Van_and_Terri
Ranger
We came back from Europe with nasty cold/sinus issues. And I had my first cataract surgery yesterday with a few complications. Next one is in 2 weeks. The month of May will be one of inactivity for us.
Morning Cup Of Coffee And Weather
- Thread starter Tour 931
- Start date
Sweeney
Administrator
Ive got so many homestead project to work on....I just don't think about it
--- trees that need to be trimmed, a patio that needs redone completely (idiot who I bouth the house from...well....its screwed up) and some good sized flower beds that need to be burned to the ground and started over...then there's the whole business that I'm starting! I'm loving that!!!! Just not enough call volume yet which I suppose is OK. Give me time to build up slowly rather than to get crushed by too much work.As for re-asclimatizing, yah -- I was in Dallas in Jan/Feb -- 80's in the day. Week I got home we had a couple inches of snow. I'm thinking "WTH!?" April was RAINY and cold. May, so far, has been more of the same.
I'm at a state park this weekend sitting in a Gazelle shelter over the galley. Sipping Suntory Toki Whisky, and smoking a very nice pipe...wishing I had started watching Lord of the Rings an hour ago
I admire your ability to prioritize 'need to' over 'want to'
Sweeney
Administrator
Oh no! What happened? I had both of mine done already --- then about 24-36 months later developed "secondary" cataracts...those are easy....
Hopefully your issue resolve --- but take my word for it, the wierdness passes. It just takes a little time. Re-learning how to read, and work on "close" and "small" is never the same again - but it does get better.
About the time you get used to the new normal, you'll have your next eye done
its worth it though. I'll never forget seeing those big green things outside had leaves!
Warren Mary Ellen
Ranger
Did cataract surgery a few years ago and it wasn’t to bad. I had developed one as a side effect of having a detached retina repaired about 3 years earlier. The surgery itself is not that different, but the recovery is horrible. You have to stay face down including sleeping that way for a week with retina. Hope the second one goes well for you too.
Sweeney
Administrator
Full retinal detachment? Or posterior vitreous detachment (PVD). I had the ladder and they can confirm it wasn’t a whole lot of fun, but it did resolve and we just have to keep an eye on it. It’s no big deal for now.
Steve Sanford
Novice
We put a trex deck on last year. Advice we got was go with a light color because it will be very hot when in full sun. We got a light grey and it gets very warm but not burning hot and I can walk on it barefoot. If you have 16 inch joists it will be bouncy when you walk on it. We were replacing the entire deck and went with 12 inch spans. Our contractor recommended Trex over other products because Trex backs their product and will replace any defective product-so far we have not had to find out. Very happy with our deck and added a timber wood pellet patio heater and spend almost every night on it when temperature is above 40 degrees and not raining.
Sweeney
Administrator
I've got a job like that -- Homer (the guy I bought the house from) put a roof over a deck --- both built by him. No pressure treated wood, and the roof is built in such a way that rot is inevitable. The only way to 'fix' it is to pull it all apart. Its all got to go. I'm just procrastinating....I REALLY don't want to open this can of worm....no idea what surprises are there....
No fun at all. Don't envy having that to contend with.
Sweeney
Administrator
Everything we touch is like that - Plumbing was jacked up, electricity he uses 14/2 instead of 12/2 -- so my voltage in my office is always a little low -- not to mention probably a little warm. No space heaters here.
He buried a 'french drain' - but only put the pinthe trench. He didn't put stone in/around it --- so the french drain filled with mud.
A tree fell on the house at one point, he rebuilt it. Did the electric himself... at the same time he installed the 14/2 he tapped 6 overhead can lights into the living room, coming from the attached garage. Rather that put in a box, he just joined the wires in side a light switch box with the pull-chain light for the atic.
No pressure treated wood used in his outdoor projects. The shed was replaced in 2020. The wood storage barn literally fell apart when we tried to move it. Why move it you ask? Becuase he built it right on top of the septic tank access port.
I have no idea what I'll find when I pull the roof off the deck. Frankly - it scares me.
Tour 931
Ranger
Bummer. I consider 12 wire to be the minimum. Usually I go with 10. When I had the wires buried to the shop I had 4 gauge put in.
Sounds like a pre-buy home inspection would have been well worthwhile.
Tour 931
Ranger
I had one done because I bought the house sight unseen. It was a very detailed inspection and was far better than what I would have done. Here is an infrared picture of the breaker box with everything turned on.Sounds like a pre-buy home inspection would have been well worthwhile.
Van_and_Terri
Ranger
I agree 12 gauge should be the minimum, but new homes in FL and NC are currently built with 14 gauge wiring on outlets. New technology breakers are being used now unfortunately as my dryer kept tripping the breaker. I had to separate the neutral and ground inside the dryer. New technology breakers don’t allow appliances to have the neutral and ground lugged together. They are very sensitive to humidity too.
Sweeney
Administrator
I had one done because I bought the house sight unseen. It was a very detailed inspection and was far better than what I would have done. Here is an infrared picture of the breaker box with everything turned on.
12 is 'standard' but there is never a problem going bigger! I want a flir camera -- the nice part is I can buy it, and write it off as a business expense (where I honestly will be using it 99% of the time) -- I just need to build up some cashflow.
I'm not an electrician -- but I have been known to dabble with it a few times. 14 is for 15 amp, but with as much stuff as we have to plug in today, it doesn't make sense. It might be 'safe' but a few pennies more a foot is well worth the margin. The biggest problem with 10 is that its getting thick and kind of hard to work with.
Sounds like a pre-buy home inspection would have been well worthwhile.
Oh, let me tell you about that a$$ho13. I did have it inspected by an inspector my relator has worked with many times in the past. She stopped referring him after my home. I did the due diligence -- and he did catch some things that saved our bacon. But its a "visual" inspection --- pulling covers off, he kind of gets a pass on. But yah --- we about went broke fixing "homers" find craftsmanship. Speaking of which, I'm fixing a leaking shower right now. Though that is probably just old sealant...and not really his fault.
Tour 931
Ranger
For long runs the bigger wire also helps to keep the voltage up.
Sweeney
Administrator
DEFINATELY! I drive along US 31 between Indy & South Bend. Every winter around Christmas season there is a family that runs about 500 feet of Christmas lights along a fence line.
By the house they are bright as can be --- and you can watch the lights get gradually dimmer and dimmer and dimmer until the end where they are just barely visible. Its both kind of cool, and intellectually invigorating to see
Geesch! I AM a geek....
Warren Mary Ellen
Ranger
Mine was a macula-off detachment, the worst one to have. I’m to the point that I’m no more likely to have another than anyone at their point. Just go in once a year now to get it checked. That eye sees things like you look in a fun house mirror.