With a wire cutter and an adjustable pliers I worked my way along the wire run pulling cable staples from the mortar and rolling up the sagging cable.  This small little project only took about a half an hour, but it removed an annoying eyesore from the outside of the house and completed the transition to the new coaxial network and attic antenna inside.

For the TV, our too-cheap-to-pay-for-cable household has used a set of rabbit ears on top of the entertainment center since we moved in.  The trouble is that the wire mesh in the stucco exterior makes a pretty good faraday cage so I have had trouble with tuning dropouts since we upgraded to a digital TV.

My solution is to install an antenna in the attic and to begin a coaxial cable network to deliver that TV signal throughout. The antenna itself is larger and designed for HDTV reception, and the attic placement means the antenna doesn’t have to see through the wire mesh and stucco that surrounds the main floor.

I bought most of the equipment for this project a couple months ago anticipating when it would fit into my attic bedroom project.  But once I got started I realized that I needed some tools to run the cables. Fortunately the helpful staff at my neighborhood True Value Hardware took me right to the 5/8 spade bit and flexible drill extension I needed for boring into the wall cavity.

The antenna itself mounted easily to the crawlspace decking with a few screws. Then my plan was to run the cable from the antenna, through the main floor wall cavity to the basement where I would install a distribution splitter and then have wires back to the sunroom on the main floor and the master bedroom on the upper floor.  Basement placement of the splitter will make it easier to send TV cable to other main floor rooms in the future, and simplify the option of connecting to cable or a dish.

To run the cables, I took careful measurements on the main floor to locate the wall in which to make the cable run.  Then I transferred those measurements to the attic crawlspace, using a square and chalkline with my tape measure to keep the measurements true. Plus some extra framing around the joists near my drill mark indicated the corner and reassured me that my drill wouldn’t pop through the ceiling.  After drilling the hole, I sent a fishtape down into the wall cavity.

I made an outlet box opening on the main floor and although the opening was too small for my hand to fit far inside, my mother, who was visiting that day, helped my find the fishtape.  She also helped feed cables and move furniture for the project– so having an assistant made a big difference.  Thanks, Mom! From the wall opening, I pulled two cables up to the upper level– one to run from the antenna to the splitter and one to run from the splitter to the master bedroom.

In the basement, I located my drilling location by following the supply conduit for the electrical outlet right next to the new TV coaxial outlet.  I had to knock out a bit of plaster in the ceiling of my utility area to drill into the wall, but this also went smoothly and I was able to pull down three cables from the main floor, including the two from the attic and one more to supply the sunroom from the basement splitter.

After all the wires were pulled and connected to the splitter, I attached the box cover to the sunroom opening, moved back the furniture and connected the TV. (I had the outlet opening pretty straight, but the cover turned out crooked when installed– grrrrrrr.) Checking the signal strength meter on the TV showed a noticable improvement over the rabbit ears.

…

We have now lived with the attic antenna for several days and I am thrilled with the antenna project .  We have yet to experience a signal drop on any station and channel change speed has also noticeably improved.

Disclosure:  I was one of five bloggers selected by True Value to work on the DIY Squad. I have been compensated for my time commitment to the program and my DIY project as well as my posts about my experience. I have also been compensated for the materials needed for my DIY project. However, my opinions are entirely my own and I have not been paid to publish positive comments.

This is the kind of project for which I love having easy access to a local hardware store. I can get in without crossing an ocean of parking, get help finding what I need, and get home and back to work in just a few minutes.

So when I stopped in to an area True Value Hardware the other day, I was delighted to see that not only did they stock the style of surface-mount lock I needed for my garage access door, but the lock was on a sale table for half price. Deal scored!

Back at home, I encountered a few hiccups installing my new lock.  The lock cylinder and retaining plate went in without incident, and I saw that I could reuse the old strike plate, but the holes for attaching the lock body to the door had been stripped and oversized by earlier lock installations.  After a brief flirtation with anchoring hardware in the door, I decided to repair the mounting holes with epoxy.

I also needed to reverse the direction of the latch to account for the door swinging away from the lock. The lock instructions didn’t indicate whether the latch was reversible, but when unscrewed the back plate of the lock body, I could see that the latch components were, in fact, double sided. So after a quick flip of the latch component, I reassembled the lock and it was ready to go.

I performed the epoxy door repairs with some Abatron Liquid Wood and Wood Epox that I had on hand from past projects.  After a couple days of curing time, I was able to securely screw the lock body to the door to finish the installation.

