New York Renovator

Words to the Wise

Posted on 05. May, 2007 by Mrs. Mecomber in blogging

More “Words to Wise” will be added as I acquire more wisdom…

1. In older homes, 2 x 4 studs are sometimes turned sideways (the 4″ side faces you instead of the normal 2″ side). This makes wiring difficult, because the electrical boxes won’t fit in such a small depth. It also makes drilling holes through studs for the cables impossible. Consider building out the studs by adding another layer of new ones on top of the old, to add width for the boxes. When you have drilled holes through the studs for the cables, you’ll need to use metal nail plates to protect the wires. I couldn’t find any nail plates wide enough to fully go across studs turned sideways. So instead, I nailed junction box covers to the studs. These are wide enough to fit across the 4″ sides of the studs.
2. When wiring in new electrical wires, use Number 12 (12 AWG) wire for everything. It has been typical to use No. 14 for lighting and No. 12 for outlet receptacles, but more and more local codes are requiring minimum No. 12 for the entire electrical system. Besides, electronics are only getting beefier, and future devices may need No. 12. No. 12 costs a few bucks more than No. 14, but it is worth it in the long run. If you do decide on No. 14, though, never use for anything except lighting runs.
3. It is sooo true to do as much as you can when you have the walls open. I always balked at this recommendation in the home improvement books, but have come realize that it is true. So, despite your tiny budget, do everything you possibly can while the walls are open! Don’t think you can “do it later”! It will be more expensive and a lot more frustrating then.
4. If you are motivated (and short on funds), remember that a lot of home improvement repair is basic and simple. You truly can “do it yourself” easily enough. However, be willing to spend some evenings studying about the systems that you will be doing yourself. For example, learn about the basics of air flow and furnace BTUs before you start chopping through floors and throwing in heater ducts. The local library and the Internet are filled with helpful resources, all for free.
5. Recycle water when you can. We have a sump pump that runs day and night, year ’round, and empties into a catch basin nearby. During summer’s dry season, we remove the sump pipes from our catch basin and divert the water to irrigate our thirsty gardens. (My husband added an extra plastic pipe to the end of the line and drilled small holes into it). Other folks collect roof runoff water in rain barrels. The rain barrels have a spigot at the bottom that can attach to a hose. This water can be used to water plants or clean off dirty tools.
6. Think “natural.” If you have a garden, compost all your organic waste. I use two large plastic containers with lids to store waste. I drilled holes all over the containers for airlow and to allow water (keep your compost pile moist). Also, when you are digging around the yard and discover worms, add them to your compost pile. Worms love organic waste and will speed up the composting process.
7. Recycle materials as much as you can. For example, we removed some old, decrepit wire fencing and old chicken wire from around the property. Rather than place it in the dump, we are going to use it as underlayment for the concrete walkways we plan to build around the yard. This way, we can buy the less expensive “regular” sidewalk concrete instead of the pricey fiber-reinforced sidewalk concrete.
8. Never use “Drain-O” or other drain-declogging chemicals in old plumbing. Unless, of course, you love replacing old plumbing. Use a toilet plunger to loosen hair and debris, instead. Then clean your fixture with bleach.
9. Never install a high-efficiency furnace or water heater into an old chimney flue. Either install a liner (all the way down from top to bottom) or buy direct-vent appliances.
10. It is best, even when you are cash-strapped, to completely demolish a rotting old porch and start from scratch rather than rebuild around it. Otherwise, even your best efforts at repair will sag miserably with the rest of the porch over time.
11. Try to place the debris dumpster as close to a window as possible. That way, you can hang a board from the window to the dumpster, and dump your buckets of plaster “down the chute.” This is much better than the back-breaking work of hauling heavy buckets of debris through the house to the dumpster.
12. Before you undertake remodeling anything in your home, do some research. Determine if your home is balloon-frame, stick-frame, or post-and-beam, for example. Don’t just start tearing your house apart and sawing through joists and studs; you may wind up sacrificing the structural integrity of your home.
13. When at all possible, go clean and natural with home-building products. For example, think of how short-sighted our home-building forefathers were when they got the bright idea to use asbestos, lead, and fiberglass in and around everything. Idiots.
14. Rodents are enemies. Rodents are not cute. Squirrels nest in the attic joists, and hoard their winter forage. Mice and shrews are attracted to this forage (as well as just about everything else). Chipmunks nibble away at the limestone mortar between your foundation stones. Because old houses have so many holes, leaks, and open spaces, rodents easily make your home their home. Rodents also are hosts of parasites like fleas, ticks, and lice. Get rid of rodents at the first sign of them.