This week’s post is going to cover a potpourri of projects, past and current, that have been happening.
Current projects have two major goals: Electrical upgrades and the installation of central air.
Jake the Electrician was here last week to get started on the wiring clean-up and modernization. Our top priority, as he would be here for one day only this first time, was to get the electrical service required for the central air unit installed. Until this was done we could not get on the AC install schedule. Jake was able to clean up some of the old wiring and install the AC service.
Jake also helped me remove the (large) 240-volt window air unit from it’s place in one of the downstairs windows. (For those who have been here, I’m referencing the room off the living room directly adjacent to the downstairs bathroom.) I did not take pictures of this process but it could not have been done without Jake’s help.
Two of the side benefits of this removal are more light in the room and a great decrease in the cold air that had been seeping in around the unit. Both are appreciated.
The house had been equipped with electric wall-mounted heaters, a very expensive (and dangerous!) heat source and one we had never used. The 240 volt heaters and their wiring back to the circuit breaker panel were removed. The grills are still in place, covering the cavities left behind, until we can patch and repair the walls.
So…two of our major upgrade projects are in process. We don’t have an end date for the electrical but now the second project, installation of central air, is going forward.
The HVAC guys showed up this morning, after calling us yesterday to let us know they had a day open and could be here early. (These days, 8:00 AM is early for us.) We jumped at the chance as the forecast for this weekend shows a heating trend with temps getting into the 80’s and would be a good trial run for the system. Installation should be done by tonight.
We just found out that our furnace heat exchanger is rusted and needs to be replaced. While the exchanger is covered under warranty, the installation of the new unit is not. This will increase our cost by several hundred dollars but, along with the new burners installed last fall, should ensure the furnace is good to go for many years to come as well as increasing its efficiency. The AC install can still go forward but the guys will have to make a return trip to replace the exchanger after it arrives in Elma.
Cold weather this week, with at or below freezing for the past 4 out of 5 nights, put a damper on outside activities so we took it easy and worked on inside projects. I took one day off and just read, a real treat for me. Pam worked on decorating flower pots; some will hang from the porches and some will be partially buried near the house.
Becky had mentioned, in a comment on my last post, that I should show a picture of my garage organization, a project I work on from time to time. Here are a couple current photos:
For once, I have the garage wall fairly well organized with like items together, all nails in one space, bolts, nuts, spray paint, and lubricants all organized. It is nice to be able to find things when I need them. More unpacking to come, though, as there are still boxes of “stuff” in the garage attic that I need to go through.
Becky had also asked about how we dispose of yard waste. Unfortunately, Elma has no compost site or sanitary landfill. Up to this point I have been borrowing the key to the old town dump from the city manager. The dump can be used to dispose of yard clippings, tree branches, and other organic material but is not “open” to the public. Most Elma residents appear to burn wood and leaves in their burning barrels, which is not good for the environment. Below is my trailer, partially loaded for the next trip to the dump:
I have spoken to one of the city council members about having volunteers monitor the old dump for a few hours per week (to check incoming loads to make sure they don’t contain garbage) and thus give city residents a place to take fall leaves and other yard waste. The councilman said he would bring it up at the next town meeting.
On to other things. The plantings we did last week seem to be doing OK. Cooler weather and some rain helped them settle in, I think. Other plants are doing OK; many had to be covered several times last week but survived the near-record low temps. Among the flowers we covered were several Bleeding Hearts.
Bleeding Hearts have intrigued me since I first saw them as a young child at my grandmother’s house. Hers were planted near the edge of her side porch and I always looked for them when we went to visit. These pictured were not planted by us but came up in a couple of the old flower beds scattered around the garage and yard. We may have to relocate some of them to make way for the garage addition when that project kicks off but that should be at the end of their blooming season.
Another project, on hold while waiting for hardware, is the installation of two more doors in the house. These doors will separate the front parlor bedroom from the living room, creating a French doors effect. Ordered through an Elkader shop, these “antique re-creations” mirror the single door we installed last year (the previously-purchased door separates the main entrance hallway from the parlor).
The hinges and latches were ordered on-line and delivery has been pushed back a couple of times. The hardware will look “period” to the house (brass plated) and are not items carried by your local Ace or Tru-Value stores.
With two major projects now moving forward, we have turned our attention to another major project, fencing.
Two types of white vinyl fencing will be involved. A solid privacy fence is envisioned for the west side of the lot, acting as a windbreak plus creating the west boundary of the dog enclosure. The remainder will be a picket fence on the east side of the yard, ending at the (future) garage extension. When fencing is finished, the dogs will have quite a large space to exercise and spend time outside. Another advantage: Exiting from the back door will put the dogs immediately in the fenced yard. Currently they need to be “escorted” from the door to the dog run.
We have pretty much completed our materials list for both types of fencing preliminary to online ordering. Big Box store pickup locations appear to be in Rochester, MN. I will now be asking around to see if there is anyone locally who might handle the fence install. I could do it myself, but I’m looking at around 190 linear feet of fencing, nearly 30 posts, and four gates in total. I would rather not take this on if we can pay someone to do it. We shall have to see what work crew(s) are available during planting season.
Photo Archive
This week’s photo archive features Pam when she was working in the Whitewater School District in the late 90’s. The event was Civil War Day, and Pam is wearing a hoop skirt and posing with a pair of “soldiers”:
That’s it for now. Thanks for looking in!
Pam’s Penny:
Busy! Preparing to visit local greenhouse(s) to fill painted pots with annuals. About a dozen pots to start with, going around and hanging from the front porch.
Happy Trails.