Edit 7/27/2020: Added info on landscaping and maintenance.
Speakers
In the den, we used the corner near the back door for all wires. We used an amp with 7.1 sound and two zones. Speaker wires run from this corner to:
- Three locations above the fireplace, L/C/R near ceiling. L/R are just about even with the left and right sides of the fireplace. We used ORB speakers and mounted them into the wall. Small and sounded good to us.
- Two upper rear locations on left and right walls about a foot from the back wall (opposite fireplace). The speaker near the window actually ran from the ceiling to avoid running through the outer wall.
- Two rear lower locations. Both have finished plates with connectors. The plate near the window uses the top connector, the bottom connector is not used.
- One sub in rear near window. The second plate has two RCA connectors and the top is the sub. The bottom is not used.
- Two pairs to the kitchen over the cabinets near the fireplace.
- Two pairs to the deck outside the breakfast room window.
I used a simple manual switch box to switch on/off kitchen and outdoor speakers. We plan to leave the wires exposed for the buyer to either use or spackle/paint. The difficulty of running the wires was substantial. Even if you don't want them, you may want to leave some tiny bit of the wire exposed so that one day you could use them.
The house was built with two speaker plates in the front corners of the room. There were also wires for security in some windows. I don't know where either an to and they are not currently hooked up as far as I know.
There are many other wires running from the corner of the den to various things. There is a single HDMI cable that runs to above the fireplace, along with a group of five RCA cables. When we wired the system, some HDTVs still used the RGB/LR RCA component cables. One of the RGB cables is bad in that group I believe but I never removed the cables due to difficulty and thinking they might one day be used. I think there may be a few other RCA cables for video or audio as well but your video quality using RCA may be limited.
We used a rope loop to pull cables and it should still be there. Tie cable to rope, pull on loop. Requires teamwork. Working in the crawl space and attic heat was not fun.
Mounts
The whole system sat in the corner on the wall mount. The arm is solidly mounted in a stud. The plate is sized for standard width equipment. Having it swing out allows for relatively easy access. Having it elevated keeps tiny kids out of it. You can clean up the wires behind and make it look ok. It uses basically wasted space in the room. We had multiple components stacked, amplifier, cable box, play station, wii, switch box.
TV mounts are being left in the den, the kitchen, and the FROG. The den mount had a substantial frame built up in the original alcove (where a deep CRT would sit).
Network
We ran Ethernet in a variety of locations in the house. Modern WiFi may now be adequate for most networking. The Time Warner / Spectrum cable modem lived in the FROG walk-in closet. A hard-wired ethernet cable ran up and over from that closet and down to the den. Through there, the rest of the house ethernet was connected. There are connections in:
- Alcove over fireplace
- Breakfast room north wall
- Kitchen under the bar
- Master bedroom north wall
- Master bedroom east wall
Details are provided in a previous post here. We used powered 10/100/GB hub/switches in the den corner and a switch mounted on the wall under the kitchen bar. We also had a switch in the breakfast room which we actually used as family computer room with three machines and a printer. If a network port does not work, the other end may not be connected to a hub/switch. The network grew organically, so all the wires are not pulled to a central location. Using multiple hubs/switches chained together probably caused some issues. Apparently modern WiFi gave better ping numbers than hard-wired network with our setup. I never tested bandwidth for our wired setup since we never had quality loss for streaming.
We had a TV mounted in the kitchen near the sink. Connections ran down to under the bar. At one point, we had a bookshelf under the bar with slingbox, Roku, etc. There are HDMI and VGA cables under the bar that runs up to the TV mount. We eventually moved to Apple TV for den, kitchen, and bedroom.
Power
I suggest using solid GFI / "lightning-proof" power conditioners at critical locations. We had ones for the den TV, the den components, and the components in the kitchen.
Note there is a GFI outlet out in the garage on the wall under the stairs. The kitchen is tied to this switch that may get hidden behind storage. !! If kitchen outlets don't work one day, go check the switch in the garage near the water heater.
When moving, we found this original wiring diagram "plan" from years back. Note the Wii and Tivo and Slingbox.
Blinds
We have used automatic blinds for decades. We were happy with Hunter Douglas blinds but replaced them after about 15 years with Bali. The Bali blinds can run off of a wall power or battery (HD were all battery and had to be replaced). I tried to use a bit of hot glue to tack the wires but that came loose. Maybe caulk or 3M command hooks would work better? Always keep items away from the blinds (stuff in sill, lamps, etc) or they will wind the wrong way and can be difficult to get working or require being sent back for re-winding. They are controlled by Alexa through smart things but also come with remotes that can be programmed. I love them.
