Condo Blues: gas
Showing posts with label gas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label gas. Show all posts

Sunday, May 19, 2019

How to Make a Grill Cover

The four seasons have taken their toll on the cover on my outdoor gas grill. I need a replacement grill cover. 

I don’t want to buy a vinyl grill cover because they rarely last more than two years in the elements. Fabric seems the best way to go since the BBQ cover I made from a drop cloth lasted seven years.
I planned to scope out the heavy duty outdoor fabric at the fabric store after a stop at Homegoods when I found a cheaper and cuter outdoor fabric option – an indoor /outdoor tablecloth.

Which also just so happens to go with this majestic beauty that I also picked up for the front yard.

Her name is Divine.

She is 6 feet tall.

And I love her.

Yes, I am THAT neighbor. You know the one.

How to Make an Outdoor Grill Cover from a Tablecloth

Wednesday, January 17, 2018

12 Easy Ways to Save Money on Your Hot Water Heating Bill

Tens years ago, in 2008 my family started a year long product to reduce how much energy we use and our bill in our new home because a ton of Greenzillas said I couldn’t until I trashed all of my conventional and came new with the house major appliances and systems and replaced them with new super duper high efficiency (and expensive) everything.

I blogged about our new habits and inexpensive energy efficient DIY projects right here on Condo Blues in the very first year of this blog. Long story short, we reduced our use by 32% and kept it that way while staying toasty warm, clean, and well fed.

And using less energy than comparable families and homes in our area – including the Energy Star rated homes of which we are not.

Until recently when natural gas bill started to creep higher. Not break the bank,  we’rel going to starve high, but high enough to knock our house from constantly rating Very Good to smack dab in the middle of  Good. 

I wanted to figure out what’s going on because I had bragging rights on the line!

Turns out we were wasting too much energy heating water and after addressing  Tips One through Three we lowered our energy and hot water heating bill. 

Friday, September 7, 2012

How to Paint a Gas Fireplace

 A fireplace wasn’t a Must Have when Husband and I house shopped but I secretly hoped our first home would have a fireplace. We lucked out when we found our Condo. It has everything on our Must Have and Wish Lists including a fireplace.

I still like the fireplace but I’m falling out of love with the brass accents. I would love to use the brass as an excuse to buy a new brass free gas fireplace with a clear rock insert that makes it look like fire and ice when you light a fire.

how to paint a gas fireplace surround
Fireplace Before

However, I can’t justify the resources and expense it takes to replace a fireplace we rarely use. Angie of Country Chic Cottage  and Cara of Moore Craft Time  issued a Craft Lightening challenge – to make something that takes 15 minutes or less, excluding the drying time for paint or glue.

I looked at my 2012 DIY Goal List and took them up on the challenge. It’s time for a quick and easy fireplace update.

How to Paint a Gas Fireplace