SUFFOLK, Va. (AP) — Whenever historic homes get flooded, building contractors often feel compelled by government regulations to rip out the water-logged wood flooring, tear down the old plaster walls and install new, flood-resistant materials. It’s a hurried approach likely to occur across southwest Florida in the wake of Hurricane Ian. But Virginia restorers Paige Pollard and Kerry Shackelford say they can prove that historic building materials can withstand repeated flooding.
The two are part of an emerging movement that aims to prove the resilience of older homes as more fall under the threat of rising seas and intensifying storms. They say their research could eventually help convince officials and contractors that historic building materials often need cleaning — not replacing — after a flood.