Disclosure:  I was one of five bloggers selected by True Value to work on the DIY Squad. I have been compensated for my time commitment to the program and my DIY project as well as my posts about my experience. I have also been compensated for the materials needed for my DIY project. However, my opinions are entirely my own and I have not been paid to publish positive comments.

DIY Laundry Detergent

I have read a few blog posts lately about people making their own laundry soap, and with my detergent running low, I decided to give it a try.  There are lots of laundry soap recipes online, but I used one I found over at Tipnut.  In addition to the Fels-Naptha soap, Borax and washing soda, I also mixed in some Oxyclean powder for extra stain fighting.

Is that a photo of the world’s largest urine sample?  No!  It’s just my homemade detergent.  As you can see, the resulting soap mixture separates quickly and requires stirring or shaking before use.  I washed a few loads of laundry over the weekend and the results seemed as clean and fresh-smelling as when using commercial detergent, at a substantially cheaper cost.

Birthday Block Cake

I’ve blogged in the past about my childhood lifelong love of Legos.  Now my kids are getting started with Legos of their own.  For his sixth birthday, my older boy requested a Lego party, so of course I needed to build him a Lego cake.

The frosting was a bit of a challenge, but, all things considered, I think it turned out pretty well.  More importantly, my son couldn’t wait to blow out his candles.

Backyard Eagle

I continue to deal with persistent pigeons roosting on my roof, but now I have proof that I don’t struggle alone against these pests.  Check out the sweet raptor I managed to catch on film while it paused on the garden fence in my backyard.

I had to snap the picture quickly through the screen window and I unfortunately didn’t get a second shot to fix the focus.  Even blurry, it’s clear that is one wicked bird.  My bird identification skills are lousy– can anyone make out exactly what kind of raptor this is?  I just hope he likes pigeons.

That New Insulation Smell

Venting the newly-foamed areas with fans was essential for the first 24-48 hours after the insulation was installed.  At the end of last week, the weather here turned cold and I could no longer leave the windows open but by then the smell had dissipated.  An odor is still slightly noticable when you are in the project space, but that is all– and the smell was never anything that made me or my family complain.  I would not be surprised if people with greater sensitivities had a different experience, however.

When Is A Hot Roof Cold?

As I have mentioned in previous posts, my foam insulation was installed directly to the underside of the roof deck as a “hot roof.”  A hot roof is so named because it has no ventilation on the underside of the roof deck to keep the shingles cool on hot days– though anyone who has crawled into an attic on a sunny summer day can attest that even ventilated roofs get plenty hot.

But with winters as long as they are here in Minneapolis, it is more important how insulation performs on the coldest days than on the hottest ones.  Warm air escaping through attic insulation can melt snow on the shingles leading to ice dams and possibly indoor water damage.  Moisture in that escaping air can also contribute to rot in rafters and roof decking.  Because spray foam insulation seals the warm, moist air inside in winter,  it should keep the roof deck cool in winter, even when applied as a “hot roof.”

As luck would have it, we got a bit of snow here in the last few days which allowed me to compare the difference in cold-weather performance between the new foam-insulated area of the roof and the part that is ventilated and insulated with cellulose and fiberglass.

In this photo, taken the day after a light snowfall, the area on the left side of the roof labeled “A” is the foam insulated hot roof.  There appears to be some slight melting above each of the rafters probably due to some retained heat in the mass of the wood.  By contrast, the section of roof labeled “B” has melted through much of the snow cover, and the rafter lines appear to be the places where the snow is thickest– the inverse of section A.  Clearly in this case the spray foam hot roof is doing a better job of keeping the roofing cool.

I can’t wait to see exactly what this will mean for my heating bill this winter.

As a member of True Value’s DIY Blog Squad, I have received $1,000 to use at my local True Value hardware stores for projects at my house.  I expect much of this work will continue my long-running bedroom renovation, but I have a couple other ideas in mind, too.  Posts I publish as part of the DIY Blog Squad will be clearly noted.  I also want to make clear that this sponsorship does not require me to endorse any specific products or services– my words, as always, are my own.

