Problems and old homes

I learned a lot about myself and renovating my 1925 home. Things I didn't know or think of before.

My home is:   1-1/2 story, built in 1925 of wood construction.    Heating is a 1939 boiler (water heater).   was Knob & Tube wiring.   Lathe and plaster walls.  Wood siding

    Start with the basics. Look for cracks in basement walls, basement floor condition, roof lines, looks for signs of ice damming, water damage, heating dependability. - Home inspectors are very useful

    Wood dries out over the years, hard to reshape, staples and nails are hard to penetrate. - Use screws

     Frustration, ambition and drive diminish as time goes on. I worked 2 years, every weekend, mostly by myself.  - Take weekends off from time to time, do something for your personal self

    National Building Code did not exist until 1941 in Canada, standards were different. Expect to find problems on pretty much everything - Purchase this code for your province ~ $30.00, and use it

    It was common to cover hardwood floors with carpet, walls with lead based paint and walls with multi layers of finish. ie: paneling over drywall over cardboard - Be ready for extra work

    Insulation should be checked for asbestos, also chimney areas for asbestos matting - Do not disturb asbestos in a dry state

    2x4" s are not the same dimension nor as consistent as today - 1-1/2 x 3-1/2"

    Drywall was 3/8" think. This can create a problem if replaceing with 1/2" drywall around doorways and window trim -  Extra finishing time

    Safety is important when working alone. - Wear work boots, glasses, gloves, knee pads and buy a respirator with HEPA filters (and spare filters), Have a first aid kit handy, buy tweezers for slivers.

    Look for bugs, ants and mice / mouse droppings - Seal openings around windows, doors, basement cracks and vents.

    Chimneys and chimney liners have a life span. - You need to remove the brick chimney and replace with new.