Thanks for your thoughts. I just figured some people might want to see what can happen when you give in to every bell & whistle ;^) Let me answer the questions: Morton5: yes, if you look at the Before pic, you can see just how narrow a space we had there to sit and eat. The sink was constantly splashing the people there. We did away with the island completely in the end, though, and love the new layout. Redroze: I just keep it in this olive oil dispenser. The other dispenser there is for hand soap. I found the brush at Bed Bath & Beyond. It's specifically made to wash crystal glasses with, but I use it for my everyday glasses, too. After all the stuff I had drilled into my last counter/sink area, I tried to avoid drilling holes in this new one. Holes are so permanent, you know? "> Eandhl: It's Kohler's Vinnata in the brushed nickel and we love it. Brad, here's a couple, plus one of the KA's plan for that area: "> This was taken as we were moving back in, so it's a mess. "> "> Mominthedubc: The filtered water faucet is meant to work on R/O's (Reverse Osmosis filtration systems), which is what we have here. It's not meant to be used with a hot water system. Anyhoo, it's Kohler's Wellspring in the brushed nickel to coordinate with theiir Vinnata. BTW, it's made wonderfully, compared to all the other beverage faucets we've had in the past. Davewg: you're going to love the Vinnata! I can't wait to see your finished kitchen. Hang in there! Talley Sue: that's fantastic! I had no idea those things existed. I've already copied the info to show DH. Thanks!

Absolutely sdello...the fact that it is freezing means that the shade is doing a really good job of blocking the heat from the house from getting to that window. akchicago, the two sheets of glass in your window is separated by a "spacer". This spacer can be made of several different materials, aluminum being one of the more common - especially if your windows were manufactured a few years ago or are of the "less expensive" variety made more recently...probably 80%, or more, commercial windows still use an aluminum spacer, while the number in residential windows has gone down dramatically in recent years. Aluminum is an acceptable material to use as an IGU (Insulating Glass Unit) spacer in certain environments and not so acceptable to use in others - because aluminum is an excellent conductor of heat. So to help avoid some of the heat loss conducted thru the spacer, some aluminum spacer manufacturers have come up with a "thermal break" concept that places a material that is not heat-conductive between the aluminum that is touching the outer glass and the aluminum that is touching the inner glass. This material in a sense "breaks" the thermal conductivity bond between the inner lite and the outer lite. Does it work? Yes, it does. Does it work as well as some of the newer spacer materials that are designed to be less thermally conductive? It works as well as some and not as good as others (how's that for a wishy-washy answer?)... The spacer material thermal conductivity argument is long and heated (actually, the pun was not intended) in the window industry. This thermal conductivity only affects the outer 2" or less of the glass. Inside of that 2" from the edge the glass will be the same temperature - in the same environment - no matter what spacer material is used. This is one reason why using U value is more important than using R value when judging a window's energy value, for example. But, along that 2" outer-edge of the window you can get condensation and moisture build-up because of that temperature difference caused by the spacerÂs thermal conductivity. It isnÂt just the spacer material, however. Using a LowE coating can make a big difference in the edge temperature, as can the choice of window sash material and even how the IGU is actually glazed into the sash as well.

Hey G!! sorry to hear about your knee..but glad you are on the mend. I think we got your summer...it was a hot one, but I prefer heat to cold, last winter...was pure hell for me. I've always been allergic, but like wasp stings the poison ivy reaction seems to get worse as I age. I swear all I have to do is look at it wrong..and it includes sumac, poison oak & just about every thing with leaves of three & red stems. being a yardie (new to me term for yard junkie) and living in the woods fighting these things is a neverending job. I must have gotten hold of some roots in one of the flower beds. and with our crazy weather last winter...I even got it in feburary. so whats the deal with the roof? doing a cool roof or something complex? or just having trouble with weather cooperating? sounds like you have perfect weather to get it done this weekend...just be careful up there! do you still have those wonderfully explained igu windows 101 posts from the building forum? I'd like to share them on another forum...maybe in general discussion part of the site as other areas are locked to the publc. I'd really like to get them into the building science forum...but its only for pro members...you wouldn't have an epa card by any chance?? anyway let me know. and again...great to hear from you. take care.

Here is what I would likely try (assuming I understand correctly -- that there are only a few that are this bad; that under all that built up paint and mildew there is metal, not wood; and that you want to have the finished pain surface look even and neat and stay looking nice. I would not worry about tape/adhesive marks and would put away the WD40. I would make the time and space to have everyone out of my way and to have a good exhaust ventilation and tarps/drop clothes and shop vac set up along with proper eye, ear, possibly respirator (definitely some airway protection and disposable as well as heavy duty neoprene gloves. i would spend the time and effort to remove all of the built up crud -- so removing tape marks is a non issue. If I understand your gunk problem, you'll be removing the years of old paint and sludge underlying the tape adhesive marks. I'd first try to chip, chisel, dremel, grind and sand off anything that I could without damaging the steel underneath. Vacuum that all up, wire brush and try to remove more. Vacuum again. Then, following the manufacturer's direction and with proper ventilation and tools and protection as discussed above, I would begin applying the "best" (most effective, lowest VOH paint stripper remover I could get. What you use would depend upon a few factors and the types of paints in that cracked sludgy stack. You'll want to protect yourself floors and adjacent areas. You can use layer of rosen paper atop a tarp and and the paper gets messy, swap out. Have some chip brushes, steel scrapers and gougy tools and some disposable paint pail liners to toss the scraped off partially disolved old paint into. (Dispos of properly as it will be flammable. Just keep working on dissolving the old paint, scraping it free, repeat...until you get almost all if not all of it off. It's work and messy. Then, after what you cannot get off has dried and 'cured' a bit, you can try to sand and scrape the rest free. You may be able to do some of this outdoors. You may want to hire someone to do this part for you. I have removed old alkyd paint this way, then, in the case of a large, pick wick bead board back bookcase, washed it with TSP (Tri-sodium phosphate --- there may be restrictions on its use or availability from state to state). Let that remain a while, then rinse off with clear water. Allow to dry thoroughly. If only working indoors, you can use terry rags, pails and poly plastic drop clothes with "towel / rag dams" to protect your flooring. Allow the project to dry well. Shop AC dry, towel dry, dry nooks with hair dryer. You don't want to create rust and you will want to treat / remove any existing rust. I would do all of this way before even considering priming and painting or addressing the opportunity for condensation. A faster and less messy way to address all the gunk might be to pay someone with a sand abrasion set up. It may be costly. Perhaps you can barter. Ask around at some auto body shops or vocational schools. Best of luck. It will look so much better when you get it cleaned up. One trick to help with condensation is to consider a dehumidifier or a small fan. Always went cooking kettles and dishwashers with a kitchen exhaust fan. Always run your bath and shower exhaust fans for 15 or 20 minutes after shower use. In the winter or fall, we sometimes crack a window and let some of the very dry winter air (New England) come in and exchange with moist air. If in the fall or early winter and you have a lot of moisture in your house from a humid fall or late summer, be careful about keeping your rooms too cool until a lot of that moisture wicks out of porous walls and floors. We've got a tight house, so have to mind the level of condensation growing on cold Windows (we don't have the best windows). If you have a house full of large dogs, you're apt to get a lot of condensation.