Insulation

It was a big day on the project. First, a small thing --- the electrical boxes were put up in the hallway between the kitchen and the new half bath. But the big job of the day was insulation. Our soon-to-be graduated Eddie was in town, briefly ---- he'd driven to Raleigh for a job interview and was heading back to Charlottesville, but stopped at Hanshill on the way to see the progress firsthand. Last time he was there the addition had not yet been built. Anyway, below he is holding the little tube that was used to insert the dense-pak cellulose insulation into the walls of the original house. However, we are standing in the kitchen, and you can see the same sprayed insulation in the ceiling on the left side ---- it was installed in the cantilevered area of the sun room that hangs out farther than the first floor. Remember you can double-click to make any photo larger.

This is the "drinking porch" wall, and you can see places where the insulation came through. It feels sort of like dryish foam rubber. It breaks away pretty easily, so the construction workers will go around and scrape it off in places where it came through. The installers have an infrared gun-type device that they point at the wall after the insulation has been inserted. If it is red there is plenty of insulation; if they see blue, more is needed. Fascinating that they can pinpoint where more is needed.

This next is an interesting shot. It's the "eating porch" and the sideboard/hutch has been moved away from the wall!! (door to kitchen in background) So the wall color behind it is darker, as is the floor where it normally sits. I told the guys I was surprised they could move that thing. I thought it was probably pretty heavy, and I had wondered if it was nailed to the wall. But no, it was freestanding! Maybe we will move it a tad to the right when it is put back.

It amuses me when I take photos now of the staircase. That has traditionally been such a dark space. The flash from the camera makes it look so bright and light ----- WRONG!!!! at least in the past. With all the electrical outlets that have been installed, we can make any area we want light and bright going forward. Here, they have not re-attached the battens after the insulation work. But in the living room, where the battens have been re-attached, you would never know they had been removed. Amazing! They guys will be working on the second floor tomorrow ---- Thursday May 5 --- come out if you want to see how this is done!

Next follow two shots of the attic with a different form of insulation --- the kind sprayed or blown with a huge hose. This shot is looking toward the tennis court end of the house.

This shot is looking toward the cabin/old pool end of the house. You see through the attic and the sunroom ceiling out to the exterior above the sunroom.

We may as well give a "shout-out" to the company doing the work. One of them knew Daddy and Daddy allowed him to hunt on the property. He is the person who cut up the large tree that fell in the Circle some years back. It's nice to keep the work in Amherst County.

Today's work included putting up siding on the part of the addition that faces the front yard. Interesting that they used battens of the old wood, on top of the new rough-cut, kiln-dried pine boards. Also, it appears that the foundation and staircase stone work has been completed. Have I written about the wonderful man who has done the stone work???

He believes that each stone is a gift from God and should be treated with respect and reverence. We are only stewards of God's generous bounty, not owners. This is what I have been saying about our ownership of our house on Peakland Place --- that we are just stewards ---- as well as Hanshill. I often pray that I am/will be a good steward of the land that God has lent to me. Thank you to our wonderful stonemason "Eddie" --- I do not know his last name ---- for doing a job that is such a work of art.

And now for a late-breaking update: Brad is so excited about watching the process of insulating the existing walls that he has called in for a substitute teacher for the second half of his school day tomorrow. Beginning at 11:00 he can go to Hanshill and watch the insulation guys at work! He wants to see the infra-red camera in action! Both Meg and Nina thought we are nuts when I told them how excited we were today about the insulation process. Nina also said she likes the photo with all the ladders.