Society for Learning Unlimited (SLU)

2011 SPRING KICKOFF AND PROGRAM

Join Max and Donna Daniels for

1:00 pm to 3:00 pm

Wednesday, February 9th, 2011

at

First Congregational Church
801 Bushnell St.
(between Park Ave. and Church St.)
Beloit, Wisconsin

Max and Donna have an extensive background incommunity theatre and have portrayed Abraham andMary Todd Lincoln professionally since 1988. They are past Vice-presidents of the National Associationof Lincoln Presenters and were named by the Association as the first recipients of its award for “Best Abraham and Mary Lincoln Team” in 1994.

For more information please visit the “New and Improved” SLU Website at www.sluinc.org

If you’re looking for the SLU

(society for learning unlimited) website

Please go to:  http://www.sluinc.org/

Beloit College Students turn out to help neighbor & neighborhood

A property owner in the College Park historic district has been in real need of some help. There had been two gatherings already of neighbors and friends to help clean out the house but there remained the 3rd floor attic space along with a number of miscellaneous thing needing cleaning and cleaning out. When we were told that there was a group of Beloit College students interested in helping out in the neighborhood we were thrilled.

Who knew the number of kids that would end up turning out. Wow!

It was gratifying to see wave upon wave of students coming through the front door ready and willing to help us out and pitch in. In the spirit of many hands make for light work they were able to pound out very quickly what would have taken the prior and smaller gatherings of neighbors much longer.

The college is a good neighbor to have. And having students as these… well, double bonus. We took some pics and posted them on our Beloit NPA facebook page here. I’m sorry I didn’t get names. If you’re a student and you recognize someone we’d appreciate your tagging them.

Thanks to all of you who turned out. We couldn’t have done it without your help.

Repair or Replace Old Windows?

Don’t know if it’s getting old that I post about replacement windows but it has become epidemic.

Serving on the “Landmarks Commission” in my commmunity we’ve seen a doubling of COA’s (certificate of appropriateness) this last year over the year prior for taking out repairable windows for “replacement” windows.

By the time a homeowner has made the decision to replace their windows, submitted their COA and come to the commission their minds are already set and they’ve resigned themselves that they’re going to be spending all that money to replace their windows. After all, the window manufacturers, retailers and installers have all made very compelling arguments for why they should do so. And to boot there are “home energy” subsidy/incentives.

It’s “Green” and saves energy so I’ll save money in the long run on heating expense right? It’ll increase my homes value, right? I’ll bite the bullet and spend the money. It must be the right thing to do. Right?

Well without the benefit of knowing that there are lower-cost alternatives and what the down side is for taking out their repairable, “green-er” and potentially equally efficient windows (combined with sound storm windows) they’re making the best decision they can. And therein lies the challenge. There is very little counterbalance to the prevailing marketing message that replacement windows are the best choice. Consumers simply don’t know what the down-side is, what there options are or how to decide.

• There is a new website, savethewindow.org recently launched by the National Trust for Historic Preservation that attempts to set the record straight on what the hidden costs are of “replacement windows”. They do a great job of telling the story. They’ve also produced a nice little video.

• This is the single most compelling outline for how to decide… Should I, or should I not replace my windows. “Repair or Replace Old Windows – A visual look at the Impacts” (It’s a PDF download)

I would though like to add a couple points and observations of my own though. Note, I’ve completely ripped off the pics from the NT’s document “Repair or Replace Old Windows” above to illustrate my own points. So photo credits to them.

• It’s going to impact my homes resale value.

If you have a distinctive, well maintained older home you’re not going to out-new the new construction on the edges of town. I propose that you’re better off playing to the strength of your home and that is the period charm and character of your old house… and that includes your windows. Chances are a new buyer, if they’re interested in “Old Houses” likely have an appreciation for the character original windows add. Clunky, replacement windows can actually diminish the character of your distinctive old house and, I propose, impact your homes marketability.

• I’m increasing the resale value of my home right?

Often times not. You’ll find that you can’t afford to replace distinctive, high quality windows with anything like what was there originally. It’s just too @%#$ expensive to try and replicate with new windows.

As a result what happens is they swap in down-graded approximations. Add one more nail to the coffin of what had once been a distinctive old house with charm to one that has been denuded and reduced to remudeled ordinaryness.

Old house enthusiasts who can already discern and appreciation the aesthetic of original period windows are likely not interested in rip-n-replace in the first place. It’s more likely that those who don’t see or value the aesthetic of original windows that are quickest to pull them out. These folks are likely better persuaded by the pragmatic economics of replacements.

Actually this is the easier point to make. There is a growing number of independent, 3rd party evaluations on the actual energy savings and cost savings of repaired original windows with a storm over replacement windows. Many of these studies are coming from the utility companies themselves who are debunking the replacement window cost savings smoke-n-mirrors. I’ve blogged on this elsewhere but these citations have expanded since this post.