Attic Projects At The Bamboo Lagoon

There have been a couple of little projects involving the attic in this house on the list for some time. They weren't super intensive projects or anything but just something that needed to be done that hadn't been done.

So in the process of working on another bigger project yesterday, I kind of got forced to deal with one of them and since I was already dealing with one, it made sense to just knockout the other ones.

Dryer Vent Project

The dryer vent in this house goes up and out thru the attic. It has to be this way because of the way that the laundry room and our master bath nest up against each other. I found that the vent wasn't connected to the vent in the roof of the house so for a period of time, renters were venting into the attic space rather than out through the roof vent.

I had to put the vent piece up as high as it could go and originally, I figured I would get in the attic and just fix it there, but the space was way too tight so I ended up getting on the roof and fixing it from there.

Attic view where vent wasn't going through roof of house

Covered attic vent

Before screen and cleanout of lint

 I also cleaned the roof vent out of built up lint and put a new screen on it that can be removed and cleaned periodically since it is only clamped down.

With new bracket attached to keep it from falling into attic

With new screening and clamp attached

Electric Box Cover Project

The lighting in the laundry room used to be a standard overhead light, and at some point in time was changed over to be a florescent tube lighting fixture. When the electric box that previously fed the original light was covered, it was done so poorly. It didn't completely cover the hole in the drywall and it was crooked.

I had purchased a new paintable cover for it, but just hadn't gotten to it because I had to access the attic to push the electric box down flush with the drywall to attach it. Since I was already doing things in the attic, it seems logical to knock this small one out.

Hole and electric box in laundry room ceiling

The cover I bought for it

In place and it can be painted to match when ceiling is painted soon

Attic Access Cover Insulation

The piece of drywall that covers the access to the attic apparently had two bath towels stapled to it to provide insulation. Definitely not adequate. We had some left over insulation from the wall repair (and even though it isn't the same R factor you would use in an attic) and figured it would be a good option. I cut the piece to fit and then stapled it to the attic side of the drywall.

Drywall piece with no insulation

Extra piece of insulation

Finished project, better than it was for sure!

Miscellaneous Attic Checkups

As well as these three little projects, I also had plans to check the insulation in the attic to see if it was adequate (and it was), check the exhaust vents to see if they vented outside (and they do), and check if putting in a pulldown ladder and plywood for storage up there was feasible (and it really isn't). So all in all, even though I didn't get a lot of the other project done, at least that attic stuff is off the list!!

Preventative Work At The Bamboo Lagoon

While out working on the pool yesterday, I discovered that the wasp/yellowjacket population is already trying to get out of hand. I haven't found but one or two nests (which were immediately sprayed and destroyed), but there is a weed in the backyard that kind of looks like a pea plant and there are tons of wasps on them.

So yesterday, I bought two wasp/yellowjacket traps to hang in the backyard so I can get them under control before they take over. It has gotten so warm here so fast, that some things feel like I am already behind...but I am hoping that we get a lot of rain in May. If we don't, we will be hurting so bad for water later in the summer.

Anyhow, so I put out those traps this morning, and also set a bomb off under our front porch (where the spiders like to live) so I can work under there later this week. I have to put in some joist hangers as well as put in some ventilation holes and I don't want to be worried about black widows.

I watered a bunch of stuff that was in the shade and then got up on the roof so I could check the upper portion of the solar panels (which look great). I haven't tested them yet...still waiting for it to warm up just a bit more.

I want to get out and take all those pea looking weeds out, but I can't tackle it while the bees are out there, so I might have to see how the traps do and try to get to them when I see not as many bees. I don't want them going to seed so I need to do it before the flowers are gone, that is for sure.

I bought some 3 mil black plastic yesterday to lay down along the backside of the pool in a row that I don't want anything to grow in. It just creates a bunch of weeds right near the pool so I want to cover it up and hope that I can kill it all off, then treat it with vinegar and see if I can keep it clear.

As always, a ton to work on...and it never ends.

Pool Maintenance

Multiport valve on pool pump/filter

Last year, it became evident that there was something going on with the multiport valve on the pool pump/filter. This made it so that I pretty much didn't vacuum, backwash or rinse for the last 1/2 of the season because getting the pool to stop draining was an ordeal. I managed to keep the pool pretty clean with filtering, brushing, skimming and scooping, but it is not how I want this season to be.

I dreaded doing this fix because I was sure it was going to be super hard (to get parts, and to do the actual fixing). I prepped by taking pics of the multiport valve and checking out the possibilities online. I then went to the pool supply store that I use and found out what I needed to do. They were awesome with instructions and gave me confidence that I would be able to do it without needing help or any crazy tools.

So today, I decided that not only was I going to get the multiport valve done, I was also going to get the pool pump's electric box secured to the post like it should be. I had already looked at the hole in the back of the electric box and measured for a carriage bolt I could put through the box into the 2x4 behind.

Electric box bolted to post

I killed the power to the pump, and gathered up the tools needed. I held the electric box into place and drilled a hole through the post to match up the hole in the electric box. I put in the bolt and tightened everything down, and with a small screwdriver was able to open the two zip ties I had used to temporarily hold the box in place.

