Home Improvement Planning
Sep. 26th, 2007 10:12 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ellyssianFor my own reference and planning (mostly):
HVAC and Plumbing Issues
Electrical Issues
Justin's Room
Progress reports are in the comments!
HVAC and Plumbing Issues
- Problems
High radon levels- Lack of fresh air
Fiberglass ducts on returnPipe in/out of return ductwork cause air to be drawn from cellar/attic instead of living spaceFiberglass ducts on supplyInsufficient return ducts/returns blocked/improperly installedDirect drain of condensation causes sub-foundation air to be drawn into system when dryPoor airflow to second floor, particularly master bedroomPoor air qualityUnusable basement due to air quality, radon, and moisture- Moisture retention from showers in both full baths
Poor water quality- Overloading of filter during summer storms
Open pipe on sand mound- Septic inspection/possible cleaning overdue
- Heat pump shifted since installation
Half-bath sink repair- Inspect/replace washers, toilet internals, etc. worn down by sand pre-filter
- Issues to Investigate
Negative Air PressureOverpowered HVAC running intermittently- HVAC drawing too much for the circuit
Balancing of venting in ducts(no such beast on most systems except very high end ones)- Incoming air drawn through incidentals and not by design
Incoming air unfiltered- Septic tank opening for cleaning
Draining water softener and dehumidifier- Possible Solutions
Install adequate returnsInstall air filtrationInstall pump to drain condensation to the outside of the house(drains to the heavy duty pump next to water treatment)- Possible secondary air input to provide positive pressure to cellar
Balance ducts(no such beastie)Clean ducts(Current ducts uncleanable fiberglass)Replace fiberglass return ductworkReplace fiberglass supply ductworkHVAC maintenance inspectionWater softener (and neutralizer)- Spin-down water filter in front of primary filter
- Septic inspection/cleaning
Re-cap sandmound pipe- Lift and fill gravel under heat pump
- Future Considerations
Add dehumidifier in basement if moisture isn't resolved by fresh air flowAdd radon remediation if levels aren't acceptable with positive pressureAdd additional water purification measures if indicatedInvestigate greywater potential(no way I'm going to retrofit a separate plumbing for sinks/tubs vs. toilets, so there's no point keeping this on a project list with a year time frame!)- Insulate attic (I can do this once the stairs are added)
Electrical Issues
- Current circuit does not seem to handle current load
- Initial tripping of faults
- Revised HVAC system - new wiring and changed load
- Generator
- Outlets and lights in Justin's room - flourescent ceiling fixture; closet light; left & right storage areas;
- Lamposts along driveway
- Additional outlets in garage : 2 quad boxes (family room wall & window wall)
- Additional outlets in basement : 2 quad boxes on ceiling, 1 quad between windows;
outlet for dehumidifier;outlet for softener/pump;outlet for radon fan
Add drop-down stairs/access to atticFinish flooring/floor insulation in Justin's roomFrame Justin's room (Justin's electrical work should be done after framing/before further work)Complete Justin's HVAC connectionsInsulate roofInsulate wallsInstall wallboardPaint- Install rug
Progress reports are in the comments!
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
Date: 2006-09-26 02:32 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-09-26 02:47 pm (UTC)I'd like to have the greywater exit to a bog where plants can easily do the minimal processing required to "reabilitate" the water. Figuring out whether or not it's feasible to actually implement such a system - plumbing-wise, law-wise, and bog-wise - is where the potential comes in.
Community regulations as to what is needed or allowable vary considerably - I'm still just beginning to explore this, and I'm not really seriously considering it for the house. It involves making sure the drains for sinks/tubs/washing machine don't mix with the toilet drains, which is much easier to do when building a house.
For me, it's something I've been wondering about since some time in elementary school, so it's nice to see that it's now got an official name. It's not so nice that people are concerned with minimizing the flow through a greywater system - my thinking on this, admittedly without any data to back it up, is that if you use a natural wetlands to handle it, you're actually better off with a higher rate of flow. You get the benefits of cleansing the water and providing a type of habitat that is dangerously decreasing.