Landscaping and Outdoors.
We have been in the house since it was built in 2001. The landscaping should require moderate upkeep. Some things could be removed or covered to minimize the upkeep further.
Front yard: The holly and other bushes near the house need to be trimmed periodically. I tried to keep the top of the holly under the bottom of the window. The taller bushes I tried to keep where I could still lop the top off, but I am over 6'. The azaleas and bush down by the road need trimming as well. Apparently you are supposed to only trim azaleas after they bloom? The monkey grass border is actually working fairly well. Monkey grass normally spreads wildly. I have put down two "no-dig" plastic borders about 6" apart to help contain the monkey grass. Plastic borders are not allowed by HOA but the monkey grass quickly covered it. The border contains the monkey grass fairly well and give you a good target on where it should be when you cut it back. In the dead of winter if it turns brown you can run a lawn mower on high over it. The Bradford Pear trees may be near the end of their expected life. In the dead of winter you may want to chop them way way back. Gunar in the middle short circle did this to his and had great success this year. They have grown too far. Also, some of the pine trees in the front may eventually need to be brought down. We had a HOA permit at one point to cut the v shaped one but we never did bring it down. Additionally, the side yard by the HVAC needs to be cut back annually, it gets overgrown and it is easy to forget it is there. I ran drip to both pear trees underground but one may be blocked. The dogwood is not doing well, it could be due to the pine trees choking it out a bit. We lost an evergreen by the steps to bugs. I thought about adding another encore azalea in that area, the evergreens get big and cover the rail. The flag holder gets a lot of wind and can knock out flags easily and it wiggles loose periodically but the columns are pretty solid for mounting. We regret not adding uplights on the house.
Side yard: I have tried and failed to get grass to grow over here for two years. I seeded and nothing really took. I think the side has gotten too shady. I am not sure if centipede will take here. One camelia is out of control, it could be cut in half. The others are just volunteers but I could not get them to transplant. There are some hostas there as well. The azaleas need to be cut down each year, they grow a lot. We tried to grow some moss between the stepping stones by the recycle and trash cans. The pine trees really rooted up this area and it is quite a workout to dig up anything with a pick axe in the grass here.
Back yard: Most of the back yard is bordered now. The rear section has day lillies along the border. The tree roots have gotten thick so these may be difficult to dig up and move. The purple iris along the back came from my mother in AL and she borrowed them from my grandma in GA. Some of the bigger dillydallies came from my grandma in GA, along with the amaryllis. Grandma also gave us an annoying winter weed that I have not been able to eradicate. It grows with a bulb and looks like mint along the back and near the compost bin. I have had success putting double layers of weed block and pulling in the winter when it pops up. There is a eucalyptus tree near the house. It has grown quite large in the past and we cut it back periodically. It is too close to the foundation to let it get full sized, but the cuttings smell nice. The holly in the back is not in great shape but needs to be trimmed. The dogwood by the raised beds is a japanese dogwood with odd blooms. The monkey grass near the house has no border; this is where I let it go free and use a spade to cut it in half each year to add more border wherever needed in the yard. It will want to grow into the garden and grass if unconstrained. The crepe myrtles are usually cut way back each winter. The rose bush could be trimmed to the fence level. The right berm makes for a moderately safe BB / airsoft target area. The maple tree was put in in 2001 and was only 5' high. There was a willow put in at that same time but it died. It did spawn the to willows on the berm. These were almost taken over by vines and other underbrush in 2020. There are also some pines encroaching on the willow trees. I had planned to take these down as well. Watch out, wear long sleeves and pants on the berm and take a hot shower right after working there, I have gotten poison ivy from the berm in the past. I try to keep the drain behind the fence cleared with periodic weed wacking and roundup application. I try to avoid the monkey grass and love grass that may grow there. The bed with hydrangeas is new, I have been raking the maple tree leaves directly into that bed to mulch. It is swampy and rooty; the neighbor's evergreen roots have invaded. I tried to garden here but had bad results.
