It was a busy weekend for me. On Saturday, I decided to install a new bathroom exhaust fan. I bought one with slightly more power than the existing fan. It was by the same manufacturer, so it was almost the same size, which made the installation easier. Good thing, because it turned out to be a bigger pain in the neck than I had expected. I guess when you’re dealing with electrical connections and ductwork, things are going to take a bit. Also, it was located in a very cramped area of the attic, which didn’t make things easier. Anyway, the biggest problem I had with it was after it was installed. I went to attach the light assembly and the screw wasn’t long enough. I’m not sure why this wasn’t a problem with the previous fan, but this one must have been designed a little differently. I know why there was a problem–the bathroom ceiling is furred out to accommodate another ceiling over the plaster, so I wasn’t able to install it low enough. The actual problem was that I couldn’t figure out how to remove the screw that the light assembly attached to as it was part of the motor housing and there wasn’t enough room to remove it. So, I consulted an expert and asked Jake if he had any ideas. He said to bend the tab that the screw was on so that it could be removed. Genius! It was pretty thin metal and was easy to bend. I did that and used a longer screw and was good to go. Hopefully, this fan will last a long time because I’m not doing this project again.
Today was easier. I’ve been prepping the office kitchen to be painted in recent weeks. Today, I painted the crown molding and finished patching the walls. I plan on painting the walls next weekend and then the door, window, and floor trim shortly after that. We haven’t painted since we bought the building (in 2008!) so it’s overdue. I’ll probably do all of it rather than hire someone because I like having a project to work on, but I don’t like it so much that I’m going to overtax myself to get it done. I’ll do a couple of rooms a year until it’s done. Besides the kitchen, there are 3 offices, a bathroom, and a hall. There’s the downstairs, too, of course, but that was just painted, so it should be good for a while.