Repair stonework to ensure a greener home. That’s this month’s message.
Historic England has published this year’s annual Heritage Counts document, which looks at trends, provides insights and presents data about the heritage sector.
This year, the report focussed on carbon in the historic built environment, including examining how owners of pre-1919 homes can reduce their carbon emissions, which essentially means reducing the amount of energy required to heat the building.
Buildings, including homes, are the third-largest source of carbon emissions in the UK today, with homes alone accounting for 13% of all the UK’s carbon emissions.
Heritage Counts included a ‘Greening Homes’ guide that listed steps homeowners can take to reduce the carbon emissions of their homes.
It encouraged homeowners to ensure they had a good understanding of their home, of the materials it was built of, the type of construction, and the way its location affects the structure.
One specific measure mentioned is to keep up with small repairs to the stonework elements of a property.
Cracks in joints or damaged pieces of stone can allow water in and affect the property’s thermal efficiency.
By regularly repairing minor issues, homeowners can not only enhance the performance and durability of their home but also avoid the potentially higher costs that come when delayed repairs lead to larger issues.
Historic England’s research found that, in some cases, delayed repairs could lead to an increase in repair bills of 25% or more.
Historic England recommends speaking to a professional, and Stone Federation Great Britain has just the resource for homeowners looking for a natural stone professional.
The Stone Heritage Register is a comprehensive source point for those looking to find companies to assess, repair or rebuild the natural stone elements of their properties.
The Register lists more than 100 companies, all of them vetted and approved members of Stone Federation, the industry’s official trade association.
The Register is the ideal resource for homeowners looking for a stonework repair professional.
Using a professional brings that added piece of mind, especially using one that belongs to the industry’s official trade association.
The Register is the ideal place for property owners to start their search for a stone expert to help repair and protect their property. It lists Stone Federation members only – just one more of many good reasons for stone companies to join the Stone Federation community. If you would like to join the Stone Federation, email matt@stonefed.org.uk.
You can look at the Stone Heritage Register online at bit.ly/2GluMyM or request a hard copy by emailing enquiries@stonefed.org.uk.