Fig tree: I have loved the fig tree. It provides some deck shade. In August, it can provide gallons of figs per day. However, you need to go pick them before the birds and bees get to them every day in August. Once they get opened up, the flies come too. When they are brown with a little green I will pull them. Any figs that have been pecked or attacked I toss over the back fence. This seems to attract the flies away. Some are pretty high and you may need a step ladder to get to. I will put low-hanging branches in a pot of dirt to root more trees for myself and others. Each year you can cut back some of the more aggressive branches but watch out, fig sap is photo active and can burn your skin badly! We have made fig preserves, fig jam, dried fig, fig wine, etc. My kids sold figs at the farmers market as well.
Garden: I tried keeping some gardens. The raised gardens were good but the pine tree starts to invade with roots. I have used a pick axe to beat it back. Watch out, there are hoses under the dirt for the front irrigation (runs diagonally from fig tree toward HVAC and for the irrigation. The raised beds are getting less and less sunlight and the roof valley will dump a flood on one spot so this garden has not been very productive recently. However, sweet potatoes and ginger this year have taken off. We had good results with lettuce in early spring but the bugs got to them. I try cucumbers and tomatoes each year but have had limited success. In front of the deck on the sunny side, I have had a good bit of success with peppers and tomatoes and some success with squash. The side by the fig tree has gotten pretty bad results recently for tomatoes. I used a daily watering from a multi-zone automatic hose attachment by the crawlspace door. We had success with herbs in the window boxes on the edge of the deck. I had some success with hanging planters as well. Humming birds love us, 4:1 water to sugar. I was considering ripping out the raised beds and using it for a fire pit area but it is a bit close to the house. Maybe expand out into the yard a bit? That area near the fig tree gets swampy when watering the garden area so pea gravel could be a good option.
Lawn: Our dogs have destroyed the lawn at the bottom of the steps in an arc about 20 feet wide. I have tried a lot of stuff but have had little luck. I put a section of new sod down and hopefully that will take? During corona, I spent a lot of time pulling weeds in spring. However, that seemsto be a fool's errand. Some fern like weed has really gotten aggressive in the summer of 2020 in my beds and in the lawn. I usually try to treat the grass with Image 1-2 times in the winter using a hose to distribute. I have heard not to use weed and feed because you have to be perfect with the timing but that may be an option. Around February or March, anything that is green is bad. I have used dry fertilizer on the yard with a hand spreader and I have make my own liquid to spray on (ammonia, dish soap, coke, beer, epsom salt). I think crab grass has gotten established in the front. It may be time just to put down a new set of sod after twenty years. I try to water 3-4 times a week with the Rainbird automatic system. The buttons have gotten finicky and may need replacing. You can get contacts to make if you try 3-4 times. To dial back, set the water economy. Twist to off to stop completely or auto to run. A/B for multi program and Advance to run through the program. I have recently updated a few sprinkler heads that were not rotating. This may mean a few more are due. They are pretty easy to dig up and swap out. Fire ants can be a problem, I will broadcast 2-3 times a year with a focus on the border of the back yard and spot treat as needed. Moles/voles can be a problem so the battery powered noise makers seem to scare them into the neighbor's yard (sorry Jimmy). I will put down grub killer 1-2x per year to minimize food for them. The compost pile is a good way to re use the grass clippings but it needs to be turned periodically to make good compost. I don't put weeds in the compost bin but sometimes will add kitchen organics.
Deck: The Adirondack chairs were copied from some that were in Lake Carolina. The unpainted ones are more recent copies of copies that may not be as accurate. They are made from treated lumber. The deck furniture is starting to lose bearings. I think I have an extra set of swing arms I will try to leave. The fire pit may need another coat of multi-color textured spray paint, it started to flake. It is a bit tricky to get going, the temp sensor needs a while to warm up so you have to keep the light held down for quite a while before it goes on. We added fire glass and a glass cover so it can be used as a table. Lower the umbrellas in a storm; we once had one ripped over the house by wind. The fence can be power washed to look like new, it should be water protect treated periodically as well. The deck was painted a few years back but needs a new coat. The little torch holders were a find from Big Lots and will hold a nice little Tiki torch with citronella. I have had success growing citronella and rosemary on the deck, they help keep bugs away. Tractor supply sells Permetian concentrate, mix it with water into a spray bottle ans spray the deck rail, bricks, back fence to help keep mosquitoes down. I will run a bug spray around the perimeter of the deck and house every couple of months to help minimize palmetto bugs.
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