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August 22, 2004
Sunday
Ever so slowly, we are fixing this house up. One of the very irritating things about a house built in 1960 is that the cold air returns were made differently than they make them today. We painted the hallway last winter, but the cold air return was an icky, gross, peeling, hunk of rusty metal, and though we looked everywhere, we could not find the same type of cold air return to replace it. Finally John just bought a normal one - the kind that most homes use.
Today, I decided it was time to put the new cold air return in. You would not believe what a pain in the rear that was. The ductwork stuck out about an inch (because the old grate stuck out about an inch), and we had to make it flush with the wall. Also, the wood trim next to the floor needed to be trimmed about 1/4th of an inch for the new grate to fit flush against the wall.
Between John and I, we were able to fix it - using a wonderful powertool - RotoZip.. I was able to trim the wood molding without removing it to the perfect size, and John was able to trim back the tin of the ductwork by cutting it to size.
We bought that tool a few years ago and have only used it once before. I must say that I am very impressed with it. But it ain't cheap. But then, you get what you pay for.
Anyway, after living here for a very long time, the hallway looks nearly perfect. Now I just have to figure out which paintings and pictures to hang in it.
Posted by Beth at August 22, 2004 3:05 PM
Comments
I've seen those! I had plantation shutters put in my home and the guy who installed them used that to cut my moulding. I was wondering where he got that, now I know. I think I need one. We're doing fix it stuff, which means I'M doing it and that will come in handy.
Posted by: Boudicca at August 22, 2004 6:58 PM
Glad you got your return air thing fixed. A leaky one can cause a lot of problems with dirt and whatnot. The one in the house where I live now leaks and all around that area the electrical outlets are clogged with dust from the air being sucked through them. Plus I have an enormous dust problem...this is the dustiest house I have ever lived in.
Here's a pic of the hole in the ground that's supposed to turn into a new house for me over the next couple months. I'm pretty excited. I decided to have a new one built because I found a development in an older neighborhood with big trees, and I want a house that's energy efficient to help me pay for it. :p
I signed the papers on it a couple weeks ago...they're supposed to pour the foundation this Friday at - get this - 4:30am. They say with the Iraq thing and the hurricane there is a shortage of concrete and they have to schedule it like that. Anyway, I'm going to be there when they pour it no matter what. Years ago there was a scam they were running down here where they'd pull the steel out before they poured the concrete.
I plan to build a deck in the back so I went and looked at tools at Home Depot the other day, Miter Saws and whatnot. I'm at a total loss. I may have to hire it out to get it done, assuming I can afford it.
Posted by: Calliope at August 23, 2004 6:28 AM
Calliope,
I had a deck built many years ago at my old house - we got ripped off. So beware. The only tools they used were a circular saw and a nail gun. These days you can buy brackets that will guarantee that things are square. I bet you could do it yourself.
Posted by: beth at August 24, 2004 11:44 AM
Aren't RotoZip's fun?! My Mom gave us one several years ago, and the Hubster and I just love it. We've had many openings to cut in sheetrock, and it does the best job.
Hope you have fun now decorating the hallway with pretties :-)
Posted by: Barb at March 14, 2005 9:22 AM