Finally...some progress!

Ahhhhh...... My work schedule has finally settled a bit this week allowing me to get some quality time going on the house with some good results. 

Electrical work
In preparation for the upcoming Daylight Savings time change, I went back over all of the electrical work focusing on those areas that I had yet to validate.  The only two remaining lines in place but not yet connected go to the water heater and the dryer plug.  I'm pleased to report there were no unwelcome ZAPPING sounds, explosions or fires when I flipped individual breakers or light switches. 

It's such a GOOD feeling when you find everything to be in good working order. 

Success allowed me to set about installing additional temporary work lights throughout the house so that as it gets dark in the evenings I'll not be working in the shadows.  Temporary meaning they can be removed easily when the sheetrock install commences. 

It's amazing what good lighting will do for you!  It's lifts the spirits and motivates!

Hot Water Heater
I completed the drain plumbing for the hot water.  Both the pressure release valve and the drain pan lines connect to the laundry drain.  All that remains for the water heater are the main water lines and the electrical connection.  That will come with the other plumbing work.

Plumbing
With the desired bathroom and kitchen design/upgrades and the new water heater, pretty much all of the plumbing lines have to be touched in one way or another.  Of course, that raised the question as to whether it made sense to replace all of the aging copper lines and replace with new plumbing.

In researching options, PEX plastic tubing with Sharkbite fittings appears to be the best option.  PEX and Sharkbite fittings are exceptionally easy to work with, require almost no tools, is fairly inexpensive, and is very much a perfect do-it-yourself project. 

Check out these YouTube videos:
PEX Water Lines
Sharkbite Fittings


Internet/TV Cabling
Previously I ran a series of Cat5 computer cables and coaxial cables throughout the house.  With a 1000' box of Cat5 and a 500' box of coaxial cable already bought and paid for, and with the walls completely open and accessible, I found it quite easy to get carried away and running more cables than was probably necessary given my general level of computer usage. 

On the other hand, considering I was unexpectedly offered a great job which permits working from a home office via internet connectivity, the future possibilities would suggest I'll be working from the house more often than not.  That makes NOW the time to take everything into consideration and get the place wired for all things internet related; home network, hardwired and wireless modem, entertainment components,  sound system components, fax, printers, etc. 

Better overkill now than to kick myself later if I found I didn't install enough infrastructure or in all the logical places.  I spent last night pulling the cables back from the original routing to the soon to be computer closet and re-ran them in a more direct line from their sources.  It was a bit more tidy to do that!  Connecting it all up on a circuit board is going to be interesting.

Cat5e and Coaxial heading towards towards
the electronics closet

These groupings will be bundled before
hitting the future connection board.

With the near completion of the electrical work I was able to start zip tying cable runs into tidy bundles

More to come!

Water heater placement rework

In an earlier post I described the placement of the water heater in the closet to the right side closet behind the fireplace.  After much consideration and the decision to replumb the house using new flexible PEX water lines, I decided to move the water heater over to the equal sized closet on the left of the fireplace where the old AC system used to be housed.

 

 Moving it to this space made sense for a couple of reasons;
1) it's closer to the bathrooms and kitchen, and
2) it's closer to the drain pipe which is required for the pressure relieve valve water line, and the drain pan drain.

I ripped out the old AC return plenum box and built an elevated platform for the stubby WH to sit on.  This will allow the drain lines to line up and will enable effective use of the space below for storage, be it just an open area or possibly drawers (TBD).

 The original drain pipe for the laundry area was cut down so new PVC pipes and the Washer drain and supply line boxes could be installed.

The old drain pipe setup

The new (and incomplete) drain pipe setup.

The copper pipe will be cut and capped shortly

The WH has two drain lines that have to be attached as well as one from the AC system located on the deck above.  I'll install a T-fitting for the WH.  The AC line will just drain straight down in to the pipe though from a higher level than is reflected in the picture above.

More to come.

 

Back....sort of.....

October has not been very productive. 

I'm in the process of transitioning into full time at the new job in my old line of work and cutting back hours at the big box store.  Between the two there's not been much energy or time to work on the house. 

I spent most of last week in Dallas and returned Friday in time to spend the weekend working at the big box store.  The upside is I'm back at work in familiar territory.  The downside is there less free time because I'm back at work full time. 

My temporary home office

To compound matters, I'll be gone for another week towards the end of the month.  At least when I get back, it will to a consistent 9-5 job with weekends and most evenings off (decided to stick with the big box store for two nights a week). 

It's all good....but hectic.

Brief interuption

Not forgotten ya'll.

Unexpectedly had to return to Dallas this week so been here since Tuesday.  Returning tomorrow but likely won't get to do any work on the house until next week.

Bummer!