Finally starting an addition on our shed

[EddieWalker]

And this is probably the biggest reason I haven't bought scaffolding yet. I really want to own a bunch of it, but it's so cheap to rent it when I need it, and then I don't have to store it anywhere.

 

[STx]

I just have renting stuff because it's a 3 hour round trip. Figure in another hour at the rental yard, if it goes fast, and you've lost half the day. Then repeat to return it. In this case, I'd probably be time ahead.

I could buy enough to wrap all the way around for another $1,000. If I thought I'd use it, I'd do that but, after this project, I don't think I'll have need for more than the 6 sets I already bought.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

Makes a good deer stand...

 

[Cavjock22]

Looking good Duval County! Brings back memory’s of building our ranch house in southern liveoak county in the 90s.We built a lot of our own scaffolding.. We had used T111 siding and that was a mistake.. Two years ago we ripped it off and replaced with hardy. Best decision we have made. The contractor was from San Diego.. Any rain lately? put in good plots last weekend..

 

[STx]

Looking good Duval County! Brings back memory’s of building our ranch house in southern liveoak county in the 90s.We built a lot of our own scaffolding.. We had used T111 siding and that was a mistake.. Two years ago we ripped it off and replaced with hardy. Best decision we have made. The contractor was from San Diego.. Any rain lately? put in good plots last weekend..

What's rain? We had about 1/4" a little over a week ago, nothing since.

 

[STx]

So I've had to work on paying projects the last couple of weeks and haven't made much progress. This afternoon is the first time I've been able to really do anything and I started getting the felt down on the roof.

The AC guys got most of the rough in completed this week, I need to finish up the shed attic space and run some wire for them to finish. I'm really hoping to have all.that done by Monday so they can get it all hooked up and tested. We did a 3.5 ton unit with a 15kw heat strip and 4" MERV 14 house filter, total is $5,950.

I got tired of moving the scaffolding so rented enough to surround the building, that's been a big help.

It's slow progress but, it's forward motion and that's the important thing.

 

[EddieWalker]

I know your struggle. Never enough time to spend on my own projects because of clients and life getting in the way. Looks like you've made a lot of progress.

I like to put a rope on the roof too. It's amazing how much safer and secure it makes me feel. Especially when working near the edge of the roof.

I didn't notice your drain lines for your AC unit. One of the things that I don't like about having them in the attic is that it's a real pain to add bleach to the drain line once a month when changing the filter. I've had quite a few jobs where the primary drain plugs up from gunk that forms and grows in the pipe, and then the secondary plugs up, and then the pan overflows and ruins the ceiling. One of my clients has three units in their attic, each uses two filters, and they had lived there five years when a a leak appeared on their ceiling. They thought it was hail damage from a storm, but it only took a minute to see that it was one of their AC units. The other two had water in their pans, but where draining enough so there wasn't more damage. Those filters where thick with dust and it's amazing that they where able to keep the house cool.

Pouring a little bleach down the drain line every month kills what's growing on the inside of the pipe.

 

[STx]

Got some windows in yesterday. A couple were damaged beyond use, nothing is made like it used to be. I'm going to finish up the last 6" or so of OSB up top, get the last of the house wrap done on that side and get doors in today. Tomorrow I've got to get a little more scaffolding and exchange the damaged windows, then we start siding. I'm hoping that Tuesday I'll have the first couple of rows of siding up so I can poke the AC lineset through and to get the electrical for the AC run. I'd like to get them back out this week to connect it up and test run it. I'm SOOOOOOOOO looking forward to shutting these window units off for good.

Eddie, regarding the attic AC, code now requires a float switch that will shut off the unit if water accumulates in the pan. The main drain is running out the base of the S wall where my wife is putting a flower bed, I'm going to setup some soaker hose or someone off of it to distribute that water more evenly, I always hated sending condensate down the sanitary sewer, it seems like such a waste. The secondary drain is up high on the West side, where we drive in and park, so it can be seen. Technically, it should be over a window so a drip can be seen from inside, I'll probably move it over, just haven't gotten to it yet. We have a MERV 14 whole house filter in the return plenum so I'm going to have to go into the attic every 6 months to change that anyway. We've always had our AC evaporator and air handler in the attic and really haven't ever done a lot of maintenance on the drain line. If I see water in the pan, I drag an air hose up and blow some compressed air through the drain, followed by some bleach. I've only had to do it 3 times in 22 years of owning a home. I prefer the unit in the attic, it's quieter than having it in a closet plus, we really didn't have a closet to spare. We barely had enough room to run the supply and return lines downstairs.

 

[EddieWalker]

Windows came out nice. It's starting too look like a house!!

I probably forgot, but seeing that upstairs door indicates that you are building a deck. Will you attach your ledger board before your siding? Are you going to use lag bolts or some of the newer ledger lock type of lag bolts to attach it?

I understand about putting the HVAC in the attic space. There is never enough space, and that's a good place to get it out of the way. In a lot of the houses I've worked on, it's resting right on the ceiling joists. Sometimes supported by a wall under it, other times, it's in the middle of the span and the sheetrock under it is cracking from the weight. Sometimes they are elevated so you can get a foot or two of insulation under them, but that's rare.

I change filters once a month. I never heard of being able to go six months.

 

[STx]

Yes, we're putting in a deck and I am doing the ledger board before the siding. My plan is the through bolt it while I can get to both sides.

