Wednesday, August 27th, 2008
The town inspector came by today to inspect the freshly installed pellet stove. It passed, but with a little story.
When the inspector was reading through the manufacturer’s installation manual, he couldn’t find the part that said exhaust vent clearances only need to be 9″ from windows and doors if a fresh air vent is used. The reason he couldn’t find it is because it wasn’t in there. When I realized this, I began to sweat. Then, I remembered that the updated version of the installation manual was online…that’s where I got those clearances from. I quickly went upstairs to print out the pages I kept telling him about. I ran back downstairs and gave him the paperwork. He approved the install with no more issues.
I really like this installation because we don’t need a protective layer between the stove and the floor, since it’s on the new basement tile. That’s pretty cool, as well as a money saver. Also, we used hardly any exhaust pipe. That’s another money saver.
After the inspection, I called the pellet stove place to complete the order for four tons of pellets. I wanted to make sure the stove would be operable before finishing and paying for the order. They will get delivered in mid September.
I also called the insurance company to inform them of the new appliance. They liked this and added $11 to the homeowner’s policy. Not bad…
On the way home from Home Depot today, I saw a sign that offered a cord of wood for $200. Boy, prices have gone up. Even pellets were about $2.50 a bag a few years ago. Now, they are averaging about $5 per bag. If you were ever thinking about getting into a new business, alternative energy is it. This stuff is HOT right now.
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Tuesday, August 26th, 2008
Well, the guys came over yesterday to install the new St. Croix Prescott EXL pellet stove. As you might recall, our previous pellet stove was a Harman P38. I was a little nervous about switching brands because I had gotten used to Harman. Also, Harman has very good reviews. The reason I couldn’t get a Harman this time is because they are all backed up and we may not have even gotten one this season.
It took the installers about 3 hours to finish the installation. When everything was in, they fired it up to make sure everything was working properly. One of the installers noticed one issue…the auger wasn’t turning, so no pellets were falling into the burn pot. the auger motor was working fine, just not the auger itself. We made an appointment for the service guy to come out today. By the way, I could have fixed this. It was easy. I actually was almost done fixing it when the doorbell rang. That’s me beating my chest.
Today, the repair guy came out and fixed the auger issue. The small set screw on the auger shaft wasn’t tightened properly, so it wasn’t catching on the auger motor.
I must say, this unit is very nice. It has auto-light, which was very important. I am going to hook up a thermostat, so the pellet stove can shut down and start up on its own. Also, the auger and fan is much quieter than the Harman. The whole system just seems to be more elegant. For a few hundred bucks more, I am happy that I went with this model.
Here are some photos…
What’s nice is that the outside venting is under the porch. The necessary clearances are 24″ away from the porch and 12″ off the ground. Also, since we used the fresh air kit, the clearances from windows and doors is only 9″. I would say that’s one of the huge benefits of pellet stoves.
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Saturday, August 23rd, 2008
Last Saturday, the pellet stove installer came out for a site visit. He checked out the location of the installation and took a few pictures for the file. It’s good to have a site visit, just to make sure everything will be OK for the installation.
He gave me some papers to bring down to the town office for the permit application. Things are a little different here in CT than in NY. Here, you have to fill out the permit information and then, the project needs to be approved by the inspector. This took a few days, because I am sure this fellow is out inspecting all these new pellet stoves people are putting in. In NY, I think I remember just handing the guy the paperwork and him looking at it and giving me the green light. Back in the old town, you could pretty much put up a housing project on your front lawn and get it approved.
Oh yeah, permits here go by the cost of the project. The more expensive the project, the more you are going to pay for a permit. It might be that way in NY…I don’t remember.
By Thursday, the permit was approved by the inspector. I gave the pellet stove company a call to set up an install date. We settled on this Monday coming up, which isn’t bad. I just want this thing in so I can stop thinking about it. I also ordered four tons of pellets. Boy, those pictures are going to be fun.
This blog post is over. At this point, I have nothing else to add.
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Monday, February 4th, 2008
Today was a good day to install a new dishwasher. Good thing too, because our new one showed up this morning. I would say this has been a long time coming and almost didn’t happen. Luckily, while we were in the kitchen place in December, we made the decision to get one. I think it was the right choice. The strangest thing is now I feel like I’m living in my mother’s house. The kitchen feels so “legitimate.” I mean, we are so used to washing dishes by hand…I guess I just feel spoiled, that’s all. Even the sound of the dishwasher feels like when I was growing up. You know the feeling…having a conversation while wiping down the counter tops at night, listening to the hum of the dishwasher. It’s weird.
Ok, so here are some photos of the installation. I would first like to say thank you to Rob and Paul who both offered to come over and help install this beast. It needed to be wired and plumbed, but when I found out how easy everything easy to do myself, I just couldn’t help it. Onto the pictures…
This is the Frigidaire dishwasher we got. It is a no frills model. We got it for $230, which was the cheapest one in the store. I asked the sales guy what the difference was between this one and the others and he told me basically features and sound dampening. I told him we would take this one. I don’t need the thing to scratch my back, I need it to clean the dishes.
This is the hot water feed that comes from under the sink right next door. This fitting came with the dishwasher installation kit I bought from Home Depot.
This is the rest of the kit (braided hose) after it is all together. Sorry for the blurriness.
This clear hose is the drain hose that goes up and over the dishwasher and then attached to my drain hose I bought last week. I clamped the two together with a fitting.
