Overall: A great week with a couple significant tasks completed. Warmer weather motivated me to work on site every day this week. The last 4 windows (ordered in early May) were finally delivered and we got them installed. The mechanical system (boiler, valves, pumps, accumulater, controller and pipe) for the hydronic slab heat was installed this week. I am expecting the insulation contractor to be on site next week to begin his contribution.
Monday: Kyle and I installed siding on the southeast & southwest shop corners. Still need to complete the north and south gables. We also got started on wood stove flue pipe installation for the portion of the flue that will extend outside the shingled roof and just inside the drywalled ceiling in the great room. Lucas (Low Gap HVAC) surprised me with a phone call, to say he had some time before starting his next project. He wanted to begin installing our heating system mechanical installation, and would be on site the next day.
Tuesday: Pella Windows truck delivered the four, fixed pane trapezoidal shaped windows we have been waiting on for months. Continued effort on great room flue pipe installation and started preparing the west wall of the great room to install the outer windows. Lucas and Steve were on site all day, initiating the effort to fabricate and install the mechanical system to heat the house and shop, using hot water flowing through a few thousand feet of PEX tubing embedded in the concrete slabs of both buildings. Check out the post for week 13 to see a picture of the installed PEX tubing before concrete was placed & finished.
Wednesday: Kyle and I installed the outer trapezoidal windows today, and continued the flue pipe installation task. Lucas and Steve were here all day, making great progress on their project. Told me they were further delayed to start the next job, allowing them to complete our project tomorrow.
Thursday: Crazy weather with wind gusts to 60mph and falling temperatures all day. Kyle and I worked other projects, opting to wait until Friday for removing plywood and installing weatherstrip tape to install the inner pair of great room windows. Lucas and Steve completed the mechanical system installation. All we need now is a propane tank placed and a trenched propane line from the tank to the house and we will have heat !
Friday: Kyle and I opened up the great room west wall, removing plywood, and checking roughed-in openings against the actual windows. For whatever reason, the roughed-in openings required additional carpentry to ensure the windows fit properly. Kyle worked that task while I pulled ethernet cable and other electrical system wiring, in anticipation of insulation installers working next week.
Saturday: Kyle and I installed the outer windows with relative ease on Wednesday, but the inner windows are larger, taller and heavier – so I insisted we employ some additional muscle. I coordinated with Joe and Kevin, who were both available Saturday morning. The four of us worked together to make the inner window install a fairly routine task, on a scaffold, up in the air… I spent the afternoon alone at the site installing conduit for audio and ethernet wire. Neighbor and close friend for nearly 50 years, stopped by to see if I needed any help. I’m never going to turn away anyone offering their time. Having extra help, decided to initiate the shop’s compressed air manifold installation. He had so much fun – told me he would return on Sunday.
Sunday: Out to the site mid-morning. Mike and I picked up where we left off on Saturday, working to install the shop compressed air manifold. I elected to try a new product for this task. Semi-flexible 3/4″ and 1/2″ diameter PEX & aluminum tubing. The kit included a number of different style fittings to get everything connected. Really pleased with how easy it was to layout and install.
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