Hello,

I just moved into a new house and have been trying to figure out about the history. I think it was built in 1930 and renovated in the mid-1980s. I have never lived in an old house before and trying to figure out what everything in the basement is. There are random holes in the basement ceiling joists, probably about 1.5 inch in diameter. All the knob and tube wiring was removed during the 80s rewire, but I don't think that's what these holes were from because they are not lined up on every parallel joist, they are scattered randomly throughout the wood. Some of the holes have wood carved out around them, as you can see in the pictures, but most don't. A few of the holes have pieces of rigid white stuff filled in them. I have no idea what this material is or if it contains asbestos?

The home is in the Pittsburgh PA area. it is one of the center units of a group of four row homes that are each about 13 feet wide. I think it is balloon framed, and the same ~52ft ceiling joists run the full length of the basement through each unit! So I'm wondering if they used salvaged would, hence the holes.

I tracked down the people that did the renovation, but unfortunately, they were very old, and were not willing and medically able to answer my questions. The duct work seems like it was redone in the 80s renovation, but I'm not sure how it was heated before, as I don't see any evidence of radiator pipes.

I'm also trying to figure out the old pipes. The current gas meter is outside, it comes in the pipe labeled gas. Mystery pipe number 1, located directly below the gas line comes in underground. I wonder if this was an old gas line for a time when the meter was indoors? I did the scratch test to determine the type of pipe. the end of the pipe was shiny silver under the rust, so assuming it's galvanized steel. The thicker section of pipe around it , right where it pokes through the foundation is a different material that is harder and not shiny when scratched. Was this a protective coating used underground? maybe lead or clay?

The one labeled water is the active copper water line. Mystery pipe #2 is the rusty one directly to the left of the copper water line. I'm thinking this was the old water line before the copper one was installed. It goes up close to the ceiling and stops and splits 2 directions. One is open next to where the red box is drawn. The other one continues sideways into my neighbors basement through their foundation, and I can't see where it goes from there. I figured this mystery pipe 2 was water, but I found a similar rusted abandoned gas line behind a clothes dryer. Am I correct in that pipe 1 was for gas and pipe 2 was for water? There is another rusted pipe (Mystery pipe 3) that sticks through the neighbor’s foundation a few feet and is filled in with something like melted lead on my end. It is right next to where mystery pipe 2 comes through, but it's smaller. The two active sewer lines are PVC and go into the concrete floor. There is another one that looks like it may have been passive radon mitigation.

It seems like the basement walls are a mix of everything. Crumbly stone creating red and Gray dust, a white protective coating, red bricks, in even great stuff expanding foam in some of the holes!

Sorry I didn't intend for this message to be so long . Just trying to figure out the history of the pipes and those holes in the wood! Also, let me know if you see anything else interesting in the pictures! Hoping that by giving the age in location of the home, you guys will have a better idea! Thank you for any insight.