Cool, Clear Water, or Why You May Need a Reverse Osmosis Water System

The other day, I was listening to a comedian (sorry, I don't remember who it was) talk about the progress we've made in this country:  "In the 1950's, blacks and whites couldn't drink out of the same water fountain.  Now, NOBODY drinks from a water fountain"  All funny business aside, bottled water is huge in this country - according to Statistic Brain, an estimated 30 BILLION bottles of water are sold every year in this country, at a total cost of  $11.8 billion dollars.  That's a lot of money, and a lot of plastic sent to the landfill every year.

I've never been a big bottled water drinker, using it mainly to grab a sip when I'm out and about.  Since I never think about it when I leave home, I often pay $2 or more to purchase it from a vending machine.  Our move to Arizona changed all that.  The first thing we discovered was that tap water is room temperature only if your room is quite warm - no matter how long you let it run, it's more like bath water (especially in the summer).  In addition, our water had an unpleasant taste, and while I'm sure we could deal with it if we had to, it changed the taste of soft drinks (due to the ice cubes made with tap water), lemonade, and, if my wife is to be believed, coffee.  This last problem was the important one, in my house - I was informed that I would be dragging home gallons of water to keep the Keurig stocked.  It was also clear we'd have to buy bottled water for drinking, and it was obvious that we'd drink a lot more water out here than back home in Nebraska - the hot, dry weather can cause you to be dehydrated much more quickly.

If you buy water by the gallon, it's relatively cheap - less than $1.00 per gallon.  Even the 16 ounce bottles are fairly reasonable at Costco - a case of 24 Nestle brand bottles sells for $8.29 ($2.60 per gallon).  If you watch for specials, you can get it a bit cheaper than that, even at your local supermarket.  If we each drink the equivalent of 4 bottles per day - a ridiculously low estimate, since we average over twice that amount - drinking water would cost us in the neighborhood of $900 per year.  Since our real usage is at least double that, even purchasing exclusively bulk water wouldn't bring the cost down to an acceptable level.  I needed to look at a better option.

I toyed with the idea of a water distiller.  For around $200, you can buy a countertop distiller that requires virtually no set up.  These small units can produce about 4 gallons per day, so it could, in theory, supply our two-person household with enough drinking water.  One issue - at 4 gallons per day, it takes 6 hours to produce a single gallon, or 90 minutes for a quart.  To make this work, we'd have to be constantly filling and storing distilled water.  If we ran out, I'd be running to the store.

A better solution is an automatic distiller.  For a little over $600, you can get a unit that's hooked up to your water line, and has an integrated, 4 gallon storage tank.  It could produce water at any time (without human intervention), so it was a much more practical solution - I wouldn't have to run to the market three times a week because I forgot to add water.  The downside?  Well, there's the initial price tag.  There's also the 750 watts of power it requires when running - assuming the distiller ran for 10 hours per day (a low estimate, since it only produces a maximum of 5 gallons in 24 hour period), the electric cost to distill water each year would be around $150.  That's not outrageous, but remember the actual cost would almost certainly be higher.  Add in the cost of maintenance - not insignificant, I suspect - and, although acceptable, it's not free.  All that power causes another, bigger problem, however.  750 watts is a big power load, and just plugging this thing in to an existing circuit is not a great idea.  If I put it in the kitchen - the obvious location - what happens virtually every day?  Let's see - 750 watts for the distiller, 1200 watt for the microwave, maybe 150 for the coffee pot, and another 100 or so for lights or something else - we've got maybe 2200 watts on one 15 amp circuit (all I've got in our tiny kitchen).  By my figuring, that's around 19 amps - causing me to run out and reset the circuit breaker.  Of course, I could add another circuit.  This place is small, but to run cable from the breaker box to the kitchen isn't an easy task - figure $300, plus my wife would have to listen to me swear after crawling around under the house for a whole afternoon.  I decided to rule this option out.

What's left?  The drinking water solution chosen by most homeowners is the Reverse Osmosis System.  I talked to a water treatment company - they offered to install and maintain a system in my home for only $70 per month - I decided to just buy a system from Home Depot and give it a try. 

I chose an inexpensive, 3-stage system marketed under the GE label.  It's a simple system that comes complete with a pre-filter, an identical post-filter, the reverse osmosis membrane filter, a 5 gallon storage tank, necessary water tubing, and a faucet.  The system will filter up to 11 gallons per day, with the pressurized tank holding about 2 1/2 gallons - plenty for our needs.  About the only things I had to add were Teflon tape and a needle valve to hook into my existing water supply pipe under the sink.  The system was $149, so I ended up with about $165 total in the project. 

To install the system, first make sure you've got room under the sink for all the components.  That shouldn't be a problem, unless you've got a very tiny space.  Make sure your space allows good access to the filter assemblies, since you'll be changing filters a couple of times per year.  I left extra tubing, allowing me to pull the filters out from under the sink for maintenance - no bumping my head on pipes! 

You'll need a water supply.  The easiest way to get water is to put a "T" fitting from the water shutoff leading to your COLD water faucet.  Just remove the water supply tube, install the fitting, then hook up the supply tube to the top of the fitting.  Put a small shut off valve in the extra spot for the RO system - consult your directions to see what size output you need - mine used 1/4" tubing.  Your instructions will tell you which tube gets hooked up to the water supply.  Mine are color coded, but yours may be different.

Next, you'll want to install the faucet.  My system came with a faucet that looked OK next to my other fixtures.  If you don't like the included fixture, a plumbing supply store should have one that will work, but it's much easier to use the included faucet.  I changed my sink at the same time I did the installation, so I made sure I had an extra hole for the faucet.  If you don't, you'll have to make some decisions.  If you have a sprayer or soap dispenser, the easiest solution is to remove that and use it for this installation.  If you don't, you'll have to cut a new  hole in the sink for this faucet.  This may be impossible with certain types of sinks, so don't try this unless you're sure!  Remember, getting a professional to help or even do the whole project will be cheaper than causing a bunch of damage to your house! 

The faucet will typically have two or more tubing connections coming from it - one of which must be connected to the drain line.  My kit had a connector that was easily attached to my existing plumbing - be sure to follow the directions for the drain, so you don't have drain water drawn into the fresh water system!

After installing the faucet and drain, you've just got to finish hooking up all the tubing (again, most of mine was already routed and color coded, so there wasn't much to do), and mount the tank and filter assembly under the sink.  Now is a good time to turn the water on and check for leaks - fix any leaks before you finish the installation.

Before you install the filters, follow the sanitation instructions recommended by your manufacturer.  Mine required me to run a small amount of bleach through the system.  Make sure to remove the reverse osmosis membrane before you add bleach - failure to do so will ruin the membrane!  After sanitation, install the filters and membrane, and turn the water back on.

After reading the reviews, my only concern was with leaks under the sink.  Fortunately, I was familiar with the plastic push-on connectors supplied - they work fine if you use them correctly, but poor technique will cause a leak virtually every time.  I took special care to cut the tubing square, and insert every connection fully, and I had no leaks in the system.  If you don't like these connections, you can buy conventional connectors that may be less troublesome - as I said, I didn't have problems, but I understand some people did.

