The Saga Continues

Well, here’s another progress report on our electrical! Thank God I have them to give! Since I finished the Living Room and the Girls’ Bedroom, as well as finally updating the wiring in the Boys’ Room and my room, thngs have been going at a rapid rate. We are cleaning up bits and pieces of things in preparation for the inspector and to get sheetrock up.

I spent all day yesterday (from 9am to 10pm, my typical work time) cleaning up the circuit panel and the gazillions of old, decrepit wiring in the basement. I am even profiient enough with the service panel to wire up a little work light for me near the panel (I got sick of holding a flashlight while trying to work).

I’d say I ripped out about 30 pounds of old, bad wiring. I pried out old staples and reorganized the wires that remain. I neatened the old wiring, and labeled all the new wiring that I have put in so far. I also made a circuit map and and labeled all junction boxes with their circuit number. The place looks good, as far as a service panel in a basement goes.

I still have many, many lines to add. There are only two 1940s black wires left hooked up to the circuit box, but those two wires electrify half the house. I am making progress, but I am only one person! It can be overwhelming to think about it, but we are actually doing very well.

My husband drills holes in the joists for me to loop new wiring through. I can’t hold a drill over my head for very long, let alone drill through petrified joists! I’ve also got the phone wiring and the thermostat wiring done for the Living Room. I am debating whether I should spend more money and wire Cat5 for my ethernet… it would all probably be an extra $50… that’s a lot when you have to get sheetrock, paint, and stain yet. And we are keeping the old windows in, too, til we can afford new ones. I don’t know yet…

I took down all those old knobs and tubes and 1920s wiring from the Living Room ceiling. I plan to sell them. I also finally electrified the Girls’ Bedroom, so they have lights. We were living off their one outlet for the entire upstairs! They are so happy to have a switched light!

Other news… I’ve been waking up at night with numb hands, particularly my right hand. I didn’t think much of it until yesterday when it became numb all day. It dawned on me today that the old carpal tunnel is acting up! I haven’t had any symptoms of that in almost 20 years! My hands and wrists are very small, so all this beefy work is building them up, and the expanding muscles are pressing on the nerves.

I think we are ready for the inspector, so tomorrow I am taking the kids out. We have an appointment in Oneida, and will just make a day of it. Inspector comes Thursday, and I’ll be ready to install sheetrock Friday, if we can get the boards soon enough!

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