Flush Mount Ceiling Light Polished Brass Ribbed Clear

Once again the fickle finger of fashion is pointed against me. The basic ceiling dome lights that I thought would be easy to get more of are not in stores, nor are reasonable facimilies. The original lights were dirt-cheap contractor grade that I got more of when we were doing renovations shortly after moving in. Now, it's all frosted glass, or the insane "nipple" shape when it's the clear glass.

I spent some time refining the search term above, then somehow had the idea of looking at one of the old lights and getting the manufacturer and part number from it. The manufacturer info was dodgy, but the part number finally produced a perfect hit, and it turns out that I can definitely get some of these... in about a week after the christmas package rush dies down. Here it is:

http://www.doitbest.com/Ceiling+fixtures-Westinghouse+Di+A-model-66282-doitbest-sku-526193.dib

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0049D7KF2/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_1?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B001B14V0W&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=19YGGW4614ANSJJR4PJ4

DoItBest has a free ship-to-store option, it just takes 7-10 days.

Until I found the part number, I was zeroing in on a couple of (also mail order) alternate options. Here is one from "Progress":

http://shop.ferguson.com/product/Progress-P3655-Polished-Brass-65718?Ns=AvailabilityType%7C0%7C%7CPrimary_Finish%7C1%7C%7CSort_Order%7C1&N=102+49+3000262+3000857+2000004+4294965862

This WalMart option looked good in pictures, but it turns out that it's still nipply:

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Mainstays-Whipped-13-Flushmount-Light-Polished-Brass/16781244

This one from Thomas is very nice, but ouch what a price:

http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Lighting-SL8621-1-Polished-Finish/dp/B000HBM2YO

Here's the family:

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dtools&field-keywords=thomas+lighting+ceiling+flush+mount#/ref=sr_pg_2?rh=n%3A228013%2Ck%3Athomas+lighting+ceiling+flush+mount+clear&page=2&keywords=thomas+lighting+ceiling+flush+mount+clear&ie=UTF8&qid=1324306235

Then lower down the ladder are some Nuvo ones with frosted glass:

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dtools&field-keywords=ceiling+polished+brass#/ref=sr_pg_2?rh=n%3A228013%2Ck%3Aceiling+flush+mount+polished+brass&page=2&keywords=ceiling+flush+mount+polished+brass&ie=UTF8&qid=1324304825

Premium Natural Stones Escorial interlocking

Here are some links to the decorative glass tile that I was not allowed to have for my own house:

http://www.msistone.com/products/MosaicsDetails.aspx?MosaicsID=716

http://msistone.com/products/mosaicsLevel2.aspx?LevelOneID=43

http://www.msistone.com/products/..%5Cproducts%5CMosaicsDetails.aspx?MosaicsID=650

Glidden Blue Phlox

It looks like Glidden doesn't make Blue Phlox any more. Their colors have all been renamed. There are odd sites that put up an HTML color approximation of paint chips, such as the following (which seems to give a catalog number for Blue Phlox):

http://www.myperfectcolor.com/en/color/88063_Glidden-58BB33270-Blue-Phlox

http://www.color-swatches.com/glidden/blue-phlox/58bb-33-270/swatch.html

Pure Periwinkle is a pretty close replacement for Blue Phlox though.

PVA Primer versus Regular or Latex Primer

So, PVA primter is labeled "contractor grade" and is about half the cost. What's the catch.

Apparently, it's pretty poor stuff, although contractors seem to have no heasitation about using it for new drywall. "PVA primer is a primer made with a polyvinyl acetate binder resin, the way paints were made in the beginning some 40 years ago. They are the cheaper grades of primer as PVA resin like the ones I used to sell are plentiful and therefore cheap.". That quote was from this forum thread, the usual dark echo chamber full of dummies with a few snarky schmott guys:

http://www.diychatroom.com/f4/pva-primer-vs-tinted-primer-90226/

Here's a forum where the contractors are like "PVA fine for new drywall":

http://www.doityourself.com/forum/walls-ceilings/179671-rookie-kilz-vs-pva-primer.html.

However, many folks seem to have no heasitation to comparing PVA to Elmer's Glue.

