Another Year Passed. Goodbye 2022

 26 December 2022

As I write this we are waiting anxiously for the temps to climb back up to the 30-50 degree range that is typical around here at this time of year. Our heat pumps were overwhelmed by the frigid temps that came through our leaky walls and windows this Christmas weekend. Christmas eve morning saw 50 degrees on our thermostat that was set to 68, and our water was frozen.  The gas logs in the kitchen, and a small space heater in our utility closet fixed both problems, but this house really struggles when it's below 25 degrees.

Prior to the arrival of the arctic air, we had been doing more work on the back porch. Now that the deck boards were ready with their tongue and grooves, it was time to build the new porch floor. First, I put tape over the tops of all the doubled joist beams. This keeps water and debris from getting between the boards and creating rot.

Then I got on nailing and Amy was on cutting.

As we worked along the length of the porch, we had to reposition the temporary support posts from resting on the ground to resting on the new deck surface.

And then it was done!

The next step in my mental plan is to remove the existing porch roof. I don't want to simply demolish it because 1, there are materials here that can be re-used. 2, I don't want to risk damaging the house, or the new porch. There are two sections to the roof; a long lower section, and a short upper section. I am going to try to leave the upper section intact until the lower section is replaced because it handles a lot of rain water and I couldn't figure out a nice way to manage that on a temporary basis if both roofs were removed.

And so, I have begun dissecting rather than demolishing, beginning with the flashing and shingles.

Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year to all!