Shower : Re-invisioned.
Reduce, Re-use, Re-cycle
With a considerably Reduced bank balance, and materials available for Re-use, Ruby's family has decided to Re-cylce their thinking process on how to provide a shower for the family during the Re-novation.
Saturday Morning, early:
Step one in the right direction. DH goes To Town for provisions. Chips, soda, milk, cereal, sandwich meat, bacon. A few additional building supplies available at The Farm Store.
Step two: DH cheerfully wakes up the family and assigns jobs.
Aspiring Chef DD#2 will be in charge of cooking breakfast and providing food, snacks and drinks for the day.
DS#2 will be in search of the sub-crawl space access point. More on this later.
Ruby will be in charge of trying to contain the mess, and remembering what order the work should be done in.
DH is in Charge.
DS#2 isn't even aware that there is a secret access panel to the sub-crawl space in the bottom of the old coat closet. The closet is soon to be demolished for the Master Bath anyway, and so has been cleared of the first layer of useful stuff. What remains is the useless stuff, and the unsure stuff. His mission is to empty the closet to find a small plywood panel in the floor that will allow him access. Most people have probably never heard of a sub-crawl space. They may have heard of a sub-basement, which is a basement under a basement. It's not to be confused with a pub-crawl, where the drinkers walk, or otherwise make their way, from one pub to another without the aid of automobiles. Well, a sub-crawl space is more of a sub-set of a crawl space. It's more of a math or geometry term than the other terms. It would take a long time to explain clearly, but just so you understand that the area under the shower and the closet is a tiny, short, spidery, dank, damp, dirt bottomed, cracked-up-stone walled, hole below progressibly rotted floor joists and the hole in the closet floor is a short cut (a worm hole, if you will) to getting to the shower plumbing.
A lot of the past night was spent with head scratching and trying to remember IF there is a shut off valve for the shower and where it might be. This involved an opportunity for Ruby to tell stories about the plumbing woes experienced by the house over the last 40 documented years. Sure that there were shut off valves installed the last time the pipes froze and burst under the floor, Ruby continues to encourage DS#2 to follow the pipes. All the while DH was trying his best to remember any of this, and not finding those memories.
Keep in mind that some of the family's favorite movies recently have been Hugo and City of Ember....
If the family can't find the shut off valves, the whole house water supply will have to be shut off for hours while new shut-offs are installed.....
oooh-weeee-ooooo
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Auction Shower: Fail continued .....
The saga of remodeling the Down Stairs Bathroom into a Master Bath, during which time the Second Bathroom (aka Kid's Bath) needed to be upgraded just enough to have an operational shower so that the Household would not be totally showerless for weeks during what is predicted to be one of the hottest summers on record.
We sought solutions at Big Box Supply House. Roamed the miles of aisles and acres of displays. All the chrome and porcelain and shiney stuff a person could imagine has been collected in this one place.
DS#2 abandoned us to go look at Outlet Covers and Light Switches.
DS#2 hung close to find out what he and Big Brother were doomed to do the next day.
Armed with the correct measurements and the experimental statistics from our mock-ups and backed by all the knowledge of Geometry we had combined, we read every sign and box in the Plumbing Fixtures / Tub, Bath and Spa section. The first conclusion we came to was that we could not afford to invest in a shiney new tub. Realization of just what a great deal that auction tub was. If only it had worked!
DS#2, being one of the primary users of this New Shower, became very interested and involved in this decision. And the fact that if we blew the budget, his car would Not be getting that new clutch that it needed. So, we decided to go for the lowest priced, largest sized TWO PIECE shower they had, that would ALSO go up the stairs. Did you know that some of the showeres manufactured and sold at Big Box don't meed the minimum code requirements for shower size? DS#2 pointed out that DD#2 would not care if the shower was the size of a shool locker, but he needed adequate space in a shower, and Height. Did he mention Height? Tall...
Turned out that for the price we could afford, and the size limit we had to work with, we could get:
Exactly the same shower that we had in the soon to be demolished bathroom that we've been using for the last 20 years. And, we could only buy that for the same estimated cost as a New Clutch.
So, the plan was seeded. If everything worked out just right, and we started Early Saturday Morning we could:
Take out the existing Downstairs Shower, haul it outside to scrape off the grunge and existing caulk and tile grout.
Install the drain: some extra materials required because now it's a Shower instead of a Tub.
Carry the cleaned and refurbished shower upstairs.
Install the shower, with proper Caulking this time: 3 tubes of caulk purchased.
Figure out how to use the Tub/Shower combo fixture on a Shower only and plumb the shower.
Totally rehabilitate the Sliding Shower Doors that have been known to Trap small people and try to Kill tall people.
Let all the solvent, sealant, caulk set up overnight.
What could go wrong?
Failure, while not a option, would mean not having a shower at all. For Sunday Morning!
duh da dun....
The saga of remodeling the Down Stairs Bathroom into a Master Bath, during which time the Second Bathroom (aka Kid's Bath) needed to be upgraded just enough to have an operational shower so that the Household would not be totally showerless for weeks during what is predicted to be one of the hottest summers on record.
We sought solutions at Big Box Supply House. Roamed the miles of aisles and acres of displays. All the chrome and porcelain and shiney stuff a person could imagine has been collected in this one place.
DS#2 abandoned us to go look at Outlet Covers and Light Switches.
DS#2 hung close to find out what he and Big Brother were doomed to do the next day.
Armed with the correct measurements and the experimental statistics from our mock-ups and backed by all the knowledge of Geometry we had combined, we read every sign and box in the Plumbing Fixtures / Tub, Bath and Spa section. The first conclusion we came to was that we could not afford to invest in a shiney new tub. Realization of just what a great deal that auction tub was. If only it had worked!
DS#2, being one of the primary users of this New Shower, became very interested and involved in this decision. And the fact that if we blew the budget, his car would Not be getting that new clutch that it needed. So, we decided to go for the lowest priced, largest sized TWO PIECE shower they had, that would ALSO go up the stairs. Did you know that some of the showeres manufactured and sold at Big Box don't meed the minimum code requirements for shower size? DS#2 pointed out that DD#2 would not care if the shower was the size of a shool locker, but he needed adequate space in a shower, and Height. Did he mention Height? Tall...
