Home Improvement

Okay, so I've got another fun adventure in home improvement for you. We have a cooktop in our kitchen that is an original install from when the house was new, 1972. I think when we moved in to the house, 1985, 3 of the burners worked on it. About a month ago the second to the last burner gave out on it. Because of its age, they don't make replacement coils for it. Now we have considered replacing it for sometime now, but we didn't want to spend the money, because it was our plan to remodel the kitchen at some point. But I don't see that happening too soon. So it was time to get a replacement.

Well, I could have just replaced it with another coil type cooktop, but I've really been wanting one of those smooth glass top type cooktops. So, I purchased one. Now I had sort of estimated the existing opening in the counter, and checked the required cutout specification on the new cooktop and knew up front it was going to be a tight fit. But hey what's a few eights of an inch anyway?

Removing the old top, no problem. Clean off the built up grease that had gotten under the old cooktop. Oh but what about that electrical? I'm a DIYer on electrical, but I don't understand what kind of code they had back in the 70s. I mean they've got 2 red wires, was it too hard to make one red and one black? The new cooktop has one red and one black wire? Does it really matter which one is connected to which red wire in the wall? Well the old top also had one red and one black wire so I do keep them straight for when I hook up the new one.

Now it is time to check to see how bad the fit is for the new top. The sides are pretty good, except for the bottom board is sticking out a bit, but nothing a little sawing can't remove. Big problem on the back to front fit. I need to take out about 1/4 inch of material to make it fit. That means removing tile, mortar, and base board. Here's how it goes...use a chisel and hammer to knock out the mortar under the tile, use tile nippers to remove the bits of tile, and hole saw to cut the base board.

Thankfully Mrs. Luzr was out of the house all day, cause boy did I make a mess. :) A few hours later and lots of work, the new top is in. Tried to get most of the mess cleaned up, but still finding dust in places I did think it got in to. It looks great, and is nice to have a fully functioning cooktop again.