German House Rebuild

shumakerscott · 11-27-2008, 10:08 AM

This morning I picked up the dehumidifier and got some heat going. It is working. It is a good thing I ordered one because they need theirs back soon. I think I could rent mine when I'm done to help pay for it. I got a fresh bottle of propane and hooked it up when I left. I will let the heater run all night. I need to keep the temp up to dry it out. I had a guy stop and try and sell me windows. Way too late there buddy. It looks like we are on for punching through the chiminey on Sat. I was inspected by 2 of my neighbors today. They came in saying "Bau Polizi" construction police. They were impressed. They really liked that I extra braced the chiminey. I don't want it getting knocked over. Once it is through the roof then I don't need the extra supports. I got the front wall insulated between the beams today and shot some more foam. No pic's today but tomorrow. I will get ahold of a guy to install my windows next week. He is cheap and highly recomended also unemployed. I just don't feel like messing with them. Not a good thing to goof up on. From the Dorf Dude...

shumakerscott · 11-27-2008, 03:43 PM

The hit counter is really climbing! If so many people are following why not much feedback? I guess it's interesting what I'm posting. I have such a large ego!! "Sarcastic" Wait until tomorrow with the dehumidifier pics. I have made quite a set up. We will see how much water is collected overnight. I hope the propane heater is not going to mess up. It has safety measures built in. Thanks for following along, Dorf Dude...

bofusmosby · 11-27-2008, 04:41 PM

Sorry for not responding more Shu. I am very impressed with the job you are doing. I guess the word "job" is an extreme understatement. Its amazing as to how much you have accomplished. Once you get it done, you're going to have a warm house in the winter, and a cool one in the summer. Someone over in your area ought to get in touch with one of the local TV stations. It seems to me that they would have a big interest in you progression. Most impressive!

Keep up the good work, and thank you for allowing us to be a "small" part of the work you are doing.

Bofus

shumakerscott · 11-28-2008, 01:13 AM

Bofus, I keep waiting for that Tye Pendington guy to show up and Extreme House makeover me. He would knock it down. I have also been restoring an old Mustang and hope for Overhauling to come and take it. It only happens on TV. I wouldn't want someone else to do it anyway. Their ideas probably aren't the same as mine. Thanks for the compliments and I will keep updating in small steps. This helps me to remember how things went as I read back over the old posts. My online journel. Must get to the house and see what happened overnight. Dorf Dude...

frenchelectrican · 11-28-2008, 02:59 AM

Wow .,

Ya really moving along and I know you are glad you get the most of the outside part done now just few odd et ends done then take care the inside part next to get the all room done.

Keep up good work.

P.S. when ya get time can you take a photo of the service entrance { metering unit } so that way I can able see the diffrence between the Americian and French and German system look like.

Merci,Marc

bofusmosby · 11-28-2008, 03:28 AM

Shu

I believe you misunderstood me. I wasn't thinking that you would even Want to have someone else do the work, I meant that this is a great human-interest story. If you get over 5000 hits on this site (whick you have), its because people are very interested in the work you are doing. Stu, you are doing a jam-up job, and we are really interested in every step you take. If you had "Ty" come along to finish the job, the interest would be lost for the most part.

Keep up the good work!

Bofus

shumakerscott · 11-28-2008, 10:23 AM

Bofus, I understood you but just went on a little tangent. I do that sometimes. I got a late start today, my real job needed me. The house did not burn down, the heater was still going as was the dehumidifier. It filled my container half full, about 5 gallons. Not bad but a long way to go. I had the buckets arrainged that if the big container got full then it would flow into the next one and then the next. I dug down in the floor and built a form for a pad. I will put the pellet stove on it. I set it level for floor height. I made it with 2 inches of hard foam then rebar. The oven is really heavy and it doesn't have any water in it yet. Better safe than sorry. I will need to haul water from the neighbor to mix the concrete. He shut his outside faucet off for the winter, mid 20's right now. With the little heater I have probably 38 inside, you can see your breath sometimes. I will take a thermometer to find out exactly. That is all I got done today. I also went to the doctor. I have a bump developing on the tendon of my middle finger, palm side. Hard to steer sometimes. He said it was from too much work. Might need surgury but not right now that's for sure. No time for a disability when I have too much work to do. I must get heat, then power, then water. I have temp power but need my own. Well, here are a few pics, From the Dorf of Seugast

