We’ve got some things to work on and finally seem to be in a place to make those things happen. Some we have the products for already and just need to install it, others we have to get everything together to make it happen.
Sealing the Roof
Thanks to Henry’s, I have enough product to test out and install it on the roof, making it water tight, insulated, and it will reflect sunlight and hopefully reduce the need for so much air conditioning use during the summer. Reduce the amount of heat added and thus less heat needed to remove.
I did use the silicone spray around the upper window to test it out, and while it was a little different coming out than I expected, I think it will still work. I’m waiting until tomorrow to check to see how it worked, but hopefully the leak in the window is sealed and gone.
The next step is to caulk the edges of the roofline and then put down a nice coating of Tropi-cool to finish it. That should both cover the whole roof in one solid layer of rubber-like material, reduce the changes in temperature due to external factors, and make it nigh impossible for water to get in.
Waterproof the Awning
I had the awning down for a couple of days due to high winds, so I sprayed more of the waterproofing coating on it, but again, I cannot reach high up to the center of the awning. I will have to figure out how I can get up there, as well as figure out what I missed. It’s hard to tell what has been coated, what has been missed, and where I need to put it on thicker. Hopefully with the next rain, I can take chalk and mark it where it needs to be thicker.
The Kitchen Project
There are a couple of things I would like to do with the kitchen eventually, some parts can be done without doing all of them at once.
- Countertop: I would like to replace the countertop with something simple and still looks nice. What we do to make that happen though is anyone’s guess. I should be able to do it easily with a sheet of plywood, maybe a 3/4″ piece, cut a hole for the sink and cover up the cook top after removing it. We can then put some sort of edge on it and fill it in with epoxy to make waterproof and give it a bit of color. Maybe we can do pennies, maybe something else. I’m not sure. It would be kind of neat looking if I could get coins from different place in the world and have it not be completely US coins. Not sure where I can get coins from all over the world though.
I would like to contact people in other countries though that have coins in different shapes and sizes. I know some people in other countries, maybe I can convince them to send me a few dollars worth of foreign coins. Could be interesting. - Backsplash: I want to get some of that peel and stick faux tile to put in on the kitchen backsplash. I might do this soon actually, things finally seem to be falling into place financially so we can afford to upgrade little things like this.
- Cooktop: I go back and forth between a dedicated cooktop builtin to the counter, and a single, simple plug in unit. We will probably end up with a unit we can put away when we don’t need it so we have more counter space. I’d also like to get something like a Blackstone Griddle so we can cook things on that outside and use propane instead of electric. Maybe get one of those before we replace the counter top and remove the propane stove top, even though we never use it. It just takes up so much space.
We also have never had an oven, so we don’t have to worry about removing that. - Convection Oven: Our microwave is in bad shape. It tends to shut off when used for a long time, so if we can replace it with a model that also has a convection oven builtin, I’d love to do that. Then we can bake some things again and get more settled in living in here.
- Pantry Storage: Our pantry is a mess and I’m still not sure how to deal with it. I want to build a system so we can both store things better, and know what it is in there at any given time. It’s going to take some work though, I’m still trying to figure out how to make it all come together in an easy to manage system.
- Water Heater: I am leaning towards a tankless, propane system for hot water. It would be more efficient than an electric one, and there are some that are pretty cheap if I can make it work in the space. We can afford to get a propane delivery once in awhile to keep it full, so we may just do that. We have a large tank builtin, so just keeping it full isn’t a big deal.
- Refrigerator: I’d eventually like to replace the refrigerator with a residential model that fits in the same space and have it run off an inverter all on its own. That way we never have to worry about losing power, it’ll always be on. I found one that will fit the space for about $400, so we might be able to afford that soon. Just have to put it all together.
Bedroom Makeover
The bedroom is a long project, but I hope one we can work on eventually. It will be tied in with upgrading the water system though, so I hope we can do it all at once. That means getting a tank and enough hose to run to the sinks, the water heater, through the fresh water tank, but probably keeping the grey tank as is. I’d love to replace the toilet with a composting toilet and get rid of grey water completely. A Nature’s Head toilet is about $1,000 though, so that is a huge investment that we have to save up a long time for. Putting new hose in would make me feel better though, especially if it is flexible and more durable. Its not like we have that much piping in there, but it would be a little complicated to throw it all together. In the end though, it would be more simple.
I also want to redo the bed area and fi the damaged walls in the back corners. Our RV’s previous owners must have backed into something, so its wrinkled and ugly, but I think I can take out the panelling, put something else in there, and insulate while we are at it. Build storage underneath that works better, have the water tank where it needs to be. The electrical system is the only thing that can’t easily be replaced though, but that is fine where it is anyway. Maybe make the floor space more efficient while we are at it and add better storage options for items that do not get used as frequently.
Computer & Network Setup
I always have projects in this area. I should be receiving a Raspberry Pi server case after the holidays to put all the Pi’s in and keep them better organized, but I still need hard drives and all that good stuff. I hope I can buy a Pi a month until we are full set and have everything working as we want.
I also want to make a studio of sorts for Tiffany to do more videos on. Maybe I can setup a camera that hooks into the TV so she can sit on the couch with a back drop and be able to see how everything looks on the TV while making the video.
The whole project has been detailed in the Pi Server Box post.
Water System
Pretty much in conjunction with the bedroom makeover, I want to work on the water system as well. That means a new water tank, new hose instead of that old, gray plastic pipe, a water heater, and get everything working together. I’m not sure what to do about the shower yet, but it may end being a permanent place for our laundry system. If we are ever in a place where we need to use our own shower, well I hope can just have an outdoor shower if we are boondocking or have campground showers everywhere we go. That is far down the line though.
Solar System
The final key piece, and the one that will take the longest and require the most money, is the solar system. We need batteries, charge controller, solar panels, lots of wiring and hardware. I would love to do it as we can afford it, but then, I’d also like to have everything and put it all together at once. I’m not sure which way to proceed, but I hope we can take care of that and break ourselves from the grid.
And then the other little things…
There are other things as well, some can be done at the same time as other parts, some are whole projects on their own.
Eventually, we will be repainting inside and outside. I would like to do something with the valences and curtains inside. I’d like to replace the flooring. I’d like to do something about the windows losing so much heat. I want to replace the couch since it is so damn uncomfortable. I might replace the floor with either linoleum fake tile, or maybe a wood laminate. I’m not sure which though. If I tear out the couch, well then we’ve got to find something else to put in there. I want to pull out the hardware above the cab where there used to be a bed that I removed for added headspace. I need to replace some of the roof vents since they are old and brittle.
Maybe one day, we can do all those little things. I’m not sure how though, or how long it will take.
And that is it in a nutshell. Our income should hopefully be getting better soon as old debts get paid off and we can start working on things to make this our home finally. It has been a long project, but I feel like we are finally getting somewhere financially and having some stability to make it happen.
