Author Archives: ellen
Packing the Pool
I also packed the pool up for the winter. We had fun using it this summer with its jerry-rigged solar heater. But after reading the advice for and against I decided to take it down for the winter. We were … Continue reading
Fixed the Spa
We are finally enjoying the spa again. It broke on January first and here we are in fall and it is back online. After installing the new Megatrol equipment, I had to wait for the new controller to get the … Continue reading
A New Porch in Spencer
We built our first energy efficient house in the early 1980’s on 40 acres in the countryside outside of Spencer, Indiana. We have owned the property for over 40 years. But we recently decided that we should sell. This photo … Continue reading
Finally Repairing the Spa
The story of the new spa equipment is a sad one. I unfortunately wired the first shipment of a new controller box incorrectly and blew out all the 110 volt connections by sending 220 to them. I sent everything back … Continue reading
Tesla Solar Roof
The Tesla solar roof is made from tempered glass. Advertising mentions quartz glass which is a form of tempered glass, the other form is silica although the terms are used interchangeably. The product is called Solarglass and is textured. Last … Continue reading
From Tesla Solar Panels to Solar Roof
When the new glass roof tiles from Tesla were in the media, I was intrigued because we eventually needed a new roof and we live in the Hail Alley of Colorado which means hail is frequent and often damages roofs. … Continue reading
Green Roof?
I’m waiting for Tesla to install solar roof tiles. The project is at the Xcel power company application stage. The permit from the city was granted. We decided to upgrade the roof to solar tiles the day the president announced … Continue reading
Buried Pool Power
When I applied for a permit for the pool the requirement was to have a separate 20 amp GFCI line for it. The electricians installed that back in 2016. I have been using a long extension cord for the pool … Continue reading
Fixing Leaks in Pool Plumbing
I’ve been spending a lot of time on the pool plumbing. I’ve had a couple of pipe blow offs including one that moved a lot of water out of the pool. Each one of these threaded pipes blew apart when … Continue reading
Vinyl Lattice Floor for Inflatable Boat
Some time ago I picked up a pile of vinyl lattice edging at the Repurposed Materials auction. I had in mind to use the single edge caps to frame the glass for the trombe wall. I’m still hoping they can … Continue reading
Interesting Design Detail
I have had to seek some unusual solutions to some unique spaces in our house. The opening in the partial “attic loft” in the family room bathroom was a difficult one to cover. Originally I thought it could use sliding … Continue reading
Master Bedroom Barn Doors
The master bedroom also had a curtain instead of a door since we had guests who needed privacy. Due to my brother’s help and because I completed the family bath door, it was time to try to install barn doors … Continue reading
Family Bathroom Door
We have been using a curtain in the doorway of the family bathroom since the interior was completed. It provided enough privacy and it was adequate coverage for the building inspection. The plan was to install a rustic door in … Continue reading
Solar Pool Set Up
The extra parts arrived and all of the piping was finally connected with minimal leaks. Not without several issues however.I had the bypass valve assembly ready to install. Unfortunately the plastic that the reducers were made from did not hold … Continue reading
Log Trim
The house is coming along enough that when I cleaned up the mud room for spring, I started decorating it. I have been collecting logs for trim for a few years. I purchased old log beds and railings to repurpose … Continue reading
Solar Pool Heat
Everything takes time and money. The solar pool heat project is no different. I have put together a system based on the old copper collector and a new stainless steel heat exchanger. This is the system design. I purchased a … Continue reading
Replaced Pool Valve
The used pool filter had a big crack in the valve that I tried to repair with silicone goop and tape. It was good enough to run for awhile while the new valve was ordered from Intex. Because of COVID-19 … Continue reading
Stripped Down Solar
One of the reasons the repair I tried for the 3′ x 7’ solar panels was a disaster is that the glass broke when I was moving it. The glass in the solar panels seems to be extremely fragile. I … Continue reading
Low Growth Full Sun Xeriscape
Dave started a garden border in front of the house. He installed leftover tile pieces in a concrete base to create a flat planting area for some xeriscape plants. He leveled the tops of the tile pieces and filled the … Continue reading
Pool Problems
Seems like nothing I do lately is without issues. The pool was leveled but not very well, so that when the water delivery happened it was about 3″ out of level. Not too bad, water guy said he had seen … Continue reading