I opened up the skimmer basket on the pump to relieve some pressure from the system and then started working on the 6 bolts surrounding the valve. As I started to loosen them, I could hear the water moving around. Once I took them out, I was able to lift on the handle and top of the valve and see the gasket that needed to be replaced. As soon as I opened it, it was obvious why it was leaking after vacuuming, backwashing and rinsing. More than likely, the renters weren't turning the valve in one direction like they were supposed to and messed up the gasket.

The bad news was that the gasket I had in hand, was not the same as the one in my valve, so I gathered up the handle/top, the two gaskets (one new and one old) and headed over to the pool supply store. I thought I might have to cut the gasket to fit like it should but I wanted to get a professional's opinion first. He recommended the same thing but first wanted to check their stock for the right gasket. My valve is pretty old so getting parts is hit and miss. Fortunately, he had the exact gasket I needed hanging in the supply room and it was 5 bucks cheaper than the first one I bought. He took the other one back (this is why I save packaging...LOL). I double checked on a few details and headed back.

Open valve with gasket removed

I put the gasket into its slot, and screwed everything back into place while keeping the edge gasket from pinching. Went down and turned on the power to the pumphouse, and turned on the filter to check for pressure and leaks. Noticed that there is a small leak from the pressure gauge, but I am planning to replace the gauge soon (just don't have the right one), so I am not going to worry too much about it right now. The leak is super small.

I cleaned the pool (not vacuuming, but everything else) and checked the chemicals. Still need to vacuum, fix some deck boards, set up the tiki torches, paint and assemble the deck table and clean up all the chairs but I felt good about knocking out these two maintenance issues that I was worried would be way harder than they turned out to be.

Nothing Is Easy At The Bamboo Lagoon

This is the last electrical thing in the big project to be done on the interior of the house. I still have outdoor, garage and dryer electrical to do, but this one thing was supposed to mark the end of my switch, plate, and outlet project. I was putting it off a bit because I hate putting on ends to the coax, but the office desk has been pulled out for weeks and it was time to wrap it.

Guess what? It isn't wrapped up. As you can see in the picture, unlike all the other cable jacks in the entire house, this one was put in through the studs of the window framing...which makes putting in one of my little blue boxes to create a safe, and attractive way of cleaning up the cable jacks, completely impossible.

So, because I had already cut the cable (which supplies all the Internet for the whole house), I had to temporarily reattached it so I would have Internet, while I patch this hole and end up just putting a white plate cover on screwed into the drywall and studs rather than using a blue box. It will look fine to anyone that doesn't know, but it will always bug me just a bit that I wasn't able to blue box this one like the others.

The patch will take a day or so to dry completely so for now, the desk is still pulled out, and this little project is not check marked off my list. I could just kick the cable guy for doing this...I already dislike him for taking a chunk out of my newly painted siding when he put the line in and then didn't replace it correctly leaving a weird looking hole on the outside of the house as well.

Hunter Douglas At The Bamboo Lagoon

Bay Window in Bedroom

So the Bamboo Lagoon has Everwoodx blinds in 5 windows on the main floor and then Duette honeycomb blinds in the two bedrooms downstairs. The blind in the smaller of the downstairs bedrooms was broken, so it couldn't be pulled up, but other than dirt, was in perfect condition. I figured that it would have to be replaced because I had no idea that pullup blinds could be re-corded. So I called the local Hunter Douglas retailer to see how much replacing the blind would cost. This was my first dive into the pricing of Hunter Douglas blinds (and I was shocked). The cost to replace it was going to be way more than I could afford to do, but the salesperson mentioned that lots of blinds are repairable and that they also could clean it for me. I decided to give it a go.

This blind is 46 inches across. I removed it, and banded it together and took it in. They looked at it, and realized that it might have a warranty that would cover the repair and the cleaning would cost me 13 dollars. I left the blind with them along with the hopes that the warranty would still be valid....and it turns out, it was. So rather than paying almost 200 dollars to replace a blind in one room, I got back a clean, fixed blind for 13 bucks...yeah!

Once I saw how well the cleaning worked, I took down the longer blind in the second room and gave that to them to have it cleaned. I should note that these particular blinds (not the ones on the main floor) were purchased and installed in 1992...so to have blinds that are still functioning, in great shape and still under warranty 20+ years later explains the initial cost of these blinds. Way to go Hunter Douglas!

Pruning At The Bamboo Lagoon

It is that time of year when lots of things need to be pruned before new growth starts. The yardwaste bin was also going out on Monday so the nice weather provided the perfect opportunity to get out and get some of it knocked out. I haven't completed even a third of what needs to be done, but I did make a dent.

I cut back all the nandinas in the front and side yards.

One of many nandinas (before)

Same nandina (after)

I got to all the roses in the front, side and back yard. I also managed to get my herb pots cleaned up.

Herbs (before)

Herbs (after)

I cleaned out two flower beds for future planting.

