Shortly after we got our master bathroom back, DJ announced that he needed to go pee pees. He dutifully went to our bathroom, he prepared to pee standing up, and did what he needed to do. When he finished, he said,
"Mommy, look! It's on the wall!"
!!!!!!
He had missed the toilet entirely.
He managed not only to hit the wall next to the toilet, but also hit the hole in the floor behind the toilet where the bathroom vent used to be (George had moved it).
Meanwhile, George and Steve were in the basement, and saw liquid fall from the floor above. George wondered if his plumbing work was leaking.
No, no.... that would be a little boy leaking....
- Posted using BlogPress from my newest toy.
Sunday, May 29, 2011
Saturday, May 28, 2011
Basement Remodel - update
A couple of weeks ago, George finished the basics of our master bathroom replumbing job so that we could use it again. He framed the wall between the closet and the bathroom, but he hasn't solidified it yet nor put up drywall. He decided to leave it all open until all of our plumbing issues have been completed... and that's a whole other problem!!
Meanwhile, our hall bathroom has been taken out of commission so that he can replace its plumbing. While doing this, he figured he'd put in the rough-ins for our new bathroom in the basement. What does putting rough-ins require? It requires a jackhammer to break the concrete and a trowl to scoop out the dirt surrounding the area where you're going to put down new pipes. It's not all concrete surrounding the pipes. It's just concrete on the top layer, and packed dirt/rocks underneath of a layer of concrete.
In the following picture, you can see where the concrete was broken and new PVC pipe was installed. In fact, George only intended to jackhammer to where the new shower will be (see the first picture - there is a T-square on the floor... that will be the shower drain), but he went further to where the tall pipe is on the wall (which leads to our kitchen drain). The reason for that is forthcoming.
The cleanout at the far corner of the picture is where the toilet will be. To the left of that, there is another pipe sticking out of the ground - that's where the vanity will be. And as mentioned earlier, where the T-square is sitting is where the shower drain will be.
The reason George jackhammered all the way to the kitchen to replace all of that drain piping is because the pipes and drains were disgusting. George was shocked our kitchen was draining at all. The following picture shows just how clogged the kitchen drain was.
That's 50+ years of grease and overall digustingness... Steve and I are actually really careful about what goes down that drain in terms of grease because I grew up with septic, and you can't afford to put grease down your drain!
In the next picture, you can see the leftover dirt pile of dirt and rocks we excavated to make room for the new drains. Some of that will go back in the whole, but not until we're ready to re-cement the holes. We won't use it all; there is no way we can pack it in there the way it was.
George has also eliminated some (oh yes, there's more!) of the plumbing rats nest we have. Between a laundry drain, the air conditioner pump drain, the water filtration system drain, the kitchen and the utility tub drains, there were pipes EVERYWHERE, including an unnecessary one that was bolted to the back wall of the house and went all the way around the back wall (air conditioning drain).
Now that George is done replacing the kitchen stuff and laying down the rough-ins for the new bathroom, he's going to replace the drains and pipes for the hall bathroom so we can get that bathroom back. The kids like showering, but they really do miss the bathtub. But George has had to wait to change that bathroom's pipes and drains to see how both the hall bath and the downstairs bath were going to fit together drain-wise.
Although this is a slow process, this is definitely worth it. We would have had more issues later on had we ignored the signs.
Meanwhile, our hall bathroom has been taken out of commission so that he can replace its plumbing. While doing this, he figured he'd put in the rough-ins for our new bathroom in the basement. What does putting rough-ins require? It requires a jackhammer to break the concrete and a trowl to scoop out the dirt surrounding the area where you're going to put down new pipes. It's not all concrete surrounding the pipes. It's just concrete on the top layer, and packed dirt/rocks underneath of a layer of concrete.
In the following picture, you can see where the concrete was broken and new PVC pipe was installed. In fact, George only intended to jackhammer to where the new shower will be (see the first picture - there is a T-square on the floor... that will be the shower drain), but he went further to where the tall pipe is on the wall (which leads to our kitchen drain). The reason for that is forthcoming.
 | |
| New bathroom rough-ins |
The reason George jackhammered all the way to the kitchen to replace all of that drain piping is because the pipes and drains were disgusting. George was shocked our kitchen was draining at all. The following picture shows just how clogged the kitchen drain was.
 | |
| Former kitchen drain pipe |
That's 50+ years of grease and overall digustingness... Steve and I are actually really careful about what goes down that drain in terms of grease because I grew up with septic, and you can't afford to put grease down your drain!