Some components are stored in a substance to reduce or eliminate mold or bacterial growth.  This goop isn't harmful, but it may affect the taste of your water.   After  installation is complete, you'll want to run some water through the system to flush out any remaining contaminants.  Other than that, you're done!

So, what do we think of our system?  We've been very happy with it - our water tastes just like bottled water (most of which is produced from a reverse osmosis system), and we have plenty of water for our needs - we even use it to fill the dogs' water bowl!  You should be aware that most RO systems flush excess water down the drain - if you use 5 gallons of RO water per day, you may very well use 50 gallons or more producing that water.  I believe there are a few systems out there that claim not to waste water, but I don't know much about them.  About the only thing I'd do differently is I would spend a bit more upfront and get a system with "snap in" filters.  All that does is make your filter changing a bit easier and eliminates the danger of leaks from removing and reinstalling filter caps or other fittings.  Not a huge deal, but it's probably worth the money to make life easier in the future.

Maintenance is minimal - you just have to change the filters about twice per year.  At some point, I'll need to change the RO membrane, but that will probably be after at least two years of service.  As I said, my system is set up so I just pull the whole assembly out from under the sink and do my work on it before I put it back.  I've only done it once, but the whole thing only took me about 1/2 hour. 

If your tap water tastes good and you're comfortable that it is safe and free of contaminants, you don't need a reverse osmosis system.  If you're not sure - or if you just like the taste of bottled water but don't like the cost or environmental concerns - install an RO system under your sink.

Our Tile Job - or Why I'm Never Getting on My Knees Again

When we moved into our new home, we had a lot of work done.  The thing we didn't change at that time was the flooring in the kitchen and dining room.  The previous owners had installed laminate flooring - an inexpensive material typically made of fiber board, with the appearance of wood.  Although there are some relatively high quality laminates available, much of it is cheap.  Our floor was not the good stuff, but it looked OK, and we thought we could live with it for a while.  As it turns out, "a while" was about 6 months!

This was our floor before we did any work.  As you can see, it looks nice at first glance.

Laminate floors are "floating" - meaning they are not attached to the sub floor.  They typically have an underlayment of foam, so there's a good deal of give when you walk on them.  We didn't care for the feel of it, and really didn't like the sound the dogs made when they walked on it - kind of a hollow, clicking sound.  In addition, since it's not attached, some of the seams had a tendency to separate, leaving 1/8" gaps at some of the seams.

Laminate floors can be extremely durable - they'll likely last longer than a wood finish under heavy traffic - but most don't handle moisture well.  We had a small leak in the kitchen, causing the floor to swell and warp unacceptably, so we had to make  some repairs, even if we didn't replace the whole floor.

 Since we didn't like the floor anyway, we decided to pull it up and replace it with tile.  We choose tile for durability and ease of maintenance reasons, after thinking seriously about a wood floor.  In the end, I think we made a good decision.

The first step was to pull up the old flooring, down to the sub floor.  Laminate floor is easy to remove - just remove the base trim in the room, and start at one end.  The pieces are about 3' long, and 6 or 8 inches wide.  There's a locking tongue that fits a matching groove along the edge of each piece, so once you get the first section out, the rest comes apart easily.  If you're careful, you can do it without damaging the pieces.  In our case, we weren't going to reuse them anyway, so I just ripped it out, along with the pad underlayment.

The black layer is the underlayment pad - it's just stapled to the OSB sub floor.



All the old flooring is removed, down to the sub floor.

If you're installing tile, you need to make sure your structure is adequate for the load.  Generally speaking, you'll want to make sure your floor joists are rigid enough, and that your sub floor is strong enough to limit the deflection to an acceptable level.  If you have 2 X 10 floor joists  on 16" centers with a span of less than 12 feet or so, you're probably OK.  If you're not sure, use the "Deflectometer" on the John Bridge Tile Forum.  If your joists are OK, you may still need to add to the sub floor.  In our case, we had 3/4" OSB, which is adequate for the type of tile we were installing.

Regardless of your sub floor, you'll probably need to put something down before you lay your tile.  Traditionally, tile is installed on top of cement board which has been set in a bed of thin set mortar and screwed to the sub floor.  This cement board serves to give a good surface to which the tile can adhere, as well as to isolate the tile against some movement in the substrate.  In our case, I decided to use a newer product, an isolation membrane called Ditra.  This orange membrane is flexible, with a waffle pattern that holds mortar.  Ditra is more expensive than traditional cement board, but is thinner, allowing your finished floor to be closer to the height of carpet.  It is also reported to be a better solution to some types of movement in the sub floor.  My main purpose in using it was to minimize height, so the base trim would be in approximately the same spot as before.

If you use Ditra, read the instructions.  You must use a "Modified" thin set mortar to install the membrane to a wood sub floor, and an "Unmodified" mortar to attache the tiles to the top of the membrane.  If you're installing on a concrete slab, make sure to read the instructions and do it right.

To install the Ditra membrane, mix the mortar a little thinner than you do to set tile.  Think "Milkshake" for the membrane, "Peanut Butter" for the tile.  You spread your mortar on the floor using a small notched trowel (they sell one specifically for the job), then press the membrane into it.  I used a roller designed for installing vinyl sheet flooring to roll it out, squeezing excess out of the edges.  I soon discovered it was much easier to handle it in smaller (5'-6') pieces, rather than trying to go across the room in one shot.

The orange Ditra only adds about 1/8" to the height of the floor.  Kodak isn't convinced he likes this floor yet!

Once the Ditra is installed, you're ready to start laying tile.  Note Carter is starting near the center of a room.

You should do a little planning before you start to lay tile.  Since you don't want to end up with a tiny sliver at one end, lay it out so you have about a half tile at each end.  Starting in the center of the room gives you a little more leeway, so getting a little crooked isn't so noticeable.  In our case, we had to start at the edge of the kitchen, then work around the room so we weren't trapped in there.  Once that was done, we could just work our way to the far end of the room.

Note the pattern - we used 6" and 12" tile.  The spacers between tiles help to keep the grout lines straight (although with this pattern, it's hard to see if one's a little crooked!

The kitchen is about done - after grouting, we'll be able to move the appliances back in.

Lizzie and Carter came to help, so, as usual, Carter laid all the tile (actually, Liz did a few of them).  I put down most of the Ditra, and cut tile, while Liz helped on both tasks.  A big job like this is much easier with two, and three is even better.  In our case, we also had 4 dogs in the house, so one of us frequently had to deal with canine issues.

We had a cheerful crew working on the job, at least at the beginning!

Not everyone was working - Alex had a pretty good view of the project.

I really liked the pattern, but it added quite a bit of labor to the job.  Although the total square footage of this job was only a little more than what we did in our lake project, this was a lot tougher job.  Not only did we - meaning Carter - have to deal with the pattern, we also had many more nooks and crannies to tile, so there was a lot more measuring and cutting involved.  Also, unlike at the lake, we had to move furniture and appliances around, as well as deal with a whole pack of dogs!  In any case, eventually the tile was down.

Once the tile had a chance to set, we were ready for grout.  Applying the grout isn't rocket science, but it's hard work.  Just as hard is washing it down afterword - you're on your knees, wiping and scrubbing like crazy.  Fortunately, Liz and Carter were in better shape than I was, so they were able to finish this job when my arms, back, and knees gave out.

