-
Recent Posts
Archives
- May 2018
- April 2018
- March 2018
- February 2018
- January 2018
- December 2017
- November 2017
- October 2017
- September 2017
- August 2017
- July 2017
- June 2017
- May 2017
- April 2017
- March 2017
- February 2017
- January 2017
- December 2016
- November 2016
- October 2016
- September 2016
- August 2016
- July 2016
- June 2016
- May 2016
- April 2016
- March 2016
- February 2016
- January 2016
- December 2015
- November 2015
- October 2015
- September 2015
- August 2015
- July 2015
- June 2015
- May 2015
- April 2015
- March 2015
- February 2015
- January 2015
- December 2014
- November 2014
- October 2014
- September 2014
- August 2014
- May 2014
- April 2014
- March 2014
- November 2013
- October 2013
- September 2013
- August 2013
- July 2013
- June 2013
- May 2013
- April 2013
- March 2013
- January 2013
- December 2012
- November 2012
- April 2012
- March 2012
Categories
- -Chronological Recent Posts
- Air Intrusion/Thermal Envelope
- Appliances
- Bathrooms
- Central Vacuum
- Condensing Modulating Gas Boiler
- Construction
- Deconstruction
- Design Style
- Distractions
- Electrical
- Energy Efficiency
- Family Room
- Finishes
- Fireplace Boiler
- Floating Walls
- Green Building Interests
- House Systems
- Inspections
- Kitchen
- Landscape
- LEED Project
- Living Room
- Local Products
- Maintenance and Repair
- Master Bedroom
- Mini Split Air Conditioner
- Moisture Intrusion/Expansive Soil
- Monitoring
- Moving
- Planning
- Plumbing
- Project Team
- Radiant Cooling
- Radiant Heat
- Radon Mitigation
- Reduce Reuse Recycle
- Solar
- Spa
- Tile
- Tools
- Trim
- Trombe Wall
- Ventilation
Cloud
-Chronological Recent Posts Air Intrusion/Thermal Envelope Appliances Bathrooms Central Vacuum Condensing Modulating Gas Boiler Construction Deconstruction Design Style Distractions Electrical Energy Efficiency Family Room Finishes Fireplace Boiler Floating Walls Green Building Interests House Systems Inspections Kitchen Landscape LEED Project Living Room Local Products Maintenance and Repair Master Bedroom Mini Split Air Conditioner Moisture Intrusion/Expansive Soil Monitoring Moving Planning Plumbing Project Team Radiant Cooling Radiant Heat Radon Mitigation Reduce Reuse Recycle Solar Spa Tile Tools Trim Trombe Wall VentilationBy Date
Author Archives: ellen
Shower Tile Design
This was a big week. Two shower designs were laid out and one shower was almost completed. Bill Boyd is our tile guy and also our nephew in law. Unfortunately he lives in California. But he agreed to come out … Continue reading
Solar Thermal Plans
I have been wanting to install solar thermal panels to help heat the hot tub water since the hot tub is the major draw on our electrical power. We have prime sunshine and solar hot water heaters were very popular … Continue reading
Posted in Plumbing, Reduce Reuse Recycle, Solar, Spa
Comments Off on Solar Thermal Plans
Shower Schluter
I applied the Kerdi membrane to the large family room bathroom shower. Getting these showers tiled is a big job that will be done quickly due to having my nephew-in-law visit to do the job. Then we will be able … Continue reading
It’s a Shower Bench
The shower in the family room bathroom is large. It takes up the whole side of the room about seven feet. There is plenty of room for a shower bench on one side. I want to use a leftover piece of … Continue reading
Remodeling a Tent for Cold Weather Camping
The last couple of weeks have definitely been a distraction. The family made reservations to camp at the Grand Canyon in March and although we will take the RV, the kids will all stay in tents. I thought a family … Continue reading
Posted in Distractions
Comments Off on Remodeling a Tent for Cold Weather Camping
Airlock Entry Interior Door
As the cold weather descends and as I set the thermostats a little lower to cut back our electricity use (I’m studying our use to figure out where we use too much electricity) I decided it was time to isolate … Continue reading
Posted in Air Intrusion/Thermal Envelope, Construction
Comments Off on Airlock Entry Interior Door
The Seasonal List Update
This is the list we started with in the fall. Some of these seem to have been accomplished ages ago. Some keep getting put off. Notice I had several crossed off by the time I published the list. There are … Continue reading
Posted in Planning
Comments Off on The Seasonal List Update
Not Much but Bath Bars
I wasn’t going to work on the house at all this week and just prepare for Christmas. But my mom is coming over to celebrate and I had a safety bar to put in the master bath and I had … Continue reading
Posted in Bathrooms
Comments Off on Not Much but Bath Bars
Solar Install Scheduled!
