They put fiberglass insulation at strategic points to hold the liner in the center so they can pour the mortar-like insulation around it... at the top and at the bottom (see picture at right).

It ended up that we complicating things a bit because we had the architectural stone applied before the liner.
They thought about cutting into the exterior to do what they needed to to keep the mortar-like insulation from going into the hearth area. But instead, they were able to do what they needed from inside the hearth area itself.

A Grate Chimney Sweep will be back in a couple weeks to apply the sealant to the cap of the chimney. Then we are all set!

This Frigidaire Affinity Washer and Dryer set (above left) replaces our Equator washer/dryer combo unit (above right)
which broke down for the third time and we know that parts are nowhere to be found.

The particulars of the new set are:

Frigidaire Affinity 3.5 cu ft I.E.C. King Size Capacity ENERGY STAR® Washer. Rated at 179 kwh per year.

Frigidaire Affinity 5.8 cu ft Super Capacity Electric Dryer.

We opted for the matching 15 in. pedestal drawers for both.

We purchased the set on-line from Sears (they were having a great sale, plus a mail-in rebate offer) and picked it up at the closest retail store which is about 15 miles from our house.

Tarped to minimize water seepage to basement.

The scaffold goes up and the flakes come off.

Just about there.

The part under the deck roof - before.

.... now patched.

.... moving right along.

.... capstone in place.

All done --- in only 2-1/2 days!

(Note: there will be no visible capstone on the top of the chimney.
The company doing the liner will apply a special material to the top that will seal the crown.)

The only brick waste is in this 5-gallon bucket and it is going to be used on the assistant's landscaping.

Highly recommended!

Thanks, George!

Thanks, Brandon!

The very first project in the new house was to change the appearance of the living room walls. The upper half of the walls was a very pale green and the lower portion was wallpaper depicting roses with a border piece with larger full roses... a look that was extremely unpleasant to me.

I chose to leave the glossy white millwork/trim as it is and painted the walls with a medium gray that would accentuate the white trim/ceiling and the fireplace brick (it turned out to be very close match to the mortar used with the bricks) and also work well with whatever artwork hung on the walls. I considered repainting the hunter-green doors white, but after finishing with the walls, I found that I liked the contrast with the doors (and a set of shelfs painted the same color on another wall of the room that is not in the pictures).

Since I had already decided how my furniture would be situated in the room and that the area would be primarily used for evenings in front of the television... the fact that the wall color darkened the room a little did not bother me at all. The addition of lamps and a torchiere using CFLs (3-way lamps purchased on-line from EFI) lets us brighten the room as desired and still have a cozy feeling.

This picture is from the MLS listing - sorry for the poor quality.
	These pictures are of the same room after it was painted with Sherwin Williams Harmony® Interior Latex Paint.

The wallpaper was removed using DIF; which is a gel compound that you roll on, wait 15 minutes and then scrape off using a tool that they designed to reduce gouging. Luckily for us, the top layer of the wallpaper pulled off easily leaving just the paper backing and adhesive. SO, the DIF worked beautifully! Then I just had to use a mild detergent and water to remove whatever residue of adhesive and DIF was left on the wall after scraping off the paper and adhesive.

The old paint had a flat finish, so after washing the walls, no sanding was needed before applying the new paint. We chose a semi-gloss to make cleaning easier (with dogs that drool, that is VERY important).

I used a 2-inch brush to paint around the trim (I don't use tape because I find that I am messier when I rely on it). Then I used a roller tool on the main areas of the walls. This tool can best be described as a roller assembly with a hollow tube handle... where the paint is drawn into the tube handle of the roller and dispensed like a plunger through the tube into the center of the roller assembly. I find this tool to be wonderful! I only get a few drips and the only wasted paint is what I have to clean out of the tool when I'm finished (by wrapping the roller assembly in plastic between sessions, I don't have to empty it at all until I'm finished with that project or need to use a different color).

I chose to use Sherwin Williams' Harmony paint because while they are not the first paint company to make a zero-VOC version, they are nationally known and have excellent quality paint. And since they are making such a tremendous effort to go green, I wanted to help advance that goal.

The area I painted was 19 x 25 x 8 (minus the doorways and other openings) and even with my sensitive sense of smell, I could not tell there was fresh paint on the walls until the end of applying the last coat. Other people visiting while I was painting also did not smell the paint. It covered well and I only needed two coats. It dried in an acceptable amount of time and I am very pleased with the results.

I plan to use Harmony paint in other areas of the house that need repainting and am confident that not only will it not bother my sinus problems, but will produce the results I desire.

Sherwin Williams Harmony® Interior Latex Paint Harmony is a natural choice for environmentally preferred interior paint. It is low-odor allowing you to immediately move into your newly painted spaces. It contains less solvents and zero-VOC's (volatile organic compounds) so what is emitted into the air is more environmentally friendly.

I used the Sherwin Williams' Duration paint to seal particle board and plywood on furniture pieces that had previously been outgassing and/or leaving residue. It has reduced my allergic reactions to these items and I am able to store things in drawers (for example) that I was not able to use previously because the odor/residue had gotten into the items stored there.

This paint was recommended to me by the Sherwin Williams representative for this purpose because of its durability and excellent sealant properties.

I am very pleased with the results.

Sherwin Williams Duration® Home Interior Latex This environmentally preferred product is specially formulated to be low in odor, resist mildew and have lower levels of smog-producing pollutants (volatile organic compounds or VOC's). Most stains wipe clean with mild soap and water so no harsh cleaning chemicals are needed for clean-up. The durable formula reduces frequent repaints - providing the ultimate in beauty and washability.