We grouted the kitchen before finishing the tile in the other room so we could move the appliances back in.

I really like the pattern - it adds to the look of the floor.

The tile is still damp from washing - it's not this high gloss when dry.

Carter's knees must be sore - she's bending over to clean this section.

All clean!

This is how it looks when dry!

Ready to re-install the trim.

Once the tile was done, all that was left was to re-install the base trim.  Since the floor was a little higher than the old one, I trimmed about 1/4" from the bottom of each piece on my table saw before nailing it back on.

After working on a couple of tile jobs, I can tell you it's not something I'd want to do for a living.  Everything is heavy, and you spend all day kneeling and bending over - I suppose a person might get used to it, but who would want to?  On the bright side, the entire project cost under $2,000 - a much smaller number than you could expect if you hired it done.  I might tackle a very small tile job myself, but I'd never want to do this alone - Carter and Liz were very much appreciated!  If you decide to do this kind of job yourself, try to get someone with experience to guide the job.

In any case, we now have a great new floor - a big improvement to our home!

How to Install Your Dishwasher

When we moved, we had a lot of work done on the new house - remodeling virtually every room.  We bought all new appliances when we did the kitchen, but we have been very disappointed with our Frigidaire dishwasher.  Although it was supposed to be a quality unit, it didn't work as well as we expected - certainly not as well as the one in our old house.  In addition, it was awkward to load, and the shelf adjustment wasn't handy.  After fighting it for almost 6 months, we decided to cut our losses and get a new one.

The folks at Lowes were very helpful, giving Theresa a good deal on a high-end dishwasher - almost half price.  They delivered it while I was out of town for a couple of days, so I was ready to install it a week ago.

The easiest installation is like mine - when you're replacing an existing dishwasher, you've already got water, a drain line, and power available.  If you didn't have a dishwasher before, you'll need to do some prep work first:

• Determine your desired location.  Most of the time, you'll want to be close to the sink - that makes it easy to hook up your water and sewer lines, as well as making it handy to load dishes.  Often, you'll be able to remove a base cabinet to make room, or you may be able to install the dishwasher at the end of a row of cabinets.  If you don't have room to install a built-in dishwasher, you may want to consider a portable unit, so you can just wheel it in place when you want to use it.  If possible, install the built-in model - you'll like the performance and ease of use.
• Locate the nearest water and sewer lines available, and get connections set up.  In most cases, you can "T" off of your existing water supply line - making sure to add a shut off for the dishwasher.  You drain line will usually go into your disposal, if you have one (don't forget to knock the plug out of the inlet), or into a special inlet on the drain tail piece.  If your dishwasher is going to be more than 6 feet from your drain line, you may need to consult a plumber for installation.

If you don't have a disposal, you'll need this special tail piece with a side inlet - available at any hardware store.

 

• You'll need electrical power to the dishwasher, as well.  You should plan on having a circuit just for the dishwasher - if you don't have one, you'll need to add it (many homes have the dishwasher on a shared circuit, either with kitchen lights or the disposal, and it may work OK, but it's better to do it right and add the circuit).  If you're not comfortable with electrical work, hire an electrician to do it.  If you're pretty handy, a you should be able to handle it.

If, like me, you're just replacing an old dishwasher, you'll already have almost everything you need.  Plan on using a new water supply line (you'll also need a new drain hose, but that probably comes with the dishwasher).  Your power cord, water supply line, and drain hose should be long enough to reach the connections, and have a little slack so you can hook them up before installing the unit.  For most installations, you're ready to go:

• Turn off the power and water to the old dishwasher, and unhook them.  Unhook the drain hose underneath the sink, as well.
• Locate the screws holding the dishwasher into the cabinet (probably in the front of the unit, going into the counter top), and remove them.  Slide the dishwasher out of the way.
• Measure the opening height, and adjust the legs on the bottom of the new dishwasher so that it fits the opening.  You'll be able to adjust a little later, if necessary, but it's a lot easier to get it close now.  If your floor is very uneven, you'll need to fix that before proceeding - a small amount can be corrected with the feet on the bottom of the unit.
• Check your connections to the new dishwasher to make sure you've got everything you need. 
•  Hook up the water supply line, drain line, and electrical power (making absolutely certain that the power is still shut off at the breaker) to the dishwasher.
• Slide the unit partially into place, making sure to route the water and electrical lines as needed. 
• Hook up the water, drain, and electrical connections at the source, if you haven't already done so.
• Finish sliding the dishwasher in place.  Check to make sure it's level and raised up so it fits just under the counter top - adjust the feet on the bottom of the unit as needed.
• Secure the dishwasher to the counter top or cabinets using the included brackets and screws.   Make sure the screws are not too long, or they'll protrude through the counter top!
•  Turn on the water and electrical power, run a cycle, and check for leaks.

So far, our new dishwasher is working fine - it's a big improvement from the old one.  Installing it was pretty easy - the whole thing took about the same amount of time it took me to write this blog post (I'm pretty slow with both working and writing).  Your new dishwasher will come with installation instructions - read them and, if they differ from this post, follow the instructions that came with your machine.  This is an easy do-it-yourself project, well worth tackling yourself.



I'm in Hot Water (Again!)

I've been really busy at work, while trying to find time to prep for our next big project at the house, so the last thing I needed was something else to work on.  Naturally, it was the perfect time to walk downstairs and find a big puddle of water under my water heater!

When we bought our new home, we knew the water heater was installed by the builder about 15 years ago.  Since any water heater over about 10 years old is living on borrowed time, I knew I'd have to replace it before too long - I just didn't know exactly how soon I'd be working on it.  Installing a water heater isn't difficult, but make sure you follow all applicable building codes.  You may be required to get a permit - check with your local department of building and safety if you're not sure of the requirements in your area.

The leak wasn't too bad, but water heaters rarely heal themselves, so I decided to pick one up on the way home from work and install it that night.  If you're in the market for a new water heater, there's a few things you need to think of:

• Gas or Electric?  That's an easy decision, in most cases.  In most cases, you'll want to replace your water heater with the same type you're removing.  Switching from gas to electric will require adding a dedicated circuit for the heater, and will probably end up costing you more for operating costs.  If your old heater is electric, you may be temped to install gas to save energy costs.  Unfortunately, you'll have to run a gas line, as well as an exhaust vent, making your installation more difficult and expensive.
• Capacity?  A standard water heater has a storage tank where hot water waits for your use.  Generally speaking, the larger the tank, the greater the capacity.  A tank that's too small may mean you'll run out of hot water, while an overly large tank will just end up costing you more in operating costs.  Water heaters are also rated as to how long they take to heat water to normal operating temperature.  In most cases, you'll want at least as large a tank as you're replacing - larger, if you've added a whirlpool tub or some other hot water hog.
• What configuration is best?  Water heaters come in "Tall" and "Short" models.  There's no inherent advantage to either style, but it can make a difference in the ease of installation. 
• Warranty length / quality.  Unlike some other products, a longer warranty in a water heater generally means it is a higher quality unit.  In most cases, it doesn't pay to buy the very cheapest unit.  While I don't always buy the very top quality, I find the best value is generally in a "middle of the road" line.  In this case, I bought the "9 year" heater, which cost about $100 more than the low-end "6 year" model.    This model had a higher  BTU rating than the cheaper one - equivalent to the higher end model at Home Depot.  If you're so inclined, there are premium models available at a much higher price - evaluate them and choose what makes the most sense for your application.
• Other options.  There are other options available - Tankless heaters, solar heaters, and small, point of use heaters.  All of these may make sense, but are probably beyond the ability of most homeowners to install.