One blog does not a squad make, so True Value has picked four other sites to be part of this program, too.  Several of these blogs were unknown to me before a few days ago, so let’s get to know them together:

• At Young House Love, Sherry and John are using some terrific design sense to make their first house a home.  And they’ve already taken their Chihuahua to True Value!
• Layla and Kevin of The Lettered Cottage aren’t just the “other” design-savvy DIY couple with a chihuahua–they are prolific posters offering encouragement and ecclectic cottage ideas.
• Katie blogs about everything from family happenings to faux raised paneling, but excellent photography is a consistent star at All Bower Power.
• Love blogs but not reading?  Brian and Paul of The Handyguys’ Podcast have you covered with weekly audio answers to reader questions and conversations about all things handy.  Plus you can catch the podcast in iTunes, so buying a new iPod is practically a home improvement expense.

Lastly, I make no secret of the fact that things sometimes don’t go as planned around here.  If your house has ever gotten the better of you, True Value wants to hear your story in their DIY Drama Contest.  Anyone can enter for a chance to win $5,000 to use at your local True Value hardware store.  You can check out all the contest details at: www.StartRightStartHere.com.  The deadline for submitting your entry is November 2, 2009.

Disclosure:  I was one of five bloggers selected by True Value to work on the DIY Squad. I have been compensated for my time commitment to the program and my DIY project as well as my posts about my experience. I have also been compensated for the materials needed for my DIY project. However, my opinions are entirely my own and I have not been paid to publish positive comments.

I thought it would be fun to try a live blog format to capture the pace of the day’s activity.  I’m already a bit behind schedule, so let’s get right to it.

12:30 a.m. I just got home from returning our dear out-of-town friend to her hotel after an evening of catching up fireside at our place.  I’m really wishing I had made time over the past few days to finish the last bits of insulation prep, because now I’ll be doing that instead of going to bed.

1:37 a.m. Off to a slow start with this because I’m trying to rip my CD collection at the same time and I keep checking in with the computer.  Must focus.

3:42 a.m. I have the garage crawlspace mostly emptied of junk, including an unspeakable amount of mouse poop.  (I’ll be putting poison here for sure this winter!)  In addition to the attic, this space– part of the previous owner’s addition– is getting insulation so the heated mudroom above stays warm and the unheated crawlspace doesn’t.  Time for bed.

7:17 a.m. Need coffee.

8:00 a.m. Call the insulation company to verify their arrival time.  The answer: 11:00 – 1:00 p.m.  Excellent.

11:02 a.m. The insulation truck is parked on my block when I arrive home from a quick grocery errand.  They have the wrong house number but I set them straight.

11:12 a.m. On a tour of the workspace I realize I’ve got some junk to remove from the bedroom space and a few box vents to cover.  How did I forget about those vents?

12:07 p.m. Finally covered all the box vent openings and got a couple more pieces of plywood down in the crawlspace for the applicators.  Pounding tiny, super-bendable brad nails at an awkward angle into the roof was a pain.  I used a ridiculous amount of brads.  Yes, ridiculous is the right word because anyone who saw the number of bent up nails would ridicule me.  Sorry, no photo.

12:13 p.m. It looks like the insulators are nearly finished with their prep work masking off the space.  I didn’t realize the taping and tarping would be this involved, but it makes sense.  Here’s how it looks:

12:41 p.m. I see that the insulators have the crawlspace prepped with tarping now, too.  Here’s a before shot for that space:

1:03 p.m. Waiting for water to boil for my son’s macaroni lunch I run a couple items up to my master bedroom.  I can hear the woosh of the foam spraying and there is a noticeable odor, so I open the master bedroom windows and turn on the fan in the master bath.  Thank goodness it isn’t cold and rainy like the last few days.

1:42 p.m. I take a step outside to see what I can see of the project space from the street and I catch a glimpse of the insulators shaving excess insulation from the sloped ceiling in the bedroom.

2:22 p.m. I’m envious of my two-year-old, who is now down for his nap.  Things are relatively quiet with the crew upstairs.

2:29 p.m. One of the insulators emerges downstairs in his tyvek suit, looking like a human popcorn kernel.  I pop upstairs and nab another in-progress photo through the open door.

2:37 p.m. Vacuuming up the bits of cellulose and spray foam shavings the crew have tracked downstairs, I feel an impulse to assert my masculinity but no opportunity presents itself.  Check on laundry instead.

3:38 p.m. I saw the insulators checking out the garage crawlspace  about 40 minutes ago, but all the work is still happening upstairs.

3:42 p.m. “Popcorn Man” just reappeared and informed me that he’s all done upstairs and will be moving on to start spraying the crawlspace.  He figures they will be here about two more hours.  I assume a good portion of that time will be clean-up.  He’s shedding insulation fuzz, so it’s back to the vacuum for me.

4:19 p.m. The upstairs space is nearly finished.  I think they are just touching up a few spots here.

