about residential plumbing.

We talked with Roman McAllen, associate architect, and Houston’s Historic Preservation Officer, about the storms impact on old houses. With plumbers across the city spread thin, McAllen was the go-to guy among his family, friends and neighbors with urgent leaks and burst pipes. He offered a few tips to help Houstonians be prepared for future freezes.

"The plumbing in historic homes is especially prone to freezing," McAllen said, "People building homes in Houston 100 years ago worked with the materials on hand to construct houses. For plumbing that mean galvanized steel pipes; those pipes are now showing their age.”

As for keeping cold air out, McAllen says historic homeowners can be quick to blame old windows. But before you make a move to replace or repair your widows, McAllen said you should be aware of regulations that apply to historic homes that impact original windows. Email questions to the historic preservation team at [email protected]. If you plan to replace original historic windows, please request a pre-application design review with the HOP team or apply for a Certificate of Appropriateness through the preservation tracker.

"Windows are not the culprit many people are led to believe they are when it comes to climate control. Windows play a role, but insulating the floor and attic are more critical, especially in pier and beam homes,” McAllen said. “Original historic windows should be preserved. They were made with old growth lumber, are infinitely serviceable, and can be restored to a point that air infiltration is at a minimum. There are inexpensive easy ways to prepare for freezing temperatures by temporarily weatherizing your old windows."