Week 8 A Hole in the Wall

 Week 8

After our traumatic experience with getting the asbestos off and the new roof on...

...Janny and I went to Australia and the rest of the family - and even the clients - all helped out with getting it into some sort of shape while we were away!.

Now, more than 2 years later, we're still having problems.

We thought that one of the rooves was leaking, but after much uhmmimg and ahhing and hand-wringing, we finally decided that the most likely cause of the "leaking" water was, in fact, condensation.

The supplier had assured us that the sheets had an "anti-condense" layer and a bit of "she'll be right mate". (We only have ourselves to blame).

The newest resident had spent quite a few weeks painting inside, only to see it spoilt with the "leakage". Even the longest (time-wise) resident had water dripping from the middle of her kitchen - it just wasn't possible that the single-length sheets could be leaking - not there, at least. Perhaps from the ridge-capping?

We took a couple of sheets off (a few months ago) to have a look - and from there the collective wisdom that "it must be condensation".

So, I continued to worry and fret about it until one morning a few weeks ago - I sat up in bed and thought "ventilation, of course". Maybe that will help? I looked it up on a few Dutch and Belgian websites and as far as I could tell, it would probably help - and in any case, it wouldn't do any harm.

(It was obviously playing on my mind because my first thought was what Pete from Metung had once told me about boats - "lack of ventilation will kill a boat" - damp, mildew, etc). Funny how some things stick...even if it does take a while, sometimes.

(I wonder if the colour bond rooves in Australia have this problem?). The more I read about it over here, it is quite a "normal" problem to be reckoned with). The cold outside and 9 months of heating inside - it requires a much more sophisticated solution than what we used - particularly with the metal roof.

The DIY shops are closed but I could order the vents on line and pick them up. Luckily, I have all the tools and an excellent helper!

I first cut a hole through the wall - and sure enough, there was a second wall behind it. These days they have insulation companies that come and pump insulation beads into the cavity.

Considering that it's original function was as a barn for cows, I'm lucky that it is in fact a cavity wall construction.

Might get to that later...

Then I decided that the hole wasn't big enough and the vents would allow a far greater hole...

We put some fly-wire on the back of the vents (mainly worried about wasps).

...and then repeated the process at the front

The wet patches on the brickwork come from water blowing under the end-capping - I'll have to figure that out later. 

And I have to wait and see if there is any difference with the ventilation. If not, I might have to put some sort of fan/mechanical ventilation into the holes...it has to be fixed before the roof timbers rot away!

Better Weather

On Monday and Tuesday we had 17C temperatures - a full 25 degress warmer than the week before.! With that weather, we started to feel much better about finding work to do outside. - Stacking firewood, replanting a few trees - the Spring "feeling" makes such a difference - even though it is a bit early and we were back to cold again by the end of the week.

...and with the better weather...

Time to think about the boat...

Varnishing (and painting) the wooden bits...

Cleaning the fenders and the ropes...

And trying to salvage the wiring for the navigation lights. I need to keep the fitting on one end because of the matching fitting on the boat. The exposed wiring and coating have deteriorated in the 45 years or so - so I need to cut it and add a piece on (because I can't replace the whole bit - photo below). The DIY shops are closed of course, but I managed to find what I need on line - but have to wait until  Monday for delivery.

I can't figure out how to open this without running the risk of breaking it - and I need to keep the same fitting - otherwise I'd have to change the fittings on the boat as well - a job too far!

Interestingly, the joining clips are called Kabelschoenen - cable shoes. Sometimes I have trouble searching in Dutch! 

(Aside: Gloves are called handschoenen = "hand shoes"). so I guess it is a little bit consistent.

Boeke needs another haircut...

And Tassie, one of the cats (Maine Coon/ Noorse Boskat) needed to go to the vet to get her knotted hair cut off - it was really thick and lumpy - and we think uncomfortable. The Vet said they could do it but be warned -  "we only have one setting - short".!

Same on both sides...

Walking for the Brain

I have to take Boeke out anyway, so I just make sure that it is longer than 20 minutes each time.

The idea is to do it every day - gaining extra points for maintaining the streak, doing it before 0900hrs and "unlocking" various "medals" for sharing the campaign and collecting "brain facts", for example.

It is promoted by The Brain Foundation, hence the emphasis on a healthy brain rather than simply fitness.

Janny's Mum is doing it as well. She called me over the other day and asked "is it true that you get extra points for walking before 9 o'clock"? I said yes - and the next day she was out early! - at age 88!!