Our Solar City/Tesla installation has been scheduled for mid March! I was surprised it would take that long to get a crew and materials together to do the installation but at least we are now on the schedule. I asked … Continue reading
Happy 2nd Birthday Grandson!
We visited Oakland, California for a big birthday bash for our grandson. We were excited about decorating for his theme of “Cars and Trucks and Things that Go”. My sister and brother came to the party too. My brother all … Continue reading
Posted in Distractions
Comments Off on Happy 2nd Birthday Grandson!
Foundation Insulation
We had some warm December weather and Dave thought he could do another outdoor project so he started digging the trench to repair and replace the foundation insulation. Although we thought the white insulation was EPS with its lower insulating … Continue reading
Posted in Air Intrusion/Thermal Envelope
Comments Off on Foundation Insulation
Schluter Kerdi Shower
Schluter Kerdi is a thin waterprrof membrane that feels like a thick paper with a fleece side that gets embedded in mortar and what must be a polymer infused side that is waterproof. The directions say to make the mortar … Continue reading
Posted in Bathrooms, Construction, Plumbing
Comments Off on Schluter Kerdi Shower
Thanksgiving!
We roasted a turkey for Thanksgiving and I had the Effergy monitor on the oven electrical line and found that it uses up to 4KW during use. My sister visited and set a beautiful table with my mother’s fancy china … Continue reading
Posted in Distractions, Monitoring
Comments Off on Thanksgiving!
Exterior Door Trim
I finally let the trim on the front door get so badly peeled and chipped that I had to paint it before winter set in. The sad truth is that something went terribly wrong when we had these doors painted by … Continue reading
Posted in Construction, Maintenance and Repair, Trim
Comments Off on Exterior Door Trim
Koffee Korner
We kept the plumbing location from the old kitchen sink even though we had moved the wall. Originally I thought we might install an outdoor sink near this water supply. But as the house progressed I thought a bar sink … Continue reading
Posted in Kitchen, Plumbing, Reduce Reuse Recycle
Comments Off on Koffee Korner
First Two Doors
We brought in the two small closet doors because they were in the way in the garage. Well, they were in the way in the house too. I found these doors on Craigslist about 18 months ago. They were only … Continue reading
Posted in Reduce Reuse Recycle, Tools, Trim
Comments Off on First Two Doors
Fire Alarms
I finally got the fire alarms installed after having the item on multiple lists since the electrical was finished. I’m trying to check off all the requirements for our final inspection. LEED requires that we have a carbon monoxide alarm … Continue reading
Posted in Electrical, LEED Project, Trim
Comments Off on Fire Alarms
Adding a Shower Light
The family room shower is big and it was dark inside. It really needed a light but I didn’t specify one in the electrical drawings so I had to add it as a retrofit. The light I bought came with … Continue reading
Posted in Electrical
Comments Off on Adding a Shower Light
Radon Proof Sump Cover
When we demoed the slab floor we saw that drain pipes were connected from the outside perimeter foundation of the house into the sump tank. We seldom saw water in the sump tank so we were not sure the system … Continue reading
Posted in Moisture Intrusion/Expansive Soil, Radon Mitigation
Comments Off on Radon Proof Sump Cover
Ladder Pot Hanger Shelf
I have two of these old kiva ladders. They are popular in the Southwest and I like the look of them made out of logs and leather straps. I needed to use the 12′ ladder to help hang this ladder … Continue reading
Posted in Design Style, Kitchen, Reduce Reuse Recycle
Comments Off on Ladder Pot Hanger Shelf