In my case, choosing a water heater was easy.  We had a 40 gallon natural gas water heater that, when working, provided adequate capacity.  Access to the unit was good, since it is installed in my unfinished basement.  As I mentioned above, I bought a "mid grade" model.  I chose a "short" heater, since having a new water heater slightly shorter than the old one simplified installation slightly.  I also measured the distance between the inlet and output ports, to make sure they matched up with my existing pipes.

When I bought the water heater, I also bought fittings and supplies needed for installation.  in my case, since I was going to solder 3/4" copper pipe, I bought a bunch of elbows and couplings, along with a couple of 3/4" pipe thread adapters.  Since I'd be working in the evening, I bought extra fittings - nothing is more frustrating than needing a fitting when all the stores are closed!

For tools, you'll need:

• A tubing cutter to cut rigid copper tubing
• Wrenches matching your fittings (or a couple of 10" crescent wrenches)
• Teflon tape for both water and gas connections.
• A portable propane torch (if you're going to solder connections), along with lead-free solder, flux, and associated tools.  If you look at the  hardware store, you'll find kits with everything you need to solder copper pipe.  Make sure you get the proper size tool for your size of pipe.
• A drill and nut drivers to remove and reassemble the exhaust vent pipe.
• Safety glasses!
• Leather gloves

After dinner, I headed downstairs to install the water heater.  These instructions are based on a standard installation with rigid copper tubing.  If your situation is different, some of your connections may be different:

• Remove the carton, and make sure your new water heater isn't damaged.  Now is a good time to double check your fittings to make sure you've got what you need.
•  Identify the incoming cold water supply line on your old water heater.  If you can see your plumbing, just follow the pipes back to the water meter (or the water softener, if you've read my blog before).  If you can't easily follow the pipes, just turn on some hot water, and you'll be able to feel which pipes are getting hot - that will be the output side.
• Turn the water heater off, shut off the gas supply, and disconnect the gas pipe from the heater (assuming, of course, it's a natural gas unit).  If it's electric, lock out the breaker and disconnect the power)
• Remove the sheet metal screws holding the vent piping to the unit, and set it aside for later use.  Now is a good time to inspect it and make sure it's clean and in good condition - a faulty vent can lead to carbon monoxide poisoning, so don't skip this step!
• Turn off your water supply.  There should be a water shut off on the pipe coming into the water heater - you can shut it off, and you should be good.  If there isn't a shut off, or if it doesn't work (not unusual), you'll have to shut the water off at the main shut off.
• With the water off, open the drain at the bottom of the water heater to let the water start draining (this assumes you have a floor drain by the heater - if you don't, you'll want to hook up a hose so you can let the water drain into the drain).  Not much water will run out, but that's OK - we'll take care of that in the next step.
• Take your tubing cutter, and cut the water lines on the top of the water heater.   If the fittings are the same as on your new unit, cut the pipes 6-10" above the heater - you can just use them again, and solder it back together with a coupling.  If the fittings are different, just cut them close to the water heater - you may end up cutting them shorter later, depending on the particulars of your installation.
• As soon as you cut the pipes, the water will drain from the water heater.  Let it drain, then move it out of your way.  Now, you're ready to install the new one.
• Set the new water heater in place, making sure it's sitting flat and level on the floor - if not, you'll need to level the floor before you install it.  You CAN'T just shim one side to get it to sit level - it needs to be fully supported before you fill it with water.
• Measure the distance from the pipes to the fittings on top of the unit.  If you're soldering connections, you'll want to have at least 6" above the water heater to solder your connection - more is better.  If there's not enough room, cut the pipes to give yourself room to work.
• You can't solder fittings that are attached to the water heater, so you'll need to do those first, then install them.  Cut the pipe for a proper fit, and, using the proper tool, clean the end of the pipe and the fitting, then coat both with flux.  Slide them together, and get your torch out.  Do the smart thing, and put on your safety glasses and leather work gloves now!
• To solder the fittings, apply heat to the junction of the fitting and the pipe, so both heat up.  Don't apply the solder until the parts are hot enough to melt it - if you do, you'll just melt solder over it and end up with a cold joint.  When the parts get hot, the solder will melt and be drawn inside the joint.  You don't need too much solder - once it starts, it will quickly fill the joint and start dripping on the floor.  Be very careful not to let any drip on your hands or body - serious burns can result!
• As soon as you've applied enough solder (you'll probably overdo it at first, but that's OK), wipe away any excess solder outside the joint with a damp rag.  The extra solder won't hurt anything, but it will look ugly (I'm an expert on ugly solder joints).
• When you have your two short pieces of pipe with fittings attached, let them cool for a couple of minutes before installing them on the water heater.
• Before installing the fittings with pipe on the water heater, prep the pipe ends and couplings.  You'll want a slip coupling, so you can slide it up the pipe and out of the way until the fittings are tightened.
• Put several wraps of Teflon tape around the male pipe threads, then install the fittings.  Pipe threads are an interference fit - they get tighter as they go together, so you'll want them very tight.  The Teflon tape helps them slide together.
• After installing the fittings, you should have just a small gap where the pipe was cut.  Slide the couplings so they cover the gap.  Before soldering, wrap a wet rag around the fittings installed on the top of the water heater to protect it from getting too hot.  If that fitting gets overheated, it will ruin the fitting inside the unit, so you'll need to be careful.  I also spread a damp rag to cover the top of the heater to keep it from getting ugly.  Solder both sides of the coupling on each side.  Your water connections are complete - you can turn the water on now.  Before you do that, open a hot water faucet a little bit, so the tank will fill completely.
• Hook up the gas line, making sure to use the proper Teflon tape on any pipe threads (Teflon is not required on compression fittings).
• Assemble the vent piping, making sure there is a slight upward angle of the pipe as it goes away from the water heater.  Make sure everything is lined up properly, then use small sheet metal screws to keep it all together.
• Turn on the gas, and check for leaks using a soapy water solution.  If it leaks, the soap will make bubbles - if you see any signs of that, shut off the gas and fix it!  Follow the instructions with the heater, and light the pilot light.  Adjust the temperature to a medium setting, and turn the unit to on - the burner should light. (of course, if you've got an electric water heater, you'll hook up the wires and turn on the power)
• Check again for gas leaks - shut the gas off if there's any sign of a leak!
• Let the unit run until the burner shuts off, and you've got hot water!

If you don't want to solder connections, Home Depot sells "water heater connection kits" that use compression connections and flexible tubing that eliminate the need for any soldering.  They work fine, and there's nothing wrong with using them if you're more confident in your ability to get the job done with them.

Installing a water heater isn't hard - a reasonably handy homeowner can accomplish it in a matter of a couple of  hours.  My installation, from beginning to end, took about 2 hours.

