The worst thing in the Midwest (Indiana for me) is when it has been a hot morning, followed by a quick but heavy rain that seems to cool everything off a little, and then the sun comes back out and spends the next several hours steaming everything “dry”. Talk about oppressive heat and humidity.
7 Likes
Or cold water plunges in the sound at around 50F. An 80 degree day puts my west facing house around 90 degrees inside the house. An afternoon plunge for 2-5 minutes (including the dogs) makes it bearable until it cools down around 8pm.
3 Likes
You did this yourself? If so, Impressed. Nice work and a ton of $ saved…
6 Likes
Other other neighbor had a unit go this week… Our compressor / condenser motor outside is making noise… New motor is coming today UPS, along with a new capacitor… Plan is to wait until the fall to replace it since the AC guy said it could last for years with play in the shaft but I have it on hand just in case. He said since I changed the furnace blower motor by myself, this should be easier…
6 Likes
Yes, but to be transparent, I have an extensive background and training in most phases of residential construction, but yes, as retirement savings dwindle faster than expected, the need to save is becoming more necessary.
9 Likes
Giggity
6 Likes
Our landscaping all dried out last year when we were in hospitals & the sprinklers failed. I went ahead and hired a company to remove and replace. I love it so much. Just simple. I’d never considered the boulders but I love them. And very basic and easy-care dwarf hollies & sunshine ligustrum.
12 Likes
I was so happy I had them add this extra planting bed in an area of our backyard that is always wet and muddy. It’s a Texas Redbud tree. Worst (!) time of the year to plant a tree, but I’m determined to help it thrive. I love redbuds!
11 Likes
WTF! … our kids in Bakersfield and Lancaster don’t pay close to that.
Why are you so special?
2 Likes
He has to be kidding. Must be using someone else’s “orange” math / prices. 
2 Likes
I went crazy with the garden this year. Something keeps eating all my tomatoes so I have not gotten to try one yet.
Potatoes are not ready to harvest yet but they seem like they will do well.
Managed to get one ear of corn.
Chili peppers did well but were apparently too spicy for my spice loving husband and friends 
.
Cucumber plant seemed to do fairly well at production and managed to provide me with this lovely gift.
9 Likes
It’s all what news channel you watch. All the time you read about super high gas prices they use a stock picture from a single gas station in the Mendocino mountains, 3 hours from civilization. Or they use a Chevron. It’s higher here, but not as high as the detractors would want you to believe. We also have to subsidize the road systems in states that don’t have the population or economy to support interstate roads on their own. Cough cough ND, SD, NE, UT, AK, LA… North Dakota only has a population of ~800K people, so states with substantial GDP’s have to step in and pay for the new I-94 @ $5M/Mile. 
2 Likes
You could probably sell that! What a formation! LOL
4 Likes
Looks so good! And a lot like my mom’s recent deck reno. She has the “pig wire” look, so it has verticals, too. Interestingly, she looked into trex and similar fabricated, supposedly long-lasting and maintenance-free wood alternatives, but she was advised that the Alabama heat just tends to make those things warp.
1 Like
Yea, but it’s not gonna last that long sadly…
Once it cools off this weekend, I am going to overhaul my outdoor condenser / compressor unit. New Capacitor / New Fan Motor / Fan removal tool have arrived but don’t want to mess with it when it’s 1000 degrees.
My neighbor just had to spend $5000 for a new outdoor unit. They are the same age and brand. I’d rather not…
Will be a fun little project, along with a serious coil cleaning (after 20 years)…
Now if I could just figure out how to cut the power to this 205 volt, 60amp unit so I don’t… 
4 Likes
I mean you can do like I did, Pull the quick disconnect next to the unit and have it fall apart in your hands (Common I am told)
5 Likes
Yea, I know… The problem is my neighbors 2 quick disconnect boxes were jumped, with the fuses removed. AC guy said he has never seen that in 25 years on the job. Pulled the disconnect and the unit didn’t go off. I had him look at mine and he even pulled it just to make sure and he said it’s good.
Same moron built both houses but I am quite sure it was a different Home Depot parking lot day laborer amateur electrician that wired mine.
Theirs has regular romex wiring too - like for a 15 amp outlet. Thin gauge. Our wiring is different and correct.
1 Like
You should have a double pole double throw 30 amp breaker for that AC unit also.
Flip the breaker and then pull the quick disconnect … you will be okay.
3 Likes
There are 5 breaker boxes and 3 electric meters in this house that were never labeled.
I’ll just use the quick disconnect, gloves, and a voltage tester to make sure if works before I start turning off who knows what…
I’m sure some of our breakers turn off our neighbors stuff. lol!
The AC’s were wired to the wrong floor when we first moved in but I wasn’t here when that was fixed so IDK where they actually are. My in-laws were away for the summer and got an enormous electric bill from our AC unit.
Can’t make this stuff up.
4 Likes