Turned out that for the price we could afford, and the size limit we had to work with, we could get:
Exactly the same shower that we had in the soon to be demolished bathroom that we've been using for the last 20 years. And, we could only buy that for the same estimated cost as a New Clutch.
So, the plan was seeded. If everything worked out just right, and we started Early Saturday Morning we could:
Take out the existing Downstairs Shower, haul it outside to scrape off the grunge and existing caulk and tile grout.
Install the drain: some extra materials required because now it's a Shower instead of a Tub.
Carry the cleaned and refurbished shower upstairs.
Install the shower, with proper Caulking this time: 3 tubes of caulk purchased.
Figure out how to use the Tub/Shower combo fixture on a Shower only and plumb the shower.
Totally rehabilitate the Sliding Shower Doors that have been known to Trap small people and try to Kill tall people.
Let all the solvent, sealant, caulk set up overnight.
What could go wrong?
Failure, while not a option, would mean not having a shower at all. For Sunday Morning!
duh da dun....
Monday, April 30, 2012
Update on the Auction Shower : Somewhat of a disaster. It was a Bargain! We were there for 6 Hours, and it took another 2 hours to get my Crew fed and delivered to their homes. Several days went into planning and preparation. After all that, DH & sons could NOT get the thing up the stairs to the bathroom it was to go into. Un-be-lievable! He had measured the doors and stairs and landings and hallway. I had measured the tub and it's surround. Soooo .... When I got it home, the first thing he had to do was to remove the bathroom door; just like he was planning to anyway to get the old tub out. The old tub came out peacefully and is currently sitting in the coffee table space in the Living Room. (Yep, it gets better.) So he removes the bathroom door, and it's frame. Re-measures. Removes part of the wall. Removes more of the wall. Finally he thinks it'll work.
So, the big day comes when both Sons are home for the day to help. (I was thankfully at work.)
I get a call from DS#2. Do I know where their gloves are? (The regular coat closet is part of this renovation, all gloves are in the Green Bin, not the Blue one.) While the front side of an "Acrylic" tub is all smooth and pretty, the back side is the opposite: Fiberglass is hard on the hands and other body parts.
I get a call: "Geometry is NOT my Friend!" We discuss alternative ways to turn the tub on it's way up the stairs. Did I mention that this is a One Piece Tub and Shower that is 5' x 34" x Over 6 feet tall? Did I mention that the stairs have a short run, a 90 degree right turn, a long run, another 90 degree right turn into the hallway, and then Another 90 degree right turn into the bathroom (which has an XXL wide opening right now). And, when you get there, the tub really needs to be turned 180 degrees from where it needs to be to get up the other turns? That means that the faucet end of the tub will actually be roughly 10' directly above the bottom Newel Post.
I get a call from DS#1. He's biding his time on the upper landing where he's trapped while DH goes to get a tool. "Dad want's to know how much you want to keep this bannister / guardrail thing." Ummm, I do want it to go Back if it has to come out.
I get a call from DD#2. She's been sent to find the SAWSALL. She's the Pink Girl and 13. She has no idea what a sawsall is. Until I remind her that DH was using it to take out the bathroom door last night, both making so much noise that she couldn't hear her TV show AND getting all kinds of "dusty gunk" ALL OVER the bathroom counter and Mirror AND IN HER TOOTHBRUSH ! "Um, SweetTea: What does your Daddy want with the Sawsall?", I ask.
Call from DH: Can he cut the top of the Shower Surround off the Tub and take it up in two pieces? It seems he might have mis-measured the Height of the "little slopey part of the ceiling" over the bottom run of stairs. And he thought I was surely mistaken about a 6 Foot Tall Shower surround. Why would it be that tall? "Surely you meant 60 inches." I suggest that it's time for a cold drink, a little TV, maybe a nap. We should go out to dinner....
I come home early. I admire the new "rustication" on the woodwork and paneling of the stairway. I complement him on not removing the banister or newel posts. DS#1 has "gone to work", he got called in, emergency, you know. DS#2 and DD#2 are sheepishly washing dishes and doing all their other chores that have been let slide due to The Renovation. DH is sacked out in the recliner.
I remeasure everything. DS#2 and I build a "mock up" of the tub using Pink Insulation Board and a refrigerator box and Duct Tape. We keep cutting it down until we get something that CAN fit up the stairs. DS#2 helps us dry run it several times. Then we wake up Dad to go to dinner, and Big Box Building Supply in The City, because he's allready driven the Local Hardware guy to request that he not Always try to Shop Local......
to be continued.....
So, the big day comes when both Sons are home for the day to help. (I was thankfully at work.)
I get a call from DS#2. Do I know where their gloves are? (The regular coat closet is part of this renovation, all gloves are in the Green Bin, not the Blue one.) While the front side of an "Acrylic" tub is all smooth and pretty, the back side is the opposite: Fiberglass is hard on the hands and other body parts.
I get a call: "Geometry is NOT my Friend!" We discuss alternative ways to turn the tub on it's way up the stairs. Did I mention that this is a One Piece Tub and Shower that is 5' x 34" x Over 6 feet tall? Did I mention that the stairs have a short run, a 90 degree right turn, a long run, another 90 degree right turn into the hallway, and then Another 90 degree right turn into the bathroom (which has an XXL wide opening right now). And, when you get there, the tub really needs to be turned 180 degrees from where it needs to be to get up the other turns? That means that the faucet end of the tub will actually be roughly 10' directly above the bottom Newel Post.
I get a call from DS#1. He's biding his time on the upper landing where he's trapped while DH goes to get a tool. "Dad want's to know how much you want to keep this bannister / guardrail thing." Ummm, I do want it to go Back if it has to come out.
I get a call from DD#2. She's been sent to find the SAWSALL. She's the Pink Girl and 13. She has no idea what a sawsall is. Until I remind her that DH was using it to take out the bathroom door last night, both making so much noise that she couldn't hear her TV show AND getting all kinds of "dusty gunk" ALL OVER the bathroom counter and Mirror AND IN HER TOOTHBRUSH ! "Um, SweetTea: What does your Daddy want with the Sawsall?", I ask.
Call from DH: Can he cut the top of the Shower Surround off the Tub and take it up in two pieces? It seems he might have mis-measured the Height of the "little slopey part of the ceiling" over the bottom run of stairs. And he thought I was surely mistaken about a 6 Foot Tall Shower surround. Why would it be that tall? "Surely you meant 60 inches." I suggest that it's time for a cold drink, a little TV, maybe a nap. We should go out to dinner....
