Polka Dots

Time for a quick entry from Don. I spent yesterday checking our upstairs for existing insulation, to help decide what upgrades to do. I had previously made some test holes behind trim molding at the floor, but needed to check the rest of the walls and sloping ceilings. I ended up drilling a number of 3/4-in diameter holes in enough places to convince myself of the presence (or lack of) insulation. Our upstairs now is polka dotted! The picture doesn't do a very good job of showing it, but you get the idea. This is our bedroom west dormer, but I did all the walls and sloping ceilings upstairs. By the way, that is one of the new vinyl windows.

FWIW, the 3/4-in test hole decision was based on the size of wine corks (to plug the test holes for final spackling). Only the better quality wines have corks that are up to this task (darn--guess we better sip that wine!). Also, we purchased an LCD inspection camera (3 foot flexible probe) from Harbor Freight for about $100, which was used to see behind some of the walls, to help in the analysis (also good for DIY colonoscopies?) We did find everything from no insulation to a variety of blown-in insulation to rock wool batts, to fiberglass batts. The resolution is that about half of the various insulated wall / sloping ceiling areas are OK, and we will open the walls and add or replace insulation for the balance. This also allows for some basic electrical upgrades (mainly grounding everything, and also adding wiring for a couple of portable air conditioners).

We will add insulation on top of the existing ceiling insulation, and will do that right away (before it gets hot). I have to vacate my closet to do that, as the access hatch is there, and is a tight squeeze. Wheeee...what fun!

Little, bitty baby steps

How are you coming on you remodel? We get asked that question daily. The answer is -  we are immersed in details.

Don has all of the new windows in place, temporarily. Don will make shims, to center them exactly in the openings and we will refinish both inside and outside trim before they get installed permanently. But we can already tell that we are very happy with our choice. They look good and operate slick. No more rattling windows when the wind blows! Best of all they will require no maintenance.

Right now, Don is doing reconnaissance to develop our upstairs insulation and wiring plan. He is cutting holes in various places in the upstairs walls to determine were and what kind of insulation is needed. The answer is not simple. So far he has found that some places are insulated with the “wool” we found in the wall behind my desk, some have no insulation, and some areas have a 3-inch batting-style insulation. We don’t want to take out walls needlessly, but we do want to upgrade the insulation to maximum performance, where reasonably possible. All of this is compounded by the fact that we plan to up-grade wiring, an easier job if walls are out of the way, but not worth removing and replacing walls just for the wirings' sake.

I have spent days painting my little wooden desk (the “Eldon” desk). It will be red, the contrasting color we hope to use here and there throughout the house. Boy, that desk has a lot of surfaces! Each one must be sanded, primed, sanded again, and then given two coats of red. I got as far as the red on the stool and then decided that the color was not quite right. I’ll be at it for days and days more!

"Raspberry Truffle" or "Claiente"?

The other question we are often asked is – “when will you be finished?” The answer is - not in the foreseeable future!

Windows Update - Not the Computer Operating System

We are ready for the new vinyl single-hung windows, which arrive on Monday. Several hundred pounds of cast-iron counter weights have been removed from the existing windows, as well as the pulleys. The weights could have been left in the wall, but recycling seems to make sense. The biggest challenge was getting the old upper sashes removed, as they were both painted and nailed in place. The inside trim is often left in place in such work, but I removed it for two reasons: to enable making the trim to fit the new windows better, as some of the old windows were significantly racked (probably installed that way originally), and we will remove interior wall surfaces where insulation upgrades and minor electrical upgrades are needed. Determining the presence and quality of existing insulation without undue demolition will take some thinking.

The windows were the first major decision about 'product' for the remodel that we have made. In making that decision, we pondered our overall philosophies regarding the remodel. We more or less agree on the following...

We generally don't plan to go 'bottom of the line' or 'top of the line', on the premise that we want something 'good' and we want something that is a 'good value'. We do go on the premise that this remodel will be the only one that we will do, and we want it to last as long as we remain in the house (they may haul us out of the house eventually in pine boxes). We may go to the high end on a few things that are really important to us, but don't feel that we can or should do that as a general thing. We also want to be 'green' as feasible. I'm also voting for choices that reduce maintenance when it doesn't otherwise compromise what we want.

Stay tuned....film at eleven.

Window Finesse

After reading all about windows and shopping around, we picked out our windows; Milgard "Tuscany." They are vinyl, which made me suck in my breath (think: "manufactured home"). But they are considered very good, low maintenance, and will have the highest rating, energy-wise. Anyway, all of the lovely old wood trim will go back up. We will use wood clad ones in the main part of the house.

Right now, Don is removing eleven windows, the first batch to be replaced. He takes off all of the trim – gently, gently! Also the cords, weights, and stop strips. Then he puts the windows back in a temporary mode, so our house isn't open to the elements while we wait for the new windows. Thus far, my part of the job has been to loosen painted-closed pieces and to pull nails out of the trim that we will use again (the trim, not the nails). I didn't know that there was so much finesse needed to pull out finish nails. They must be carefully pulled out from the back side, using pliers and a piece of wood as leverage. That way, no blemish is made on the front side and no wood putty is needed when the trim is refinished. There are a lot of details to this remodel thing.

Good-bye double hung windows (sniff!)