Author Archives: ellen
Tesla Starts Early
The solar roof was originally scheduled to start on Sept 7th but the manager called and asked if they could start earlier and I said, “Sure!”. The first day another company tore off the old roof. I asked if they … Continue reading
Recycled Rubber Patio
We were preparing for guests. That always helps make a dent in the to do list. The front patio was concrete that was jacked out when the house slab was removed. It had also heaved and settled so that it … Continue reading
Tesla Called
Tesla finally called to schedule the solar roof installation. I was very excited. We have been working with Tesla since April of last year and I have been on the waiting list since June 1, 2017, the day President Trump … Continue reading
Foundation Insulation Repair
We finally completed the third section of the foundation insulation on the south “Trombe wall”side of the house. Another project completed due to guests arriving. This was the third section and it was a bit more complicated due to the … Continue reading
New Electrical System for the RV
I’ve always had trouble with sealed lead acid coach batteries dying after a season or two. The new RV came with two wet lead acid 67 AH marine batteries that were pretty much shot. So I did some research and … Continue reading
To Build a Detached Garage
We have decided to clean up our property and empty our attached two car garage by building a large RV garage to the side of the house. We thought we had a contractor willing to build it but he changed … Continue reading
New RV Cross Country
We took the new RV to Indiana in early April to meet the buyers and enjoy our friends and a final work session on the house. The early April weather is very changeable and there was a late snow across … Continue reading
All Fun and No Work
I’m not sure how to transition the blog from working on the house to working on other projects. I guess not working on the house either means no posts or off topic posts. One step in the LEED certification process … Continue reading
Lithium Battery Test
I was told that the advertised amp hours on a lithium battery was a bit of a stretch and that the batteries would not deliver what they were rated for. So this called for a test. My son found a … Continue reading
Family Fun in Florida
My son got an unexpected vacation from work and the family really wanted to visit the beach. I floated the idea of staying at a Fort Myers beach so we could visit my brother and my cousin and my aunt … Continue reading
Modifying the RV for Travel
Over the last two weeks I’ve spent a lot of time moving the camping equipment from the old RV to the new one and installing storage upgrades to fit the family. It has been so much fun to set up … Continue reading
New RV; New Projects
Before we moved to Colorado and started remodeling the new house for LEED certification we bought a 2002 Itasca 22E Class C recreational vehicle. We acquired it and the very end of 2009 as it’s third owner. We had so … Continue reading
Moving Up to LEED 4.1
All of the documentation on our LEED project so far has been to fulfill the requirements of LEED for Homes 2009. Although I have another year to qualify under the old system, I’ve contacted Energy Logic to finish up the … Continue reading
Rolling Case for Trolling Motor
The new trolling motor needed a case so that it could be stored and transported more easily. I thought I might use the Sailrite sewing machine and some vinyl to make one but first I thought I should look for … Continue reading
Cold Weather Call for Heat but No Boiler Firing
I realized when the temperature got down to zero and hung around in the low single digits that the heating zone in the rear of the house was acting strangely. The thermostat would call for heat but the boiler would … Continue reading
Battery Box for Trolling Motor
It’s winter and outdoor projects are limited. As soon as it turned the new year I made a reservation to camp for the Fourth of July. Camping is very popular in Colorado and it is difficult to get into a … Continue reading
Incomplete Sailrite Sewing Project
I started a new vinyl cover for a spa section which broke my Singer 9960 sewing machine. I sent it out for repair and it is not yet ready. But I purchased a really heavy duty expensive Sailrite zig zag … Continue reading
Hoppe Lock Jam
We first had this problem when one of the doors was new. There is a piece on the three point lock that is called a mishandling device. This is a latch that releases the top and bottom throw bolts that … Continue reading
Door Lock Issues
When we returned from Indiana, our key did not work in the front lock. The mechanism would not turn. Fortunately one of the patio doors is keyed the same and we were able to get into the house without breaking … Continue reading
Indiana House
We spent the first two weeks of November at our Indiana house. It’s lovely out in the Indiana forest and the house needed attention. In early September I went to Indiana and had to work on taking out moldy drywall … Continue reading