I come home early. I admire the new "rustication" on the woodwork and paneling of the stairway. I complement him on not removing the banister or newel posts. DS#1 has "gone to work", he got called in, emergency, you know. DS#2 and DD#2 are sheepishly washing dishes and doing all their other chores that have been let slide due to The Renovation. DH is sacked out in the recliner.
I remeasure everything. DS#2 and I build a "mock up" of the tub using Pink Insulation Board and a refrigerator box and Duct Tape. We keep cutting it down until we get something that CAN fit up the stairs. DS#2 helps us dry run it several times. Then we wake up Dad to go to dinner, and Big Box Building Supply in The City, because he's allready driven the Local Hardware guy to request that he not Always try to Shop Local......
to be continued.....
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
Goin to the Auction to get plumbing fixtures! Yeee Haaa!
Only a few of you will understand this: I'm pretty excited about going to the Auction to get Plumbing Fixtures tonight!
Yeah. I know, most people don't think of an Auction as the best place to get new plumbing fixtures. But, this Beige Recyclable has learned from experience that the Auction is one of the cheapest places to get building materials. There's an Auction house a little ways up the highway that frequently handles materials for several high-end builders in "the city". Back in the good old days of a few years back when the building boom was still going strong, they had truck loads of materials every two weeks. In these days of austerity, there's likely to only be a few items there once a month. But it's still a good, cheap source.
Now, you're probably asking "Where do these materials come from? And why do these builders want to sell them so cheap?" Well, I can only speculate as I don't know for sure. But, I have been around more than my fair share of construction sites. Home building is especially prone to "that's not what the owner was expecting". The builder orders a product, say some flooring, and when it arrives it turns out to not be what the owner wanted. There might not be anything wrong with the product. It's just not what they expected. There is a difference in the material in person from the photo in the catalog or online. Or maybe the sample varies from the full sized product.
Or, the builder ordered the wrong item or the wrong item was shipped. On a window especially, the width and height dimensions can get transposed. A 42" wide by 30" high window is not going to fit in the same space as a 30" wide by 42" high window. Maybe they ordered all 36" doors, and when it comes to installing them, they won't all fit.
Sometimes there is damage in shipping. If an owner is paying a huge sum for a perfect piece of wood work, a ding, dent, or scratch can be a huge thing. On the other hand, if I can get it for 10% of it's worth, maybe I can live with a scuff or two. Or maybe I can put the time and effort into fixing the flaw. Maybe I don't need that last foot anyways.
So, instead of returning to the manufacturer or somehow trying to get their money back, the builder sends it all to the Auction. It may be more cost effective in the long run for them to sell it for a fraction than to try to ship it back. A Skilled Construction Worker's time is valuable and shouldn't be wasted on trying to put tile back into a box and then paying the shipping to send it back. Their loss is our gain.
DH has scoped out a fiberglass shower/tub unit at the auction tonight. From his assessment, it was probably damaged during installation. The hole for the shower head and faucet has to be cut out at the building site to make sure that it's in the correct location. The manufacturer doesn't cut it out at the factory because there are too many different variables. Stud spacing, plumbing access, faucet type, control type and size, number of openings required. The list is long. But this time, somebody must not have "measured twice" because when they "cut once" it was in the wrong place. Will we end up with an off-center shower head? Possibly. Will it matter to my family? Not at all when they know that the alternative is to continue trying to shower with the hose attached to the antique/vintage (and not in the good way) faucet that is on the rusting out claw foot bath tub in the kid's bathroom.
So, Off I go to save some bucks!
Yeah. I know, most people don't think of an Auction as the best place to get new plumbing fixtures. But, this Beige Recyclable has learned from experience that the Auction is one of the cheapest places to get building materials. There's an Auction house a little ways up the highway that frequently handles materials for several high-end builders in "the city". Back in the good old days of a few years back when the building boom was still going strong, they had truck loads of materials every two weeks. In these days of austerity, there's likely to only be a few items there once a month. But it's still a good, cheap source.
Now, you're probably asking "Where do these materials come from? And why do these builders want to sell them so cheap?" Well, I can only speculate as I don't know for sure. But, I have been around more than my fair share of construction sites. Home building is especially prone to "that's not what the owner was expecting". The builder orders a product, say some flooring, and when it arrives it turns out to not be what the owner wanted. There might not be anything wrong with the product. It's just not what they expected. There is a difference in the material in person from the photo in the catalog or online. Or maybe the sample varies from the full sized product.
Or, the builder ordered the wrong item or the wrong item was shipped. On a window especially, the width and height dimensions can get transposed. A 42" wide by 30" high window is not going to fit in the same space as a 30" wide by 42" high window. Maybe they ordered all 36" doors, and when it comes to installing them, they won't all fit.
Sometimes there is damage in shipping. If an owner is paying a huge sum for a perfect piece of wood work, a ding, dent, or scratch can be a huge thing. On the other hand, if I can get it for 10% of it's worth, maybe I can live with a scuff or two. Or maybe I can put the time and effort into fixing the flaw. Maybe I don't need that last foot anyways.
So, instead of returning to the manufacturer or somehow trying to get their money back, the builder sends it all to the Auction. It may be more cost effective in the long run for them to sell it for a fraction than to try to ship it back. A Skilled Construction Worker's time is valuable and shouldn't be wasted on trying to put tile back into a box and then paying the shipping to send it back. Their loss is our gain.
DH has scoped out a fiberglass shower/tub unit at the auction tonight. From his assessment, it was probably damaged during installation. The hole for the shower head and faucet has to be cut out at the building site to make sure that it's in the correct location. The manufacturer doesn't cut it out at the factory because there are too many different variables. Stud spacing, plumbing access, faucet type, control type and size, number of openings required. The list is long. But this time, somebody must not have "measured twice" because when they "cut once" it was in the wrong place. Will we end up with an off-center shower head? Possibly. Will it matter to my family? Not at all when they know that the alternative is to continue trying to shower with the hose attached to the antique/vintage (and not in the good way) faucet that is on the rusting out claw foot bath tub in the kid's bathroom.
So, Off I go to save some bucks!
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Bird Feeders or Hanging Trash Update
Ok, time for an update on the Feeder/Hanging Trash report.
