All the rough plumbing is DONE!

Hello again. Thank you for following our story on our project building Casita Torrente de Agua.

In January we returned to Costa Rica with a primary task of completing all of the rough plumbing. We had left this project in a partially done state when we left from our October trip where we had hoped to complete this. In preparation, we did a lot of shopping at Home Depot in the USA, to make sure we had certain elements for working that are just not available in Costa Rica. Because we had to think ahead, we actually spent the time after our October trip beginning to amass a host of things to take down with us as we travelled. It is fortunate that for international travel we are allowed to carry on two bags and to check two bags as well. So this allowed us to bring 8 bags for our January trip.

We brought with us four of the five ceiling fans we bought - the fifth one comes with us next trip. Two in large suitcases, and the two largest wrapped with a handle fashioned. With the two smaller fans were a variety of plumbing items to allow us to finish the plumbing project.

In October all of the SUPPLY plumbing was in place when we left. All we had to do for that was to put the filter itself into the water filter system down in the bodega on this trip. We had intended to complete all drain in October, and indeed we did complete all the second floor systems to allow those walls to be closed up. So our big objective was to complete all of the drain plumbing UNDER the building. Jim underestimated how challenging that would be. The plumbing itself of course was pretty simple (from our warped point of view) - just a pair of drain lines; one for black water from toilets, and one of grey water from sinks, showers, laundry. Venting was done using a closed vent end that only allows the system to pull air IN (see first photo). We did this because we did not want to be penetrating the roof down there in a rainy climate as we do here in the states. That would just make sealing the metal roof all the more challenging. What we were able to do for this though was to share a common vent for the separate drain systems. That required us to ensure we had traps strategically placed so that sewer gas would not get back into the house. Note that the venting pipes are the ones closest to the "ceiling". Air comes in from above, water goes out below.

The big challenge was working on a 45 degree slope with limited headroom, and screwing the support hangers and straps into steel overhead. Since it is dry season, the ground was dry and a bit crumbly, so our challenge was to keep from slipping. The result was that what we thought would take one day took a day and a half. While we were able to attach the vent pipes with the J hooks; waste water had to hang lower and result in a slope. We used a nice vinyl strapping that won't rust, and which is strong and flexible. If you look closely, it is the grey colored strapping.

Some of the detail then in the various photos reveals subtle details. For example, that yellow pipe attached overhead is the USA type gas pipe to connect our big propane tank stored in the bodega with our gas range up in the cocina (kitchen). You can also observe the difference in keeping lines on a grid vs cross structure (blue lines) as our now fired electrician did.

In the fourth photo, you'll see some angled pipes. What this does is allow for a merger of grey water to black water. There is valving which allows our grey water to flow into the grey water holding tank for local treatment in a bio-garden (yet to be built). Or the grey water can divert into the black water, and be treated by our septic system. This is a one way conversion, so we prevent black water from entering the grey water system...

Both the white grey water pipe, and the black colored black water pipe exit under the dry bodega (that angled wall you see in the last photo). When Gerardo's crew installs the grey water tank, it will be located just below the generator room. The septic will be put in the much flatter land downhill from the casa.

Doing all this helped reveal to us some details that ultimately will help us. For example, we had assumed we would complete the retaining wall off the entry patio all the way to the building (last photo). But instead, we will alter this so against the house we can build a walkway - and a stair way cut into the hill leading downhill with some sort of concrete blocks surface as a maintenance path to the water treatment systems. We have some ideas to slightly modify our concept of the outdoor shower that we'll firm up during our next trip (we think). BTW, this final photo not only shows where the outdoor shower/boot wash will be; but the windows you're looking at are (close to far) bathroom #2, first floor entry (laundry is the first room; bedrooms off of that), laundry window, and bathroom #3 window. Bathroom #3 will be the last one done, since that is our access to the back of the electric panel, and thus our opportunity to do generator transfer switch wiring; A/C wiring, etc. We don't expect to complete bathroom #3 until late 2009 soonest, and perhaps even as far away as Q1 2009.

Thanks again for visiting;

Ricardo y Jeeeem