Verizon Fios truck. File photo/Bklyner

Over the past month, internet access has helped New Yorkers maintain a vague semblance of the life we had before we were forced to huddle indefinitely in our own homes, together in our aloneness. Virtual dinner parties and Seders and Skype chats with friends and family have made things feel just the slightest bit less weird, and platforms like Zoom and Google Hangouts allow employees to check in with their teams while they work from home. Internet can also be a lifeline for some, allowing people to search for food pantries and coronavirus testing facilities.

Charter is currently offering 60 days of free Spectrum Wi-Fi and broadband access to households with children in K-12 and/or college without an existing broadband subscription. While the company originally denied this service to families with unpaid bills, The City reported, theyve since agreed to waive the bills for New York City families. Optimum, which has also begun offering free service for families with students, has also agreed to waive the bills.

Providers like Verizon have made life difficult for their customers in other ways. Pawel Dlugosz, a former Brooklyn resident whose parents, Jan and Dorota, still live in Greenpoint, said that his parents are living without internet indefinitely due to a mistake on the part of their provider, Verizon Fios.

The company had scheduled a technician to install internet in his parents new apartment, two floors down from the unit where they were previously living. In anticipation of internet being installed in the new apartment, Dlugosz said, the company shut off internet in the old unit a day before the installation was slated to take place, without any notice. Then, they cancelled the appointment with little other than a cursory text message, leaving Jan and Dorota without the ability to email, Skype, or FaceTime their family members, including Dlugosz, who lives in Oakland. The couple were also sharing the account with their neighbors, both of whom work in government, and who rely on internet access for their jobs.

When Dlugosz pursued an explanation for the cancellation, he was told by Verizon that all in-person appointments had been cancelled due to COVID-19. When he asked them to simply turn the internet back on, they informed him that this was impossible because his parents equipment was outdated.

The situation was further compounded by Verizons failure to properly communicate with Dlugosz and his parents, Dlugosz said. Not only did they turn off the internet in the third floor apartment without warning, but they failed to acknowledge the mistake, keeping Dlugosz waiting on the phone for nearly six hours as he attempted to connect with a customer service representative.

Verizon has yet to provide Dlugosz and his parents with any kind of concrete solution, which he finds baffling. How can a major tech corporation not have a contingency plan? he said. All he wants is for Verizon to take ownership of their mistake, and to offer a solution. Theyre just like washing their hands of responsibility, Dlugosz said. The best Verizon has done, he said, is to offer to waive the $99 installation fee when they finally do send technicians out. Dlugosz would prefer that his parents just have their internet turned back on, he said. Self-installation is not an option for his parents, he said, who are not especially tech-savvy and speak limited English.

I just think that depriving internet access to people in their mid-60s for three weeks is just an insane thing, Dlugosz said, referring to the amount of time Verizon told him it may take to begin sending out technicians.

Aviva Sokolow-Shahar, a Park Slope resident who will be moving to Ditmas Park with her husband next week, doesnt expect to have internet anytime soon, either. When she asked Verizon when they could send a technician to install internet in her new apartment, she was told the company wouldnt be sending any technicians out for the foreseeable future. The alternative, self-installation, isnt a possibility in the new apartment, even though the couple are already Verizon customers.

Its a big issue as my husband is a teacher who has to do live classes every day, and we live in a time when its basically impossible to do anything without internet, said Sokolow-Shahar.

Verizon sent the couple a stand-in date for November 2020, and told Sokolow-Shahar that they would be on a priority list when they eventually start sending technicians out. For now, though, Sokolow feels like shes out of options. We dont have a viable solution at the moment, she said.

For Clinton Hill/Bed-Stuy resident Stefanie Lewin, interacting with Verizon was a nightmare. She and her partner moved to the neighborhood from Greenpoint on March 21st, and were scheduled to have their internet installed on March 23rd. Verizon proceeded to cancel and reschedule the appointment multiple times via automated text message, Lewin said, without providing any information or recourse. The couple spent hours trying to reach a representative who could tell them how long they would need to wait for a technician to come, she said. Eventually, after more than two weeks of waiting, they gave up.

The lack of internet made working from home extremely challenging for Lewin and her partner, both of whom work for nonprofits, and they were only able to get their internet back when they switched over to Optimum.

Were not halting all service and repair work, said David Weissman, Communications Manager for Verizon, in an email to Bklyner. To reduce the spread of COVID-19 and keep our employees and customers safe, we are making every attempt to perform work without going into homes or small businesses and are limiting installs.

