01.29.10
Moving Into our Un-”Green” Home
We are moving tomorrow to a new home that was built in 1964, so it seems that it hardly qualifies as a new home. None the less, my wife, children and I are motivated to make this one special. First things first however, we aren’t actually moving into the home for 2 weeks as there are a number of things that must be done before we will inhabit the new location.
First, remove all of the 40 year old wall paper and paint. Not just any paint however, but a non VOC paint that is guaranteed to be friendly to the home and us.
Second is removing 20+ year old carpeting. When we peeled back the carpet, we found the original terrazzo flooring. This was popular in the 1960’s and it looks great. A little sanding, then a nice sealant and we are good to go.
Third is the removal and replacement of the bathroom vanities. These also are original like everything else in the home, but years of leaks and repairs have left the wood warped and smelly. Out with the old and replacing with a local Fort Lauderdale companies product that is made from recycled warehouse pallets. Hard to imagine I realize.
Fourth is the water filtration system, there isn’t one. Rather than take our existing Multipure Water filter, we are going to invest in a new one for the kitchen. These really are the best water filters available.
Fifth, and last before we move in are the closets. Were people smaller in the 1960’s or do we just have so much more stuff now a days? Hard to say, but these closets need work.
Now we can move in. Did I mention that we have to do all of this in 2 weeks? Don’t laugh, because that is not the end of the fun. We have to replace the roof, it leaks. We need to put pilings under parts of the house that is sinking. Does this sound like a Tom Hanks and Shelley Long movie? Hmmm, seems to ring a bell.
Once we move in, we want to be good neighbors so we are bringing along our biodegradable Dog Poop Bags for our dog Abby. Nothing says good neighbor that someone that picks up their dogs’ poop.
More to come on this as the budget allows, but suffice it to say, windows need replacement, there are multiple low efficiency appliances currently, but natural gas is available. Also, it might be time to truely delve into what solar power can do residentially if we push the envelope.
till next time…