Yes, it was cheap to make and an OK reuse of materials.
And, I can almost live with the look. I did move it from the "out front tree with very public view" to the "back of the Christmas Tree that faces the unseen side of the house".
Take into consideration:
Form Follows Function has always been one of my favorite sayings.
This particular feeder is a looser. It's Form doesn't allow for easy filling. The light weight when running low on food leads to blowing in the wind. The Cardinals didn't like it even when I filled it with sunflower seeds. The holes were too little for the seeds to flow out and when I made them bigger.... well it was just a mess.
So, back to the drawing board and the trash bin.
Yes, it was cheap to make and an OK reuse of materials.
And, I can almost live with the look. I did move it from the "out front tree with very public view" to the "back of the Christmas Tree that faces the unseen side of the house".
Take into consideration:
Form Follows Function has always been one of my favorite sayings.
This particular feeder is a looser. It's Form doesn't allow for easy filling. The light weight when running low on food leads to blowing in the wind. The Cardinals didn't like it even when I filled it with sunflower seeds. The holes were too little for the seeds to flow out and when I made them bigger.... well it was just a mess.
So, back to the drawing board and the trash bin.
Thursday, February 9, 2012
Oil for spinning wheels from the gun shop??
You find out the most wonderful things at Ravelry.com. DakotaSkipper, one of my favorite Ravelers, recently posted that the Gun Oil, Ballistol:
Last fall, I went with the boys and perused the hunting caps and sweaters as they shopped. I got some great ideas for their knitted Christmas gifts. Got great deals on "knit in the dark" flashlights for the DDs & nieces, too.
But NONE of them has EVER bothered to clue me in on Ballistol. And THEY have been the first to complain when a squeaky wheel disturbs their Surround Sound. Must be because they're all the nerd/geek bow hunter photographer nature hiker woodcutter types instead of the gun toters. It astounds me how a squeaky wheel can disturb the soundtrack of a Star Wars movie or the explosions of a Die Hard Terminator Zombie Apocalypse.
Ballistol can be used On virtually anything! It does NOT damage wood or leather, it cleans metal as it lubricates and it can spread very easily into the smallest areas. It is also biodegradable. AND it does not build up into a hard, black gooey mess either.Cabela's ! Yea ! Any of those stores, including Bass Pro are some of my favorite places. The one has "stuffed" animals and the other has a huge, I mean Humongous, fish tank. There were even live wood ducks in the indoor waterfall at one years ago. My older kids, born when DH & I were college students, would think they had gone to the zoo and the aquarium on Saturdays when we went from Cabelas to Bass Pro to Pet World, sometimes we even stopped at the animal shelter and volunteered to walk doggies and socialize with cats. All good fun and no cost. The kids eventually caught on and had to reconcile the differences between their classmates zoo experiences and their own. ;-)
Last fall, I went with the boys and perused the hunting caps and sweaters as they shopped. I got some great ideas for their knitted Christmas gifts. Got great deals on "knit in the dark" flashlights for the DDs & nieces, too.
But NONE of them has EVER bothered to clue me in on Ballistol. And THEY have been the first to complain when a squeaky wheel disturbs their Surround Sound. Must be because they're all the nerd/geek bow hunter photographer nature hiker woodcutter types instead of the gun toters. It astounds me how a squeaky wheel can disturb the soundtrack of a Star Wars movie or the explosions of a Die Hard Terminator Zombie Apocalypse.
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Tote Bags from Bird Feed bags
Since the subject of Bird Feeders has come up, I think it's time to mention making tote bags from Bird Feed Bags. They looked really good at the Middle School Craft Fair. The bags must be made of a very durable material, it takes forever for them to disintegrate if they blow away and get stuck on a barbed wire fence. We're going to have several of them very soon at the rate these birds are eating. Aside from the cost of the bird feed, they're "free". By the way, name brand bird feed definitely comes in more attractive and tote-worthy bags than the generic.
One of the many pages of directions can be found here: http://www.curbly.com/users/stephee/posts/2064-make-a-bird-seed-bag-grocery-tote
Notes that might help: Heavy Duty Sewing Machine with Heavy Duty Needle only
Reinforce stitching based on intended use: If you're going to carry heavy stuff, sew more lines of stitching.
Some of these can survive a machine wash, cool water, delicate cycle. But I wouldn't throw it in with anything you don't want it to fade on.
One of the many pages of directions can be found here: http://www.curbly.com/users/stephee/posts/2064-make-a-bird-seed-bag-grocery-tote
Notes that might help: Heavy Duty Sewing Machine with Heavy Duty Needle only
Reinforce stitching based on intended use: If you're going to carry heavy stuff, sew more lines of stitching.
Some of these can survive a machine wash, cool water, delicate cycle. But I wouldn't throw it in with anything you don't want it to fade on.
Monday, February 6, 2012
Bird Feeders or Hanging Trash?
It's winter.
I want to feed the birds.
Bird Feeders from the store are expensive.
So, we could make our own. Searching on the internet results in many directions for how to make birdfeeders from household materials including: peanut butter jars, milk jugs, detergent bottles, sticks, coat hangers, all stuff we have around the house.
So far, the three kinds I've tried are difficult to make, more difficult to refill, and, quite frankly, ugly and look like trash.
I want to feed the birds.
Bird Feeders from the store are expensive.
So, we could make our own. Searching on the internet results in many directions for how to make birdfeeders from household materials including: peanut butter jars, milk jugs, detergent bottles, sticks, coat hangers, all stuff we have around the house.
So far, the three kinds I've tried are difficult to make, more difficult to refill, and, quite frankly, ugly and look like trash.
Friday, December 30, 2011
Forced Air Central Heating is AWESOME
Well, after several weeks of tinkering with it ourselves, I finally got the DH on board with calling a certified repairman to work on the furnace.
Liquid Propane is not a gas to be trifled with, if you didn't know. Being heavier than air, a gas leak can fill a basement with fumes. From that point, the ignition of the furnace or a water heater, or any number of other things can cause a catastrophic explosion. The only upside to such an explosion is that it usually "blows itself out", whatever that means in "Volunteer Fire-ese".