In the next picture, you can see the leftover dirt pile of dirt and rocks we excavated to make room for the new drains. Some of that will go back in the whole, but not until we're ready to re-cement the holes. We won't use it all; there is no way we can pack it in there the way it was.
 |
| Excavation dirt pile |
Now that George is done replacing the kitchen stuff and laying down the rough-ins for the new bathroom, he's going to replace the drains and pipes for the hall bathroom so we can get that bathroom back. The kids like showering, but they really do miss the bathtub. But George has had to wait to change that bathroom's pipes and drains to see how both the hall bath and the downstairs bath were going to fit together drain-wise.
Although this is a slow process, this is definitely worth it. We would have had more issues later on had we ignored the signs.
Friday, May 27, 2011
Poopy on the potty!
This morning, I received a phone call from Eleanor, and she put Elektra on the phone to tell me that she poopied on the potty! At first she told me she peed, and then Eleanor corrected her to tell me she pooped.
Apparently, Elektra had gone to the same corner to hide that DJ used to frequent. Eleanor spotted her, asked Elektra if she wanted to sit on the potty, Elektra said yes, she sat, she did it in a hurry, flushed the toilet, and then said, "Bye bye poopy!" as it went down.
Everyone had to see what she had done. DJ cheered for her!
YAY ELEKTRA!
Apparently, Elektra had gone to the same corner to hide that DJ used to frequent. Eleanor spotted her, asked Elektra if she wanted to sit on the potty, Elektra said yes, she sat, she did it in a hurry, flushed the toilet, and then said, "Bye bye poopy!" as it went down.
Everyone had to see what she had done. DJ cheered for her!
YAY ELEKTRA!
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Stink bug trap update
Here is a picture of our stinkbug trap hanging in the garage.
The Pros:
 |
| Stink bug trap |
The Pros:
- Yep, it's working. That's a pretty big Pro right there!!
- It's not working fast enough!!
- When the stink bugs get stuck, they get mad, and therefore, they STINK! Our garage smells and we have to air it out daily.
- Replacing the cartridge will be a pain.
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
PreSchool
Today, Steve and I took DJ to visit a preschool at the St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church in Lutherville. Nadia and Jeff had taken Grace to see it, and she seemed to really like it. Since we would like to keep the kids together as long as we can, thought it would be a great opportunity to enroll them together.
When we got into the classroom, DJ immediately wanted to go explore and play. First he went to the Lego table. Then he saw the boys playing on the floor, building some monstrosity with blocks, and he wanted to jump right in and build with them. And when it was time to leave, DJ didn't want to leave. "I want to stay here at the school!"
The classroom was full of things to explore, including a reading corner, an instrument corner, legos, blocks, crafts, stamps, you name it. There was art all over the walls, and all sorts of things to see and do; I honestly can't remember all of what I saw because there was so much!
I asked how much theology there is, and there really isn't that much. They will say a prayer every day before snack and the Pastor will come in once a month with his guitar, sing songs and tell them a Bible story. I'm game for that.
And next year, one of the Kindergarten teachers will be moving down into the preschool so likely, there will be a little more structure in terms of traditional education.
It all sounds good, and DJ really seemed to like it! We'll coordinate putting down a deposit with the Cheevers and go from there.
When we got into the classroom, DJ immediately wanted to go explore and play. First he went to the Lego table. Then he saw the boys playing on the floor, building some monstrosity with blocks, and he wanted to jump right in and build with them. And when it was time to leave, DJ didn't want to leave. "I want to stay here at the school!"
The classroom was full of things to explore, including a reading corner, an instrument corner, legos, blocks, crafts, stamps, you name it. There was art all over the walls, and all sorts of things to see and do; I honestly can't remember all of what I saw because there was so much!
I asked how much theology there is, and there really isn't that much. They will say a prayer every day before snack and the Pastor will come in once a month with his guitar, sing songs and tell them a Bible story. I'm game for that.
And next year, one of the Kindergarten teachers will be moving down into the preschool so likely, there will be a little more structure in terms of traditional education.
It all sounds good, and DJ really seemed to like it! We'll coordinate putting down a deposit with the Cheevers and go from there.