I put a piece of OSB on the ceiling joists to install the AC stuff, it's spread across 4 joists. It's not very heavy and we will put insulation in underneath it once the drywall is in.

We have 2 filters, the regular cheap filter in the returns that are mainly to catch big stuff like pet hair and the high efficiency MERV 14 at the unit. The one at the unit is a 4" cabinet filter and is for fine dust. The return grill filters get changed monthly, the cabinet filter every 6-12 months, depending on the environment. We have a lot of fine silt in the soil here so it'll need to be changed on the shorter interval. The cabinet filter media is about $40/ea, they're meant for longer run times. They are in a zig zag inside the cabinet so it creates a lot of surface area while still allowing high air flow. It's basically a high flow HEPA filter. We've put them on the AC units in every house we've had, they make a big difference in keeping the dust down in the house and keeping the evaporator coil clean so the unit can run more efficiently. They run about $300, or around $500 installed on an existing unit but, I think they save at least that much in cleaning time and unit efficiency.

 

[EddieWalker]

That sounds pretty impressive. I just have the one filter and I think having another would be even better!!! I'll have to look into that when I replace this unit. I'm at 12 years right now, so it's just a matter of time until it dies on me.

 

[STx]

The Trane heat pumps in our last house were 22 years old and both were still working great when we sold. Annual checkups and keeping it clean will make it last a long time.

I was worried we'd have to replace those, 2 5 ton units but, taking good care of them kept them running long enough for us.

We didn't ever use the heat function on them though, we had gas furnaces.

 

[fried1765]

Yes, we're putting in a deck and I am doing the ledger board before the siding. My plan is the through bolt it while I can get to both sides.

I put a piece of OSB on the ceiling joists to install the AC stuff, it's spread across 4 joists. It's not very heavy and we will put insulation in underneath it once the drywall is in.

We have 2 filters, the regular cheap filter in the returns that are mainly to catch big stuff like pet hair and the high efficiency MERV 14 at the unit. The one at the unit is a 4" cabinet filter and is for fine dust. The return grill filters get changed monthly, the cabinet filter every 6-12 months, depending on the environment. We have a lot of fine silt in the soil here so it'll need to be changed on the shorter interval. The cabinet filter media is about $40/ea, they're meant for longer run times. They are in a zig zag inside the cabinet so it creates a lot of surface area while still allowing high air flow. It's basically a high flow HEPA filter. We've put them on the AC units in every house we've had, they make a big difference in keeping the dust down in the house and keeping the evaporator coil clean so the unit can run more efficiently. They run about $300, or around $500 installed on an existing unit but, I think they save at least that much in cleaning time and unit efficiency.

As one who has ridden a (nailed only) second story deck to the ground, I highly recommend thru bolting!
Rot can form along the threads of lag bolts, but thru bolts with big washers are a MUCH better idea!
15 of us rode that deck to the ground....thirteen were hospitalized.....fortunately, no life threatening injuries.

 

[geblackwell]

I live near Wentzville Mo and decks now require "lateral load connectors" as well as thru bolts or ledger locs.

 

[jrdepew]

For the deck ledger connection, check these out:

Maine Building Materials; The Maine Deck Bracket Company; Minot, Maine

I used them on a deck for a house with vinyl siding and think they are great. Makes flashing for the deck connection a lot easier, smaller, and simpler. The ledger is held away from the structure so water has an easier path down. I can't think of any downsides to them as long as you through-bolt them good and ensure you are hitting something substantial.

Place is looking great! Keep after it.

-Joe

 

[EddieWalker]

Isn't it time for an update on your latest progress?

 

[STx]

I've been sidetracked by paying work again. I was hoping to get it dried in by Christmas but, I'm doubtful now. I've got a lot of traps to get built.

We did get snow though.

 

[EddieWalker]

Sorry to hear about the snow. That stuff just creates mud that never goes away!!!! Nothing worse then when it happens here.

Nice to hear the traps are selling. Do you go the the Hunting Conventions like Dallas Safari Club next month?

 

[STx]

I finally got an opportunity to work on this again, got the last window done and the door installed earlier this week. Today I had a friend here to help and we trimmed out all the windows in 2x4 and got the j channel up that we had. I have enough total length of j channel but, a ton of waste so I'm short, I was expecting it to be in 20' pieces and it came in 10'. I could scab it together but, I don't want the seams so I'll get more Monday.

We got one more long piece of siding up this afternoon but, I just sent him to the stand to try and kill a spike we need gone. In the morning, we're going to get the siding done as far as we can being short on trim, it'll get almost all the full pieces done so I'll be able to get some more done by myself during the week after the trim is on and I'll pin one of the neighbors down to help with the last of the full.sheets and the roof. I should for real have it dried in this week, FINALLY.

 

[EddieWalker]

Progress is good, and spikes are tasty!!!


I just noticed your attic vent on your gable. You might have mentioned it, and I'm sure it's there if I look hard enough, but what type of roof are you putting on? Not that it matters too much, because I would strongly, VERY STRONGLY, suggest you abandon that little gable vent and use a ridge vent. While the gable vent will accomplish the task of letting the hot air out of the attic, it's not 100 percent and over a short amount of time, there will be signs of heat build up at the peak, and just a little lower down from the peak in the center area of the roof. On metal, the hot air will find a way out through the seams and discolor the metal, turning it black along the edges, and then more so over time. On shingles, they will dry out and curl on your faster then the other shingles. The heat build up at the peak in summer is unreal!!! Ridge vents are the only way to deal with this.