Sunday was spent in the basement doing some rewiring. I've mentioned that the core of the Bolt Hole dates back to the early 1900s--very early. When first constructed they had no electricity and used home-generated gas. The site for that gas production is still present in the yard. They must have wired the house as soon as the power line made its way up the road. It stops here. Some of that original cloth covered wire is still in use. If it was in the walls, it would be okay. But some of it was stapled to the moldering logs that from the beams and joists in the very damp basement. Just as the logs have felt the wear and tear of ages and moisture, the wires were a tad bit worse for wear. Removing the staples so as to shore up and eventually replace some of the logs made me aware of just how worn the wires were. Some of them needed to go!
So, after going back to Lowe's to get the correct 12-2 instead of the 12-3 I had purchased last week, that was my project for the afternoon. This required that I disconnect wires from the main circuit breaker box and put in the new ones.
I hate working on circuit breaker boxes. Something about the power of electricity scares the bejeezus out of me. I mean it's quiet and unobtrusive as all get out and then WHAM! it can kill you dead! Even when working on a light, switch or outlet, I'll not only flip the breaker, but the main if I can. And then test to see if there's any current in the line before I'll unscrew the plate.
When I wired my basement in NJ, I had my cousin--the shop teacher--do the breaker box thing. After wiring the basement at the Aerie, I had the contractor come out to put the wires into the breaker box.
I have a very healthy respect for electricity.
And I must have learned something from watching those other guys do the job.
After making a diagram, measuring three times for the length of the wire, and delaying as much as possible, I finally got down to business. I flipped the main "Off" and tested the circuit for power. None. So far so good. Then I disconnected the old wires and rewired the junction box. Then I went to the main and did the same thing. Out with the old and in with the new. I double checked my handy work and then flipped the main to "On" position. And there was light! Everything seems to be working well.
Add one more skill to my repertoire.
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Today I was back in the basement briefly to cut out a vent hole in a boarded up coal chute and install a screen cover over same.
Next I used the Sawzall to dismantle a false wall that someone had put up four inches in front of the stone wall. It was serving no purpose except to allow mold and mildew to thrive on the wood kept damp by that stone wall.
While I burned the moldy planks (some over 14" wide--it made me weep), I removed the raspberry plants, phlox, milkweed, ragweed and other plants that were growing too close to the foundation. With them out of the way it will be possible to regrade the earth to slope away from the house and, hopefully carry rain and snow melt away from the basement/crawl space.
Meanwhile, it rained. Off and on much of the afternoon and not nearly as heavily as it did on Sunday afternoon, but it did get wet from time to time.
Tomorrow promises to be a nicer day with plenty of sunshine, cooler temperatures and lower humidity. A good day to get out a work on the roof. There's an old, unused brick chimney that extends 24 inches above the roof ridge and about 30 inches into the attic space where it sits on top of some timbers. It has got to go before the basement beams can get jacked up--and before it comes crashing down on it's own! We're talking very old, very soft bricks here. But they are heavy!
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