Our Fence Fiasco

For the couple of people who are regular readers of this blog, you'll remember we moved a couple of months ago.  Since the town home we bought doesn't have an association, our covenants allow us to have a privacy fence in the back yard.

Installing a fence is a job that can be done by a reasonably handy homeowner.  In this case, since we were so busy with the move, and because we were in a hurry to have it done before our fall trip to South Dakota, we decided to have it professionally installed.  This, I figured, would be the "stress-free" method of installation.  In this, sadly, I was wrong.

I didn't really know who to call for fencing estimates, so I did a quick internet search, and called several companies.  We though about vinyl fence, but ended up eliminating it based on cost and availability - no one could guarantee we'd have it done by mid-september. 

After talking with several company reps, I elected to go with Quality Fence.  Their sales rep - "Dan" - had been very responsive during the bid process, and assured me they'd have the job done quickly and professionally.  He also told me he'd be around to help me figure out any issues that may come up during the construction.  I told him the one non-negotiable need was that we needed to have the fence in by September 15th. 

I signed the contract, and wrote a check for the down payment (roughly half of the estimate).  Since we had used a surveying company at our old house, we elected to call that company to complete a survey of our property, so we could accurately locate the lot lines.

Our first issue was that the surveyor didn't show up as promised.  We waited a few weeks, then decided to let the fence company do the survey.  I called Dan, wrote another check, and was again assured we were all set up to have our fence done on time.

As the time went by, I started to wonder if we would get the work done.  I called a number of times, and was told "no problem" each time.  We were now about two weeks from our deadline.  As that week went by, I became more and more concerned about being late (due to our pet care arrangements, we had to have the fence complete to take our vacation).  Near the end of the week, I called Dan - no answer, but I left him a message.

I didn't hear back from Dan that week, despite several phone calls.  The red flags were up for me - he had always called back promptly in the past.  I tried a couple of times the following Monday (now less than one week from our "drop dead" date, and finally caught him.  When I asked when they'd start, he said he'd have to "try to get in touch with our contractorr" to find out when they'd be starting.  This raised another red flag for me.  When I asked if we'd be done on time, he said, "I hope so".

Dan didn't call back as promised, so I called the main office.  I also sent an email to their customer service department at that time, saying that I needed to talk to a manager.  The receptionist looked at my paperwork, and said, "the soonest they can even talk to the contractor is Thursday".  I said, "so, you're telling me there's no way we can hit my date".  She agreed.   I asked to talk to a manager, and she said they weren't available, but she would have them call me later that day.

When I didn't hear back from them, I decided to go visit their local office.  To my dismay, I discovered their Lincoln location was empty.  A call to their office confirmed that they had closed the Lincoln location months earlier.  I again asked for a manager, and got another promise of a call.  This time, I actually got a phone call from the owner.  He said he wasn't aware of our issue, but would check on it and call me back in an hour or so.  He said his plan was to get a crew out to set posts on Thursday, then finish the job Friday.  Of course, I didn't hear back from him that day.

We were now into the middle of the week, and I was no closer to getting an answer than I had been before.  I tried calling the office, but got nothing better than the promise of a call.  At about this time, I got a call in response to my email of several days earlier.  This was Kari - apparently responsible for customer service or at least response to complaints.  She hadn't heard any of the story, but assured me she'd try to get something going.  The good news was, she actually seemed to be concerned about my issues.  The bad news was, she filled me in on what had been going on, and it wasn't good.  It seems the company had a serious problem with their work crews - several had quit without notice, and the remaining ones were about ready to bail.  She told me she could get a crew from Omaha down to get the work done.

After many phone calls, Kari told me we'd have a crew down to set posts Friday, and another to finish the job on Saturday, the 15th.  If this actually happened, we'd have our fence on time (barely).  Unfortunately, Friday came and there was no sign of a crew.  After another phone call (at least Kari answered her phone), I found out another crew had quit!  No problem, though - the owner and his brother were coming out to set posts.

They did show up eventually, getting to the house at about 3:30 Friday afternoon.  Since Dan hadn't come over as promised to lay out the exact outline of the fence, we had to figure that out on the fly.  The own'er's brother, not too happy to be there, nevertheless helped me figure out a couple of things and we were ready to drill holes.  The posts got set before dark, with only a little bit of drama - and a lot of drilling through sprinkler lines.

As much trouble as we'd had to this point, I was pretty sure the crew to finish the job would no-show the next day.  Much to my surprise, they showed up bright and early, and got right on the job.  The crew - two guys plus a helper - were quite good.  The fence went together quickly, and they took great pride in their work.  They had a couple of questions about exactly what I wanted in a couple of places, then quickly and efficiently did what I wanted.  When they were done, they picked up all their trash, asked me to sign the completion slip, and left.  As bad as the rest of the company was, these guys were good.

Finally, we had our fence!  After all the hassles and aggravation, I wished I had just decided to do the work myself - I didn't save too much time, considering all the phone calls I'd made.  If I thought I was done with dealing with this company, I was wrong, however.

After coming back from vacation, I got a bill for the work.  Before paying it, I decided to check my original paperwork and cancelled checks.  It was no surprise to me when I found out they had failed to credit me for a $250 payment.  I called Kari - apparently the only person in the whole company who even tried to get things right - and got it figured out.  I wrote the check - resisting the urge to make them wait for it - and was done with them.  Looking back on the whole sorry mess, there were a number of things that ruined the experience for me:

• The salesman - Dan - assured me repeatedly that the work would be done on time.  One reason we abandoned our idea of having a vinyl fence was that we weren't sure it could be done on time.  It turns out, material availability had nothing to do with our delays - we could have had the vinyl, if we'd wanted.
• It's easy to believe the schedule was reasonable when we ordered the fence, so Dan may not have lied when we first talked.  At some point, however, he must have known it was a problem.  When was that?  I'll never know, but I suspect it was sometime just before he quit returning my calls.  The last time I talked to him - a week before the work was done - he was still telling me we'd be OK.  There's no excuse for that - I believe I was lied to.
• Dan also made plenty of misrepresentations about service he would provide - laying out the fence, and helping me decide which options made sense.  This didn't happen, and according to the bosses when they set the posts, doesn't normally happen.  Again, this is one reason I chose this company - because of this alleged high level of service.
• I intended to choose a local company - had I known the Lincoln office was closed, I wouldn't have called them.
• It wasn't my problem that the owner and his brother had to come out and work in my yard.  I didn't need an attitude when they showed up - if anyone should have been angry, it should have been the guy who was lied to through the entire process.
• I didn't expect to get the fence for free, even after all the screw ups.  I might have expected to get a discount for all my hassles, and for the broken promises.  What I got instead was a screwed up bill, being overcharged $250.  Considering all the other screw ups on this deal, this is inexcusable. 
• The crew that finished my fence was good.  If the management is as screwed up as they seemed to be in their dealings with me, it's no wonder they can't keep crews on the job.  I won't be surprised to see this company out of business in the near future.

Interestingly, I just sold an acreage.  The buyer is fencing the entire perimeter of the 3.5 acre lot, and asked me for recomendations for fencing.  Guess what I said!

