Spring Projects

Depends on what weeds you have in your yard.

 

yup, do it.

 

I just poured a new 3'x3' concrete pad for a new A/C condenser. The old condenser has a plastic base over gravel. I think the concrete should look and work better.

 

I'm swamped

 

Promised my daughter I'd have a swing up for her by the weekend. Did it today in the rain. Ran a cable between 2 trees. Used some old hose to protect tree I guess. Some clamps, turnbuckle, and conduit between chains to keep separation. I'm in for about $65 including new swing and trapeze thing. Not too bad and don't have a swing set to mow around. I'm a little anal about my lawn lol so this was my best and easiest option.

 

Also have been doing some yard work. Spread mulch, fertilzed and limed, spread ant, tick, bug killer, and mole repellant. Everything is finally starting to grow.

 

I posted these in Tundra Live earlier this week, but my spring project is getting the back yard right again after having 32 pine tress cut down. Considering a pool, have 3 quotes so far...$41.5K - $44K. Oh, and now that my shed is in full view and not behind a bunch of trees, guess I need to upgrade that, too

 

looks great, we clear cut our property 4 years ago, and it was a lot of work, but is finally coming together!

 

LoL we just watched this last night.

 

One of the few outdoor projects we are doing is expanding the size of our garden from the trial "sand box" to a larger corner of the yard now. Last year we had strawberries, carrots and peas. We thought we'd allow the strawberries to take over the center on their own now to form up a bush, and we'll be growing some tomatoes, which we started growing in the house to line up with what hope will be the end of the frost, and then we'll throw in some carrots and peas again, probably a couple other new things since we have more room. It's been an every other day sort of task to keep up with any new grass wanting to creep back in, but so far we are winning the good fight.

 

finished up spreading the first 20 yards of mulch today, now on to building the shed!!!!

 

Shed is done and a little garage reorganization project.

 

The value is unbelievable once you have done it yourself. To have someone else take care of it in a fraction of a time that you spent doing it the time before is extremely nice.

 

Bad ass yard!!!

 

Thanks!!

 

I do Hvac, we hate when people pour concrete pads! What happens when you have to move it? I've had to break them up, pain in the butt. To late now, but for future reference the plastic or pho concrete will last as long as the condenser and works just as well.

 

Haha I see that argument 100%. My neighbor who does HVAC and I will be doing the install and we both agreed the existing plastic pad atop gravel location should be moved. I confirmed with him the distance from the foundation, exact location, height, etc. of the new concrete pad location. The previous plastic pad settled quite a bit, I think due to the way the previous owner set up the gravel. Maybe just because it was new construction and things settled, not sure, but I know the concrete pad will look better and will hopefully be just as or more stable than the plastic.

I didn't anchor it to the foundation though. I don't expect to have to move the concrete pad at all, but if I do, I'll be the one breaking it up and putting a plastic pad down haha.

 

So the pad my condenser is sitting on has also settled off level. I'm guessing it won't affect the unit, but it's still unsightly. How would you go about fixing that?

 

Yeah those plastic ones are hollow so they do settle. The pho concrete are filled with foam. And new construction always leave loose dirt. Especially when you pour concrete, you have to tamp down the dirt. Your needs to be level.

 

You can use a big pry bar and a piece of wood to make a fulcrum. Lift up the low side and stuff dirt underneath till you get it close. You'll need a friend to help or it might be a bit of a battle. If it is really out of level it can affect the compressor. It could starve it for oil. Kinda like running an engine upside down.

 

Warning! If the pad is the pho concrete, it's mostly foam. So be careful so you don't break it. Put a piece of 1x4 or something between the pad and pry bar to spread the load out.

 

Thankfully the pad came out level and square. I finished pouring it at like 4pm and at 9pm heavy rain, sleet, and winds came through. Before the rain came I put a piece of rubber over the pad and something to weigh down the rubber. Unfortunately the rubber touched the wet concrete in spots and made it a bit less pretty, haha. Structurally still good but bothers my OCD. Still better than big dimples from the downpour though.

 

I'm not an HVAC guy but with mine, which was installed around 2001, I could tell the line going into the hole in the foundation had bent. I have a slow leak somewhere we can't find. Going with all new stuff to correct and upgrade.

 

Now you're going to have to break it up and start over!

 

Our unit from 2001 went out so this was a replacement last year. The pad was installed level but the settling pushed it a few degrees off. I'll get to fixing it one of these days...

 

If the lineset got bent to the point where it's kinked really bad it needs to get cut out and braze in a new piece. But the whole line shouldn't need to be replaced. If it's just out of round it'll be ok. Sometimes you can squeeze it with channel locks to get it close enough not to affect the compressor operation. 2001 is getting up there in age. So a new unit may be in order. Your old one probably uses R22, the new ones are R410. The oils are not compatible. So the lineset should be replaced. But if it isn't possible to replace the installer will have to flush it out with a special solvent. The coil on the furnace will have to be replaced as well.

 

Sounds like the installer was lazy and didn't take the time to tamp the soil properly. Is it sitting on a slope? If so, you can build a little retaining wall to keep the dirt from washing out from under it.