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Univited visitor
With construction usually comes unwelcomed guests as they are displaced because of the destruction and subsequent construction.
While we were giving my parents a tour of the "mess" we have in our basement, I saw a field mouse run across the top of the foundation. After my folks left and the kids were in bed, I went back downstairs and set a couple of mouse traps with peanut butter. It took me 3 or 4 tries to get them set without snapping, and I'll you I'm not a fan of setting mouse traps any longer.... I didn't get my finger caught, but boy was I jumpy...
I also sent George a text so that when he comes on Monday, he's aware of them and doesn't accidentally get his fingers snapped!
Tonight, I was sitting in DJ's room waiting for him to fall asleep, and heard a SNAP!! from the basement. I thought that was a weird sound to come from downstairs. I left DJ's room, told Steve that we should check the traps, and off we went.
Sure enough, there was a mouse, trapped in a trap. And it was still alive. Steve picked up the trap, and took it to the light where we could see it better. Sure enough, the little bugger was well trapped, and very much alive. So we stood there.... trying to decide what to do. I suggested we take it outside.
Up the stairs Steve went with the trap, took it outside to the deck, and the next thing I know, Steve's releasing it from the trap. Apparently, when he took it outside, Steve said it started squeaking at him, so he couldn't bring himself to kill it. The little bugger was a little shaken, but apparently JUST fine as it scampered off into the night... and back under the deck.
Steve re-set the trap, so we'll see if we catch any more... or the same one (not that we'll be able to tell).
While we were giving my parents a tour of the "mess" we have in our basement, I saw a field mouse run across the top of the foundation. After my folks left and the kids were in bed, I went back downstairs and set a couple of mouse traps with peanut butter. It took me 3 or 4 tries to get them set without snapping, and I'll you I'm not a fan of setting mouse traps any longer.... I didn't get my finger caught, but boy was I jumpy...
I also sent George a text so that when he comes on Monday, he's aware of them and doesn't accidentally get his fingers snapped!
Tonight, I was sitting in DJ's room waiting for him to fall asleep, and heard a SNAP!! from the basement. I thought that was a weird sound to come from downstairs. I left DJ's room, told Steve that we should check the traps, and off we went.
Sure enough, there was a mouse, trapped in a trap. And it was still alive. Steve picked up the trap, and took it to the light where we could see it better. Sure enough, the little bugger was well trapped, and very much alive. So we stood there.... trying to decide what to do. I suggested we take it outside.
Up the stairs Steve went with the trap, took it outside to the deck, and the next thing I know, Steve's releasing it from the trap. Apparently, when he took it outside, Steve said it started squeaking at him, so he couldn't bring himself to kill it. The little bugger was a little shaken, but apparently JUST fine as it scampered off into the night... and back under the deck.
Steve re-set the trap, so we'll see if we catch any more... or the same one (not that we'll be able to tell).
Saturday, May 21, 2011
Oil Tank - Update
Yesterday was installation day for our new oil tank. The installers arrived at 9:30am with our new tank, and scoped the job before starting. Other than the fact that the new tank must be at least 2 feet from the house, they were fine with the location we selected for it.
Installation of the new tank happened first. It's a 275 gallon tank with a rain cover to protect the fill pipes, the gauge and the leak sensor that are located at the top of the tank free of elements falling from the sky.
The installers drilled a new hole into the masonry for the oil line, and installed the line near the duct work in the basement so it will be hidden inside the bulk head when we finish the basement.
Once the line was installed, they cut out the old fill pipes, and transferred the oil left in our old tank into the new (we have a little over half a tank left). They filled the holes left by the old fill pipes with some kind of concrete filler.
Once all that was complete, they removed the old tank from the basement. Apparently, this big red honker was about 350 pounds and "the heaviest one we moved this week!". Yikes.
They were done by 2:30, including a test of the new line by running our furnace for a little bit, bleeding the new oil line, etc. We were told that it's likely the new tank will settle so although it was installed level (they even borrowed our level), the ground is so soft from all of the rain that it may well sink. If so, they told us to call and they'll come back out to re-level it.
So now that we have a big shiny outhouse-looking thing in our back yard, we have a few more ideas. We have the ugly-as-sin propane tank that's sitting at the back of our deck. We'll move that to that same corner. And when it's time to install a high efficiency air conditioning unit, we'll put that unit over there in that corner, too. When that is complete, we'll put down a lot of lawn fabric and rocks. Then we'll either fence it with a gate or put in lattice of some kind to hide it, but have it still be accessible to those who need to service them. This won't be done this year... but it's in our 3 year plan.