shumakerscott · 11-29-2008, 10:42 AM

The chiminey is through the roof

Mat pretty much did it by himself. Later in the day his brother showed up too and helped. I got the pad poured for my stove. We ran out of mortar mix at the last 2 bricks, had to run and buy some more. I found another use for the Army sleeping mats. They make great traction pads for an icy roof! I am trying to get a system going with the propane bottles. I can get about 48 hours out of a 11 kilo bottle it seems. I tried to burn up my emptiest bottle this morning so I could get a new one. It just kept going and going. Normally this is good but the propane place closes at 1pm. Not open agian until Monday, this is Germany, stores close. I ended up having to pay deposit on another 2 bottles, now I have 5. 2 full, 2 half full and now 1 empty. I can get the deposit back so no big deal. The inside temp is at 7C ground floor and 10C on the 2nd floor. Not bad for having no good windows in plus I have 6 holes with just plastic on upstairs. The trim boards around the chiminey decided to not play well, I was being a little lazy too. They fell off because of the spray foam pushing from behind. I had to get the long air hose out and shoot them with the nailer, actually Mat and his brother Sammy did. Well here are some pics from today. Dorf Dude...

shumakerscott · 11-30-2008, 03:53 PM

I would like to thank people for the off forum support. I went today to check up on the heater and water situation. My heater went out and the house temp went down to 6C. I turned up the gas flow a little bit to try and keep the heater from blowing it self out. It will get dried out. I will move forward to get the pellet stove in play, much more effiecient than propane. I took the concrete form off the stove pad and one corner flaked, not too bad. It was too cold for the concrete to set properly. I will wait at least a week I think until I move the stove onto the pad. In the mean time windows must be put in and clean up the floor for future progress. Dorf Dude.... PS sorry no pic's today.

shumakerscott · 12-01-2008, 05:20 PM

I have gone back to work now. It gets dark at 4pm and I get off at 4:30. I had some floresent lights on hand from a previous project. They are really cheap. Tonight I wired them with male and female hookups. I can Daisy chain them together. I put tie wrap connectors through the mounting holes so I can just tie them to the beams. I must keep going even with the lack of light. I might start to tackle some windows on my own. Every Euro saved will help in the long run. The dehumidifier is still kicking butt. I'm getting about 3-5 gallons in a 24hr period. Propane heat is still going strong. It is a waiting game for it to dry out. Here is a pic of the lights. Dorf Dude...

concretemasonry · 12-01-2008, 05:30 PM

Dorf Dude -

I appreciate your situation. - The propane is pumping out moisture into the house as a by-product of the combustion and you have to overcome this with a dehumidifier to overcome it enough to get everything dry, let alone dry it out.

What every you can do to get the stove working will be a big help. It will take the interior air (moist) and use it in burning and exhaust it out the magnificent chimney.

The air drawn in from outside is colder and will contain less moisture than the inside.

The other Schu

shumakerscott · 12-01-2008, 05:58 PM

Herr Schu, Thanks for the reply. The new pellet stove will be going in real soon. I don't see how it will dry out the inside air any better because it will be drawing fresh outside air. It will never touch the inside air with it's combustion process. I would think that the propane burning inside air would help evaporate the moisture. I think the big gainer here will be to get the good windows in. I have alot of humidity built up on the plastic I used to cover the window holes. They are sweating and dripping the water on the inside walls. I don't mean to go against your opinion, just compairing things. Dorf Dude...

scoggy · 12-04-2008, 08:15 PM

Shu, you paragon of virtue,..perhaps

you should 'split' the "people' within you, and sit down with "them" all, and then,..show 'them' you are the boss, and do what you have been doing,....which brings you 'inner peace"! Winter has set in, and maybe you have to, take a lessor hold on what you do, and save yourself for the 'Finally", because, it will happen, but it would be a 'non -happening", without you in charge! Cheers!
SYD (shields up)

concretemasonry · 12-04-2008, 10:22 PM

If the propane is not vented, it adds moisture to the house because the products of combustion are water (moisture) and various carbon compounds (carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide) depending on the efficiency.

Herr Doktor Schu - good "honorary" title from someone gave to me with Luxembourge ancestors (by 100 meters outside of Germany) that has ancestors named Jean Paul, Pierre and Michele. Frederick was the one they paid to get rid by buying a ticket for to the U.S. in 1865

Schu

shumakerscott · 12-06-2008, 10:17 AM

During the week I got the lights mounted and hooked to a switch. Now when I walk in I just turn on the lights. I also mounted a flood light outside with a motion sensor. It really helps having light. Greg and his daughter came over to help move the pellet stove. We rolled it on pieces of 1" water pipe. Once in the doorway we used pallets propped up with bricks to continue to the pad. Then Mat showed up just in time. This stove is really heavy! I made my pad too small. I will have to make it bigger. Here are a couple of pic's, Dorf Dude..