Weissman did not respond to our follow-up question of why, if Verizon was not halting all service and repair work, customers were having their appointments cancelled without warning, and were not given the ability to reschedule.

Charter also claims to be continuing service visits. Our technicians continue to make select service calls to keep our customers and critical service providers connected during the pandemic, Director of Communications for Charter, John Bonomo, informed us through email. Bonomo noted, however, that technicians first attempt to resolve the issue online or over the phone.

Jenn Flores R, a North Brooklyn Resident, had a fairly smooth experience doing self-installation with Spectrum in the midst of the pandemic. They sent a self install kit and were pretty helpful over the phone when I had issues later after installing, Flores R told us over Facebook. Self install kit was pretty self explanatory and convenient.

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During COVID-19, Internet is a Blessing - Unless You Need Verizon - BKLYNER

The house sits at the edge of the Northmoor Country Club, with views to the golf course (the owners first spotted it while golfing), about 25 miles north of downtown Chicago. It is about a mile and a half southeast of Highland Parks business district. Ravinia, the site of an annual music festival and the summer home of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, is less than a mile away and has its own commuter rail station.

Size: 4,989 square feet

Price per square foot: $300

Indoors: The architects signature use of brick extends to the floors of the foyer and throughout most of the main level. It covers the large great room, with its two walls of glass and gray (formerly dark brown) ceiling. The sellers installed skylights that were part of the original design, added 16 feet of open steel shelving along one wall and sheathed the brick fireplace in stainless steel plate to lighten the room.

The kitchen was professionally remodeled with white cabinets, smoothly integrated storage (a coffee bar sits behind one wall panel) and stainless steel surfaces and appliances, including a Wolf range. Pocket doors close off the space from the dining room, as needed.

The owners added a wall of shelving to the master bedroom, as well as motorized drapes covering the floor-to-ceiling glass doors opening to a patio and a screened porch. The en suite bathroom was converted from a bedroom and includes two walk-in closets, two vanities, a walk-in shower, a soaking tub overlooking a Zen garden and shower, and a separate toilet room.

One of two main-level guest rooms was turned into an office. Off it is a guest bathroom with a trough sink and a paneled wall that opens to reveal a shower. A closet has been turned into a 400-bottle wine-storage room. The second guest room on this floor is used as a gym; it has hardwood floors, a mirrored wall and a wall of glass opening to the front yard.

The raised basement level has two guest bedrooms and two full bathrooms. Both bedrooms overlook the side yard and one has a private bathroom. The second has pocket doors opening to a tandem room. There is also a laundry room and a walk-in cedar closet, as well as storage and mechanicals rooms.

Outdoor space: The screened porch runs for 31 feet alongside the great room. The exterior rear patio is 56 by 15 feet. Parking is in the original carport next to the main house. The sellers installed snow-melting pavement between the two.

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$1.5 Million Homes in Florida, Illinois and California - The New York Times

SPONSORED byFBC Mortgage: This two-bedroom, one-bath bungalow is located at 1623 Canton Street [GMap] in Colonialtown North and is a quick bike ride away from Mills 50 and Audubon Park bars and restaurants.

The 1,182 SF home sits on a corner lot and features original hardwood floors, a gas fireplace, and original classic molding.

The kitchen has a gas stove island, stainless steel appliances, a laundry closet with exterior access to the back porch and garden, and more.

The master is privately located in the rear of the home with double French doors that lead to the back porch and the recently renovated bathroom features tile flooring, new subway tile, and a newly installed vanity.

The asking price is $309,00.

Click HERE for more information and photos or to arrange a tour, or contact Lisa Morgan, Mainframe Real Estate, at 407-738-9784 or [emailprotected]

All photos by Gil Levy, Framed Listings.Instagram @framedlistings

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House of the Day: Colonialtown 1930s bungalow asking $309000 - Bungalower

New Jersey needs more space to house and treat patients diagnosed with COVID-19.

As part of his push to ensure those spaces exist, Gov. Phil Murphy directed operators of longterm care facilities to make arrangements to accommodate residents with the coronavirus by creating separate, isolated units were these patients can recover without endangering non-COVID residents.

In less than two weeks, the staff at one South Jersey continuing care community managed to convert a former patient wing that hadnt housed patients in years into a dedicated COVID-19 unit.