Getting Ready for your Whole House Inspection

Most buyers will have a whole house inspection on your home, and many sellers today are having their homes inspected before putting them on the market.  While all inspection companies are a little different, there are certain things that will almost certainly show up on the report:

Minor electrical items, including reversed polarity outlets, exposed splices (wires hooked together without being enclosed in a junction box), ungrounded outlets, missing GFCI outlets, etc.

Plumbing leaks.

Inoperable doors and windows.

Lot/ground drainage issues (places where the ground slopes toward the foundation).

Major systems (furnace, A/C, Water heater, roof, etc.).

Signs of water intrusion or mold.

Structural and foundation issues - bowing basement walls, extreme settling, etc.

Most homeowners aren't equipped to handle major repairs - if your roof or furnace is shot, or if your foundation needs major work, you're probably going to have to hire a professional to fix it.  If you know you have any serious issues, you'd be well served to spend some time getting quotes and having it fixed.

Many items that show up on the list, however, can be easily corrected by the homeowner.  If you fix it before it shows up on the inspection, you can not only save money, you help your home make a better impression on the buyer - you don't want them to see an inspection report with page after page of items in need of repair!

Let's take a look at the things I see show up most frequently on home inspection reports:

Electrical Items

• Walk through your home, and look for wires.  Any electrical wire that is on the surface of a finished wall or ceiling should be protected by conduit.  If a wire is in the cavity of a wall (between the 2X4's) it is OK.  To fix this, turn off the power, disconnect the wires at one end, and put slide the wire into a conduit.  Use large enough conduit so that it's easy to get the wires through - flexible metal conduit works well and is easy to use, or you can use plastic.
• Check for exposed wire splices.  If you can see wire nuts, it should be in a junction box.  Turn off the power, take the wire apart, and put the splice in a box.  Make sure to attach the box securely to the wall or ceiling, and put a cover on it.
• Add GFCI protection.  All outlets next to a sink or other water source should be protected.  This includes all outside outlets.  If you need several, you can buy a pack of 4 GFCI outlets for under $30 at Home Depot.  You can also put a GFCI outlet in to replace an ungrounded outlet.
• Check for double-tapped connections in your main panel.  Take the cover off, and make sure there is just one wire going to each breaker.  If there are two, you can fix it easily - just take a short piece of wire (use the same size that is going to the breaker), and, using a wire nut, attach one end of it to the two wires that were in the breaker.  Connect the free end to the breaker, and you're done. 

If you don't think you should tackle electrical work, don't.  If you're fairly handy, but have a few questions, check out this post - it may give you a few pointers.

Plumbing Items

• Run water through every faucet, and let it run for a while.  Check for leaks, feeling under the trap and on the supply lines.  If any of them are wet, you have a leak!  If you fix it, you won't have to pay someone to do it later.  You should also check around the toilets.  Most minor plumbing issues are easy to fix - if you run into something major, call a pro.

Sticking Doors and Windows

• Check all your windows to make sure everything works.  If one sticks, you have to free it up.  Most sticking double-hung windows have been painted shut.  If that's your problem, cut the paint with a utility knife.  Take a putty knife, and carefully slide it in the sash where the window is supposed to slide, working it up and down the window.  Work on both sides, and try to get it moving.  Once it comes free, work it back and forth until it operates smoothly, and make sure to keep it free by moving it every day for a while.
• Some casement windows (crank out style) won't open easily.  These may not be painted shut, but could stick due to settling or swelling in the frames.  DON'T CRANK HARD to try to open them - you'll just break the crank mechanism.  Instead, remove the inside screen, and gently tap around them as your moving the crank - they'll probably open right up.  If they still don't open and close easily after freeing them, you may need to remove some material to fix the problem.  If the frame is badly out of square, you'll probably need professional help.
• A door that sticks is probably due to some minor settling.  You can usually fix them by removing a small amount of material with a plane.

Often, a homeowner can save hundreds of dollars by fixing minor issues themselves.  More importantly, the buyer can see that you've taken great care of your home, so you may get a better price.  A little work up front can save you time and money in the long run.

Installing a Water Softener

For many years, we didn't have a water softener, and saw no need to add one.  After we bought our first lake home - a condo where all the water supplied to the unit was soft - we noticed how much cleaner clothes, dishes, etc. were with soft water.

Because we weren't sure if we'd like it at our home, we leased a unit for a few years, paying just under $30 per month for its use.  After a few years, we decided it was foolish to rent, when the purchase of a new unit would pay for itself in less than two years.  Since we already had the unit installed, putting the new one in was an easy do-it-yourself project.

When we decided to make our move, we included the softener with our old home.  Since the new house had never had soft water, the installation would be just a little bit more complicated (but still a task easily accomplished by a reasonably competent homeowner).

Before you tackle a softener installation, there's a few things you need to verify:

• How much capacity do you need?   In our old home, we had a large whirlpool tub, 50 gallon water heater, and a home that would very likely be used to raise a family at some point in the future.  Even though Theresa and I were "empty nesters", it made sense to size the softener for a family.  We bought a unit that would be adequate for up to 5 people (keep in mind, a smaller unit may still work, it would just cycle more frequently).  The new home is smaller, and, being a town home, is most likely to be occupied by folks like ourselves, so we got the next size smaller unit.  The more closely you match the capacity of your softener to your needs, the more efficient it will be.
• How hard is your water?  This goes directly back to capacity, since extremely hard water will take more conditioning.  I was able to look up Lincoln's water quality on the county's web site, but you may have to get a test kit if you don't have the data, or if you are on a private well.  In our case, Lincoln's water is "moderately hard" - probably similar to most other communities in our area.
• Do you have a good spot to install the softener?  If your basement is completely finished, it may be difficult to make your connections.  You'll also need room to locate the unit, with electrical power and access to a drain available.  It is easiest if you can put the softener right by the water supply, but not absolutely necessary.
• Is your plumbing in good enough condition to make a do-it-yourself installation feasible?  If your incoming water supply pipe is old galvanized pipe, it may be difficult or impossible for you to get it apart - or, if you do, to re-assemble it.  If you have ancient pipes, a real plumber is much better equipped to handle the issues when things start to fall apart. 

So, assuming you're still reading this, let's talk about how you actually get it done.  For the sake of this discussion, let's assume you've got rigid copper supply pipes - probably 3/4" - and plenty of room to work.  If your water lines are plastic or pex, the process is a little easier, since  you won't have to solder any pipes. 

If you, like most of us, have copper plumbing, you'll need a few tools and supplies:

• A small propane torch.
• Emery cloth, or brushes to clean inside of fittings and outside of pipe.
• Solder (Lead Free!).
• Tubing Cutter.
• Flux & application brush.
• Copper pipe and fittings as required.
• Flexible tubes for installation (not absolutely necessary, but makes your job easier).
• 2 - 12" crescent wrenches (or 1 wrench and a small pipe wrench)
• Utility knife, screwdriver, pliers, pipe clamps, and other tools and supplies based on your application.

Most softeners targeted towards homeowner installation have a built-in bypass valve (a valve so you can bypass the softener, taking it out of the plumbing system).  If your softener doesn't have this, you'll need to install one, so you can still have water service if something goes wrong with the softener.

Now, we're ready to install the softener.

