Getting Cold...

We've been spoiled.  October, November and most of December were a delight.  The outdoor temperatures kept peaking at near 60 degree highs.  Recently, however, the night time temperatures have been falling.  We're now close to 20 degrees at night and gradually dropping.  For a "normal home" this wouldn't be much of an issue, besides, what's "normal" anyway?   Normal is what everyone else's home is like and your's...

Read More

Chimney and Stoves, Part I

My wife and I are looking on spending between $5,000 and $6,000 year heating our home with oil.  Our furnace is approximately 60 years old, and in fact on 12/2/2011, I had the oil tank filled costing us $694.33 for 185.7 gallons.  Last time we had the tank filled was on October 12. On the weekend of 12/3/2011, I had the chimney inspected.  I was a little disappointed with the inspection.  I had to wait a month for the appointment...

Read More

Water in my electrical panel

My wife and I are getting ready for a trip back to our parents homes' for Thanksgiving.  After packing the car, I wanted to secure our home for our extended leave.  I locked the back door, then went into the basement to check the basement door.  We previously worked on the breaker box which was left uncovered from when we were installing the vent fan in our bathroom.  I wanted to re-attach the cover, so as I was re-attaching...

Read More

Structural Repairs, Part I

As I sit here writing, I am torn between being brutally honest and abiding by my word.  You see, I made an agreement with the contractor who completed the structural repairs on our home.  My original idea was to document all the work being done with photos depicting the staged repairs.  I always believe in being honest with people and explained to the owner that I have a blog and would like to have his permission to...

Read More

Curious Electrical Issue

I just received my new bathroom vent fan!  I cut open the box and studiously read the manual.  The directions said that I needed a "dedicated 20 amp breaker".  I have no idea what breaker is assigned to the bathroom.  Ok, a trip down into the basement is needed.  I open the electrical box and behold: No lables?!  That just makes things a bit complicated. My wife and I spend the next hour going over switch by switch....

Read More

No Power, No Heat.

As I've mentioned in the November 5th post, getting a generator required it's own entry. The first snow storm of the season hit on Saturday, October 29, while most trees still had their leaves causing numerous branches to break and fall on whatever was beneath them.  Your home, your car... the power lines. The last one created the most inconvenient issue for many folks in our state.  Power went out on Saturday around 1:00...

Read More

Snow in October?

At work, it was rumored that there may be snow coming the following weekend.  Well, it was getting colder and there was rain that same week, but snow, in October?  I guess it's happened before, it is New England after all.   Saturday, the 29th of October, comes and the snow was expected to start at 1:00 PM.  I figured I had enough time to make it to a local plumbing supply store to see the latest bathroom vent models for...

Read More