Luckily, our neighbors to that side couldn't care less about the eyesore outhouse oil tank because that side of their house is the garage and they'll only see it when they back out of their garage bays. They already told us that they don't care. We told them we're going to hide it all anyway.
Installation of the new tank happened first. It's a 275 gallon tank with a rain cover to protect the fill pipes, the gauge and the leak sensor that are located at the top of the tank free of elements falling from the sky.
 |
| New oil tank |
Once the line was installed, they cut out the old fill pipes, and transferred the oil left in our old tank into the new (we have a little over half a tank left). They filled the holes left by the old fill pipes with some kind of concrete filler.
 |
| Old tank (the red one - the black tank is for our water softener) |
They were done by 2:30, including a test of the new line by running our furnace for a little bit, bleeding the new oil line, etc. We were told that it's likely the new tank will settle so although it was installed level (they even borrowed our level), the ground is so soft from all of the rain that it may well sink. If so, they told us to call and they'll come back out to re-level it.
So now that we have a big shiny outhouse-looking thing in our back yard, we have a few more ideas. We have the ugly-as-sin propane tank that's sitting at the back of our deck. We'll move that to that same corner. And when it's time to install a high efficiency air conditioning unit, we'll put that unit over there in that corner, too. When that is complete, we'll put down a lot of lawn fabric and rocks. Then we'll either fence it with a gate or put in lattice of some kind to hide it, but have it still be accessible to those who need to service them. This won't be done this year... but it's in our 3 year plan.
Luckily, our neighbors to that side couldn't care less about the eyesore outhouse oil tank because that side of their house is the garage and they'll only see it when they back out of their garage bays. They already told us that they don't care. We told them we're going to hide it all anyway.
Friday, May 20, 2011
Elektra Potty Update
I've heard over and over again how girls potty train easier than boys. Apparently, there is something to be said for that!!
Elektra has been peeing on the potty every morning, and every night before bed! And she potties in between during the day. She's not completely dry yet, and she hasn't figured out bowel movements, but just getting her to go on the potty at all has been ridiculously easy as compared to when we were trying to teach DJ. DJ, when he was Elektra's age, wasn't even remotely interested in the potty!! On the other hand, Elektra is asking to go sit on the potty frequently and having success!!
She loves her potty chart stickers. She has lots of pretty stars on it already. And Eleanor is giving her stickers to wear on her shirt when Elektra goes at her house. One day this week, Elektra came home with FOUR stickers on her shirt!
GOOD GIRL!
Elektra has been peeing on the potty every morning, and every night before bed! And she potties in between during the day. She's not completely dry yet, and she hasn't figured out bowel movements, but just getting her to go on the potty at all has been ridiculously easy as compared to when we were trying to teach DJ. DJ, when he was Elektra's age, wasn't even remotely interested in the potty!! On the other hand, Elektra is asking to go sit on the potty frequently and having success!!
She loves her potty chart stickers. She has lots of pretty stars on it already. And Eleanor is giving her stickers to wear on her shirt when Elektra goes at her house. One day this week, Elektra came home with FOUR stickers on her shirt!
GOOD GIRL!
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Oil Tank
Our house was built in 1959. Although much of the house has been updated, either by us or the previous owners, there are still things that are original... like the oil tank. It's a 250 or 275 gallon tank that sits in a corner of our basement that is likely corroding from the inside out (much like our water pipes!). There is no way for us to test or know how sound the walls are. It could last us another 15 years. It could also leak tomorrow.
As part of the basement remodel, we've decided to reclaim some basement space by moving the oil tank outside. We have asked the oil company to supply a double walled stainless steel tank that has an oil leak sensor in between the two walls. The oil company is coming on Friday to do the installation.
The location we expect to put it is behind the privacy fence, up against our deck, closest to DJ's room. The other appliance we plan to put in that section is a high efficiency air conditioning compressor when we decide to drop the coin to replace our entire HVAC system.
Either way, moving the tank outside gets us space in the basement to move all of the water filtration system pieces, the water tank, and the washer/dryer/laundry tub further down the wall. Then we will officially have the space to build the new bathroom we want in the basement.