Turn off the water supply to the house, and drain the pipes by opening a faucet at the highest and lowest levels of the home. 

Locate the incoming water supply pipe, and determine where to cut the pipe for the softener.  There's a right place and a wrong place to cut the pipe.  Since you don't want soft water for outside faucets, sprinklers, etc., you should locate the input for the softener AFTER the branch for outside water.  In most cases, the outside water is pulled off right after the meter, so it's no problem.  If yours is different, you may have a little bigger job.  I wanted soft water to every indoor area - if you want hard water for drinking, you may have to run a supply to your drinking faucet.  

Once you figure out where to cut your line, use the tubing cutter and cut out a section.  You'll run from the supply side to the inlet of your softener, the connect back up to the plumbing from the softener outlet.

Many of the new softeners use plastic fitting on the unit to make your connections.  These are fine, but some care is needed when hooking up your pipes.  If you use the flexible connectors, you should be able to hook it up without putting any stress on your softener.  If not, you can still do it, you just need to make sure everything lines up.  In any case, you must NOT apply heat to solder pipes without isolating the copper from the plastic fittings - the melting point for plastic is much lower than for solder!  Even if you're soldering a fitting on the other end of a copper pipe, you need to keep the end hooked up to the plastic cool while soldering by wrapping a wet rag around it.  In most cases, you're better off getting your soldering done before hooking up any of the plastic fittings.

The rest of the job is easy, you just have to apply heat to the fittings and solder them.  To get a good solder joint, you need clean connections, heat, and solder.

• You need to mechanically clean the pipes and fittings - even brand new ones.  The easiest way to do this is to use a special set of brushes made for the task, and sized for the size of pipe you're using.  If you don't have that, you can use emery cloth, or a wire brush to take a little off the surface.  When you're done with that, apply some paste flux to both fitting and pipe - that will complete the cleaning and give you a good surface for soldering.
• When you apply heat, you want to heat the pipe and fitting up - not just melt the solder.  you can tell if this is working by watching what the solder does - if the fitting is hot, the solder will be pulled into the fitting, filling the area between the pipe and the fitting.  If it isn't hot, the solder will ball up and just fall off.  I apply heat to one side of the pipe, and touch the solder to the other side.
• You don't need a lot of solder for a good joint.  If you have extra, it will just drip down the pipe and look ugly (the first joints you do will have too much solder).  Your joints don't have to look good, but you'll like them better if they do.

I've never had a soldered joint leak or come apart (although I do have some ugly ones, with way too much solder).  The most common cause of solder joint failure is a cold joint - heating up the solder instead of the pipe.  Practice on a couple of scrap pieces first, and you'll see how easy it is.

After soldering your connections, it's time to hook up the softener, connect the drain tubes, and turn the water back on.  Check for leaks, program your softener, add salt, and you're ready to go!

Lake Home Sun Room Addition - Interior finish

In my previous two posts on this project, I talked about decision and planning, as well as demo, framing, and finishing the outside.  Now, I'll discuss finishing the interior of the structure.

After some discussion, we decided to drywall all four walls.  Originally, we had planned on leaving the siding on the side of the house, but drywall would give us a more finished, nicer look.  It also made it easier to run power and install light fixtures, without running wires in surface conduit.  The ceiling would be soffit material, and we'd install some recessed lighting fixtures, as well as a couple of ceiling fans and wall sconces.  As I mentioned before, we'd also install a small through-the-wall heat pump.  The floor would be ceramic tile, to minimize maintenance.

The first step was to run the wiring.  Fortunately, I had an easy path to get power from the breaker box to the porch.  I pulled wire for one 15 amp, 120 volt circuit for lights and outlets, and one 20 amp, 240 volt circuit for the heat pump.  I put a lot of outlets in the porch - one every 4' or so on the outside wall - I figured it was easier to do that now than to have to add one later in the process.  When I finished the outside, I added a couple of boxes for outside outlets.  I wired those up, hooking them into the same circuit as the inside outlets.  For safety purposes, I ran all the outlets through a Ground Fault Circuit Interrupting  (GFCI) outlet.  I was able to wire it so that one GFCI would protect all the outlets on the circuit - the instructions in the package explains how to do it.  At this time, I installed the "can" lights, and the junction boxes that would hold the ceiling fans.  I also ran wire for a couple of motion-detector lights for the exterior - a valuable security feature.

After running all the wiring, it was time to install insulation, then drywall.  Fortunately, Carter came down to help with this part of the project, making it much easier than it would be alone.  We elected to use fiberglass batt insulation, with a heavy poly film for a vapor barrier.  Since we had 2 X 6 walls, we used 6" insulation.

 

First, we added fiberglass batt insulation, then stapled on the vapor barrier.

The ceiling was a bit different.  Since the ceiling was the floor of the 2nd story deck, covered with a waterproof coating, we didn't want to add the vapor barrier - I was worried about trapping moisture in between two waterproof surfaces.  In addition, the roof had a slight slope to it, to aid in shedding water.  Since we wanted a roof level with the rest of the room, we had to add furring strips to level it out. 

Now, we were ready for drywall!

When planning a drywall project, one of the most important things to keep in mind is to minimize the number of seams, to make finishing as easy as possible.  When you buy your drywall, buy a couple of extra pieces, just in case.  Since drywall itself is relatively cheap, you would never cut multiple pieces where one continuous piece will work.  In this case, we had a long, narrow, rectangular room with a lot of windows and doors, so we'd have enough finishing to do regardless of how well planned it was.  We could use 4' X 12' sheets for much of it, which helped.

We had decided to use 1/2" thick drywall - the standard thickness for new construction - for the new.  To cover the existing siding on the inside wall, we went with thinner 3/8" material - more than adequate for the job, since it was just covering up a solid surface.

Since we had so many windows, I decided we'd just drywall around them, with no added wooden trim.  I thought, since the wall was essentially all window, that wooden trim would be a distraction.  I figured, if we didn't like it, I could always add it later.  This turned out to be a good decision - although it added a lot of labor, it saved quite a bit in material cost, and we like the look a lot.

In the old days (the 1970's), we used nails to secure drywall.  I think they still sell drywall nails, but I don't know who would ever use them.  Today, drywall is secured with screws - typically about an inch and a quarter long, that are easily set with any driver drill.  They're easier to work with, and provide much improved holding power, compared with nails.  When I hang drywall, I try to use only as many screws as necessary to hold the drywall firmly in place.  It's also important to drive the screws to just below the surface, while making sure you don't tear the paper - there should be a little dimple at each screw, that can easily be filled with joint compound when you're finishing.

Hanging drywall goes fairly quickly, and Carter and I got it up without too much trouble.  Probably the hardest part of this was carrying the sheets down the hill!  I also caught a bug that weekend, so I wasn't as much help as I might have been otherwise (of course, I'm not much help normally anyway, so maybe that wasn't too big a deal, after all).  In any case, we had the drywall in place by the end of the weekend.

The drywall is up.  Notice the furring strips on the ceiling, which are shimmed down to make the ceiling level.

Notice the drywall around the window.  There is, however, a wooden jamb extension around the patio door.

Very few seams on this wall - we hung the drywall horizontally, to reduce finishing.  Note the seam about halfway up the support post beam

Ready for Mud!

