Events
Putting maintenance first
National Maintenance Week (November 19-26) is a timely reminder for owners of historic properties in Wales to put maintenance first in preparing their buildings for the predicted harsh winter conditions ahead. Cadw, the Welsh Assembly Government’s historic environment service, will be supporting the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings’ (SPAB) annual initiative through its own dedicated Maintenance Matters! web resource, fronted by Dr Greg Stevenson.
To mark National Maintenance Week, Cadw will also be exhibiting at the Llangadog Community Centre between 3.00 - 8.00pm on Wednesday 24th November to celebrate the success of the Llandovery and Llangadog Townscape Heritage Initiative and as a reminder to people to look after their buildings. Companies including Ty Mawr Lime will be demonstrating the use of traditional building materials and Cadw staff will be present to demonstrate the Maintenance Matters website.
Routine maintenance is probably the most important action that owners can take to protect their historic buildings and the Maintenance Matters! website is aimed at helping owners to spot minor problems early, preventing serious damage and the need for expensive repairs later on.
The website offers expert advice coupled with photographs and drawings to provide an online guide to maintaining historic buildings what to look for, when and how to keep the properties in best possible condition.
What makes the website unique is that users will be able to create and store customized maintenance plans for their buildings. These can then be used as a basis for regular inspections enabling owners not only to monitor the condition of their buildings over time, but also to compile a key component of their logbook that will help to chronicle the history of the building.
Director of Cadw, Marilyn Lewis, said, 'A stitch in time saves nine is what they say and it certainly holds many truths when it comes to looking after historic properties. A maintenance issue which is nipped in the bud at an early stage can often save a lot of trouble and expense later on. I urge owners of historic properties, as part of National Maintenance Week, to log on to the Maintenance Matters! website and create a personal plan for their own property. The website is a valuable aide memoire for owners and a useful resource on a wide range of topics and tips, including advice on what to look out for, identifying common signs of damage as well as what to do next in the event of a problem arising.'
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