As part of the basement remodel, we've decided to reclaim some basement space by moving the oil tank outside. We have asked the oil company to supply a double walled stainless steel tank that has an oil leak sensor in between the two walls. The oil company is coming on Friday to do the installation.
The location we expect to put it is behind the privacy fence, up against our deck, closest to DJ's room. The other appliance we plan to put in that section is a high efficiency air conditioning compressor when we decide to drop the coin to replace our entire HVAC system.
Either way, moving the tank outside gets us space in the basement to move all of the water filtration system pieces, the water tank, and the washer/dryer/laundry tub further down the wall. Then we will officially have the space to build the new bathroom we want in the basement.
Maryland is the new London... or Seattle
It has been raining here for days.... weeks. We get small respites from the rain (e.g. this past Sunday was gorgeous until the storms rolled through around dinner time), but it's not a lot. It's really not enough to let things truly dry before it rains again. Luckily, our lawn cutter has managed to get in 2 cuts within the last month so our grass isn't 4 feet tall.
The last 5 days have been particularly bad both in how often it has rained and the amount that has fallen out of the sky. Today, apparently, was the icing on the rain cake because my cousin George called me when he got to our house.
"Your basement has a huge puddle. Came in through the door. The french drain isn't draining fast enough."
Awesome. Just freakin' awesome. Silver lining #1: At least our basement was demolished and empty so that we could actually see the results instead of having the rug and its padding soak it all. Silver lining #2: Seeing it now will save us from redoing stuff - and a dank/damp/musty smell later.
We thought that water coming in through that door was a distinct possibility, but things had been dry for awhile. Plus, the last time it rained THIS hard, we didn't see any water come in. Steve checked the drain itself, and it wasn't even close to overflowing. This time, however, not so lucky.
To boot, the one wall facing the back of the house is a little wet. Thankfully, this is something the DryLock paint will take care of, though, we have an issue of the 200 amp electrical service panel being in the way of fully painting that wall. I think that's less of an issue overall, but having the basement bare has shown us a lot.
So what do we do about preventing said flood in our basement? We don't know. George is going to have to research it. But we definitely have to do something about it. We have no choice.
Guess we're not going to have a finished basement for a looooong time with all these other issues taking priority.
The last 5 days have been particularly bad both in how often it has rained and the amount that has fallen out of the sky. Today, apparently, was the icing on the rain cake because my cousin George called me when he got to our house.
"Your basement has a huge puddle. Came in through the door. The french drain isn't draining fast enough."
Awesome. Just freakin' awesome. Silver lining #1: At least our basement was demolished and empty so that we could actually see the results instead of having the rug and its padding soak it all. Silver lining #2: Seeing it now will save us from redoing stuff - and a dank/damp/musty smell later.
We thought that water coming in through that door was a distinct possibility, but things had been dry for awhile. Plus, the last time it rained THIS hard, we didn't see any water come in. Steve checked the drain itself, and it wasn't even close to overflowing. This time, however, not so lucky.
To boot, the one wall facing the back of the house is a little wet. Thankfully, this is something the DryLock paint will take care of, though, we have an issue of the 200 amp electrical service panel being in the way of fully painting that wall. I think that's less of an issue overall, but having the basement bare has shown us a lot.
So what do we do about preventing said flood in our basement? We don't know. George is going to have to research it. But we definitely have to do something about it. We have no choice.
Guess we're not going to have a finished basement for a looooong time with all these other issues taking priority.
Stinkbug Trap update: Day 3
We have 3 stinkbugs trapped.... and a cicada. They are STUCK...
MUAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAAA.
My cousin George suggested I put it in the attic. I was thinking about that, and will probably do it soon... then we'll really know how well it works because I'm sure I have plenty up there.
MUAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAAA.
My cousin George suggested I put it in the attic. I was thinking about that, and will probably do it soon... then we'll really know how well it works because I'm sure I have plenty up there.
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Stinkbug Trap Update: the 1st morning after
This morning, we have captured exactly 1 stinkbug in our new trap! But that bugger DEFINITELY isn't going anywhere! It is STUCK!
Now for the rest of them...
Now for the rest of them...
Monday, May 16, 2011
Stinkbug Trap
Last month, I bought a stinkbug trap. When it arrived, it was shattered due to UPS just totally ignoring the "FRAGILE" signs that were all over it.