Friends Village at Woodstown welcomed its first coronavirus patients to the isolated unit on Wednesday, just 13 days after the renovation project began.

A lot came together in a very short time, acknowledged Gary Morris, director of marketing at Friends Village.

Friends is a retirement community in Salem County that provides all levels of care for seniors, from independent living to assisted living and long-term services on a 30-acre campus.

Workers renovate an old unit at Friends Village at Woodstown to prepare for COVID-19 patients.

This expansion is not intended to take hospital overflow cases, as is being done in a few other nursing homes statewide.

Patients treated here, including current Friends Village residents, will be those discharged from hospitals who are still COVID positive but over their window of worry, so to speak, Morris said. We would get them back up and running.

The new unit can include eight to 12 beds, but that figure is a moving target, Morris said.

Over the years, Friends Village has expanded into different areas of independent living, Morris explained, and new cottages and apartments have been built across the campus. The renovated wing was a residential area decades ago, but hasnt seen patients in about 17 years. Until last month, it was used for storage.

Friends Village knew it had to prepare for the coronavirus and quickly formed a plan to reactivate the area, which needed plenty of renovations.

We looked at that hallway and said we can make it happen, Morris said.

They discussed the idea in late March and had approval from the state Department of Health by April 2. They had bids for roof work that night.

Renovations to the wing included installing an entirely new roof to replace the leaky old one, installing new plumbing and bathroom fixtures, replacing carpeting with vinyl flooring, installing phone lines and WiFi, and giving the whole place a fresh coat of paint. Each single-patient room comes complete with a TV.

The unit is completely blocked off from the rest of the facility, with a separate exterior entrance and a separate drop-off area for ambulances.

We completely rerouted ambulance traffic on campus, Morris said. We tried to manage the flow so we know exactly where every positive patient would be on campus, even from arrival by ambulance.

The units staff of about 20, including three shifts of nurses, aides, physical therapists and maintenance, work in this unit only.

In addition to contractors, the facilitys maintenance staff worked 18-hour days to pull this project together, while other members of the staff pitched in.

It was all hands on deck, Morris said. Personally, I was laying on the floor hooking up hospital beds. The only way to make it happen was to put your titles and roles away. We were just doing everything.

LeeAnne McCauley, director of nursing at Friends Village, posted a message to Facebook praising the teamwork that made this project possible.

Today is my 13th straight at work with most of those days averaging 14+ hours, she wrote. And there are other people who have put even more time in than that. The teamwork that pulled this off is nothing short of spectacular.

Ambulances will be directed to a special drop-off point for COVID-19 patients arriving at the new coronavirus unit opened at Friends Village at Woodstown.

Matt Gray may be reached at mgray@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MattGraySJT. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

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It sat empty for 17 years. In 13 days they built new wing for coronavirus patients. - NJ.com

Researchers from the West Pomeranian University of Technology (ZUT) in Poland have produced a study on the automation of 3D printing construction, while also investigating methods of improving the process in regards to the rheological properties of the concrete mix.

Specifically, the study details the application of additive manufacturing technology in the fabrication of a building wall model, in which the door opening was finished with an automated lintel installation.A lintel is a beam placed across openings in buildings like doors, windows etc. to support the load from the structure above.

The objective of the study was to improve the low capacity of 3D printed concrete mixes to transfer loads, which can be particularly troublesome in cases of external components that need to be placed on top such as precast lintels or floor beams during 3D printing construction processes.

Such an investigation, according to the researchers, can prove beneficial in designing larger civil structures using concrete 3D printing technology.

The advantages of construction 3D printing

The study sets out by explaining that developments in construction technology have been focused on speeding up the construction of buildings and structures through automation. A technology at the forefront of this development is additive manufacturing using concrete mixes, which allows the building up of a structure by extruding a concrete mix layer by layer.

Considering that the formwork can constitute to 3554% of total costs of raising concrete structure. The application of additive manufacturing brings measurable profits. Not only does it allow production of structures without the formwork, but it also reduces total production time, costs and labor. The technology also increases the safety of workers on the construction site, produces less waste and uses raw materials with low embodied energy, explain the authors of the study.

Indeed, recently the field of construction 3D printing has seen a number of initiatives and projects unfold which enabled the building of large structures in a short amount of time compared to traditional construction processes. For example SQ4D, an offshoot of the New York-based S-Squared 3D Printers (SQ3D), recently completed construction of a new building, in what it claims is the largest permitted 3D printed home in the world. Spanning 1900 square feet, construction of the 3D printed home reportedly took place over an eight-day period, with a total of 48 hours in print time.