Egress Window 5.7 square feet casement

Yup, it looks like there's a law that 2nd story residential bedroom windows have to have a total opening area of at least 5.7 square feet (there's a rule about allowable ranges for width and height also, and a rule about maximum height from the floor (so that kids can get out the window if they need to, apparently). With all that, you have to know what to look for in the window catalogs to make sure that you're getting one that meets the requirements. Here are some links:

Here's a forum post by somebody else who got bit by this. He wonders at the unfairness that this rule delivers to somebody who wants to use double-hung (freaking wide windows). From this, somebody responded that you can get casement windows that look like double hung.

http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/build/msg0203235225198.html

By the way, what's with all the great building information on something called gardenweb?

Here's a forum thread where some newbie asks all the right dumb questions in the right order, and the whole process is laid out cleanly in the answers that the pros are providing. There's a link to the Andersen catalog, a mention that their model numbers with X meet egress code, and a link to a Pella catalog.

http://www.diychatroom.com/f19/egress-window-dimensions-26931/

Here's the Pella catalog:

http://www.pella.com/_layouts/1033/Pella/Documents/window-sizes/DH_25EESZTAB.pdf

Anderson has this uncharitable egress opening calculator:

http://www.andersenwindows.com/servlet/Satellite/AW/Page/awForm_CasementEgressCalculator/1272390718594#

Here's a bunch of guys arguing about the window to floor rule:

http://www.inspectionnews.net/home_inspection/building-interior-home-inspection-commercial-inspection/20209-egress-rule-date.html

Here's a post that does little but point to the Andersen catalogs:

http://evstudio.info/common-egress-window-sizes-and-operation/

This question about smallest casement egress windows with trim does not really get answered well, except for the suggestion to skip trim:

http://www.construction-resource.com/forum/showthread.php?t=7393

Here's the Andersen catalog. For some reason the X sizes don't look like the right window:

http://www.andersenwindows.com/servlet/Satellite?blobcol=urldata&blobheader=application%2Fpdf%0D%0AContent-Disposition%3A+inline%3B+filename%3D400-casement-openspecs.pdf%3B&blobkey=id&blobnocache=false&blobtable=MungoBlobs&blobwhere=1232341690875&ssbinary=true

Somebody answering this question said that the egress windows are marked with a diamond in the Andersen catalog, which I never saw:

http://www.diychatroom.com/f104/egress-window-question-andersen-windows-comply-108399/

Here's the Simonton catalog, with links to PDFs of their catalogs:

http://www.simonton.com/Products/_ProductDetail.htm?a=2&i=219&wbs=

Drain Tile Through The Wall

I am having to lie in my own bed with this drain tile, but I think that in the end it might still work out.

The first question is whether to bring the pipe in through the wall at its current height or try to dig down and find the existing drain tile or some other solution. I think the answer is still to bring it through the at height. Digging down to the drain tile seems like it won't help because from the earlier excavation it seems like it could be just anywhere, plus there's no guarantee that it goes to the sump any more.

The second question is the size of pipe to bring through. I still really like the idea of bringing a 3" pipe through, even though that's going to stress out my wall, particularly if I have to sheath it, and even though I'm immediately knocking it down to a 2" pipe once it comes through so that I can put the valve on it.

The third question is at what height to bring it through. The test drilling really hinted that I shouldn't go lower than that one mortar seam.

The last question is how to bring it through without either creating a huge leak or ruining the resale value of the house. It appears that pipes of this sort are sealed with a variety of sealants, but the polyurothane is the preferred solution at present. Other options are cement (buh), epoxy, and tar. I can get epoxy and tar at the local big box hardware store, the PE will be mail order and spendy.

Links:

Ask The Builder dispells the idea that the black tar on the foundation wall is good for "waterproofing", and talks a bit about epoxies and urothanes:

http://www.askthebuilder.com/015_Exterior_Foundation_Wall_Waterproofing.shtml

Here's somebody selling a product by dishing dirt on the epoxy solution. Actually, this goes through all the different systems and was a pretty good tour of the options:

http://www.basementsystems.com/foundation-repair/wall-crack-solution.html

Here's Ask The Builder's typically specifics-free report on epoxies:

http://www.askthebuilder.com/B119_Concrete_Epoxy_Masonry_Epoxy_Repair.shtml

Interestingly, the Wikipedia article has some info on polymer repair glues:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basement_waterproofing#Exterior_Waterproofing

This "give up hope" articles isn't as good as the one from Basement Systems, but is a good review of the ptions:

http://ezinearticles.com/?Why-You-Should-Hire-a-Professional-For-Concrete-Crack-Injection&id=4270412

