Many historic homes in Atlanta still have their original wood windows, but many homeowners don’t realize these windows were designed to be maintained rather than replaced. Understanding how glazing putty works—and how to maintain it—can help owners of older Atlanta homes protect their windows and avoid unnecessary replacement costs.

Atlanta’s historic neighborhoods—from Virginia-Highland and Druid Hills to Morningside and parts of Buckhead—contain thousands of homes built between the 1920s and 1940s. These houses often use traditional building materials that behave differently from modern construction, which is why regular maintenance is important.

Spring is a good time to check a few areas that are commonly overlooked.

Maintaining Original Wood Windows

Many historic homes still have their original wood windows, and with proper maintenance they can last for well over a century.

Traditional windows hold the glass in place using glazing putty, a compound historically made from linseed oil and chalk. The glass is set into a bed of putty, secured with small metal glazing points, and then sealed with a smooth exterior bevel of putty that sheds water away from the sash.

Over time, the putty slowly dries and begins to separate from the glass. When this happens, rainwater can reach the wood beneath the glass and eventually cause deterioration in the sash.

Fortunately, these windows were designed to be maintained and repaired rather than replaced, and reglazing is considered routine upkeep.

How Glazing Putty Protects Historic Windows

A properly glazed window forms a tight bond between the glass, the glazing compound, and the wood sash. When done correctly

• The putty seals the glass and prevents water infiltration

• The putty edge sits slightly inside the sash rabbet so it’s not visible from the interior

• Exterior paint overlaps the glass slightly, sealing the edge of the putty

• Traditional linseed-oil putties tend to perform better on historic wood windows than many modern acrylic substitutes

When glazing begins to crack or separate from the glass, it doesn’t necessarily mean the window has failed—it simply means the window may be due for maintenance.

Many homeowners assume deteriorated glazing means windows must be replaced. In reality, reglazing and repainting can often extend the life of historic windows for decades.

Spring Exterior Maintenance Tips for Older Atlanta Homes

While inspecting windows, it’s also a good time to check several other exterior elements common in older Atlanta homes.

Small maintenance items addressed early in the season can prevent more expensive repairs later.

Checking Gutters and Water Management

Many maintenance problems in older houses begin with water management.

Spring storms in Atlanta can quickly overwhelm clogged gutters. When gutters overflow, water often runs behind fascia boards and trim, which can eventually affect nearby windows and siding.

Check for:

• Downspouts that have pulled away from the house

• Gutters holding standing water

• Splashback staining on siding or brick

• Debris buildup near roof valleys

Cleaning gutters once in early spring can prevent a surprising amount of moisture-related damage.

Inspecting Exterior Wood Trim and Porch Elements

Homes built before mid-century often have extensive wood trim, porch columns, and decorative elements that benefit from periodic inspection.

Look at:

• Porch column bases

• Window sills

• Exterior door trim

• Decorative brackets or moldings

Paint that is cracking or separating from the wood is often an early sign that moisture is beginning to affect the surface.

Why Older Materials Were Designed to Be Maintained

Many materials used in historic homes were designed with the expectation of periodic maintenance rather than replacement.

Examples include:

• Wood windows

• Solid wood doors

• Lime mortar in masonry

• Hardwood flooring

Understanding how these materials were originally intended to work can make owning an older home much easier.

Atlanta’s historic neighborhoods contain many homes that have already lasted nearly a century. With proper care—especially of original wood windows—these houses can remain durable, efficient, and beautiful for generations.

If you’re considering selling a historic home in Atlanta, understanding how older homes are maintained can also help you prepare the property for the market and highlight the features buyers value most.

The Luxe - $440,000

I'm always looking for places close by to explore and today I came across South Peachtree Creek Trail.  The trail runs through a few neighborhoods (Masons Mill, Medlock Park, and Clairmont Heights) that border Emory Universities, Clifton Rd. on the NE side of Atlanta and North Decatur.  The trail is just under 2 miles long and about 80% shaded by old-growth trees.  If you're looking for a place to get away from the noise and traffic of the city it's a quiet place to unwind and get a little exercise.  The shade that the tree canopy provides is especially nice on hot summer days in the Atlanta for the pups, but bring plenty of drinking water for yourself and your pups.   Free parking is available at Masons Mill Park which is on the northwest side of the trail towards N Druid Hills Rd. and at Medlock Park on the southeast side. The trail offers some off-pavement trails to explore the remains of the Old Decatur Water Works, which was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2006.  The application package, which is available through the National Park Service.

If you’re looking for a great place to run, walk, or just get a break Atlanta offer plenty of natural beauty for everyone.  One of my favorite sites to find out about new places to explore is Atlanta Trails.  Atlanta Trails provides detailed information on many of Atlanta and the surrounding areas parks and hiking trails.

For those of us celebrating Valentines Day, I thought it might be interesting to know something about the history and origin of the holiday.  Fortunately, NPR posted an article I found interesting written by Arnie Seipel.  Seipel writes, 

"Valentine's Day is a time to celebrate romance and love and kissy-face fealty. But the origins of this festival of candy and cupids are actually dark, bloody — and a bit muddled. Though no one has pinpointed the exact origin of the holiday, one good place to start is ancient Rome, where men hit on women, by, well, hitting them. 

Those Wild And Crazy Romans

From Feb. 13 to 15, the Romans celebrated the feast of Lupercalia. The men sacrificed a goat and a dog, then whipped women with the hides of the animals they had just slain.

The Roman romantics "were drunk. They were naked," says Noel Lenski, a historian at the University of Colorado at Boulder. Young women would actually line up for the men to hit them, Lenski says. They believed this would make them fertile.

The brutal fete included a matchmaking lottery, in which young men drew the names of women from a jar. The couple would then be, um, coupled up for the duration of the festival — or longer, if the match was right.

The ancient Romans may also be responsible for the name of our modern day of love. Emperor Claudius II executed two men — both named Valentine — on Feb. 14 of different years in the 3rd century A.D. Their martyrdom was honored by the Catholic Church with the celebration of St. Valentine's Day.

Later, Pope Gelasius I muddled things in the 5th century by combining St. Valentine's Day with Lupercalia to expel the pagan rituals. But the festival was more of a theatrical interpretation of what it had once been. Lenski adds, "It was a little more of a drunken revel, but the Christians put clothes back on it. That didn't stop it from being a day of fertility and love.

Around the same time, the Normans celebrated Galatin's Day. Galatin meant "lover of women." That was likely confused with St. Valentine's Day at some point, in part because they sound alike." Read More on NPR.org

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