(no subject)
Date: 2006-09-26 03:12 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-09-26 03:19 pm (UTC)I actually don't plan on doing most of the real, actual work - except to schedule it with the HVAC guy and the electrician and so on...
September 26, 2006
Date: 2006-12-15 03:57 pm (UTC)November 29, 2006
Date: 2006-12-15 03:58 pm (UTC)December 1, 2006
Date: 2006-12-15 03:59 pm (UTC)December 2, 2006
Date: 2006-12-15 04:00 pm (UTC)December 4, 2006: Ductwork/HVAC design-guy consultation (Dave)
Date: 2006-12-15 04:07 pm (UTC)December 13, 2006: Meet with contractor (Bill) about Justin's room
Date: 2006-12-15 04:08 pm (UTC)December 14, 2006: Dave called with numbers for radon & dehumidifier - both look good;
Date: 2006-12-15 04:09 pm (UTC)Dave stopped by to take some more measurements
Date: 2006-12-15 04:12 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-12-15 08:38 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-12-15 11:22 pm (UTC)Plumbing/HVAC Contracts
Date: 2006-12-16 09:16 pm (UTC)On Wednesday, they will install a Master's water treatment system NS-30 T neutralizer/softener with by-pass.
On Thursday, Dave will be there to install a Nutone fan and the PVC piping for radon exhaust and the dehumidifier and condensate pump.
December 18, 2006: Sandmound Cleanout Repaired
Date: 2006-12-18 08:05 pm (UTC)December 20, 2006: Water Treatment
Date: 2006-12-22 12:13 am (UTC)New electricity line added to power regeneration control and pump.
December 21, 2006: Dehumidifier & Radon Fan Setup
Date: 2006-12-22 12:31 am (UTC)He ran PVC pipe from the outlet under the slab to a Y that exits outside, and from the outlet in the floor up to the Y. He also installed the electrical hookup for the radon fan. All they need is the fan! =)
He installed the dehumidifier, added an outlet for it and the condensate pump, and ran line from the condensate pump to the heavy duty pump that will send the water into the septic. He also relocated the basement floor exit of the heat pump condensation line into the condensate pump. When he returns with the fan, he'll plug that hole, which will also help reduce radon entering the room or getting into the AC system.
Dave also delivered the quote for the next stage of the project:
We won't be able to initiate that until January, but it takes coordination with Bill as far as the construction of the room goes, and that's looking at the 3rd week in January at the earliest.
December 26th: Radon Fan Completion
Date: 2006-12-26 09:02 pm (UTC)I'll get in touch with him in January to start the next stage and replace the ducting.
January 4, 2007: Reviewed proposal for Justin's Room
Date: 2007-01-04 05:31 pm (UTC)Now it's up to me to get a hold of Bill and Dave, and possibly Louis and the carpet guy and go from there.
Cost-wise, at first glance, is that affording electrical and carpet might not be possible this year, which will be rough. At least it will be closer. =)
January 14, 2007: Ductwork in Progress
Date: 2007-01-14 08:41 pm (UTC)The ductwork is assembled, insulated, and awaiting installation. Return vents installed in library and school room, awaiting hookup when the ducts are installed. The garage faucet has been removed, and the pipe sealed off (it was in the way, and never used anyway.) The opening from basement to garage and from garage to Justin's room was completed. The supply in Justin's room had insulation uncovered and is ready for further work.
They held off working on Friday to return Monday, as the forecast held for warmer temps which is nice when you don't have heat for the day.
January 17, 2007: Ductwork Nearly Done!
Date: 2007-01-18 12:49 am (UTC)The returns on the first floor are completed, the supply ducts are all connected. The second floor returns still need to be hooked up, and some finishing work is needed.
I talked with Bill, and we'll be meeting tomorrow night to discuss the completion of Justin's room.
January 18, 2007
Date: 2007-01-19 02:50 am (UTC)Spoke with Bill tonight. He'll be working out a schedule and getting back to me and we'll start.