Here's another "don't waste your time" article by a guy who clearly seems to be selling something, but he doesn't say what:

http://franchise.basementtechnologies.com/the-basement-business-blog/bid/51429/7-Ineffective-Exterior-Foundation-Waterproofing-Products-And-Methods

Here is where the question of sleeving came up, in a hotly debated forum covering the definition of Masonry, the International Building Code, and the history of sleeving:

http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/repair/msg1216154232149.html?14

Here is another good forum post, although it is not clear if the sleeve/no sleeve issue is resolved:

http://www.greenbuildingtalk.com/Default.aspx?tabid=53&aff=14&aft=56669&afv=topic

Here is the forum post that led to the online source for the PE kit:

http://basementhealth.org/forum/topics/help-sealing-around-sump-pump?commentId=6324810%3AComment%3A5355

Here is the online kit:

http://www.emecole.com/products/Emecole-120-Polyurethane-Foam-%252d-D%252dI%252dY-Pipe-Penetration-Kit-%281%252d2-Pipes%29.html

Here is a funny suggestion for using roof flashing:

http://books.google.com/books?id=adupJ99htGUC&pg=PA54&lpg=PA54&dq=seal+a+drain+penetration+in+a+foundation+wall&source=bl&ots=NjuS6siQgh&sig=6FyiXvjwfLvQzjmrlFQrqrzAI5Q&hl=en&ei=0TjaSav7D4iSMuCJ4OEO&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=7#v=onepage&q=seal%20a%20drain%20penetration%20in%20a%20foundation%20wall&f=false

The range hood roof vent.

Home D has this bitching 4" one:

http://www.homedepot.com/buy/building-materials-heating-venting-cooling-hvac-parts-accessories/master-flow-4-in-goose-neck-vent-in-aluminum-132939.html

It appears that MasterFlow is really a company named GAF? They make this one (It is part number GNV4A) which I found elsewhere on the GAF web site. But this site is for all of the other "goose neck roof vents". A regular goose neck range vent looks inappropriate for a residential roof though.

http://www.gaf.com/Roofing/Residential/Products/Roof-Vents/MasterFlow-Chimney-Roof-Caps-Accessories/MasterFlow-Chimney-Roof-Caps-Accessories.aspx

Also, HomeD will sell a GNV6 if I really wanted one:

http://www.homedepot.com/buy/building-materials-heating-venting-cooling-hvac-parts-accessories/master-flow-6-in-goose-neck-vent-164902.html

Somehow, I blundered into the model I want, except offered by Lowes' and it's from BROAN:

http://www.lowes.com/pd_327605-14-634M_0__?catalogId=10051&productId=3148537&UserSearch=634m&Ntt=634m&N=0&langId=-1&storeId=10151&rpp=24

Lowes has a crappy delivery time, but look, it's at Amazon too:

http://www.amazon.com/Broan-NuTone-634M-Roof-Cap-Black/dp/B0013G31B0

Insulation for 6" roof joists

Ain't no way that I'm going to be able to stuff R-38 into the sections where the old roof joins the new, and it will probably get a ding from the inspector unless I address it, so what to do?

My findings so far:

There's a term "High Density Insulation". It seems to apply to blown insulation though. Here's an installation guide for "Dense Pack Cellulose" from a state government:

http://www.incap.org/fieldguide/6%20-%20Insulation.pdf

Certainteed sells something called "High Performance" batts, which look a lot like regular insulation to me. It's supposed to be better, but not enough better according to the chart in the specifications sheet (2nd link).

http://www.certainteed.com/products/insulation/index/317362

http://www.certainteed.com/resources/30211239.pdf

You'd think that styrofoam board would be pretty good, but they only make it up to 4 inches thick, and even if layered it wouldn't quite make it up to R-38:

http://building.dow.com/na/en/products/insulation/deckmate.htm

Here is an unbelievably good guide to the different insulation options, which is my first lead to PolyIso types:

http://www.insulation-guide.com/insulation-types.html

Here's a forum with one answer that also points to polyiso. Note that he claims R=7/inch, so with 5.5" and no ventilation baffle, I cold get R38.5!

http://www.doityourself.com/forum/archive/index.php/t-387868.html

Ok, this is just interesting. I'm sure there's something in this dense blog post about different ways to add R-values. He references the wikipedia article which I found is too general and lacking the kind of dumb table that I'd like to see.

http://sites.google.com/site/phillipnormanatticaccess/Home/insulation-math

Here's an installation manual from something called NRCA. This is interesting because of learning about the existence of NRCA, and that it says to consider polyiso as having a R value of only 5.6/inch and to ignore the manufacturer's Long Term Thermal Resistance rating. It would be sad if true.

