Right Down the Row: Understanding Your Row Home's Structural Integrity
Photo courtesy of Carol Ingald/Philadelphia Historical Commission
Live in an old row home? Have you been staring at that crack in your drywall for the past year and you’re not sure if you should be freaking out? This episode of Real Estate Talk is perfect for you!
Our newest agent Lydia Chen sat down with Melanie Rodbart of J&M Preservation Studio to discuss Philly’s row homes. Melanie has worked for 17 years on many national historic landmarks and Philadelphia’s row homes. In this episode, we cover everything from the history of row homes to how to look for structural problems before they get out of hand.
What’s The History of Philly’s Rowhomes?
The first of Philadelphia’s row homes were built over 200 years ago in the colonial style. In the early 19th century, the trinity and Federal Georgian townhouse also came into style. You can spot these historic homes in neighborhoods like Old City, Society Hill and Kensington.
Later in the 19th century, Philadelphia starts to see a rise in popularity of big urban mansions that you see along Broad Street and Rittenhouse Square.
In the 20th century, we see a rise in primarily subsidized public housing and the porch front that are a common sight in neighborhoods like East Falls and Francisville.
Postwar construction of row homes was concentrated in NE Philly, Roxborough, and Mt. Airy
What Are Row Homes Made Of?
All row houses are built from a combination of masonry and timber joist framing. The majority of these types of homes use brick, but decorative brownstone will make the odd appearance in neighborhoods like Rittenhouse.
All row homes have wooden joists that span from party wall to party wall parallel to the front wall.
What Kind of Structural Issues Do You need to Watch For?
Water is the root of all problems, especially when leaking from the roof (the most vulnerable part of a row home).
If water gets into the building, it can cause deterioration of the wood floor joists. If that happens, the water damaged areas begin to rot and the floor will start sagging.
If you have a floor that isn’t even (say a ball will roll from one side of the room), that is generally a sign of deteriorating joists.
The façade can also be a problem area. Sometimes you will see a bulge or cracking of the wall. This can be caused by water eroding the mortar joints or masonry units themselves.
These are all correctable and common problems seen in Philly’s older row homes.
So how do you fix the problem?
Don’t worry, no need to blow off the front of your home! If you spot the problem early on, you can do localized repairs like installing star bolts.
Star bolts doing a stellar job securing the structure and looking pretty along the way!
The star bolt on the outside of the facade is connected to a threaded rod that attaches to the floor framing.
That means removing the ceiling inside about four feet from the front wall and inserting a rod that connects to the wood joists in order to cinch in the portion of the wall that is bulging.
Helical ties are a more modern and seamless alternative. They are stainless steel skinny pins that are inserted in the mortar joints. They are invisible and stitch the wall back together.
So if you’re seeing stars, it’s not a sign to run away! That actually means that the owners have been diligent in caring for the structural integrity of their home and have corrected any problems.
What if it’s too late for localized repairs?
If the joist framing has become deteriorated, it's a little more difficult to replace individual joists, but it can be done otherwise.
What About step-like cracks underneath the window?
That could be an indication of a couple of things. So those are definitely structural cracks. They're not something that should be ignored.
Cracks usually occur at the weakest point of a wall, which would be an opening, whether that's a door or a window.
So typically that is from uneven settlement at the foundation level, which is difficult to correct.
The crack also could be from just localized stressed or just motor eroding from the building in terms of water damage.
It can be corrected in several ways. depending on if the brick needs to be reconstructed or not, you could simply insert steel reinforcement hidden away from the front of the facade and also repointing those joints.
Cracks Inside the House
Generally, if a crack is greater than a quarter of an inch - that is a warning sign. Also, if the crack is larger at one end than the other, that’s a problem.
Horizontal cracks in the foundation wall mean it’s time to call a structural engineer. Diagonal and vertical cracks are not a big deal as long as they are small in nature.
How to keep your row house in good shape
Make sure that the water is going to a proper location. Clean out your gutters and make sure your downspouts are flowing where they need to go.
So Should you be scared off from owning a row home?
No! There are many advantages to owning a row home. The materials and structure are environmentally sustainable and long-lasting. As long as you keep the water out, it’s a safe bet!
Will They Last Another 100 years?
Melanie thinks so! Listen to the full podcast here.
If you are looking to buy a row home, email Lydia@ewrhomes.com
In need of a structural consult? Email melanie@jmpreservation.com and she’ll get your home straightened out (literally!)
