Thanks, Carol. Well, the result of my overnight valve leaking test are in! Not too bad. Bottom line: If I extrapolate the results from last night to a full day, those valves are leaking just under 5 gallons in a 24 hour period. Given my current water/sewer rates, about 4 cents a day. I'm still going to replace all the diaphragms though since they are so old. More to prevent a huge failure vs this weeping issue I have. For anyone who stumbles across this string (thank you, Carol, for starting it!). Here is my information: Toro Flo Pro Valve: Model #284-16-04 Replacement Diaphragm Part Number: 89-9861 Replacement Solenoid Part Number: 89-0114 As of this writing, 8/3/22, both replacement part #s are available on Sprinklerwarehouse.com If I ever replace those valves, I was told by Toro that the Jar Top valve part number 53708 is the current replacement. I checked and it is available on Amazon. If I don't have to replace those valves, I'm not going to. I'm a DIYer and that job, although doable, would be a pain.

They love fresh dirt. I don't know how they do it, but they always seem to find it. Same with my windowboxes & potted plants. I accidently ripped out a strawberry plant, so I stuck it in a pot. Naturally every day the little SOB digs it up. You can try sprinkling down dried blood. Unfortunately, it needs to be reapplied frequently :( Or you can plant through some kind of chicken wire, which works great for bulbs, but the holes are probably too small for plants, unless you enlarge the holes...

Electrical: 1. Two-way switches at top and bottom of each stairway iucluding basement stairs. 2, Two-way switches inside house and garage to flood lamps lighting driveway. 3. Outlets on ends or sides of kitchen island counter. 4. Extra outlets in basement. There should be 2 to 3 outlets in the laundry/water softner area. There should be outlets along each basement wall. If you know where your basement workbench will be, install a couple of outlet boxes there. 5. Phone jacks in almost every room and one in the garage. Omit phone jacks in bathrooms and powder rooms. Nust have locations for phone jacks are entry hall or location of your primary phone, kitchen, each bedroom, basement, and garage. Structure: 1. Make sure that a back stoop is included. Often, these are on the model home, but not included in the owner's house plans. It may be an extra, and if so, you won't get one unless it is added. The best time to build a stoop is during basement wall construction. A beam and footing is built into the basement wall below the frost line to support the stoop and keep it in register with the house. 2. Pay attention to the ouside design of entryways, especially the main front entrance. The front step become hazardous in winter if the roof dribbles water and melting snow on the stoop. The stoop becomes iced. Rain gutters are no protection. Figure that gutters will fill with snow and drip over its edge. A cupola over the stoop or a recessed entrance is nice in northern climes. A sheltered entrance is a plus. One caveat: On a two story, the design of the entrance cover should not interfere with ladder placement to the second story roof. 3. Add anti-ice dam sheets on all lower edges of the roof. The best time to install these is when the roof is first built. This sheet is cemented to the roof board. Also, add the same to all roof valleys. 4. Consider the method of attic venting. Older constructions used vents through the roof with soffit vents. Some new constructions are using ridge vents in place of the roof vents. 5. Seal the garage floor before moving in. 6. Add chimney caps to keep birds and vermin out. 7. Inspect the framing before the siding or brick is installed. make sure that all holes are blocked, especially places where wind might penetrate. Typical places were unwanted openings may occur are at the ends of the second story floor joists, and places were the upper floor changes direction or cantilevers over the lower wall. 8. Pre-stain the interior finish wood before it is installed. You'll have to work with your builder and finish carpenter for this. The carpenter may not like to work with stained wood if the color is too dark. Woodwork finishing is easier and faster when the wood has been pre-stained. Its a pain to stain wood after it has been nailed on the walls. Its tough to keep from getting stain on the walls. 9. If there will be decorative ceiling beams, paint the ceiling and pre-stain the beams before these are installed. 10. Carefully plan where the furnace will be located if it will be a high efficiency, gas fired model. These vent through the sidewall of the house and do not use a chimney. Plan the location of the furnace and vent. If the furnace does not use the chimney, a chimney liner may be required for a gas water heater that does use the chimney. (A gas water heater does not warm the chinmey sufficently in winter to prevent condensation.)

how many people usually use the room? and do you prefer to sit straight or to lounge? if you mostly prefer to sit straight...and it's your main living space in the house where guests of different ages come etc..push the sofa closer to the window..(since the bookshelf is not staying)..two armchairs facing: one, the TV, another, the sofa..kinda angled, like they're having a conversation, you know? the coffee table gets to be in the middle.and you can add a side table between the chairs. maybe something round, so not everything gets to be rectangular etc. I'd definitely put TV lower either on a console ot over the console. in this scenario TV stays where it is but you get a) much better viewing angle b) storage c) simply nicely composed space. It can still swivel so you don't loose that function. The console should be longer than the TV. If the mirror stays over the sofa it needs to be lower. The rules of art and mirror placement change when they are over the furniture..they should relate to the said furniture. There are guidelines, but generally you can eyeball it ..if it looks good then it's good. If strongly prefer to lounge..then instead of sofa you can get a sectional with corner part under the window. You might be able to put a chair on the other side of the coffee table, depending on how big or small the chair is..you don't want to cramp it too much. If no space for a chair-consider switching your coffee table for an ottoman (don't match exactly to a sectional). can serve as a coffee table very easily if you have a tray on it. But can also be used for additional sitting if you have company..especially kids love these. You can have a side table on one or both sides of the sectional, depending how much space you'll have. I'd definitely add some lights. A table lamp. Or a floor lamp. These are food for specific tasks like reading or mending; they're also create pleasant ambient light. You're more in control of your lighting thus mood you want to create, and function you want to get depending on what you do, if you have different lights on diffrerent levels. I love your curtains and floors and a rug..and a dog..:) It will be a very cozy room