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The homeowners wanted undermount sinks for ease of cleaning but were told that an undermount wasn't possible with tile countertops. This is because the thin tile could not support the weight of the sink. Unable to afford a solid slab of marble or granite, the husband was intent on figuring out how to do this, so he came up with this technique for cutting tiles to edge the sink. This reinforces the countertop. Keep in mind that once the sinks are set, the only way to get them out is to tear up the tile.
The other bath in the home has a 36-inch-high tile wainscot on the walls. The homeowners wanted to copy that look in this bath for cohesiveness. But again, when they priced it, the couple realized that it was too expensive. As a nod to the tile in the older bath, their builder suggested they use wood paneling to create the same effect. So they incorporated 1 x 6 V-groove paneling to cover the lower 36 inches of the wall and painted it to match the fixtures, trim, and cabinets. The wood wainscot is a detail similar to tile, is more durable than gypsum drywall, and costs a fraction of what tile does.
This room shows that with a little research and creative thinking, you can have the bath of your dreams.
GETTING INTO HOT WATER
Problem: Once the bath featured on page 40 was finished, the owners noticed it took a long time for the water to get hot. The reason
for this wasteful annoyance was that the new bath is far from the hot-water heater.
A plumber determined the ideal solution would be to put a loop in the hot-water line to keep hot water circulating in the system. The cost of the recommended loop was around $2,000.
Solution: Frustrated and out of money, the husband decided to do some research of his own. On the Internet, he found two pumps that seemed promising.
He reviewed how each one was installed, decided which would work best, and ordered it to the tune of $238 plus shipping. The essential difference in the two pumps was that one is installed at the hot-water heater and the other under the farthest sink from the hot-water heater.
Because his hot-water heater was in an odd place, he ordered the pump that went under the sink. It took about 45 minutes to install, and now they have hot water in about 30 seconds. He had to add an electrical outlet under the sink at an additional expense.
After living with the pump for a year, he offers two cautions.
1. If you turn on the cold water when the pump is running, some lukewarm water will come out of the faucet before it gets cold.
According to the manufacturer, this is normal.
2. You might notice a funny taste to the water for a couple of weeks, but it will get better.
Neither problem would likely occur with the pump that installs at the hot-water heater.
Visit www.grundfos.com for more on the pump installed at the hot-water heater and www.autocirc.com for the other one.
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