Old House Renovation, part 2 Trivia Quiz

Answer: An old-style converted coal furnace with many heat ducts coming out of the top

Even though the cost of removal of an old "octopus" furnace and the heat ducts (most likely covered with asbestos) may seem large, today's furnaces are so fuel efficient, the conversion will probably pay for itself in a few years! A furnace this old was probably originally a gravity system that had no fan and depended on the fact that heat would rise naturally from the furnace up to the house rooms. A fan may have been added to it later. The original furnace was probably a coal burner, and then was converted to oil or gas at a later date.

Answer: Fancy millwork trim, usually associated with Victorian-era houses

An Internet search shows there are many suppliers of modern reproductions of this ornamental style of fancy millwork for both exterior and interior house trim. Some salvage businesses sell original gingerbread that has been saved when old houses are demolished.

Answer: 19th century

Cut nails were originally made individually by the local blacksmith from square iron rods. The rods were heated and the blacksmith would hammer all four sides of the softened end to form a point. The blacksmith made these nails to augment his income when not doing work for customers. Cut nails were such prized possessions that pioneers in the U.S. moving farther west would often deliberately burn down their eastern house in order to recover the nails! Round nails made from wire began being mass-produced in the U.S. in the 1880s after they had been introduced into America from Europe around 1850.

Answer: Houses that have various exterior trim details painted in many different colors

Although "painted ladies" are located in many cities, two very-well-known pictures of them that have been reproduced in numerous publications, ads and posters (and are on the Internet) are the six adjacent ones on "Postcard Row" in San Francisco, California, and "Rainbow Row" in Charleston, South Carolina.

Answer: Chestnut

The American Chestnut tree started dying off due to a deadly infection in the early 1900s and was essentially wiped out by 1950. In 1904 a fungus was discovered attacking the trees in the Bronx Zoological Park in New York City. It killed the Chestnuts there and spread quickly-by 1950 the most plentiful tree over nine million acres was virtually extinct. Blight-resistant breeds are currently being developed, and the Chestnut is expected to soon begin its comeback.

Answer: Antimony

If you live in an old house, you should let the cold water run for several minutes the first thing in the morning or after returning from a vacation to let any lead that has leached into the water from old-style solder to be flushed out of the pipes before drinking any water.

This is especially true if the area you live in has soft, acidic water or if you have young children. The U.S. Safe Drinking Water Act Amendments of 1986 banned the use of lead-containing solders in modern construction in drinking water systems nationwide. Antimony's chemical symbol Sb comes from its historic name, Stibnium.

Answer: Homeowners commonly sat on their front porch and talked to neighbors walking the sidewalk

The front porch declined in popularity as air conditioning became more widely available and interior entertainment such as television became an American way of life in the 1960s and '70s. Patios and decks started being located at the back of the house, since that location was more private and less affected by traffic and noise. In recent years, however, there has been a revival in the construction of front porches, as people missed that opportunity of getting to know their neighbors.

Answer: Provided space for "S" hooks for wires hanging down the wall used in hanging pictures

You can see these wires in use in many photographs of Victorian-era interiors. Although this method of hanging pictures looks strange to modern eyes, it has the major advantage of leaving no nail holes to patch when moving!

Answer: It was less expensive to run only the "hot" line to a load and then connect to any "ground" near the load

Since many older houses were wired in the days when the only loads were commonly several ceiling lamps and maybe an occasional floor lamp, the wire sizes used are not heavy enough for today's modern appliances. In addition, outlets in kitchens and bathrooms should have GFI (Ground Fault Interrupter) protection. If an old house is being adapted for modern lifestyles, the wiring should be inspected by a qualified electrical specialist in order to remove potential fire hazards. Caution: The fuse size should not be increased if the corresponding wire size is not also increased.

Answer: Queen Victoria of Great Britain

The Victorian-era style of architectural design generally spans the period of roughly 1825-1900. Queen Victoria ruled Great Britain from 1837 until her death in 1901. The Victorian era is usually broken down to include these architectural styles: Greek Revival, Gothic Revival, Italianate, Second Empire, Stick-Eastlake and Queen Anne.