I wrote the owner, and he sent me another trap, free of charge. This time, the packaging was perfect. I will be sending back the first trap so that the owner can continue to build his case against UPS.
Tonight, when I came home from the grocery store, I saw stinkbugs in our garage, hanging out on the doors. This determined where I would hang the new trap. While Steve put DJ to bed, I hung the trap over my garage bay. It has a CFL bulb in it, so it will be lit all night. Hopefully, we'll trap some stinkbugs!
To be honest, I don't expect there to be a ton of stinkbugs trapped in the morning; I don't think there are that many in the garage. I say that, and watch... there will be a ton, and it'll totally gross me out.
The saga continues....updates will be posted!
Swim Class
With summer fast approaching and DJ eagerly looking forward to going to the pool with Mr. Sonny and Ms. Eleanor (his day care providers), we decided to start swimming lessons.
I called (DJ's daycare girlfriend) Grace's mother, Nadia, to see if they would be interested in having the lovebirds go together. Indeed, Nadia was interested, so we signed up the kids together in the same class at Kids First Swim in Cockeysville. We went to both Kids First Swim and the Maryland Athletic Club (MAC) to see what their facilities and programs were like. We chose Kids First Swim because it's the only thing they do... unlike the MAC where it was just one enormous distraction because of all the adults swimming in other pools... To be fair, the facilities at Kids First Swim (i.e. the locker rooms) leave a lot to be desired, but the pool is what's important, and it was nice enough! Anyway, DJ and Grace are in the same class, and (the other lovebirds) Elektra and Evan are in their own class together, too.
DJ and Grace's class is 5 kids per 1 instructor, and no parents! We get to stand behind a one way mirror so we can see him, but he can't see us! It's an excellent time for DJ to learn how to listen and follow the direction of an adult other than the usual suspects. This worked out well for us because Grace started to come back to try and find Nadia but because we were where she couldn't see us, she effectively had to go back to the class and tough it out.
As it turns out, DJ didn't even look back for me; he was sooooo excited to be in the water. And Grace eventually warmed up to the whole idea. Both kids did fantastically with all the things the instructor was trying to get them to do: blow bubbles, float, walk through the water, etc.
On the other hand, Elektra's class is a Mommy and Me class where a parent gets in the water with her. Jeff and I took our 2 youngest into the water when it was our turn. Elektra had kept saying that she wanted to go in the pool the entire time DJ was in, so she was set to go! She had no issues getting in with me. Evan, on the other hand, he pretty much panicked, and Jeff spent 90% of his class time trying to coax Evan to go further out into the pool with us.
Elektra splished splashed water with us, tried to blow bubbles, floated on her front and back while kicking all the while... she did great. Then about 20 minutes into her half hour lesson, she hit the "I am done with this now now now" wall, and promptly melted down, screaming "I want Daddy! I want to see Daddy!"
I tried to calm her down, and letting her play with a pool noodle seemed to help. Then it was time to dunk her under the water. Well... you want to talk about freaking out my daughter... I did it. She was *mad* (but she did great with the dunking!).... oh boy she was mad.
The instructors all said to make sure that kids leave the pools with smiles on their faces, so do whatever necessary to make that happen. I took Elektra back to the pool noodle, and she was happy to play with that for a bit.
All in all, I wonder if maybe Evan and Elektra are still just a little too young for the lessons, but DJ and Grace are definitely the perfect age!
Friday, May 06, 2011
Scope Creep
Every old house remodeling project reveals ... issues.
As previously mentioned, we found what was likely asbestos tiles underneath the rug. Those came up remarkably easy, and were disposed of in the dumpster while it was still here.
While we demolishing the basement initially, our friend Andy saw our plumbing and highly recommended that we convert the copper pipes and cast iron drains to PVC due to the age of them. Plus, we are the first home owners to put in water filtration and pH balancing. Our well water is so acidic that if left untreated, it leaches the solder out of the copper pipes (discovered this during our home inspection when we did a water test), and our water tends to be brown from all of the iron in it. The only logical conclusion is that we're asking for a leak if we leave everything as status quo since the pipes and drains are being eaten from the inside out, and we have no way of knowing what their conditions are without cutting them open.
Let's see if we were right....
Those drain pipes look pretty corroded to me! YUCK!
To top it all off, being that we have a toilet AND shower leak in our master bathroom, we were going to have to at least fix those issues before going any further with the basement remodel. So we figured, while we're at, it may as well do as Andy suggested. Scope creep!