4:50 p.m. The insulation crew is packing up their things.  The garage crawlspace ceiling and rim joist are done now, too.

4:58 p.m. I just settled my bill with the insulators and they are driving away.  Installing the insulation took almost exactly six hours for the two-person crew.  The foam is already hard to the touch and should be fully cured three hours after application.

Final I will post a follow-up in a day or two, as of now I’m very pleased with the product.  The installation process went smoothly and I am thrilled to move to the next step with my project upstairs.

The only real disappointment I have now is with the foam’s off-gassing.  I suspect one of my more expensive bids for soy-based foam might have done better in this regard.  I am going to put a fan in the window upstairs to see if that will help speed up the evacuation of the smell.

That small caveat noted, I am thrilled to finally be insulated.

But what if, after upgrading your home’s insulation (and paying for it), you took the difference in monthly energy expenses and put it in a savings account?  That accumulating savings fund could be used to cash-flow future home improvements.  If those improvements also saved monthly energy expenses (a high-efficiency water heater, e.g.) you would have even more monthly savings to fuel your improvement fund.

A Completely Made-up Example

Here is an example I made up to illustrate this principle.  The numbers aren’t from any real case and could vary significantly based on your circumstances.  Still, I think it is useful to show the potential power of leveraged energy savings through upgrades to insulation and appliances.

Starting average monthly energy expense: $200

Average monthly energy expense after insulation improvement: $160 (20% savings)

Average monthly addition to savings due to reduced energy expenses: $40 ($200 – $160)

Accumulated annual energy savings: $480 ($40 x 12)

Invest savings in high-efficiency water heater or other expense reducer

New average monthly energy expense after water heater upgrade: $130 ($10 savings)

New average monthly addition to savings due to reduced energy expenses: $50 ($200 – $150)

New accumulated annual energy savings: $600 ($50 x 12)

Invest in additional efficiency improvements or pay for other house projects with “free” money that used to go to the utility company.

Continue the savings cycle indefinitely

Conclusion

The repayment potential of insulation is a big reason why insulation improvement usually tops lists of cost-effective home projects.  But with a bit of financial discipline, insulation and energy improvements can not just pay for themselves, but underwrite the cost of future house projects as well through accumulated energy savings.

Do you consider repayment time in your home improvement plans?  Have you adopted a savings plan like this after improving your insulation?  Share your good ideas in the comments.

The Grand Unified Formula of Insulation Value

Here is my attempt at a price comparison formula for insulation:

Value = Cost / (Square Footage x R-Value)

To put this formula in practice, here is an example from an add-on to one of my insulation bids:

Cost $425 / (143 ft2 x R19) = $425/2717 = $.156 per R ft2

So by my calculation, the bid represents a cost of 15.6 cents per unit of R-value over each square foot of coverage.

Insulation Bid Comparison

Are you still with me after that bit of math?  When I applied this formula to my three insulation bids the results were:

Bid 1: $.165 per R ft2

Bid 2: $.138 per R ft2

Bid 3: $.112 per R ft2

Even before I ran this calculation, I could see that Bid 3– the bid I selected– was the best value.  Now I can put an exact number on it.  At equivalent insulation depth and coverage, Bid 3 is 19% less than Bid 2 and 32% less than Bid 1.  The price variation between bids is in part due to the different formulation of foam specified.  Bid 1 used soy-based foam that commands a price premium for its greener pedigree.

Fiberglass Comparison

Just to satisfy my curiosity, I looked up the price for kraft-faced fiberglass batt insulation at one of the big home improvement chains for comparison.  Applying my formula, the costs for fiberglass insulation were:

R-13 Batts: $.018 per R ft2

R-19 Batts: $.018 per R ft2

R-30 Batts: $.024 per R ft2

I should note that these are the costs for do-it-yourself installation of the fiberglass, while the spray foam bids above are installed costs.

Conclusion

My formula was really useful for making comparisons between similar insulation bids or between different types of insulation.

At six times the cost of DIY fiberglass, spray foam insulation may look like an extravagance.  However, because of foam’s high R-value of 6.5 per inch of depth versus R 3-4 per inch for fiberglass,  I can get high R-values without excessively furring out rafters and wall studs.  That time and material savings is certainly worth something, as is spray foam’s superior performance as an air sealer.

For me, the price of my selected “best-value” foam insulation bid will be worth it, but you’ll want to make your own calculations.  Why don’t you try out my formula and let me know what you think?