This is the wiring I ran from the breaker box, under the house and up through the floor in back of the dishwasher. The wires just attach to the two wires that come with the dishwasher. The ground gets screwed right to the dishwasher. The wiring is attached to a 20AMP circuit breaker in the box. It’s very simple.
Here is a nice view of underneath the dishwasher, if anyone cares.
This is the fitting I got the other day. I talk about it in this post.
This is the almost finished product. All I have to do now is to put the base plate back on and peel the protective film off the black door. We already ran two loads in this bad boy and are very pleased. For a dishwasher with virtually no sound insulation, it’s fairly quiet. It doesn’t use much water at all and does a great job cleaning the dishes and silverware.
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Thursday, January 24th, 2008
I felt that it was my duty to bring you a few more photos of the kitchen installation. It is my duty and my honor.
The second day of the installation is full of detail and trim work. The installer has been out there cutting small strips of wood for filler and hanging the crown moulding on the cabinets. We also put on the counter top this afternoon. There are a bunch more little things that need to get done, they just take up a lot of time.
Here are some photos…
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Wednesday, January 23rd, 2008
The installer arrived this morning at about 8:30. I was very pleased to greet him in the driveway holding the plans in my hand. I felt like a puppy looking out the window.
It is extremely nice to see this thing being put together. There are already some things that I would’ve had trouble with, but he seems to be banging away in there like it’s nobody’s business.
Here are a few photos that I snuck. He is installing the base cabinets first, and then I guess the wall cabinets. I just hope he gets the majority of it done today with just the trim to complete for tomorrow.
These two photos below were taken at about noon. The majority of base cabinets are installed and he is now working on the wall cabinets.
Ok, these next photos below were taken at about 3PM. Most of the base cabinets are installed and the wall cabinets are almost done. There are a few hiccups that he had to fix up, but nothing huge.
I took these photos below at about 5PM, right after the skilled installer left. Man, he measured a lot of stuff and did a better job than I would’ve. Anyway, here they are…
The counter top for that small base cabinet directly above is too long. I think they forgot about that one being more shallow than the rest. I guess we have to get a new one of them. Tomorrow, he is coming back to do the crown moulding, the kick plates and all the spacer wood. Then, we will put the counter top on and cut the hole for the sink. After that, he is done and I will do the plumbing for the sink and purchase and install the dishwasher.
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Tuesday, January 22nd, 2008
Well, the living room is full of kitchen cabinets. What a mess…I didn’t think there were going to be so many. It’s quite the pile.
The guys showed up at about 10:30 this morning. Being my usual self, I jumped out there and helped them bring all the stuff in. I basically brought in all the upper cabinets, while they brought in the lower stuff, along with the long counter top. This isn’t because they were stronger than me. It’s because I let them. I could’ve done it, but I didn’t want to, ok?
Here are some photos of the large pile…
The installer is coming tomorrow, so all this should be looking pretty good by tomorrow evening. He is scheduled for two days, but with me helping, I am not sure that’s going to happen. I will post more photos of the kitchen installation tomorrow.
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Monday, January 21st, 2008
I just received a phone call from the kitchen place informing me that the kitchen cabinets will be delivered to the house tomorrow morning. This caught me a bit by surprise, because I thought they were coming on Wednesday morning, with the installation guys. I thought they would be brought in one at a time, so I wouldn’t have to worry about making room for them.
Well, that’s not the case. She told me the delivery and installation people are two different entities. Sooooo, I guess this means I will have to make some serious storage space in the living room for all this stuff. Oh, you bet I will take pictures…oh you just wait.
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Wednesday, January 2nd, 2008
Yeah…in like three weeks.
As I was leaning over into the bathtub yesterday washing some dishes, I started to wonder when the kitchen was going to arrive. Yes, as the time passes, I wonder that more and more.
Well, today I decided to give the kitchen place a call to ask what kind of time frame we are looking at. Now, I am well aware that the kitchen place orders the cabinets and their hands are pretty much tied after that. I can only imagine all the people who call them asking when their cabinets are going to get there. I wouldn’t want to be a kitchen design place having to field those calls. I imagine that people can get pretty frustrated. In all fairness, they did tell us about four weeks would pass and to add another week because of the holidays.
Anyway, I called today and talked to the dude. He told me that the cabinets should be here the week of the 14th. That kind of took me by surprise. He told me that they had installation scheduled for Wednesday, the 23rd and that it would take two days. Man, that kind of sucks. That’s like a whole nother month.
I suppose I can just put it out of my mind and continue washing dishes in the bathtub. Tonight is a good night to order pizza and salad anyway.
Mad peace to you and your relatives and big props to your home gentlemen and gentleladies.
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Thursday, November 22nd, 2007
The tile guy came over at 8AM this morning to finish up the tiling. All he had to do was the grout.
I must’ve gotten up about eight times last night for various reasons. I do this all the time when I am expecting someone to come over early in the morning. I heard a bump at about 6:30AM and I hopped out of bed. It wasn’t him, but I just stayed awake.
He did a really nice job. We both put the toilet back in (of which I bought the correct bolts). Then, after he left, I put the vanity back in and hooked up the plumbing.
All I have to do now is to hang the door moulding and installed the threshhold moulding on the floor in the doorway. It should look nice. After that, THE KITCHEN!!!
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