Now, How?, you might be asking, does this apply Beige Recyclables? Well, in researching the furnace online while we were trouble shooting to find out what its problem was, I discovered that the poor little furnace is actually a Mobile Home furnace. Oddly enough, made by Coleman, the camping people. And, yet, somehow it made it's way into the quasi-basement, glorified crawl space of a 1911 Four Square Craftsman farmhouse with about 2500 sf of living space. Hmmm, I'm thinking my Engineering friends would go pale if asked to do the calculations on that heating load. So, it's probably a miracle that it has kept us this warm for this long.
And, I am so glad that the repair-guy could find a part to repair it at all, and really thankful that the whole saga added up to a little under $1000 when all was added up. It could have been so much more.
So, we'll be taking as much advantage of those Insulation Tax Credits as possible.
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.........
Liquid Propane is not a gas to be trifled with, if you didn't know. Being heavier than air, a gas leak can fill a basement with fumes. From that point, the ignition of the furnace or a water heater, or any number of other things can cause a catastrophic explosion. The only upside to such an explosion is that it usually "blows itself out", whatever that means in "Volunteer Fire-ese".
Now, How?, you might be asking, does this apply Beige Recyclables? Well, in researching the furnace online while we were trouble shooting to find out what its problem was, I discovered that the poor little furnace is actually a Mobile Home furnace. Oddly enough, made by Coleman, the camping people. And, yet, somehow it made it's way into the quasi-basement, glorified crawl space of a 1911 Four Square Craftsman farmhouse with about 2500 sf of living space. Hmmm, I'm thinking my Engineering friends would go pale if asked to do the calculations on that heating load. So, it's probably a miracle that it has kept us this warm for this long.
And, I am so glad that the repair-guy could find a part to repair it at all, and really thankful that the whole saga added up to a little under $1000 when all was added up. It could have been so much more.
So, we'll be taking as much advantage of those Insulation Tax Credits as possible.
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.........
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Christmas already!
Wow, just finished another awesome Christmas with the family!
One more thing to be grateful for this year. Family.
Love them all, every one of them.
The tall and the small, the young and the old, the loud and the quiet.
Christmas Eve service with everyone holding a candle with a little paper collar. Staying up too late talking and rocking babies that can't get to sleep 'cause they're not home in their own bed. Christmas Sunday service was an added blessing this year. Can't remember very often that a Christmas has been on Sunday. Lots of Pew-time made the matriarch of the clan extra proud and happy. She deserves it, she's earned it.
Movies, and singing and games. The Kids: the kids that were little ones just a blink of an eye ago and now sharing their newborns with us. So many kids in this family that the generations overlap with Cousins having toddlers that are older that the youngest of the Cousins. How can anyone ever grow up with out Cousins?
The weather was sooooo mild here this year. No Snow at all. Sure, it was muddy out in the field, but the kids could run all over the farm.
Turkey & Stuffing and Riced Potatoes, home canned green beans, warm bread, and Jello Salad and Chex Mix, Pies (6 kinds), holey moley CARB OVERLOAD.
Sorry we've lost the family members that had such problems with Diabetes. Mindfull that the Diabetic Train is shining it's light at the end of my genetic tunnel.
One more thing to be grateful for this year. Family.
Love them all, every one of them.
The tall and the small, the young and the old, the loud and the quiet.
Christmas Eve service with everyone holding a candle with a little paper collar. Staying up too late talking and rocking babies that can't get to sleep 'cause they're not home in their own bed. Christmas Sunday service was an added blessing this year. Can't remember very often that a Christmas has been on Sunday. Lots of Pew-time made the matriarch of the clan extra proud and happy. She deserves it, she's earned it.
Movies, and singing and games. The Kids: the kids that were little ones just a blink of an eye ago and now sharing their newborns with us. So many kids in this family that the generations overlap with Cousins having toddlers that are older that the youngest of the Cousins. How can anyone ever grow up with out Cousins?
The weather was sooooo mild here this year. No Snow at all. Sure, it was muddy out in the field, but the kids could run all over the farm.
Turkey & Stuffing and Riced Potatoes, home canned green beans, warm bread, and Jello Salad and Chex Mix, Pies (6 kinds), holey moley CARB OVERLOAD.
Sorry we've lost the family members that had such problems with Diabetes. Mindfull that the Diabetic Train is shining it's light at the end of my genetic tunnel.
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Raising Hope TV show
Have you seen Raising Hope? Does it strike a chord? Is this more reality than anyother show we've seen for a long time?
They have a whole episode called "Dream Hoarders".
Hitting way too close to home...........
They have a whole episode called "Dream Hoarders".
Hitting way too close to home...........
Weekend Project Tip of the Week #2
Have you ever been to the "Instructables" website? I personally love it!
So, this week's Weekend Project Tip is how to make a Center Pull Ball of Yarn; By Hand (with No Tools At All). Actually, this was supposed to be posted last Friday, and I guess I hit Save instead of Post.
I have wanted a "ball winder" for years. Drooled over them in catalogs and in yarn shops. They seem so magical. But, they're expensive.
The other option is a Nostpine, Nostepin, Nostepinne - How is it supposed to be spelled anyway? Which can be a beautifully carved piece of exotic wood - or a stick.
So, when I found this instructable and started using this technique, it solved so many problems.
So, this week's Weekend Project Tip is how to make a Center Pull Ball of Yarn; By Hand (with No Tools At All). Actually, this was supposed to be posted last Friday, and I guess I hit Save instead of Post.
I have wanted a "ball winder" for years. Drooled over them in catalogs and in yarn shops. They seem so magical. But, they're expensive.
The other option is a Nostpine, Nostepin, Nostepinne - How is it supposed to be spelled anyway? Which can be a beautifully carved piece of exotic wood - or a stick.
So, when I found this instructable and started using this technique, it solved so many problems.
- It's free! God gave me the fingers and they still work
- I can't loose it, or pack it away, or forget it at home. Fingers are always with me (so far).
- The parts won't wear out, get jammed up, or chewed by the dog. Well, the fingers will do all of those things, but, you know what I mean.
- I can make the ball of yarn any size that I want to. All the storebought ball winders that I have ever seen have a specific size ball in mind with their design. What if I've got a tiny bit of yarn that I want in a ball? What if I want to wind a whole pound of yarn into one huge ball?
- I can use even my own lumpy home spun yarn that I did myself. The mechanical ball winders can be very finicky on what weight of yarn and the texture of the yarn they will handle.
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Scrape Windshields Carefully
Just so you know, in case you didn't, don't scrape your vehicle windows with things that will scratch the glass.
