SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2005
BEFORE (08-05-03) & AFTER (06-17-05) – click images to enlarge
Very little to show during these months. We're both working a lot and have no time to progress
on the small details at home. The only big change was the addition of a new central heat and
air system on the roof, which connected into the main venting trunk over the foyer.
09.05 Sugar Ray surveys the A/C installers from McDonald Plumbing & Air and
their materials in the driveway, while the ceiling over the foyer is removed for
roof cutting.
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The unit mounting stand is scored onto the roof, which is cleaned off and prepped.
The new 5-ton unit (that's not it's weight, it's the powr rating) was then installed,
and the roof flashed and re-tarred around the base. Then John the electrician
hooks up the power and gas.
The unit sucks air from two returns inside. One is directly under the unit in the
ceiling over the foyer, and the other is in the master bedroom, which is connected
by the exposed roof-mounted pipe above. The exposed pipe is a solution that
most contractors avoid in residential because of aesthetics, but was required in
our case because of the lack of attic space. The fact is, however, it ended up
actually looking pretty cool on our roof, because it just fit in with the industrial
style. In fact, I'm considering installing a matching pipe on the opposite side of the
dormer just to balance out the design—it wouldn't actually connect to the A/C
system, it would just be there for aesthetics... ironically.
On the right, the installers make the final vent connections from the new unit
into the existing piping.
A week later, after I paint the white return grills a metallic silver, the installers
mount them into place, and we're done!
10.05 The front entry landscaping looks filled in now with the two palm trees in
plastic red pots (that replaced the stolen ceramic ones), and purple fountain grass
planted at the corner of the walls. We planted the grasses back in August and
they've doubled in size. You can also see the salt-and-pepper rock strip in front
of the right screen wall, which was also done in August.
Also visit Don's portfolio site: www.designbutton.com
