3032 Remediation - August 12 Update

Funny how quickly time gets away from one! I see the last update on this project was on July 23.

Since that time, the boys have been resetting windows and doors on the three elevations cleared of stucco, repairing the (thankfully!) few areas with frame damage, and putting on the trim boards and lap siding. The exterminator has taken care of the carpenter ants which, we were pleased to see, were isolated to a very small area behind where the rain gutter downspout was fastened to the house.

An aside here. It seems this sort of issue (continued dampness behind the fastening point of a downspout to the house) is not unique to our house. "They" say the fact there are a couple of nails through the stucco and sheathing holding the downspout to the house, coupled with the fact the downspout is pulled tightly to the house as part of the fastening process, does not allow this area to breath and therefore dry. As might be expected, this causes moisture to build up in the sheathing/framing behind the fastening area and this becomes an attractive area for these ants.

Another little bit of wisdom I picked up is, you might want to consider the angle at the bottom of the downspout if you have a "extention" to take the rainwater from the downspout to the grass, or at least away from your house.

We have several "bulging" or "ballooning" downspouts. These bulges are even several feet up the spout from the ground. What I have found out is, as snow melts from the roof under the warm sun in the winter, ice can form at the very bottom tip of the spout where the water drips from it. Over time, this little ice dam can grow and back up into the downspout. When there is a sharper angle/bend (e.g., about 90 degrees) in the spout at the bottom, this ice can actually block the spout at the bend thereby causing the spout to fill with water, freeze and balloon the spout.

Answer? Don't angle the spout at the bottom. Or, if this is the only way to divert water from the house, make the angle shallower (which will result in it being higher up the spout.)

Weather in the form of torrential rain or blistering heat and high humidity has delayed the project for several days already. However, it is fully expected the sides and back of the house will be trimmed and sided by the end of the day tomorrow and they will start removing the stucco and brick from the front of the house next week. Getting closer!

Of course, the pressure is now on Joan to pick out the colors she wants on the house and determine the motif. Does one paint the window trim, corners and frieze boards the same as the main house color? Or are these painted the same color as the house above or below the belly band? Or......? Or......? We have a couple of weeks to decide. Should be interesting!

I will add a few pictures of the latest work done.

Here they are flashing the rough opening of the great room window. Notice grandson, Zachary, providing the supervision. The kids thought this was pretty neat.

In this picture they are re-installing the great room window.

Oops! Where did this come from.

That is granddaughter Olivia with Vikings cheerleaders who were at the Chaska Town Course clubhouse for an outing sponsored by former Viking, Randall McDaniel.

The picture below shows part of the back side of the house with the Nichiha fibre cement board lap siding installed. This siding will be painted (see earlier comment re colors, etc.)

The foam insulation around the door and up the steps to the left of the garage will be an acrylic "stucco". This is done because one cannot fasten the siding to the foam.