Category Archives: Landscape

Outdoor living, gardening, buildings

Draining the Spa

Posted on February 1, 2020 by ellen

I had to drain the spa because the winter weather is unpredictable and I did not want the pipes to crack. My planned repair did not work. I ordered the new spa heater from Acura Spa but it was cold … Continue reading →

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Spa Wifi Controller

Posted on January 20, 2020 by ellen

Last year I purchased a wifi controller for the spa so that I could set the temperature from my phone instead of having to go outside. Although the device did not seem difficult to install, it required opening the spa … Continue reading →

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Spa Heater Burnout

Posted on January 20, 2020 by ellen

On New Year’s Day we used the spa and I noticed it was losing heat while it was open even though I had turned up the thermostat while we were using it. I noticed a day or two later that … Continue reading →

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Change of Plan for Living Room Pillar

Posted on November 14, 2019 by ellen

Not only was there not enough stone for the pillar but it was way too bulky to install in the house. So instead I am going to use it to cover the broken stucco on the garage wall. This pile … Continue reading →

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We Get a Shed

Posted on March 18, 2018 by ellen

Here is something new. A shed purchased as a kit and put together by a store contractor. Our kids ordered it for us and had it built, although they will use it for a couple of years. And it certainly … Continue reading →

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Gleaning More Materials

Posted on March 3, 2018 by ellen

I’ve used most of the building materials that have been stockpiled in the past; although there is more finish work in the house that needs to be completed. I hope to use the log railings for door and window trim … Continue reading →

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Tank Troubles

Posted on February 28, 2018 by ellen

I found an ad on craigslist for six solar panels and two storage tanks. It was another Novan system with a heat exchanger. They had a photo of the panels installed on the roof. There were also photos of the … Continue reading →

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Solar Thermal Plans

Posted on February 1, 2018 by ellen

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 →

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Wabi-sabi Garden Gate

Posted on April 26, 2016 by ellen

I often have the pleasure of meeting someone special while purchasing Craigslist items. Some folks are all business, which is fine, some are cautious, which makes sense, and some are very friendly and sharing. I have to say that connecting … Continue reading →

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Cleaning the Spa Water

Posted on February 25, 2016 by ellen

The spa water was getting dirty. There was sand on the bottom that did not seem to be getting to the filter.  So I bought a small Intex vacuum kit to suck up the dirt through the filter system. Unfortunately … Continue reading →

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Contactor Chatter

Posted on October 2, 2015 by ellen

The contactor is a switch that is used for high power applications. In this system it is normally closed until power is called for by the heaters through the PC board. Acura Spas expert Joel told me the chatter meant … Continue reading →

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No Power to Spa Pump

Posted on October 1, 2015 by ellen

At first I thought that the power problem could be something the electrician could figure out for us. But they could not send someone over right away so I got out the multimeter to check for power. I found the … Continue reading →

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What about that Spa?

Posted on October 1, 2015 by ellen

The day before we arrived home the electrician was ready to hook up the electrical to the spa so he did it and when we got home it was already hooked up. It couldn’t be tested until there was water … Continue reading →

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Beautiful Stoop!

Posted on August 26, 2015 by ellen

I had to go back to the ladies who sold me the extra flagstone to get enough stone to finish the stoop. They had another customer pick up all the rest of the stone but saved me a wheelbarrow full. … Continue reading →

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Small Victories

Posted on August 24, 2015 by ellen

I gave up on the spa electrical trench when I ran into the huge piece of concrete that was right in the middle of the trench area. I called the electrician thinking it would be better to pay for a … Continue reading →

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Measly Shovel Meets the Impenetrable

Posted on August 18, 2015 by ellen

After working all day yesterday putting the rest of the siding on the spa, except for the equipment side, today I installed the cover rollers to have a place to put the cover when the spa is open, and cleaned … Continue reading →

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Flagstone Stoop Partial Progress

Posted on August 15, 2015 by ellen

Another project I am working on is finishing the front stoop flagstone patio. I ran out of flagstone and have been looking on craigslist for low cost or free stones. I missed a free stone offer because the truck had … Continue reading →

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Back to Spa Prep

Posted on August 15, 2015 by ellen

I had to stop part way through the spa prep to go on multiple vacations. Poor me. So back at projects now that we are home. I’m working on finishing the spa insulation and then mouse proofing the cabinet before … Continue reading →

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Spa Prep

Posted on August 3, 2015 by ellen

I started working on the side of the spa that is next to the deck wall before we left for Estes Park and finished it when we returned. My two sons helped with this project–stretching 1/4″ hardware cloth to keep … Continue reading →

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Moved the Spa but…

Posted on July 22, 2015 by ellen

Dave and I were able to move the spa onto the concrete pad by some accurate trailer back up placement and an ingenious plan to hold the spa on the pad while the tilted trailer moved forward. Much easier than … Continue reading →

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