He's going to take care of the electrical needs for the room itself - including putting a junction box in the crawl space/closet so further connections (for the garage and the outside lighting down that end.) Will make that work much easier. I've got to find a light fixture for the room and they'll install it. They'll also put up lights in the closet and both crawl spaces.
First up, though, will be the stairs in the hall, up to the attic. We peeked in. Damn, there's a whole frickin' house up there. It looks to be about 12' high or more (could be 20', even, hard to tell) and maybe 50x50', almost uninterrupted. So. Might need to buy more plywood flooring for up there - the few sheets of old stuff in Justin's room are going to be relocated, but they won't cover more than a tiny bit. If we ever decide to finish some of the space up there, we could probably fit a small manufacturing facility or an apartment building... positively cavernous, really...
...I'm still in awe. =)
January 29, 2007: Justin's Room Started
Date: 2007-01-29 11:16 pm (UTC)The flooring/insulation in Justin's room is about half-way done.
I expect to see some framing and/or electrical in place tomorrow when I get home, as well as the completion of the floor.
Expected time to completion (minus the rug, which we still have to coordinate with the rug folks) is 2-3 weeks depending on spackle/paint dry time.
January 30, 2007: Attic stairs done, Justin's floor done!
Date: 2007-01-30 10:31 pm (UTC)There's actually a small amount of work left to completely finish off the stairs, but that's relatively easily done.
They've got the entire floor done in Justin's room, and they've started the wall framing - the left side is done, the right side is in place but not nailed down. They've got to frame the closet, and then I expect they'll move into the electrical and/or go into insulating the roof/walls.
Looks good!
January 31, 2007: Framing Done
Date: 2007-01-31 11:37 pm (UTC)Spoke to Dave @ Air Dynamics, and he'll talk to Bill tonight to coordinate getting his guys in on Friday for completing the vent work and sealing the one loose duct downstairs.
February 2, 2007
Date: 2007-02-03 01:39 am (UTC)The supply and return ductwork is in place in Justin's room, so once the walls are insulated the heat will be turned on there. There's a crawlway down the front of the house (over the porch) that is uninsulated, otherwise we could heat the space now.
Some more of the electrical is done - saw the closet light fixture, they moved the light switch from the wrong side of the door (i.e. for some idiot reason the original builders required you to walk in the room, close the door, and then you could get at the switch) to the right side. They ran conduit and everything down to the box in the cellar. Should be good to go pretty soon.
A couple of sheets of drywall are up on the ceiling, so it's starting to look like a real live room. =)
Saturday. February 10
Date: 2007-02-10 09:52 pm (UTC)Justin picked out Forest Moss for the walls and Pale Avocado (same link) for the trim.
They've got a bit on the wall so you can see how it looks, and the trim pieces are painted (not assembled yet.)
They've got a stopper on the door hinge to prevent it from opening into the ceiling, and will put one on the closet door as well.
The guys expect to be done on Tuesday. I expect to go to the carpet place tomorrow, and will hopefully get that in sometime next week, ASAP, if possible.
Air Dynamics
Date: 2007-02-10 10:02 pm (UTC)They aren't up yet, but I'll post an update when they are!
February 26
Date: 2007-02-26 05:51 pm (UTC)Not sure how long its been in that state - I expect not long at all - but that's something else to keep an eye on. It was a (very) low priority to replace the windows with something else, and that's just gone way up in priority.
The guys from Steve's Carpet will be here later this week to install the carpet, so it looks like Justin will be moving his stuff on the weekend.
February 28
Date: 2007-03-01 03:00 pm (UTC)Justin has already moved in his closet stuff and gathered much of the loose items into totes so we can get at the bed and move that. It goes in first, then the dresser, two shelves, and desk. After that, he can move the rest over by himself.
Re: February 28
Date: 2007-03-02 06:16 am (UTC)Re: February 28
Date: 2007-03-02 02:03 pm (UTC)You'll need to twist her arm, and I'll link to them.
Of course, she's more likely to just e-mail you the pics. =)