We recruited my cousin George to do the plumbing work since we have no idea what we are doing when it comes to plumbing. Standard remodeling protocol requires that there be something unexpected about the job, and this has proven to not be an exception.
George discovered that whomever remodeled our master bathroom cut too big a hole in the subfloor for the toilet, and so the flange was falling through it. Tada... the toilet was leaking. George patched the hole, and set the flange such that it's clear that thing ain't movin' one bit.
The shower leak was because whomever installed the drain on it installed the rubber seal upside down, probably tested it and found it was leaking, didn't realize it was upside down and instead, siliconed it to death to plug the leak. Naturally, with acidic water and years passing by, the silicone plug has worn away and thus, our leak. George managed to get that rubber seal out and installed correctly, so we should be set there.
But wait, there's more. Because it couldn't just be those two obvious issues.
The subfloor wasn't properly installed because it didn't reach from beam to beam. Really? So it was rigged, which is ok, if it were done with *screws*. But it wasn't done with screws, it was done with nails and as we all know, after years, nails work their way out and "pop". So part of the subfloor is sinking, too. George advised us that the only way to properly fix that is to rip up the tile, and effectively remodel the whole bathroom. But he doesn't think it'll sink any further since that particular part of the floor is not holding any real weight (it's dead space behind the toilet). Ok, leaving that as it is.
There's more!!!
As George has started to replace the copper pipes for our master bath (he's completed the drain replacements), we discovered that there is no access panel for our shower. It doesn't exist. After drilling holes in our bathroom wall and our linen closet wall (theoretically, this should have been one in the same, except that... they are 2 very distinct walls!) we finally figured out that the shower controls were behind the wide side of a 2x6 used to frame the bathroom wall and the linen closet wall, making the shower controls completely and utterly unaccessible unless we rip out the entire bathroom wall, linen closet wall, and all of the framing used to create both. That's SNAFU #1.
SNAFU #2 is.... ok, so what if we rip all the stuff out. How does it get rebuilt so that an access panel can be added ... to avoid doing this very thing again in the future?? The problem is that the bathroom vent pipe that goes to the roof is smack in the middle of where the 2 walls were which is throwing a humongous monkey wrench into all of it. George, Steve, and I pondered a solution for this problem for a good half an hour.
We could have also chosen to do nothing, but George pointed out that the shower controls were looking pretty worn. Once again, to do nothing means we'd be doing this later. May as well do it now. But how??
Finally, it was decided to just move the vent, and rebuild the wall between the linen closet and the bathroom half a foot into the bathroom. This makes the closet a little deeper, and it makes the distance between the back of the toilet and the wall nearly non-existent. And we get an access panel for when we decide we're done with this cheap shower, rip it out, and replace it.
We spent Wednesday evening demolishing our linen closet and back wall behind our toilet. Tomorrow, George will come over and sawzall the frame boards. Then the reconstruction begins. And I get to repaint the bathroom.
Talk about unexpected. ::face palm:: And scope creep. UGH.
On a side note, we're wondering what the configuration of this room was when the house was built. We're guessing that the master bathroom was really only a half bath, and that the closet was much bigger. When the bathroom was remodeled, a major portion of the closet was commandeered for the shower, leaving only the small portion there today. It's just a hunch, and we'll probably never know.
- Posted using BlogPress from my newest toy.
As previously mentioned, we found what was likely asbestos tiles underneath the rug. Those came up remarkably easy, and were disposed of in the dumpster while it was still here.
While we demolishing the basement initially, our friend Andy saw our plumbing and highly recommended that we convert the copper pipes and cast iron drains to PVC due to the age of them. Plus, we are the first home owners to put in water filtration and pH balancing. Our well water is so acidic that if left untreated, it leaches the solder out of the copper pipes (discovered this during our home inspection when we did a water test), and our water tends to be brown from all of the iron in it. The only logical conclusion is that we're asking for a leak if we leave everything as status quo since the pipes and drains are being eaten from the inside out, and we have no way of knowing what their conditions are without cutting them open.
Let's see if we were right....
Those drain pipes look pretty corroded to me! YUCK!
To top it all off, being that we have a toilet AND shower leak in our master bathroom, we were going to have to at least fix those issues before going any further with the basement remodel. So we figured, while we're at, it may as well do as Andy suggested. Scope creep!
