-
Categories
Yearly Archives: 2015
Plumbing Inspiration!
My guilty pleasure is watching home improvement shows on TV. I usually watch one each evening. I mix it up with a different series each night so they are not too repetitive. I have Netflix and lately they have been … Continue reading
Planning for Walls
This winter we are hoping to start putting up walls and with the new tub in the master bathroom, I wanted to tweak the floorplan to accommodate the larger tub and create smaller closets in the entry and family room. … Continue reading
Posted in Construction, Planning
Comments Off on Planning for Walls
Cleaning the Challenger’s Heat Exchanger
When I was wiring the boiler, I checked the condensate overflow system on the boiler and noticed the plastic drain was full of black gunk. I cleaned it out and about a week later checked it again and it was … Continue reading
Posted in Condensing Modulating Gas Boiler, Maintenance and Repair
Comments Off on Cleaning the Challenger’s Heat Exchanger
Siding Arrives
Just before we left for Thanksgiving the siding arrived from Lowes. I had unfortunately chosen the Westminster store that was farther away for the delivery which I found out when I arrived at the closer store. It was about 20 … Continue reading
Posted in Air Intrusion/Thermal Envelope, Tools
Comments Off on Siding Arrives
Thanksgiving!
We visited family in upstate New York for Thanksgiving. The weather was mild and we enjoyed our visit. The turkey was a success. My grandson’s favorite dish at the meal. During prep time three generations of Dibbles posed with the … Continue reading
Posted in Diversions
Comments Off on Thanksgiving!
Boiler Wiring Fix
This summer I re-built the zone valves for the boiler. And I planned new logic for the wiring so that I could include the fireplace boiler and hopefully a chiller. I had the new single pump relay using the output … Continue reading
Posted in Condensing Modulating Gas Boiler, Radiant Heat
Comments Off on Boiler Wiring Fix
Waterway Rainscreen
Just as I was planning the rainscreen layer for the siding, Repurposed Materials had an auction to move some of their excess inventory. Among the treasures being sold were several rolls of Waterway rainscreen. The rolls are 35′ long and … Continue reading
Posted in Air Intrusion/Thermal Envelope, Reduce Reuse Recycle
Comments Off on Waterway Rainscreen
Siding Rainscreen
Building Science experts recommend a rainscreen layer between siding and the house wrap to protect the house wrap and siding from holding moisture and allow for evaporation of moisture that penetrates the siding. This rainscreen layer incorporates a drainage plane … Continue reading
Posted in Air Intrusion/Thermal Envelope, Moisture Intrusion/Expansive Soil
Comments Off on Siding Rainscreen
Advantium Still Dead, Oster Alternative
Despite the new TCO (Thermal cut off) the Advantium is still dead. Sad to say. There is some more testing I can do for the other TCO and various boards. Ebay has some of the parts that are not too … Continue reading
Posted in Appliances, Maintenance and Repair
Comments Off on Advantium Still Dead, Oster Alternative
Door Trim Finally Repainted!
The painters that Alpen sent had several setbacks before they could make it to the job. Apparently Alpen only has one vendor for the original paint job and one for repainting. Maybe that means that most jobs don’t need repainting–until … Continue reading
Posted in Construction, Maintenance and Repair
Comments Off on Door Trim Finally Repainted!
Reorganization
With cold weather around the corner, it is time to clear out the garage from summer projects and make room to store the car for winter. I put this project on the fall to do list and it meant a … Continue reading
Posted in Maintenance and Repair, Tools
Comments Off on Reorganization
Where the Cold Gets In
We finally had our first frost on October 28th. The end of October is very late for first frost, but we got more tomatoes from the garden because of it. And we are warming up for an Indian Summer the … Continue reading
Posted in Air Intrusion/Thermal Envelope
Comments Off on Where the Cold Gets In
Absolutely Amazing
I planned to join my sister in Paris for a few days and stop over in Iceland on the way back. This was my very first trip overseas and I just wanted to see what it was like. If you … Continue reading
Posted in Diversions
Comments Off on Absolutely Amazing
Master Bedroom Membrane
Another part of the membrane project started in May was finished today. Mostly through the inspiration of our friends Jan and Mike Halla who visited last week. They said, what can we do to help? Mind you they were only … Continue reading
Posted in Air Intrusion/Thermal Envelope
Comments Off on Master Bedroom Membrane
Fall is Here and What Now?
It has been quite warm this week after a week of rainy days. But there is no doubt that fall is here. The trees are mostly turned what colors they do in Colorado and leaves are getting thick on the … Continue reading
Posted in Planning
Comments Off on Fall is Here and What Now?
New Tub and Faucet
Another amazing Craiglist find; thank goodness people in the Denver area use it regularly. I did not see so many and such variety of offerings when I lived in Arizona. Although it seems that most of the city’s best deals … Continue reading
Posted in Plumbing, Reduce Reuse Recycle
Comments Off on New Tub and Faucet
More Old Hickory and Handcrafted Log Bed
Well, why not more Old Hickory? I found two chairs and a table on Craigslist for a reasonable price. They were in Larkspur about an hour away, but it was a lovely day and I enjoyed the drive. I think … Continue reading
Posted in Design Style
Comments Off on More Old Hickory and Handcrafted Log Bed
Dead Advantium
Unfortunately this morning I was going to melt the butter and sugar on some cinnamon flat bread in the Advantium and the control panel was completely blank. Dave had done some roasting in it just yesterday and didn’t notice it … Continue reading
Posted in Appliances, Maintenance and Repair
Comments Off on Dead Advantium
Contactor Chatter
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
No Power to Spa Pump
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