Fellowship of the Fireplace of the Return of the King of the Hebrew Handymen

Our three bedroom neo-colonial was built in 1950 as a 'Levittown Ranch':  two bedroom cape, on a concrete slab, detached garage. The original foundation has slab heating (i.e., one zone consists of copper pipes embedded in the slab), which leak in various places. In 1969, the previous owner added a second story.  It's not clear if the single-store extensions to the kitchen and den were added at the same time as the second story - though both extensions are also on concrete slabs, albeit without slab heating. The combined effect of the slab foundation, and north-facing kitchen and den extensions result in the first floor being essentially uninhabitable in the bitter winder months (Jan/Feb).  If we turn on the two heating zones on the first floor full blast, it eventually warms up, but the boiler runs without pause (i.e. we can watch the heating bill tick up by the second). So, when winter sets in, we become second floor hermits, other than coming downstairs for breakfast. Dinners almost without exception are upstairs, in bed, using a towel as a "placemat".

With various run-ups in heating oil over the years, we looked into getting natural gas, but running a line to our house wasn't financially viable.  A few years ago, three houses on our left (original two bedroom capes) became "knockdown" McMansion spec houses, and gas service was now available to us (not that anyone asked!).

A few winters ago was really miserable - much colder than usual, and I (we ?) decided it made sense to get a gas fireplace for the first floor, which we (I ?) hoped would enable enjoying the space (den, TV room, dinners, etc), and maybe even entertaining more during the cold season.

This coincided with repeated occurrences of flooding in the back of the house, primarily the den extension - resulting from the the backyard sloping toward the house, and repeated failed attempts at drainage.  The drainage system(s) would work OK most of the time, but then a torrential storm came, and we'd have another ruined carpet, or laminate floor in the den.   Multiple attempts to shop vacuum water out of the carpeting, then shampoo machine, didn't help.  Tearing up the water-logged carpeting from the last flooding, we decided the next flooring in the den would be tile - much easier to deal with, in the likely event of future flooding.

In addition to the flooding problem, the north facing kitchen extension roof was very low pitched, and recurring ice dams resulted in replacing the entire roof system (~1992) including joists - yet ice dams continued to be a problem, with resulting roofing rot, and leaks, and significant water damage/mold in one corner of the kitchen.

Overall scope of the project:

• dealing with the (massive) roof leaks.
• install new floor
• install gas service line from gas meter (side of the house) to the location of the fireplace (particularly challenging due to concrete slab).
• construction of fireplace platform, venting, electrical, drywall, wallpaper, etc etc etc.
• two mantel surrounds (see through fireplace, as shown in the pic) and hearth.

This project has become my "white whale": I'd promised Amy it would be ready to use the winter of 2014/15 (this is being written June 2016).  The fireplace unit was purchased October 2014, and demolition of the den closet (location of the fireplace to be installed) began that Thanksgiving. At this point, an incredible amount of work has been completed.

Pic taken after Thanksgiving 2014: demolition, installation of new header, rough framing for
fireplace venting and platform, and electrical.

Pending items:

• Building permit.
• Fabricate & install mantel(s) and surround(s) - 'see-through fireplace', so two of these
  are needed, and I'm doing different design on each side ... just to make it more interesting :-) 
• Set up the fireplace itself, including converting the propane unit purchased to natural gas,  install ceramics log set, remote control, and auxiliary fan. I'll probably hire a professional fireplace guy for this - tho' I'm confident I could do it myself ... would just take me muuuuuchhh longer!

So - much closer to the end than the beginning - but at this point, ~ 18 months (and counting) later than committed to my "better half".

Along the way I lined up estimates for the roof and flooring - yet decided to do the work myself. I'm reasonably certain these decisions were not always in the best interest of marital harmony - yet the outcome of virtually all the work I've done has been, as I call it, a "pro job"  (though these days, that doesn't always mean that much...)
.
I'll follow and post pics of the sub-projects

  Den Floor - winter 2015  (some pics previously posted)

   18 inch porcelain tiles were installed with 'medium set' mortar ( *crazy* hard to mix ),
   an effective solution for the sloping floor (about an inch difference in height) - this type
   of mortar can be installed up to an inch thick.

   Removed ~200 square feet of existing mastic (black-tar-adhesive ... essentially sticky
   kryptonite!) from the concrete floor using a 7-inch disc grinder and specialized diamond
   -encrusted tool 'Diamabrush'  and DIY dust shroud made from a two gallon plastic bucket
   and PVC shower drain.