Front bed (before)

Front bed (after)

Porch bed for future bamboo (after)

In the process of cutting back some of the roses, I was able to also get rid of some nasty blackberries that were trying to entangle things. I also discovered how the white lattice is attached to the pool deck and now can get back behind it to clean out some things that are trying to sprout up through the deck boards.

Blackberry and roses in front of pool (before)

Only roses left in front of pool (after)

I still need to get up on the higher terraces (hope to knock some of that out this week, weather permitting). There is rock wall repair and sprinkler repair that needs to be done as well. But as I see it, it is a work in progress and none of it is going to happen all at once.

12 Gauge Wire Is Not My Favorite

Dimmer and outlet switch in diningroom (before)

Electric continues at the Bamboo Lagoon, but we can see the light at the end of the tunnel. As I mentioned in this earlier post, the living room and dining room outlets are all on 12 gauge wire, even though the breakers are 15A and none of the outlets are 20A. 12 gauge wire is thick and when you have 4 or even 6 wires coming into one box along with a ground wire, it is hard to manipulate.

20A new outlet

One of the first outlets in the living room had 6 wires coming in and there was no way that I was going to be able to wire nut them all together with a piece of 14 gauge in each and then push it all back into the tiny box so on that outlet I opted to put in a 20A outlet because it allows for 12 gauge wire in the back of the outlet and then I only had to put the two extras on the screws.

While I was working with two switches a couple of days ago (finally got rid of the second dimmer switch), I realized that three of the dining room outlets are on a kitchen circuit (that actually is 20A). So one switch was on the living room circuit and the other switch was on the dining room circuit. I was actually taking out one of the switches and just wire nutting the wires together because all it did was run an outlet that I wanted to have on all the time.

Diningroom switch (after)

So today, I finished up the dining room outlets, swearing at the resistant 12 gauge wire the entire time, but fortunately none of the outlets had 6 wires so I was able to use the standard 15A outlets I bought in bulk and I didn't have to use any more 20A outlets (which cost a lot more).

I just have two more outlets, a cable box, and a blank plate left to do in the livingroom and then it is on to the office, and then the outlet, switch, faceplate project will be done (although, there will still be some more electrical projects on the To Do list). It will be nice to have this one knocked out and know that all the outlets and switches are in good shape and working properly, and of course look much better.

Electric And More Electric

So it started off as a somewhat small project...just changing a set of switches out because one was a dimmer we didn't want and one was making noise that we didn't want, and lastly because the circuit didn't seem to be working right. All of this was in the circuit that runs the entryway light.

GFCI and 4-way switch

So opened up the offending switches, took pictures and headed off to the hardware store. Got what was needed, came home, and got to work. Turns out that the breaker box once again does not give us all the info that we need to avoid electrocution so after a lot of flipping of breakers and testing of wires, all hot switches were cold.

Since replacement of the switch was going to coincide colorwise with the cover plate, extra switches were purchased at the same time so all switches inside one plate would match.

One of the old outlets with 12 gauge wires

Started work on the 4-way circuit for the entryway light first. Turned out the dimmer was failing and the wires to the 4-way switch had been installed backwards originally so it took several hours to get it all figured out and working correctly. With the extra trips to the hardware store for advice and extra supplies, all in all, I ended up replacing:

1 4-way switch
6 3-way switches (one of those formerly had been a dimmer)
1 single pole switch
3 15A duplex outlets

all during this one project.

Installed 4-way and 3-way switches for entry light and hallway light

New switch plates were put in where needed and I am now a pro at switch and outlet replacement. Actually went to the DIY to get all the outlets, switches and plates to replace 3 more rooms worth in case snow keeps me inside next week. It is so nice to have safe switches and outlets in this place.

Not Wisteria At The Bamboo Lagoon

Before this baby bloomed, I was absolutely sure this was Wisteria growing at the Bamboo Lagoon. But its not...it is Trumpet Vine.

We had 6 different vines of Wisteria at a house we owned in the past, and the leaves and growth of this one looked just like Wisteria, until those red beautiful trumpets bloomed. I am kind of glad that it is something different, just for the change, although Wisteria would have been beautiful over this arbor as well.

Mini Office At The Bamboo Lagoon

So when we bought the house, we found it kind of odd that on a split level, there was only one bathroom on the main floor and it was in the master bedroom. Normally there would be at least a 1/2 bath for guests on the main level so that they didn't have to go down to the full bath on the lower floor.

There was this little room directly across from the laundry room on the main level and it was tiny and strange. Only 6 feet across and about 5 feet deep. I decided we would use it as a little office when we eventually moved into the house, since there was no closet and it was too small to be used for much else.

While the internet and cable was being installed, we noticed that there was an exhaust fan in this tiny strange room, and it dawned on us that it used to be the 1/2 bath for the main floor and for some reason was converted to a room. It has no overhead lighting so I am planning to replace the exhaust fan with an overhead light as soon as I have the time and money.


In the meantime, I was able to get our mini office set up, the new network configuration done and all our devices hooked back up to the network. One more thing off the To Do List!!