An aluminum can makes a good emergency ice scraper, but it can leave marks that may never come off.
It probably doesn't matter if it was a pop can or a beer can, except it's much more difficult to explain empty beer cans in your vehicle.
They look kind of like scratches in the glass, but they're really probably bits of aluminum left behind. We've been trying to get these darned marks off the windshield for a couple of years now.
Just Sayin'
An aluminum can makes a good emergency ice scraper, but it can leave marks that may never come off.
It probably doesn't matter if it was a pop can or a beer can, except it's much more difficult to explain empty beer cans in your vehicle.
They look kind of like scratches in the glass, but they're really probably bits of aluminum left behind. We've been trying to get these darned marks off the windshield for a couple of years now.
Just Sayin'
Saturday, February 5, 2011
Frozen Pipes
Have you ever tried to explain Frozen Pipes to City People? Especially 20 something City People? Just one of the many times that I personally witness the irony of City People portraying Country People as the less intelligent of the species.
The farmhouse has frozen pipes, again. Snow Days for the kids to be out of school are great, especially when the pipes are frozen.
Yesterday morning, the Shower Drain was the most urgent. That was thawed by noon for the teen to shower (which the rest of the family really appreciated). Hours of shoveling snow and building snow forts make for a smelly teen. And the scent of damp socks in snow boots was overwhelming.
By yesterday evening, the clothes washer drain was spewing soapy water all over the kitchen. Being the handy-family we are, we were able to find a 5 gallon Dry Wall Compound bucket to drain it into, so that load of jeans finally got washed and rinsed. We are now all more fully aware of exactly how much water it takes to do a load of laundry. And how heavy a 5 gallon bucket of soapy water is. And how the shower drain, if not frozen, will drain out faster than the vanity sink that only holds about 1 gallon of water before overflowing.
All of these are lessons that city kids miss the chance of learning on snow days!
This morning, the shower was draining, and there was hot water, but a few minutes into the shower it was discovered there was no cold water to the showerhead. Did you know that means that the water was too hot? The first idea that might come up is to let the water run until most of the hot is used up and then the water will be cool. That really only works for a few seconds of nice warm water, and then it gets progressively cooler until it's too cold to shower in. We found that out last year. But, on the other hand, a tub filled with only hot water until the hot runs out will eventually become tepid enough to bathe in. Once, just for a few minutes. And it is a chance to have a steam sauna spa experience without the expense of installing the expensive sauna.
Next week we will look at how Problem Condensation can lead to home damage and Black Mold........
The farmhouse has frozen pipes, again. Snow Days for the kids to be out of school are great, especially when the pipes are frozen.
Yesterday morning, the Shower Drain was the most urgent. That was thawed by noon for the teen to shower (which the rest of the family really appreciated). Hours of shoveling snow and building snow forts make for a smelly teen. And the scent of damp socks in snow boots was overwhelming.
By yesterday evening, the clothes washer drain was spewing soapy water all over the kitchen. Being the handy-family we are, we were able to find a 5 gallon Dry Wall Compound bucket to drain it into, so that load of jeans finally got washed and rinsed. We are now all more fully aware of exactly how much water it takes to do a load of laundry. And how heavy a 5 gallon bucket of soapy water is. And how the shower drain, if not frozen, will drain out faster than the vanity sink that only holds about 1 gallon of water before overflowing.
All of these are lessons that city kids miss the chance of learning on snow days!
This morning, the shower was draining, and there was hot water, but a few minutes into the shower it was discovered there was no cold water to the showerhead. Did you know that means that the water was too hot? The first idea that might come up is to let the water run until most of the hot is used up and then the water will be cool. That really only works for a few seconds of nice warm water, and then it gets progressively cooler until it's too cold to shower in. We found that out last year. But, on the other hand, a tub filled with only hot water until the hot runs out will eventually become tepid enough to bathe in. Once, just for a few minutes. And it is a chance to have a steam sauna spa experience without the expense of installing the expensive sauna.
Next week we will look at how Problem Condensation can lead to home damage and Black Mold........
Friday, February 4, 2011
Snow Drifts and Carbon Monoxide
Watch out for Drifting Snow covering your gas or propane fueled furnace's exhaust vent.
There are reports everywhere from New York to Massachusetts to Arizona about Carbon Monoxide poisonings caused by snow blocking furnace exhaust vents. There can be similar problems with gas clothes dryer vents, gas water heater vents, area heater stoves, pretty much any appliance that uses a flame to produce heat.
This isn't a new thing. Boston problems were in the news in 2006. Blocked exhaust vents have always been a potential problem. It's just that old style furnaces had "smoke stack" like vent flues on the roof while new high efficiency furnaces might just have a PVC pipe run out the sidewall of the house or foundation. It's always been possible for a vent to get clogged up with a bird's nest, or insects like wasps. But now it can be ground dwellers like mice or rabbits too. Garden plants, weeds, grasses, all kinds of things can grow up into the turned down rainhood of a vent. Even piles of leaves or mulch.
Notes to the DIYers out there: When installing a gas appliance exhaust vent,
Keep it up off the ground to avoid debris piled against it.
Don't caulk the opening closed. Caulk around it, but don't seal it shut.
Don't use the vent as a sleeve to run a garden hose out to the yard through.
Don't turn the end of the vent "up" to catch rain water for the humidifier.
Don't use the warm vent air to heat the dog's house.
Don't combine HVAC vent with plumbing vent - not even if the furnace vent pvc pipe does look just like the sink vent pvc pipe.
Don't cut the end of the vent off, not even to keep it from sticking out away from the wall. If you hit the end of the vent with the mower or break it off accidentally, replace it properly.
Problems are Compounded by the weather; more places are getting snow drifts this winter that usually don't have any drifts at all for years at a time. Added to that is the trend for more people to move around between regions of the US (or the world for that matter). Your new neighbor that grew up in Louisiana may have never had to deal with a 3' snow drift. And finally, more people than ever before are renting instead of homeowning. A renter may not know who's responsibility it is to keep the snow drift off the balcony of the apartment.
On the other hand, if you have an all electric house with an electric furnace, it probably doesn't produce Carbon Monoxide. But, yes, a gas furnace does often use electricity for the fan, thermostat, and igniters.
