Tag: Home Improvement
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(Eventual) Well Tank Replacement: How I May Have Ignored an Obvious Problem for Years
January 9, 2026 The Signs I Missed Looking back, I think the well tank bladder had been broken since at least summer 2024. It might have been failing for a year or two before that. What I was noticing: the water pressure would drop a little, then go back up when the pump kicked in.…
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Emergency Boiler Replacement: When Your Service Company Isn’t There When You Need Them
November 2024 Planning Ahead (That Didn’t Matter) Our Triangle Tube Prestige Solo 110 boiler had been breaking down occasionally, and each service call was costing a minimum of $1,200. I got so frustrated with service companies that I learned to fix minor issues myself. But every technician told me the same thing: boilers have a…
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This New Old House Part 12: Insulation and Air Sealing – When Tight Isn’t Right (Or Is It?)
When we decided to build our Connor Homes kit house, we had visions of a super-efficient, modern home wrapped in the latest insulation technology. We’d read all about spray foam insulation, tight building envelopes, and energy efficiency. We were going to do this right. Spoiler alert: We sort of did. Maybe. I’m still not entirely…
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This New Old House Part 10: HVAC – The Radiant Floor Mistake?
Or: How Warm Floors Can’t Save You From Bad HVAC Decisions Winter 2009-2010 After the plumbing nightmares, it was time for HVAC. We installed radiant floor heating throughout the house—hot water running through tubes in the floors, heated by our Triangle Tube boiler. It’s actually very nice to have warm floors in the winter. Walking…
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This New Old House Part 8: Electrical – The One Thing We Got Mostly Right
Or: How an Electrical Engineer Wired Our House (and What We Still Got Wrong) Winter 2009-2010 After framing was complete, it was time for electrical. This is where having a friend with an electrical engineering degree really paid off. Actually, let me rephrase: this is where we got more things right than wrong, which for…
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This New Old House Part 6: Foundation, Basement, and Future Regrets
Or: How “We’ll Finish It Later” Became Our Most Persistent Lie Fall 2009 With septic and well in place, it was time to dig a hole and pour concrete. The foundation is literally the base of everything, so naturally this was where we’d make some decisions that would haunt us for years. Jennifer had specific…
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Pella Architect Series Windows: The Review I Should Have Posted 14 Years Ago
Why I Will Never Buy Pella Windows Again Product: Pella Architect Series Double-Hung Windows Specification: Double pane, E-glass coating, wood interior, primed Installation: 2009-2010 Review Date: January 2026 (15+ years of use) Rating: ★☆☆☆☆ (1/5 stars – and that’s generous) Note: I should have written this review 14 years ago. Maybe I could have saved…
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The “Finished” Drain Board: A Concrete Countertop Reality Check
Let me start with the truth: I finally “finished” my concrete countertop drain board refurbish, and it’s blotchy as hell. But here’s the thing—the shape is perfect. It looks exactly like a drain board should look. It’s just that after all the layers, all the different materials, and all my well-intentioned repair attempts, it’s ended…
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The Great Concrete Drain Board Debacle: A DIY Odyssey
When a simple countertop repair turns into a three-week saga involving four molds, toe-damaging weights, and enough failed attempts to question your life choices. The Origin Story: DIY Concrete Counters Circa 2010 Back in 2010, when YouTube had DIY videos but nothing like today’s endless stream of concrete countertop influencers, my wife and I decided…
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Even that's Odd 