  Roof - summer 2015

• Removed existing roof, had *four* layers of shingles  (building code permits up to three!)
• Installed fireplace venting (vertical vent, through the roof).
• Reworked valley, installed ice/water shield membrane ...had to do this twice :-(
• 45x45 skylight had to be removed, disassembled, damaged copper flashing repaired
  (nail holes where they weren't supposed to be) and reinstalled. *Crazy* heavy to move
  by myself.

  Interior remodeling - Thanksgiving 2015

• Drywall, paint, wallpaper
• Electrical

  Gas Meter installed by National Grid -  2015

  Building Permit Applications  - Spring 2016

• Drawings by yours-truly, and stamped by PE  (thanks again, Ryan!)
• Plumbing permit (completed), construction permit (pending)

Pic of one of the permit application drawings (can you tell I took three years of drafting classes in Jr./Sr. High School ?):

  Gas Service Line, from Meter to Fireplace - Spring 2016  (pics previously posted)

Adventures in Ditch Digging

Lots & lots of project pics to share (and will eventually post)... here is my latest exercise in trace-elements-of-testosterone (age 59, no less) and yet-another-sub project-along-the-sisyphean-fireplace-adventure - coming up on two years :-(

In my ongoing quest to save $5 while spending countless beautiful weekends covered in grime (and other unpleasantness!) I decided to route the gas line for the fireplace underneath the patio, roughly 20 feet or so from the gas meter, to the exterior wall adjacent to the fireplace. The alternative (proposed by various plumbers) was to route the gas line through the open soffit in the den (already contains dryer vent, oil fuel line, and a few electrical cables), then through/across the ceiling, down to the fireplace. Rather than spend a few extra hundred for the plumber to do it, I decided it would be (a) more manly, (b) save money, and (c) avoid limiting future internal renovation by the following DIY 'fun':

1. Take up pavers from 20' x 2' section of the patio;
2. Dig up & remove the drainage system ( two 12" square drainage pots connected by a
    4" french drain, routed around the side to an underground drainage pipe running to the front
    of the house );
3. Excavate a 24 inch deep trench for the new gas line;
4. Buy 12 60-lb bags of sand;
5. After the plumber installed the new gas line, back-fill trench with the sand to cover the line;
6. Back-fill trench with soil removed in step # 3, removing several buckets worth of rocks
    by hand, along the way ... turns out that having rocks in gas line trenches is a bad thing ... who
    knew ? This step included reinstalling the two drainage pots and french drain pipe.
    Shovel, remove stones, tamp dirt, repeat...
7. Reassemble paver-puzzle;
8. I still have to button-up the two drainage pots, but (as a colleague described it) "serviceable"
    enough for upcoming Memorial Day weekend BBQ!

The Israeli plumber (!) was amused by the overfed middle aged ditch digger, and acknowledged the trench was fine for his purposes.

BTW, this is the _third_ time I've had to dig up (and then repair) this section of the patio...I really hope it's the last...

Best of all: stamped/approved Town of Oyster plumbing permit came in the mail a week after the inspection :-)

Sometimes you're the windshield Sometimes you're the (window air conditioner) bug...

Younger daughter lives in hipster-ville, Brooklyn, asked if I would help her buy (and install, of course!) a bedroom air conditioner. Being the safety-obsessed father, I threw myself into designing and building a robust contraption to ensure security of the A/C and double-hung window facing the rear of the building, and adjacent fire escape.

I decide a floor-standing A/C is preferable to minimize window opening size, added benefit of keeping noise from the unit away from the bed.

The drive in two weekends ago takes an hour-plus, and the wife and daughter yak it up as I take measurements, make a detailed drawing, and take pictures of the window interior and exterior. This past weekend I swing by big-box home improvement store, pick up a half-dozen carriage bolts, and assortment of window track locks. I spend a few hours with the toy collection (aka power tools :-) ) fabricating the plywood-and-framing-lumber 'box' the A/C vent hose will pass through, ensure (reasonably) air-tight, and secure as any safety-obsessed father with woodworking skills can make it (i.e. _way_ too many 2 inch construction screws).

Sunday afternoon I assemble a (massive) array of tools to bring with me to install the 'window-A/C-vent-box': impact driver, corded drill, hand saw, drill bits, impact bits, packing tape, belt sander, screws, extension cord, jig saw, yada yada. And assortment of framing lumber cut-offs 'just in case' :-).