Carter wisely elected not to come for the drywall  finishing process.  Drywall finishing isn't impossible for an amateur to do well - you just have to have a lot of patience.  It's also important to keep in mind that virtually every wall will have a few flaws in it, if you look hard enough.  If the joint looks bad before you paint, it will look worse after, so take the time to do it right.

Pros may be able to get great looking walls with two coats of mud, but I've always needed three.  The key is to use fresh mud, and broad strokes.  If you do it right, you shouldn't need to sand between coats.  If you're like me, you'll need to do some sanding and touching up after your third coat.  Here's the basic process:

• The long edges of drywall sheets are tapered, so those are the easiest joints to cover.  Have two new, uncut edges join whenever possible.
• I've always used paper tape - it's cheap and pretty easy to work with.  They make fiberglass self-stick tape, but it's quite a bit more expensive, and I've heard it is more susceptible to cracking.  If you've used it and like it, that's fine.
• Your "mud" - drywall compound - should be fairly thin.  If it seems thick, thin it with water.
• Take a wide putty knife or drywall knife - about 4" - and put down a bed of mud slightly wider than the tape.  It doesn't have to be too thick, but should be thick enough for you to embed the tape into it - maybe about 1/8" thick or so. 
• Cut a length of tape the right length for your joint, and push it into the mud at the beginning of your joint to hold it in place. With the 4" knife at a slight angle - and a small amount of mud on the blade - run down the joint, pushing the tape into the mud.  You should push out excess mud from around the tape, and end up with the tape in the mud, with a very slight amount on top.  Be careful to make sure that there is mud UNDER the tape through the whole joint - if there's a void, it will pop up and separate in the future.  You'll end up with a bunch of excess mud on you knife - put it back in the container as you go.
• Let the first coat dry completely, then knock off any chunks with the drywall knife, so it's fairly smooth (it isn't supposed to be perfect at this point, so don't be too obsessive about it).  If there's a spot that has a big lump, you may have to sand that down now.
• The second coat is put on with a wider knife - probably about 8".  Put a little mud on the knife, and draw it over the first.  The mud will be spread wider this time - you're still getting a thin coat.  Resist the temptation to glob on a whole bunch of mud - more is not better, in this case!
• Let it dry, and again knock off any chunks.  It will probably look pretty good now, but you're not done - if you paint after two coats, it will look horrible, so don't even think about it!
• The third coat goes on with the 12" knife - very thin and smooth.  After this coat, it should look pretty good - you'll have a few lines and defects, but they should be pretty minor.  You'll want to touch up any big boo boos, but minor issues will be taken care of with sanding.
• You should install metal or plastic corner beads on any outside corners - these give you a nice straight corner, and provide protection against damage.  After installing the beads, finish these with three coats, like above.
• Inside corners are tougher, but not impossible.  Look closely at your tape, and you'll see it's creased in the middle.  If you bend it at the crease, you can set it in the corner, and tape just like a flat joint.  It is easiest to use a special knife designed for inside corners to set the tape in the mud - subsequent coats are done with a flat knife - let one side dry before doing the other.
• Screw hole are filled with mud - a couple of coats are usually sufficient there.

After you're done with the mud, it's time to sand.  You can use a sponge, designed for sanding drywall, or a block of wood with sandpaper attached.  In any case, go easy!  If you use coarse paper, or sand too aggressively, you'll have to go back to applying mud again.  Be especially careful not to rough up the paper - it will show after paining.  Don't use a power sander - it's way too easy to take off too much material.  Often, a damp sponge or rag will work well for sanding.

Next up - paint!


After sanding, I applied a primer coat, then painted.  We elected to use 3 colors - the two ends were one color, and each long side was a different one.  I hate to paint, but I worked through it, and soon had it all painted.

Now I just needed to tile the floor, install the ceiling, and complete the trim and touch up.

 Carter came down for the next part - installing tile.  We borrowed my neighbor's tile saw, which helped a bunch.  Unfortunately, we picked the coldest weekend in memory to tackle this job - a major headache, since we set the saw up outside.  Since the process involves having your hands sprayed with water while you're cutting, it made cutting the tile very unpleasant.  Even with this issue, it was better to cut the tile outside, and avoid the mess inside.

Since Carter was the experienced tile setter, she laid all the tile, while I kept busy mixing thinset and cutting tiles for the edges.  We elected to go with a staggered pattern - not really any harder to set.

We started at the far end, and worked our way down.  There were doors at both ends, so we were in no danger of tiling ourselves into a corner!  Note the spacers still in place between the most recent tiles.

We liked the staggered pattern.

Once the tile was in place, it was time for grout. Grout is the stuff that goes between the tile - it's available in a bunch of different colors.  We chose a sandstone-like color for the grout.  Grout is applied with a special grout float - kind of a thin sponge bonded to a board.  You just dump some grout on the tile, and work it back and forth, forcing it into the space between the tiles.

After adding the grout, you scrub the tile clean with a sponge, and you're done.  Of course, that's a short sentence about a miserable job - the whole grout/cleaning/sealing is about the most tedious process of the whole project.

With the floor done, all that's left it the ceiling and trim.

In any case, we now had a great looking floor.  We're almost done - Next, I'll install the ceiling.

For the ceiling, I decided to use vinyl soffit material.  I had intended to use aluminum, but when I looked at it at the lumber yard, I couldn't find a single piece that wasn't dented or deformed.  I figured, if they couldn't keep it on the rack without damage, I'd never be able to get it home and installed.

The vinyl worked pretty well - I used some flat head screws, and made sure to leave them a little loose, to allow for expansion and contraction of the vinyl.  The only hard part was cutting the holes for the recessed lights, and even that was pretty easy.  The ceiling went up quickly, and looked nice when it was done.

The ceiling looked nice, when finished. 

For trim, I decided on painted pine - it's relatively inexpensive, and easy to work with.   At Home Depot, I discovered I could save a bunch of money by buying a "contractor pack" of base trim, containing at least twice as much as I needed.  The price per piece was so much less, it was a no-brainer.  Unfortunately, not having a use for the excess, I ended up throwing it away.

I also bought a power miter saw for the trim work, and quickly figured out I should have bought it at the beginning of the project - it would have been perfect for cutting all the framing.

In any case, I was able to finish the trim in relatively short order.  I painted it before installation, then touched up to cover the nail holes.  As soon as it was done, we ordered furniture.  The project was complete!

We have most of our meals at the table - we have a perfect view of the lake!

We leave the patio doors into the house open while we're there.

Kodak like it!

Our total for the project was a shade under $10,000 - much less than any of the sun room companies would have charged to do the work.  In addition, I think the results were at least as nice (actually, I like our room better.

This room isn't perfect - it's long and narrow, so it's difficult to accommodate a large group.  As a practical matter, we didn't have an option there - adding width would have increased the cost and complexity of the project exponentially.

The heat pump works well, although we don't need the air conditioning too often.  We need the heat in the winter, although the afternoon sun heats the room up quite well.  Although I did much of it myself, Carter was a huge help - several tasks would have been nearly impossible without help.  It's also nice to have someone to bounce ideas off, especially since we didn't have a set-in-stone design.