Older houses, closer together
Much of Englewood's housing was built between the 1920s and the 1950s. Brick bungalows, Tudor-style cottages and small post-war ranches on narrow lots are typical, along with duplexes and small apartment buildings. Many have basements, some only partly finished, and detached garages that open onto alleys.
Older construction changes cleanup. Plaster walls on wood lath hold up better to brief heat than drywall but crack when wet, and soot can work into cracks and old wallpaper layers. Paint in houses built before 1978 may contain lead, which affects how surfaces are scraped and sanded. Houses from before the 1940s may still have some original wiring hidden in walls and attics.
Narrow side yards mean a fire in one house can expose the next one to heat and smoke. Alley garages can carry fire to fences, sheds and neighboring garages. Mailing addresses with Englewood ZIP codes also extend into Centennial, Greenwood Village and Cherry Hills Village, so confirm that your property is actually inside Englewood's city limits before you contact the city.
Older-house terms you may hear
- Plaster and lath
- A wall system of plaster troweled over thin wood strips, common before drywall became standard.
- Knob-and-tube wiring
- An early wiring method using ceramic knobs and tubes; usually replaced during fire repairs rather than reused.
- Lead-safe work practices
- Methods for disturbing painted surfaces in older homes that limit lead dust; renovation firms working on pre-1978 homes are generally expected to follow EPA lead renovation rules.
- Balloon framing
- An older framing style, found in some early twentieth-century houses, where wall studs run continuously between floors, which can let fire and smoke travel from the basement to the attic inside the walls.
Where fire and smoke tend to hide in older Englewood houses
| Location | Why | What to ask |
|---|---|---|
| Inside walls of older framing | Open stud bays can run floor to attic | Were wall cavities checked above and below the fire? |
| Behind plaster cracks and wallpaper | Soot settles into gaps and paper | Will wallpaper be removed before cleaning? |
| Unfinished basement joists | Smoke and water collect on bare wood | Is the basement included in the scope? |
| Alley garage and fence line | Fire spreads along wood fences and sheds | Are fences and outbuildings on the claim? |
| Attic with old insulation | Older loose fill may need testing before removal | Has the insulation been identified? |
General information for Centennial, not a quote or professional advice. In an emergency, call 911.