The easy drive in should have been a sign. I find a parking space in front of the building - another sign - and schlepp up tools, A/C unit, 'window-A/C-box', and assorted extra framing-lumber.

Mocking up the 'window-A/C-box', I discover I'm off a half-inch here, five-eighths there, requiring several cuts using the hand-saw in the bathroom: standing with one foot on the lip of the tub, to ease later cleanup of sawdust and cutoffs. It's a beautiful summer day, 90+ degrees with a nice breeze ... but no breeze inside, other than from the box fan.

After necessary adjustments the 'window-A/C-box' is completely installed and fits perfectly; the vent hose lines up exactly through the five inch opening. I connect vent hose to the A/C, install filter per the instructions, plug in, turn on, and it powers right up. I adjust desired temperature a few degrees down. I feel the cool air coming out, and observe a few minutes to make sure it works OK. Then  *poof* A/C suddenly shuts down with no warning. CR*P... maybe I blew the fuse ? I double check the circuit breaker on the A/C plug, reset it, it shows green. Plug other stuff into the outlet, works fine. Try another outlet, no joy. I wait ten minutes ... maybe the A/C condenser overheat protection was triggered? Still no joy. I call the manufacturer support number .... "please leave a message".  Arggggggghhhhhhh!!!!!

We load everything back into the car - A/C unit, tools, assorted extra framing-lumber, etc. Oh well. This time I was the bug :-(

Adventures in Screen Door (and Dishwasher) Repair - Labor Day Weekend 2013

Sunday 2pm, Birthday BBQ party (#1 of 2) for our younger daughter, at my 87 yr old Mother-In-Law's house who lives nearby - *great* when the kids were little, free baby sitter, etc. 

One bottom roller on her kitchen screen door goes to hardware heaven just before we arrive. This particular sliding glass door (and screen) has consumed ~60 hours of my lifetime, if I add up repairs over the years. If I had any brains I'd have paid out of my own pocket to have it replaced, be *way* ahead of the game by now. At least more brain cells left - a precious commodity, at this point !

Endure various grimaced looks from Mother-In-Law, Sister-In-Laws, Wife, Niece, et al, as they try to use the door, broken-bottom-roller-grinding-against-bare-metal. Of course, it's 200% humidity, so keeping the glass door closed not really an option ... 47 yr-old central AC gave up the ghost *long* ago, and ceiling + floor fans aren't helping enough w. pea-soup humidity. I take the screen door off, tweak the remains of the dead roller, probably made it worse. 

After dinner I bring the portable BBQ back home, grab a few tools, miraculously/quickly find a spare roller, and head back to Mother-In-Law's house (trip #1). After quickly stripping the rusted screw I try to chisel off the head with a screwdriver + hammer, slicing my finger open. Bleeding profusely, I decide to call it a day, telling Mother-In-Law I'd either come back later (if it wasn't raining), or tomorrow (Monday morning), Labor Day. Endure additional facial grimaces.

Monday morning trips to Mother-In-Law's:

 ~9:00 am trip #2: bring Impact Driver, screw extractor set, spray lube, WD40, + box of misc. coarse-thread screws. Quickly strip screw even worse.

 ~9:30 am trip #3: drive home (again), grab drill bits, head back to Mother-In-Law's. Drain both batteries drilling out screw, get ~75% through.

 ~9:45 am trip #4: drive home (again), grab 1/2 inch hammer drill :-> and extension cord, head back to Mother-In-Law's. Takes all of 5 minutes to drill rest of screw out / install replacement roller / put screen in / hit all four rollers w. spray lube, and 'get-outta-dodge'.

Monday 2pm, our dishwasher goes belly up 30 minutes before guests show up for Birthday BBQ #2 at our house. Frenzied attempt to repair dishwasher, disassemble/clean all moving parts, still no-workee. Party is great, 8:45 pm with dishes piled to ceiling, my wife says, "I know where we're going tomorrow night - dishwasher shopping!", all smiling/happy - new kitchen appliance, yay!  Motivated by (a) my cheapness, and (b) avoiding even *more* work of schlepping new dishwasher home + installing same, I take out my repair kit (recycled childs canvas purse :-), with torx bits, t-handle wrench, ratchet screwdriver, etc. Takes ten minutes to remove dishwasher front cover, diagnose broken door switch, put in wire shunt, dishwasher is back in action by 9pm :->>

In-way-over-my-head fireplace project

Inspired by http://abraknitsthings.blogspot.com/  !

Pics of den floor, just a little sub-project for the in-way-over-my-head fireplace project :-)