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Expand Your Living Space With Easy Older House Upgrades.

By: KW Webber In this section we will look at various time periods and a few issues that should be looked at when considering carrying out any old house upgrades.

1. Wiring in a 1920's Home
When upgrading a 1920's property the electrical system was known as "Knob & Tube" because it was laid out alongside floor joists on ceramic knobs and passed through lumber via ceramic tubes. If you have this type of wiring in your home it is necessary that you hire a contractor to upgrade your system as soon as possible as it is not safe for a number of reasons.

2. Removal of Steel Water Pipes
Steel plumbing was used in home and businesses from 1900 to 1940 and although they worked well for the first while after that they start to rust shut (much like an artery becomes clogged). In a short while you will be aware that your water flow has begun to drop if you have this type of plumbing in your home or else you may not be aware of a problem until a pipe actually bursts. So it is crucial that you remove and replace in your residence before the problems appear.

3. Wall Insulation
Before 1940 many houses did not have protection from the cold and the insulation in attics often was not much better. However, if you want to get and stay warm then why not contract for blown in insulation. It is only necessary to have a small hole to be drilled in each wall and then the company you decide on can blow in the insulation to fill the spaces and so warm up your own home.

4. Asbestos Heating Pipes and Ducts
Up until the 1940's asbestos was used as insulation for heating systems. As we have recently discovered, this stuff is toxic you will have to contract for an professional company who is certified in handling asbestos material to come in and take it away. You should also have them reinsulate your pipes with a non-toxic solution. You can save money at this stage to actually arrange for the entire heating system to be upgraded as well.

5. Undersized Electrical Systems
Many older residences will need to have their electrical supply systems upgraded as usually they will have one or more rooms on the same circuit. You may discover that when the compressor starts on the refrigerator the lighting in your house begin to dim. To fix this problem you should arrange for a registered electrician to come in and inspect the wiring of your houseandmake arrangements to have it modified as they see fit.

6. Upgrading Your Windows
Because a lot of of the windows in the period of the 1940's and 1960's were made from low quality steel or aluminium you will need to look at purchasing new ones in order to properly protect your home from the elements. There are many window companies around who can produce weather protection which will reflect the age of your home without you having to lose out on your comfort.

So when looking to carry out any old house upgrades, these are some things which will need to be considered when carrying out such a project.