Saturday, October 15, 2011

Sometimes you have to learn the Hard Way



Bill and his guys had drained the radiators so they could remove the one in the kid's bath. He stuck around for a few minutes yesterday to show me what I needed to know to bleed the radiators. So I splurged on the 99 cent radiator key and got to work.

A couple of the radiators in the attic went off without a hitch. Another couple did not. I could get the bleed valve open, but nothing would come out...

So I went to the second floor and started doing those. I finished all of them without any trouble.

Then I remembered that the back bedroom radiators are disconnected. And there are shutoff valves where the lines go up to the attic (see picture). It's obvious that's why nothing came out of the other attic radiators - the valves are closed!

What's not obvious is *why* the valves are there at all.

One might assume that they are to shut off the heat in the attic. After all the previous owner was living here alone and there would be no need to heat the attic.

And one would be wrong.

So I gently opened the valves and listened to make sure I was hearing all the right noises (or not!). I also checked for leaks around the joints and valves.

It was looking good. So I went to the basement to check the water pressure in the boiler and add more water. When everything was looking good there, I started back upstairs.

And as I passed by the basement workshop, I heard water dripping...

Not a little bit.

But like Niagara Falls.

So I sprinted up the stairs.

And Niagara Falls is flowing down the walls in the kitchen. I haven't messed with the radiators there yet, so I know this isn't the source.

So I sprint up the stairs to the back bedroom.

And Niagara Falls is flowing down the wall above the window in the picture.

So I sprint up the stairs to the attic and...

Nothing. No water. Anywhere.

So I run back down to the back bedroom and shut the valves. And Niagara Falls quickly subsides. Obviously there are holes or cracks in these radiator lines somewhere in the ceiling.

Everything cleaned up fine, but this was excitement I didn't need.

And now I know why this room looked like a disaster zone when we moved in. It's OK though, we'd planned to gut this room to the studs anyway. Now I have some entertainment to look for when we open the walls.

Kid's Bath - Part 9



We're getting closer...

All the tiling is finished. The marble cap on the shower curb went in and everything is grouted. It's amazing how much different it looks once its grouted.

All the mudding is done as well. Now we've got nice smooth walls.

All the wainscot is in, but only the first piece of the cap is installed. The other two pieces and the base shoe are next.

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Kid's Bath - Part 8



We're getting close on the tile!

The inlay on the back wall of the shower is done, as is the nook on the side wall, and the bench with its Big Slab of Marble. I'll need that when I shave my legs...

And the floor got grouted today.

So, I think all that's left for tile work is to install the shower threshold and grout the shower.

Sunday, October 2, 2011

Kid's Bath - Part 7


By the end of the week, lots of things had happened.

In-floor radiant heat was installed

Sub-floor poured.

More tile was installed on the walls and floor of the shower.

And on Friday, all the floor tile was installed.