New Story, a non-profit organization fighting homelessness and ICON, a Texas-based construction technologies company, have also begun an initiative seeking to create the worlds first 3D printed community of concrete homes. First announced in 2018, the 3D printed homes are intended to provide low-cost housing for low-income communities in Latin America that adapt to their day-to-day lives. Thus far two houses have now been 3D printed by ICON and New Story in Tabasco; each was completed in around 24 hours of print time and measures 500 sq ft. 3D printing was identified by New Story as a way to provide homes for these families at a faster pace.

Rheological properties of concrete in construction 3D printing

Discussing the additive manufacturing of structures, the ZUT researchers explain in their research the importance of ensuring a correlation between the increase of the load caused by additional printed layers, and the growth of the strength of layers already placed during the process of curing. Explaining further, the authors write: From this point of view, it is important to determine the appropriate extrusion speed, which makes it possible to obtain sufficient strength for each layer by the time the printing head returns to its home position, the layer needs to withstand the load imposed by layer deposited on top. As such, a central challenge in 3D printing is to obtain a mix with desired rheological properties, in order to ensure a proper printing process.

The purpose of the study is to therefore present the additive manufacturing of a scaled down wall model with a door opening, including the automated installation of a lintel. Specifically, the research adjusts the wall design and printing process to account for the rheological and mechanical properties of the fresh concrete, as well as the process of the automated lintel installation.

3D printing set-up. Photo via Materials 2020.The researchers aim to demonstrate that the automated process can be designed with high accuracy, as confirmed by simulation. They constructed the wall at a specially designed site, consisting of a 3D robot connected to a pumping module. The 3D printer and printing head motions were controlled by a G-code, whereas the mix was prepared in a laboratory mixer and transferred to the pump unit, from where it was delivered to the printing head hopper through a hose.

As part of the experiment, a special gripper was built in order to automatically transfer the lintel and install it on the wall in the determined position. The lintel placement via the gripper took place as the 3D printing robot was running, with the printing process recommencing as soon as they were completed. The concrete mix used in the experiments was designed on the basis of ensuring its optimal rheological properties for the 3D printing process. It had a 0.23 water-cement ratio and a density of 2168 kg/m.

After successfully 3D printing the scale model wall, the researchers were able to confirm the possibility of automating the wall construction process in additive manufacturing with the installation of a lintel with a special gripper. It was also proven that the printer can be used for placing precast elements during the whole process of printing. Significantly, the researchers also confirmed that the rheological properties of fresh concrete are of higher significance in 3D printing construction, than in the case of conventional concrete construction, due to the specific process characteristics involved.

Concluding the paper, the researchers state There are currently several experimental projects being carried out at different research centers, investigating the desired mechanical and rheological properties of concrete mixes and their behavior during the printing process. Further research concerning mix properties and 3D printing strategies will result in the development of design and construction procedures, which will ensure the required level of printed construction structural safety.

The paper, Automation in the Construction of a 3D-Printed Concrete Wall with the Use of a Lintel Gripper, is written by Marcin Hoffmann, Szymon Skibicki, Pawe Pankratow, Adam Zieliski, Mirosaw Pajor and Mateusz Techman. It is published in the journal Materials.

The nominations for the 2020 3D Printing Industry Awards are now open. Who do you think should make the shortlists for this years show? Have your say now.

Subscribe to the 3D Printing Industry newsletter for the latest news in additive manufacturing. You can also stay connected by following us on Twitter and liking us on Facebook.

Looking for a career in additive manufacturing? Visit 3D Printing Jobs for a selection of roles in the industry.

Featured image shows the steps for printing a wall with a lintel. Photo via Materials 2020.

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Polish researchers explore automation for 3D printed building - 3D Printing Industry

Hardwood floor installation can take anywhere from a few days to more than two weeks, depending on demolition, wood type, the condition of your subfloor, total square footage of the project, and installation method. Demolition is necessary if you have existing flooring you want to replace with hardwood floors. New-construction homes do not require this step, as the subfloor is primed and ready for floor installation. During demolition, the flooring crew may find that your subfloor has damaged wood, uneven surfaces or other problems that must be addressed before the new wood can be laid down. Crews may charge on an hourly rate for subfloor repair, and the work can take a few hours to several days, depending on whats hiding underneath your floor. The wood for your new floor generally arrives a few days before any work begins. This allows the wood to acclimate to the relative humidity in your house, which prevents it from shrinking or expanding after installation and causing gaps or buckling. The actual wood installation may take several days or more, depending on the size of your home and what type of custom cutting and designs are desired. If your flooring is not prefinished, the unfinished wood must then be sanded and stained in the home to treat and protect your new investment. Typically, stain takes a full day to dry, and multiple coats are applied. Baseboards and trim must also be installed. With all these variables at play, you can see why its important for a wood installation pro to provide an estimate only after seeing your home.