There are reports everywhere from New York to Massachusetts to Arizona about Carbon Monoxide poisonings caused by snow blocking furnace exhaust vents. There can be similar problems with gas clothes dryer vents, gas water heater vents, area heater stoves, pretty much any appliance that uses a flame to produce heat.
This isn't a new thing. Boston problems were in the news in 2006. Blocked exhaust vents have always been a potential problem. It's just that old style furnaces had "smoke stack" like vent flues on the roof while new high efficiency furnaces might just have a PVC pipe run out the sidewall of the house or foundation. It's always been possible for a vent to get clogged up with a bird's nest, or insects like wasps. But now it can be ground dwellers like mice or rabbits too. Garden plants, weeds, grasses, all kinds of things can grow up into the turned down rainhood of a vent. Even piles of leaves or mulch.
Notes to the DIYers out there: When installing a gas appliance exhaust vent,
Keep it up off the ground to avoid debris piled against it.
Don't caulk the opening closed. Caulk around it, but don't seal it shut.
Don't use the vent as a sleeve to run a garden hose out to the yard through.
Don't turn the end of the vent "up" to catch rain water for the humidifier.
Don't use the warm vent air to heat the dog's house.
Don't combine HVAC vent with plumbing vent - not even if the furnace vent pvc pipe does look just like the sink vent pvc pipe.
Don't cut the end of the vent off, not even to keep it from sticking out away from the wall. If you hit the end of the vent with the mower or break it off accidentally, replace it properly.
Problems are Compounded by the weather; more places are getting snow drifts this winter that usually don't have any drifts at all for years at a time. Added to that is the trend for more people to move around between regions of the US (or the world for that matter). Your new neighbor that grew up in Louisiana may have never had to deal with a 3' snow drift. And finally, more people than ever before are renting instead of homeowning. A renter may not know who's responsibility it is to keep the snow drift off the balcony of the apartment.
On the other hand, if you have an all electric house with an electric furnace, it probably doesn't produce Carbon Monoxide. But, yes, a gas furnace does often use electricity for the fan, thermostat, and igniters.
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Weekend Project Tip of the Week #1
Have you ever been to the "Instruct ables" website? I personally love it!
So, this week's Weekend Project Tip is how to make a Yarn Holder from a Plastic Bottle
A plastic bottle, probably a 2 liter soda pop bottle, can be cut open, stuff a skein of yarn into it, and tape the cut closed.
Simple, cheap, recycled. It does replace a much more expensive specialty knitting accessory.
Knitting can be a very inexpensive hobby, or it can be a money pit, all at the discretion of the knitter.
Some of the tools and accessories are completely optional and no one ever knew that they needed them until the magazines and manufacturers started hawking them with a vengeance. Our foremothers and forefathers provided for their families as best they could with what little they had. Now it seems that every time we turn around, there's some new gadget that should make our lives easier. But, does it really?
What's your favorite, can't do without, homemade tool?
So, this week's Weekend Project Tip is how to make a Yarn Holder from a Plastic Bottle
A plastic bottle, probably a 2 liter soda pop bottle, can be cut open, stuff a skein of yarn into it, and tape the cut closed.
Simple, cheap, recycled. It does replace a much more expensive specialty knitting accessory.
Knitting can be a very inexpensive hobby, or it can be a money pit, all at the discretion of the knitter.
Some of the tools and accessories are completely optional and no one ever knew that they needed them until the magazines and manufacturers started hawking them with a vengeance. Our foremothers and forefathers provided for their families as best they could with what little they had. Now it seems that every time we turn around, there's some new gadget that should make our lives easier. But, does it really?
What's your favorite, can't do without, homemade tool?
Sunday, January 23, 2011
I think I missed this last November on Energy Steps to Take for a Less Pricey Winter, but we were doing all these things anyway.
The tax credits for insulation and the like. Still dreaming about the solar electric system and the geothermal pump.........
Shopping around for cheaper energy sources? Well, out here, there's generally only one, maybe two, propane suppliers in any one area. And there's only one choice in Electric Providers for any one location. Competition has not reached the hinterlands.
There's a link to Michael Bluejay's guide to Saving Electricity. He's really got some good information going on here.
(Beige Recyclables note: just let it slide that he also wants us to become vegetarians and drive less - he means well).
Using a Space Heater can be tricky. Every year, somebody's house burns down because the space heater started a fire. A space heater will allow you to turn down the thermostat on your household system so you save energy, with a few disclaimers:
Putting a space heater near the thermostat and also turning the thermostat down will make the temperature in the other rooms a LOT Lower than you might have intended.
Lowering the thermostat so far that heat doesn't get to rooms or spaces with plumbing may lead to pipes freezing. That can be counter-productive to your budget. The reliable Beige Recyclable Technology, Heat Tape, comes into play here too. Don't forget to plug your heat tape in every fall after you check for damage and wear. Remember that pets and wildlife sometimes like to chew on the wiring if they can get to it. Once again, living in an old house, mobile home, or other alternative shelter does have it's special charms.
And that brings me to the Miraculous Amish Fireplace scam. but, that's enough for today.......
The tax credits for insulation and the like. Still dreaming about the solar electric system and the geothermal pump.........
Shopping around for cheaper energy sources? Well, out here, there's generally only one, maybe two, propane suppliers in any one area. And there's only one choice in Electric Providers for any one location. Competition has not reached the hinterlands.
There's a link to Michael Bluejay's guide to Saving Electricity. He's really got some good information going on here.
(Beige Recyclables note: just let it slide that he also wants us to become vegetarians and drive less - he means well).
Using a Space Heater can be tricky. Every year, somebody's house burns down because the space heater started a fire. A space heater will allow you to turn down the thermostat on your household system so you save energy, with a few disclaimers:
Putting a space heater near the thermostat and also turning the thermostat down will make the temperature in the other rooms a LOT Lower than you might have intended.
Lowering the thermostat so far that heat doesn't get to rooms or spaces with plumbing may lead to pipes freezing. That can be counter-productive to your budget. The reliable Beige Recyclable Technology, Heat Tape, comes into play here too. Don't forget to plug your heat tape in every fall after you check for damage and wear. Remember that pets and wildlife sometimes like to chew on the wiring if they can get to it. Once again, living in an old house, mobile home, or other alternative shelter does have it's special charms.
And that brings me to the Miraculous Amish Fireplace scam. but, that's enough for today.......