http://www.nrca.net/rp/technical/manual/06pdfs/99_100.pdf

Here's a company that makes polyiso. They have a distributor in Baltimore:

http://www.atlasroofing.com/general2.php?section_url=2

Certainteed makes a polyiso that they call FlintBoard, which seems to be commercial oriented. There are further hints that this stuff is intended to be the top deck of the roof rather than under-mounted.:

http://products.construction.com/manufacturer/certainteed-roofing-----low---slope-nst18285/products/flintboard-polyisocyanurate-roof-insulation-nst5378-p

http://www.certainteed.com/products/roofing/308322

Here's a nice web site that is a bit more optimistic about polyiso without providing too many details. They also go into the dual nature of preformed vs. sprayed for this material.

http://www.energysavers.gov/your_home/insulation_airsealing/index.cfm/mytopic=11620

Here is a bulletin from PIMA that primarily seems to be oriented towards commercial roofs. But it is interesting to know about the existence of PIMA.

http://www.pima.org/BulletinFiles/tb113_clr.pdf

http://www.pima.org/contentpage/Faq.aspx

Here they talk about muliti-layering polyiso:

http://www.pima.org/BulletinFiles/tb113_clr.pdf


Here's a cute little TOH article that mentions it (with very little details):

http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/article/0,,1575422-6,00.html

Here's an article about cape cods. The big panels are nailed on top of the roof in the photos:

http://www.deerparkroofing.com/insulating-ventilating-cape-code-house.php

Here's a TOH article about foam panel. Way down near the bottom, it talks about installing the foam outside of the wall. It does discuss spray-on near the middle.

http://www.oldhouseweb.com/how-to-advice/insulating-walls.shtml

Refi Notes

Notes on the paths chosen to date:

Wells Fargo, despite being Wells Fargo, seems to match my needs well:

https://www.wellsfargo.com/mortgage/home-improvement/products

Loan app or request consultation? Frankly, I should just start with loan app since the choice that I want is right there:
https://mortgage.wellsfargo.com/affinity/shortForm.wfm
https://mortgage.wellsfargo.com/affinity/contact.wfm

Here's the info on Loanfax. Produced a nice list of links to very local standard mortgages, no choice for home renovation:

http://www.loanfax.com/index.htm

Two of the leading rates were Apex and Bancstar, both of which don't seem to have a lot of review info online (poor sign?) Bancstar lists renovation as one of their front page choices, Apex not.

http://www.bancstarmortgage.com/
http://www.apexhomeloans.com/About-Apex-Home-Loans.html

Not surprisingly, a calculator on loanfax showed that the interest to be paid on a $250K loan over 30 years is $212K! for 15 years half so.

The last state assessment that I got was 188K, which seems to have gone down. Clearly they adjusting for the economy, boo! My 2009 county tax bill was based on an assessment of $254K. My 2008 state assessment for 2008 and the next projected two years showed assessments of 236K, 254K, and 272K.

According to my 2009 tax statements, in 2009 I paid $2.6K in pricipal, $6.2K in interest, and my balance was $120.5K

In 2008 my ARM ajusted up to 5.6% from 4.75%, but I'm sure that it has adjusted down since then. In April 2010 it adjusted from 4.625% to 3.75%!!!!!

The wood floors installed

The floor installed in the nursery is:

Armstrong Danville Strip Honey Oak 2 1/4" 463212

see: http://www.truehardwoods.com/catalog/item/7115242/7242362.htm

The comperable square edge version, which sounds like what we got installed in the rest of the house, is

Armstrong Portland Strip Honey Oak 2 1/4" 462114

see: http://www.flooringwarehousedirect.com/armstrong_portland_strip_oak_34_x_2_14_solid_hardwood_flooring__honey.php

Mini Candelabra Base Light Bulbs

First off, can these be bought in anything but Halogen? This base is also called an E-11 base. What the hell is wrong with fixture designers these days?

Trying to get less than 50W for the side-lights of the addition's bathroom mirror. The next and apparently only lowest size is 35W.

Can buy them at these sites:

http://shopping.msn.com/specs/halogen-s-e-35w-clear-e-11/itemid1009875389/?itemtext=itemname:halogen-s-e-35w-clear-e-11

http://www.bulbsusa.com/shopping/catalog/T3-T4-Mini-can-Halogen-E11-Base-p-55.html