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The 10 Best Hardwood Floor Installers in Jacksonville, FL 2020

Dana Sparks @danamsparks

MondayMar16,2020at6:04AM

Volunteer coaches for KIDSPORTS programs left their mark on the new Civic Park facility under construction in south Eugene.

The coaches signed the cement foundations last week where the foundation of the facilitys ground floor courts wood flooring will be installed next month. It served to honor the volunteer coaches and their efforts in making local programs possible.

The ground floor of the facility, off Amazon Parkway between East 19th and East 24th avenues, hosts four middle school-size basketball courts which can convert to two NCAA-size courts and be used for volleyball, pickleball, badminton, wrestling, futsal and more, according to a news release from Eugene Civic Alliance.

Between now and the June 6 grand opening, a variety of projects must be completed: finishing the field house interiors, laying the gym floors, landscape work, final paving, finishing construction of the ticket booth, setting up bleacher seating and other projects, according to Carly Demanett, Eugene Civic Alliance media and communications director.

Phase one construction costs equal $30 million with $5.5 million still left to raise. The project remains on schedule.

Eugene Civic Alliance anticipates having the keys in hand by May 21.

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Volunteer coaches leave their mark on new KIDSPORTS facility - The Register-Guard

The shadows are about to lengthen across suburbia. Property owners are to be granted new rights to install extra storeys on housing blocks without planning permission in a government push to boost homeownership that appears likely to provoke furious neighbourhood debates.

The scheme, which will begin this summer, is expected to transform the skyline of residential areas as owners are allowed to build upwards by two storeys without their designs being policed by planners.

Critics say the new right, announced on Thursday by the housing secretary, Robert Jenrick, as a bold and creative measure, risks a new generation of substandard homes and raising tensions between neighbours.

Building upwards currently requires planning consent, which involves checks on how well designs fit with nearby homes and the potential overshadowing of neighbours properties.

The new right will deliver new and bigger homes and increase density in line with local character and make the most of local infrastructure, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government said.

It will apply to purpose-built blocks of flats rather than individual houses, a ministry official said.

Max Titchmarsh, a London-based architect who has researched ways to add housing above commercial buildings, said it could be a total car crash.

Developers wont need to make the units compliant with the national planning policy framework and you will get undersized homes, he said. There will be no screening for quality.

The Labour MP Helen Hayes said it would be a repeat of the unmitigated disaster for many communities that was the result, in her view, of a similar permitted development right to turn office blocks into homes.

The job of planning is to balance competing concerns and make sure outcomes reflect the common good, she said, warning a building free-for-all could cause tensions.

Jenrick announced the scheme as part of a suite of measures aimed at solving the housing crisis, which included a consultation on allowing developers to demolish vacant commercial and residential blocks and replace them with housing without planning consent.

'The housing delivery system is broken, not the planning system'

He also announced early plans for a new town near Cambridge as part of scheme for four large new housing developments in an arc between Oxford and Cambridge, a long-planned development corridor.

District councils voiced significant concerns that the new permitted development right for building upwards would allow developers to avoid paying what they owe for local infrastructure and for local affordable homes.

Mark Crane, the District Councils Network lead member for stronger economies, said: Districts continue to grant nine in 10 planning permissions, while tens of thousands of homes with planning permission remain unbuilt the housing delivery system is broken, not the planning system.

David Renard, planning spokesman for the Local Government Association, said the government should not take away more of the powers councils and communities need over planning.

He said the planning system protected communities so they can ensure new developments are environmentally friendly, safe, supported by the right infrastructure and include affordable homes.

The ministry said it would also introduce a renters reform bill that would abolish landlords right to evict tenants on a no fault basis, and promised a much-delayed social housing white paper, previously promised after the Grenfell Tower disaster to ensure that residents in social homes are treated with dignity and respect.

