Last Wednesday, the gas was shut off at my cabin. The gas company informed me that my usage had increased, and they were concerned that I had some leaks. I didn't smell gas, and my carbon monoxide alarms hadn't gone off, so I didn't understand where the leaks could be. My intuition had told me that I would probably need to replace the heaters from the fifties very soon.
My bill was about five dollars higher than last year at this time. I checked the history and usage. At first they thought it was the sauna, but that was wrong. It turned out to be the gas lines under the house that went to the floor heaters and to where the dryer used to be.
I may purchase an insert for my fireplace that will turn it into a wood stove. That way the whole house will be heated. There are small electric heaters in the bathrooms and pantry. I am replacing the hardwood floors this month, so the timing is perfect. They can place the oak panels over where the vents used to be.
The girls who did all the work were amazing! They laughed together as they crawled through the crawl space, wearing their coveralls and knee pads. I was so impressed with their talent, enthusiasm, and positive energy. They went way beyond the call of duty for me. They were delightful to have in my home. Tonight I was finally able to take a bath and use the sauna again. All's well that ends well.
Thank you for your comments. They add so much talent and energy to the blog. Please comment in English. I'm sorry, but comments with links will not be published. If you enjoy the posts here, please share them. Comments may take a few days to appear; they are moderated.
What a nuisance for you but perhaps a blessing in disguise. I bet you enjoyed your bath and sauna after all that.
ReplyDeletexx
I sure did, Joy. I am lucky that this didn't happen in the middle of Winter.
DeleteI bet you are happy now that everything has been checked and you have a plan for the future. It is great that all the work can be done together. I love reading about more women entering into the trades. It was a young woman who replaced our laundry room sink and faucet and then she moved on to install the new light fixture in our closet. She was both a plumber and an electrician!
ReplyDeleteShe sounds great, Anita. My plumber works with his daughter and son, too. He was trained by his father. Women are doing very well in these fields; it's exciting.
Deleteso glad you got it all sorted out. Have a wonderful stress free weekend.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Mereknits. You, too.
DeleteGlad your gas company contacted you to let you know about the potential leak and you were able to get it fixed! I agree with Anita in San Diego that it is great to see more women enter the trades! I like all the plans you have made for house improvements. :)
ReplyDeleteHi Bless, Yes, it's really exciting. This was good timing. Since I am replacing the floors, we can rip out the old heaters from the 1950's. I really loved them, but it's time to upgrade.
DeleteA sauna!! How fabulous. All of your ongoing maintenance will surely pay dividends in the future years
ReplyDeleteIt is, ratnamurti. It's a Scandia Ultra Sauna. Such a gorgeous design. It makes life luxurious...it came with the cabin!
DeleteI am glad you were able to use your bath and sauna again, also glad that the gas leak was found and fixed. I always worry about gas leaks.
ReplyDeleteYes, they are an issue with older homes and older gas lines, Christina. Fortunately, everything is fixed and working again. I think I will put in a wall mounted Williams gas furnace. I like being able to switch on heat if I need to...
ReplyDelete