Insulated...and we didn't do it!?!

December 3-5, 2010

Ya, there's this amazing deal, you can actually hire other people to do your work for you rather than doing it yourself! Then when you show up the next time...it's DONE! What a concept! That is exactly the phenomenon that has happened to us! We subcontracted the insulation work to Minnesota Spray-Foam Insulation. They are spraying foam into the wall cavities, which will provide an R-21 insulation factor and an air infiltration barrier. The attic has an R-44 insulation factor. So, we anticipate being toasty warm in the winter and blissfully cool in the summer. Progress was slightly delayed with an employee being out "sick" for a couple of days, but they got 2/3 done by Friday.

Three of the four basement walls are insulated with the concrete forms, but the walkout wall has now been sprayed. This is the bedroom.

Here is the living room. It really helps the rooms take their actual shape and size. Can't wait to see it fully-clothed...with sheet rock.

This is the kitchen and dining area. We're so curious how everything will fit in here, especially with all the great cooks and willing hands in the family!

We added the pink insulation to some of the floors and walls for sound barrier. There could be a lot of craziness going on in the living room while we have precious ones needing a nap in the bedroom, ya know!

Here is the master bedroom. We think our bed will go right there! Woohoo!

Very exciting...one more wall all white and warm and clean looking. This is the main floor bedroom.

Even, with all of this being done for us, it doesn't mean that our work is over.  Sandy had to stay home because of mandatory rehearsals for the church Christmas production and worship team responsibilities. She also had doggy duty. Poor Maddie had a "pillow" forming in her sweet velvety ear. It's called a hematoma and is actually blood filling her ear flap, usually because of an ear infection where dogs wiggle their heads and whip their ears against their heads. The vet's office told us that it would cost $1300 to surgically drain and repair the ear. We asked about a Plan B and chose that. So, Maddie had her ear incised and drained, then wrapped with the ear up in order to attempt preventing the ear from filling with blood again. She was also blessed with a lovely cone to add to her wardrobe. She's not into the newest fashions.

See her hang her head in shame! She is such a classy and dignified dog; this was a humiliating ordeal. Plus, have you ever tried walking around in one of those cones? You bump into walls and can't see your feet and can't even get a drink! It really stinks!

So, Doug went alone this weekend to do a boat-load of tasks. There were a lot of details to complete before the sheet rock makes it impossible to gain access to the interior of the walls. He 

He added a "scuttle" hole to access the attic. The insulation will butt up to it. The scuttle is in the master bedroom closet. We are also taking advantage of the wide open attic space by making a storage area, again accessible from our closet. The small door leads to it and will be complete with a walk way about ten feet deep, shelving going left and right about three feet deep in each direction.

Then he finished building the linen closet which opens from the main floor bathroom, but juts out the back into the mud room. We left the tops to the mud room closet and this linen closet off to provide for more storage on top. These will be sheet rocked and maybe topped with wood someday. This will be a great place to throw coolers or boxes.

He put insulation in several walls and ceilings for sound barriers.

This is the wall between the upstairs bedroom and the half bath. Very important to have sound barrier there!

Here's some in the upper landing hallway to our bedroom. We're trying to prevent noise from carrying up the stairs.

He put up the dense board in the bathroom tub surround area. He also added the shower spout and nozzle and faucet, but took this picture earlier. The sheet rock will butt right up to this. 

The biggest project of his weekend was probably attaching the plenum to the furnace and then to the main duct tree which runs the length of the cabin, 32 feet. He had to cut the tree and insert the plenum and tape it in place. But now all the lovely warm air the furnace has been generating will actually go into the tree, through the ducts and feed all of the rooms, rather than just float up to the ceiling and out the foyer loft!

There was so much more to be accomplished, like running speaker wire, adding more backers for the sheet rock, adding exterior faucet spickets, making a few adjustments to wiring based on the inspectors recommendations and on and on. And in the midst of all this, he had work issues that needed to be attended to, so he spent hours dealing with those. What a trooper! He was more than exhausted when finally arrived home late Sunday night, just in time to prepare for another big week at work. The only remaining piece is laying rosin paper over the entire surface of the floor to prevent sheet rock compound and paint overspray

No news on the baby front, except that she's a comin' in her own sweet time! What a Christmas gift that will be!

Thanks to Kelly for the fun pregnancy pictures! God bless you Lauren and Adam! Remember the verse we talked about, Lauren, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me!"