We recruited my cousin George to do the plumbing work since we have no idea what we are doing when it comes to plumbing. Standard remodeling protocol requires that there be something unexpected about the job, and this has proven to not be an exception.
George discovered that whomever remodeled our master bathroom cut too big a hole in the subfloor for the toilet, and so the flange was falling through it. Tada... the toilet was leaking. George patched the hole, and set the flange such that it's clear that thing ain't movin' one bit.
The shower leak was because whomever installed the drain on it installed the rubber seal upside down, probably tested it and found it was leaking, didn't realize it was upside down and instead, siliconed it to death to plug the leak. Naturally, with acidic water and years passing by, the silicone plug has worn away and thus, our leak. George managed to get that rubber seal out and installed correctly, so we should be set there.
But wait, there's more. Because it couldn't just be those two obvious issues.
The subfloor wasn't properly installed because it didn't reach from beam to beam. Really? So it was rigged, which is ok, if it were done with *screws*. But it wasn't done with screws, it was done with nails and as we all know, after years, nails work their way out and "pop". So part of the subfloor is sinking, too. George advised us that the only way to properly fix that is to rip up the tile, and effectively remodel the whole bathroom. But he doesn't think it'll sink any further since that particular part of the floor is not holding any real weight (it's dead space behind the toilet). Ok, leaving that as it is.
There's more!!!
As George has started to replace the copper pipes for our master bath (he's completed the drain replacements), we discovered that there is no access panel for our shower. It doesn't exist. After drilling holes in our bathroom wall and our linen closet wall (theoretically, this should have been one in the same, except that... they are 2 very distinct walls!) we finally figured out that the shower controls were behind the wide side of a 2x6 used to frame the bathroom wall and the linen closet wall, making the shower controls completely and utterly unaccessible unless we rip out the entire bathroom wall, linen closet wall, and all of the framing used to create both. That's SNAFU #1.
 |
| The other pipe is*behind* that structure. Really. |
 |
| Our demolished closet, bathroom vent pipe, and toilet water feed. |
SNAFU #2 is.... ok, so what if we rip all the stuff out. How does it get rebuilt so that an access panel can be added ... to avoid doing this very thing again in the future?? The problem is that the bathroom vent pipe that goes to the roof is smack in the middle of where the 2 walls were which is throwing a humongous monkey wrench into all of it. George, Steve, and I pondered a solution for this problem for a good half an hour.
We could have also chosen to do nothing, but George pointed out that the shower controls were looking pretty worn. Once again, to do nothing means we'd be doing this later. May as well do it now. But how??
Finally, it was decided to just move the vent, and rebuild the wall between the linen closet and the bathroom half a foot into the bathroom. This makes the closet a little deeper, and it makes the distance between the back of the toilet and the wall nearly non-existent. And we get an access panel for when we decide we're done with this cheap shower, rip it out, and replace it.
We spent Wednesday evening demolishing our linen closet and back wall behind our toilet. Tomorrow, George will come over and sawzall the frame boards. Then the reconstruction begins. And I get to repaint the bathroom.
Talk about unexpected. ::face palm:: And scope creep. UGH.
On a side note, we're wondering what the configuration of this room was when the house was built. We're guessing that the master bathroom was really only a half bath, and that the closet was much bigger. When the bathroom was remodeled, a major portion of the closet was commandeered for the shower, leaving only the small portion there today. It's just a hunch, and we'll probably never know.
- Posted using BlogPress from my newest toy.
Tuesday, May 03, 2011
Elektra milestone!
Last week, I decided to try to sit Elektra on the potty first thing in the morning, just to get her used to it. The first few days, nothing happened (though she did have some gas!). Then on Friday morning, she pee peed on the potty! We didn't have any success on Saturday, but Sunday morning we did! And Sunday night, before bath, she also went! We've also had success yesterday morning and this morning! The biggest success she had was last night when she told Steve she needed to go, and she did! She's not staying dry overnight, but that's ok; she's still young yet!
What was hilarious this morning, though, was that as Elektra was going this morning, DJ came into the bathroom and bent down to watch the pee come out of her. May as well know how it works!
Good job, Elektra!
What was hilarious this morning, though, was that as Elektra was going this morning, DJ came into the bathroom and bent down to watch the pee come out of her. May as well know how it works!
Good job, Elektra!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)