Installing a USB Wall Outlet

USB Wall Outlet
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With all the micro USB items that need charging at my house, my wife and I are always fighting over power cords.  To solve this problem I found a neat outlet that contains two 115v outlets with 2 USB outlets.

It installed easily and looks great.  More importantly, the outlet is behind my chair so I have dibs on the cords….

Seriously though, this is a great USB wall outlet and when I get around to building our house and a workshop, I will install many of these for the convenience.

This USB Wall Outlet was easy to install, but I needed to buy a new outlet cover.

Now that it is installed, I want to buy more, as this makes things a lot easier.  I put this one by the sofa so I can charge my phones in the evening and still have them available.

I need one in the bedroom, and another by the computer.  Additionally I think I need a couple in the conex box at the land.

These devices are not expensive, the one shown in the picture costs about $16.00.  They are easy to install by any DIY’er.  Best of all it impressed my wife as she thought it was amazing.

How to Install Windows in a Tiny House

How to Install Windows in a Tiny House

 

Installing Windows in a Tiny House
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In this post we show installing windows in a storage shed turned tiny house.  I am by no means a carpenter, and the owner of the house is even worse.  But we do manage to install some weatherproof windows salvaged from the trailer.

The windows are about the only thing we were able to salvage from the trailer, and not because we demolished it with a backhoe, but because it building was in such rough shape.

The first thing we did when we started installing windows was to add bracing to frame an opening a little larger than the window we were installing.

After we boxed in the window, we cut out the siding using a reciprocal saw.  This made the opening.

I had to scrape off the old tar weather stripping from the windows before we could install the salvaged windows, but once the frame was clean the new window slid right into the frame.

Next we leveled the window and attached it to the frame.

The next step was to add a rubber weatherstrip around the frame so water would not get into the tiny house.

The last part was to nail up molding over the weather striping.  We used wide 1x boards because we liked the looks.

As you can see the windows are functional and do their job pretty well.

How to Improvise a Winter Water Spigot Cover

Quick Tip: Improvised Water Faucet Winterization
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With all the ice and snow lately a friend of mine sent me this idea for an improvised method to winterize a water spigot. I tried it and it works.

Unfortunately due to the weather I was working a lot of overtime and I could not get this video out until now.

Basically a outdoor winter water spigot cover works by insulating the faucet from the cold outside temperatures.

Today’s video shows a way to do this without buying a cover. I think this is easier, but my wife would probably prefer a store bought solution.

Since trapped air can make an effective insulator, My friend wondered if multiple layers of plastic grocery bags could work.

Since I keep and reuse my grocery bags I simply grabbed a handful and loosely wrapped them in layers over the spigot and then held it in place with some duct tape.

I think this is a good idea to keep in the back of your head just in case.  Especially as a way to keep your mind open to work around solutions.

Thanks for the great idea Raging Main…

I know this improvised attempt at winterize a water spigot looks pretty rigged up,.  However, we had a really cold winter, including an ice storm that was big enough to rate a Presidential disaster declaration.  Through it all my pipes didn’t freeze.  Which is not a scientific measure, but it was free, easy, and seems to work so I am happy with it.