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-Chronological Recent Posts Air Intrusion/Thermal Envelope Appliances Bathrooms Central Vacuum Condensing Modulating Gas Boiler Construction Deconstruction Design Style Distractions Electrical Energy Efficiency Finishes Fireplace Boiler Floating Walls Furniture Green Building Interests House Systems Inspections Kitchen Landscape LEED Project Living Room Local Products Maintenance and Repair Master Bedroom Moisture Intrusion/Expansive Soil Monitoring Moving Planning Plumbing Pool Project Team Radiant Cooling Radiant Heat Radon Mitigation Reduce Reuse Recycle Sideline at son’s house Solar Spa Tile Tools Trim Trombe Wall VentilationBy Date
Category Archives: Maintenance and Repair
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
Posted in -Chronological Recent Posts, Maintenance and Repair, Radiant Heat
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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
Posted in -Chronological Recent Posts, Maintenance and Repair, Reduce Reuse Recycle, Spa
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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
Posted in -Chronological Recent Posts, Air Intrusion/Thermal Envelope, Maintenance and Repair
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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
Posted in -Chronological Recent Posts, Maintenance and Repair
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New Sailrite LSZ-1 Sewing Machine
It has arrived! It shipped faster than I expected. The packaging was very secure and it is amazingly heavy and built like a Mack Truck as they say. The underside of the machine is also very stout! The machine came … Continue reading
Posted in -Chronological Recent Posts, Maintenance and Repair, Tools
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The Wrong Tool
Unfortunately I tried to use my Singer 9960 sewing machine to sew a spa cover with vinyl. I didn’t stop the first time the machine jammed. Just cleared the jamb and continued. Then it jammed again and I could not … Continue reading
Posted in -Chronological Recent Posts, Appliances, Maintenance and Repair, Spa, Tools
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Filters and Boiler Maintenance
Fall is falling and some quick chores were completed. We have a Campbell filter on the whole house water supply. It takes a double charcoal filter and it relatively easy to change as long as the water turn off is … Continue reading
Posted in -Chronological Recent Posts, Condensing Modulating Gas Boiler, Maintenance and Repair, Plumbing
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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
Posted in -Chronological Recent Posts, Maintenance and Repair, Pool
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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
Posted in -Chronological Recent Posts, Maintenance and Repair, Spa
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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
Posted in -Chronological Recent Posts, Construction, Distractions, Maintenance and Repair, Spencer House
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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
Posted in Maintenance and Repair, Spa
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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
Posted in Maintenance and Repair, Pool
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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
Posted in -Chronological Recent Posts, Maintenance and Repair, Pool, Solar
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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
Posted in Maintenance and Repair, Pool, Solar
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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
Posted in Maintenance and Repair, Pool
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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
Posted in Landscape, Maintenance and Repair, Pool
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A Little More Awareness
A little more awareness would have gone a long way towards my installation of the new spa pack. I usually read directions but this came without specific directions just diagrams and pictures. I followed the diagram to wire the equipment. … Continue reading
Posted in Maintenance and Repair, Spa
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Getting Ready for Summer
This summer will be a staycation due to the Covid-19 virus. So to get ready I want to set up a 4′ x 18′ round pool that I acquired a few years ago but never utilized. I was able to … Continue reading
Posted in Distractions, Maintenance and Repair, Pool, Reduce Reuse Recycle
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New Spa Equipment Install
The exercise spa that we have been enjoying since 2015 broke down just after New Year’s Day. I thought that the heater wore out but it turned out that the circuit board burned through where the heater connected to it. … Continue reading
Posted in Maintenance and Repair, Spa
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Antique Vanity
Originally I just had in mind to use a copper sink in the back bathroom. I love copper and this is the last bathroom remodel. But copper sinks are expensive so quite some time ago I found a huge copper … Continue reading
Posted in Bathrooms, Design Style, Maintenance and Repair, Reduce Reuse Recycle
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