Saturday, January 22, 2011
More on Comforters - Suzani?
The author suggests replacement with blanket, quilt or Suzani. Now, blanket or quilt, I'm very familiar with, but Suzani?
The concept of Dowry Textiles is explained at this site on a Romanian Peasant museum display. The concept of having a "good room" where the wife's treasures are kept, displayed, but never used is very familiar. We have the "good china" that lives out its life in the china hutch and is very seldom used. The "good towels" that are only hung in the bath when company is expected, and noone ever actually uses. Some of us even have "good clothes" that are only worn to funerals, if then.
Suzani doesn't show up as listed in Dictionary.com. But, eventually Reference.com has 2 references that I can finally come to peace with: Needlework and "Tribal Beautiful". Why didn't she just say so?
Suzani - 2 reference results
- Suzani an antique and decorative tribal textile made in Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and other Central Asia countries. Its name is from the Persian Suzan which means needle. Art of making such textiles in Iran is called Suzankāri (needlework).
- Suzani, Shamseddin Taj-ul Shu'ara is the name of a 12th century Persian poet from Samarqand.
- Suzani is also a personal name coming from the variations of Suzane and Suzana . The name meaning in Aramaic is "tribal beautiful".
Friday, January 21, 2011
Still Irked about the Comforter Demise article - Farm Animal?
I would hazard to guess that I am vastly more experianced with farm animals. Although I am probably lacking in actual ski parka knowledge. Maybe this is actually a communication gap brought on by the differences in our shopping styles? The author is probably a shopper at the higher end of the marketplace than myself. The Chain-Mart that I frequent can only get real Goose Down comforters with the new Site-to-store ordering. So, I should admit that I have never owned a real Goose Down anything until this last summer when my DH came home with a comforter from a yard sale. It's gone through the washer and dryer several times, and I can't say that it''s ever had a barnyard smell. (Thanks to the DH for getting me that extra capacity washer) It is getting a little limp though. The down seems to work it's way through the microfiber cover pretty easily. It's been a fine coverup for the couch in the living room.
While I was researching, The Chain-Mart website did list Dry Clean Only as the way to go with the couple of real down filled items that they list. Maybe that's the problem for that author? Maybe the really expensive Down can't take normal washing? Maybe the Down wasn't processed and cleaned properly? Maybe the pet of the house makes itself at home with the downy thing while owner is away?
The only way I can figure for "formless feathers" to end up at one end of a Duvet is for there to be no "quilting" or "stitching" to keep them in place. The only thing I can say for that is "What did you expect?" This would be just one of the many reasons that our foremothers came up with quilting. All the Comforters I've experienced have pretty generous, and sometimes curvaceous, lines of stitching that make pockets to hold the stuffing in place. Be it Down, Down-alternative (poly-fiber-fill) or old fashioned Cotton fluff. I would have to lay the fault for that one on the folly of placing fashionable design over functional construction. Invariably, when the look is more important than the servicability, flaws will make themselves known.
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Down Duvet vs. Traditional Quilt : define Too Hot for me
So, yesterday, a New Yorker wrote about the demise of the comforter or Duvet. To be Fashionable, we should all be redecorating with more Tailored bed coverings.
One of the reasons given that the Down comforter or Duvet is TOO warm. Comparable to a wood-burning oven, a sweat factory, a ski parka, gateway to overheating, and simply "hot". Well, looking around where I am right this moment, a wood-fired stove and a parka would seem to be good choices. I admit, it doesn't get this cold nationwide very often, and not even here every year. But, over the course of a lifetime, there seem to always be colder cold nights and hotter hot days.
Whilst first reading the article, I began to assume that the writer must have never been through a truely cold winter. But, checking the author's information line, it says New York. So, that's not a good excuse. The Weather report one day last week pointed out that there was "some" snow in 49 of the 50 states. Even Hawaii had snow on a mountaintop. Only Florida had no measurable snow. (Let's see if that Weather link stays linked to the 1/13/11 snow map or if it updates?) If these reports are correct, almost anywhere you are in the US is colder than usual today. Very few buildings are designed to actually keep comfortable temperatures throughout the entire building during record breaking temperatures. Columbia University which happens to be in New York posts Space Temperature Guidelines for their buildings. It mentions people being appropriately dressed for the season; I swear I saw a student slogging through the snow in Converse, kakhi cargo shorts, and a tshirt this morning! No socks, no coat, no hat!
All of this invariably brings up the subject of Global Warming and one of the best actions to help combat GW should be adjusting the thermostat. Which leads to a cooler bedroom this time of year, right? And so, a Comforter would be welcome, would it not?
So, one of my many conclusions is: The Anti-Comforter movement is therefore Not Green. If they were Green, they would have a cold bedroom and they would need a warm Comforter.
One of the reasons given that the Down comforter or Duvet is TOO warm. Comparable to a wood-burning oven, a sweat factory, a ski parka, gateway to overheating, and simply "hot". Well, looking around where I am right this moment, a wood-fired stove and a parka would seem to be good choices. I admit, it doesn't get this cold nationwide very often, and not even here every year. But, over the course of a lifetime, there seem to always be colder cold nights and hotter hot days.
Whilst first reading the article, I began to assume that the writer must have never been through a truely cold winter. But, checking the author's information line, it says New York. So, that's not a good excuse. The Weather report one day last week pointed out that there was "some" snow in 49 of the 50 states. Even Hawaii had snow on a mountaintop. Only Florida had no measurable snow. (Let's see if that Weather link stays linked to the 1/13/11 snow map or if it updates?) If these reports are correct, almost anywhere you are in the US is colder than usual today. Very few buildings are designed to actually keep comfortable temperatures throughout the entire building during record breaking temperatures. Columbia University which happens to be in New York posts Space Temperature Guidelines for their buildings. It mentions people being appropriately dressed for the season; I swear I saw a student slogging through the snow in Converse, kakhi cargo shorts, and a tshirt this morning! No socks, no coat, no hat!
All of this invariably brings up the subject of Global Warming and one of the best actions to help combat GW should be adjusting the thermostat. Which leads to a cooler bedroom this time of year, right? And so, a Comforter would be welcome, would it not?
So, one of my many conclusions is: The Anti-Comforter movement is therefore Not Green. If they were Green, they would have a cold bedroom and they would need a warm Comforter.
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