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Flat block owners to get right to add floors with no permission needed - The Guardian

SAINT PETERSBURG, Fla. This weekend, many of us will be celebrating St. Patrick's Day with lots of green, but you can save lots of green on new flooring, too. Freshen up your home with free installation on new floors from 50Floor through the month of March. Take advantage of this deal for as many rooms as you choose. It all starts with a free, no pressure, in-home design consultation, where the experts will bring samples to you so you can make sure you make the best decision for your space. On installation day, let 50Floor do all of the work for you quickly, professionally and efficiently. They can get the job done in as little as one day. For more information, go to 50floor.com or call 877-50Floor. Mention 'Great Day' for an extra $100 off your order.

Tune into Great Day Live weekdays from 9 to 10 a.m. on WTSP-TV.

Hosts Kendall Kirkham and Java Ingram bring you the latest in what everyones talking about, from trending stories, lifestyle and entertainment news, buzz-worthy, pop culture moments, and all things fun and exciting happening around Tampa Bay.

Whether its people making a difference, talented artists and musicians, delicious food, fun activities to do and make with the family, lovable animals, entertaining events and big names coming to town, weve got you covered. We hope to bring you a wealth of information to live your best life and start your morning right!

Like us on Facebook at @greatdaylivetampabay or on Instagram at @greatdaylivetampabay.

If you have an interesting segment idea, send an email to mrancourt@wtsp.com

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Save lots of green on new floors - WTSP.com

Infloor heating retrofit

Question: Will a combination of infloor heating and hot water radiators work well together? I really dont like the noise and dust kicked up by our forced air furnace, and I want to have warmer feet. My plan is to install infloor heating under the first floor (installed in the basement between floor joists), but with radiators in the second floor because I cant get to the underside of that floor to install hot water pipes. Will this combination work?

Answer: Yes, I know for sure it will because I installed a system like this in my own home. Theres infloor heating in the ceiling of the unfinished basement to heat the first floor, and antique cast iron radiators also on the first floor, plus the second and third floors. As I was installing all this, I got the infloor heating working first, before any radiators were in place. I discovered that infloor heating alone was not sufficient to heat even the first floor properly when outdoor temperatures got down below freezing. The heat had to travel up through a 5/8-inch thick plywood subfloor with 3/4-inch thick pine on top. All I can figure is that this much wood didnt allow enough heat transfer to keep things warm when it true Canadian cold hit. Thats a lot of wood for heat to move through, hence the marginal heating performance. These days our house is nice and warm no matter what the weather, with 23C in every nook and cranny. The thing that made the difference was installing radiators everywhere in the house, including the first floor. In practice the infloor heating keeps the floor warm to the feet, but the radiators do the bulk of the space heating. I installed a thermostat system that directs heat to the floor pipes, while also directing hot water to radiators. I have it set to deliver about 75 per cent of overall heating energy via the radiators, with the rest going to the floor. The control system I chose is made by a Canadian company called Tekmar and its fabulous. We have an outdoor wood boiler, and the control system keeps room temperatures to within 0.5C of the set point all the time.

Q: Whats the easiest way to build a walk-in root cellar? Ive always wanted one. When I was a child on our farm in the 1960s my father would bury potatoes in the garden to keep over winter. We also buried cabbage. I remember how sweet the potatoes were when we dug them out in the spring. I want these experiences again, but with a root cellar.

A: Root cellars are all about preserving fruits and vegetables naturally for months, all without refrigeration. One of the easiest ways to create a large-walk-in root cellar is by starting with a concrete septic tank (unused, of course). You take out the dividing wall (if the tank has one), cut a doorway in one end, then bury the tank in a bank of earth. Waterproof the top of the tank, install a couple of vents, then set up shelves and store produce next fall. Find a concrete septic tank manufacturer, then see if they have any that didnt come out of the molds properly. A tank thats defective for actual septic use will probably be fine for a root cellar.

Besides being much faster to build than a piece-by-piece approach using concrete blocks or stone, the advantage of a septic tank is that the structure is much stronger and completely waterproof. You never have to worry about ground water making its way into your cellar. Download a free guide on how to build a septic tank root cellar at BaileyLineRoad.com/root-cellar-plans.

Steve Maxwell is always looking to balance efficiency with authenticity on his Manitoulin Island, Ontario homestead. Visit Steve online at BaileyLineRoad.com for how-to articles and videos.

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STEVE MAXWELL: Infloor heating retrofit and septic tank root cellars - SaltWire Network