HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: ostroff@Oswego.EDU (Boyd Ostroff)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Re: High Eff Furnace Question
Date: 14 Oct 92 20:07:01 GMT
Article-I.D.: oswego.1992Oct14.200701.14264
Reply-To: ostroff@oswego.Oswego.EDU (Boyd Ostroff)
Distribution: na
Organization: Instructional Computing Center, SUNY at Oswego, Oswego, NY

In article <1992Oct13.135151.431@sdc.com> kenk@sdc.com (Ken Konecki) writes:
>In article <BvvEB0.284@visix.com> ken@visix.com writes:
> The time to recoup the price of a more efficient furnace would be
>about the expected lifespan of the furnace.

Of course you need a crystal ball to make this statement with confidence.
What will happen to fuel prices over the next 10 years?  

The basic fuel cost savings are quite simple however.  Let's say your 
current average fuel cost is $1000 per season and your old clunker of a 
furnace is 60% efficient.  An 80% AFUE furnace would cost 60/80 * 1000 = $750 
per year to operate.  A 90% unit would cost 60/90 * 1000 = $667 per year.  
This assumes that the cost of fuel does not increase.  The more the fuel 
cost rises, the more you save.  Also consider that the more efficient furnace 
wastes less energy which is environmentally sound and benefits everyone.

>Brands to avoid are those that use very specific parts for their furnaces
>and then discontinue manufacturing the furnace and its parts. 

How would one know which brands won't make replacement parts 10 years from
now?  I suppose finding a brand with a large installed base would help,
but considering the number of companies going under these days....

See if you can get a 10 year parts and labor warranty.  This was available
from my installer (the gas company) when I purchased a Ruud 90+ furnace last
year and it only cost about $200.

.............................................................................
....Boyd Ostroff / Technical Director / SUNY Oswego Department of Theatre....
...............Voice: (315) 341-2987 /  Fax: (315) 341-3394..................
..............ostroff@oswego.oswego.edu / ostroff@cboard.UUCP................
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: drevik@utkvx2.utk.edu (Drevik, Steve)
Subject: Re: Help for a 1st-timer?...
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41    
Organization: University of Tennessee Computing Center
Date: Sat, 10 Oct 1992 03:34:00 GMT

Sounds like you're fairly well informed so far.  The only things
I would add:

(1)  Insulation - the more the better.  Find some recommendations
for your area of the country, find the highest of those and go with
that.  Maybe move up to R-12 in walls, R-30 in ceiling.  There's nothing
more annoying than high electric bills every month in a NEW house.

(2)  Avoid the balloon ARM.  The fixed rates will end up being
a half point higher after the 4th year, but if you plan to keep
the house more than four years OR if the mortgage is transferrable
(FHA or check with bank), then a house with an 8% mortgage is 
VERY marketable when interest rates climb back up to 11.5%!!

(3)  Electrical: GFI circuits in garage, kitchen, bathrooms (this
may be code for your area).

(4) Plumbing: have as much of your hot water pipe insulated as
possible.  Check the neighborhood to see if it has decent water
pressure (probably not a problem in your area).

(5) Construction techniques.  Important thing- prevent a
squeaky floor!  Squeaky floors are generally caused when
a nail goes partly through a joist, but the end of the nail sticks
out.  Give it a few years, it will squeak.  Most builders will
use construction glue (good stuff) and nails.  Make sure he
uses glue, and if he won't screw it down, go buy some deck
screws and a driver bit for your drill and do it yourself some
Saturday afternoon.  I did, and I'm very happy that I did it.

When you walk through, check the paint job very carefully.  Bring
a flashlight, even during the day.  Have your spouse or a friend
check behind you, too.  Most common walk-through complaint.

RE: Carpet.  Most installers put down a "4-pound" pad underneath.
Check into the cost to upgrade to 6 lbs or more... your carpet
will last longer, an the price difference is nothing ($100 to $200).

A good way to check up on your builder: almost all areas have
a local National Assoc. of Homebuilders (NAHB) office.  Call
them up, see if your builder is a member.  If so, you can
also inquire if there are any pending complaints against him
filed with the NAHB.  

That's about all I can think of.  Good luck!
-s

Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: eliot@chutney.rtp.dg.com (Topher Eliot)
Subject: Re: High Efficient Furnace Question
Date: Thu, 8 Oct 92 20:11:20 GMT
Reply-To: eliot@dg-rtp.dg.com
Organization: Data General Corporation, Research Triangle Park, NC

In article <BvroMC.1C4@fc.sde.hp.com>, gt@fc.sde.hp.com (George Tatge) writes:
|> Dominic Nguyen 4-6604 MRCE (nguyen@mr.med.ge.com) wrote:
|> : Could some one give me some comments on these high efficient furnaces:
|> : 	1. Bryant
|> : 	2. Carrier
|> : 	3. Lennox
|> : I need one that is about 92% efficiency and at about 100,000 Btu.
|> 
|> I have a new Lennnox Pulse (93%).  It's great except for two things:

|> 2. Condensation- You need a way to get rid of the condensation from
|> the combusion chamber.
I think it's pretty safe to say that the difference between 80% and 90% is
that condensation of the vapor produced during combustion.  However, even
my old 80% got some condensation in the 'chimney' (a 3" plastic pipe) that
of course drained back towards the furnace and had to be disposed of.  In
my case I just had a tube running to a drain, so it wasn't a problem.
Bottom line:  condensation is not exclusive to Lennox.  You'll have it for
sure in any 90% furnace, and quite likely in any 80%.

-- 
Topher Eliot             Data General DG/UX Systems Administration Development
(919) 248-6371                                             eliot@dg-rtp.dg.com
Obviously, I speak for myself, not for DG.
misc.consumers.house archivist.  Send mail to house-archive@dg-rtp.dg.com
"To arms, to arms!  The redcoats are coming!
One arm, one arm, the fatcoats are coming!"	-- Tommy, age 4.
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: sellis@qualcom.qualcomm.com (Stacy Ellis)
Subject: Re: why don't we live in prefab concrete houses?
Organization: Qualcomm, Inc., San Diego, CA
Date: Tue, 13 Oct 1992 15:11:27 GMT

Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house,tx.general
From: shaver@convex.com (Dave Shaver)
Subject: Re: Book on Texas lawns?
Date: Wed, 14 Oct 1992 14:17:28 GMT
Distribution: tx
Organization: CONVEX Computer Corp, MPP System Software, Richardson, TX
X-Disclaimer: This message was written by a user at CONVEX Computer
              Corp. The opinions expressed are those of the user and
              not necessarily those of CONVEX.

ponder@oakhill.sps.mot.com (Carl Ponder) writes:
>Can anyone recommend a book on lawn
>care, specific to Texas?

Take a look at these.

	"Texas Lawn Care" by Dr. Koop.  In this ~60 page book, Dr. Koop
	introduces the lawngrasses that grow in Texas and how to care
	for them.  The pictures in the book are quite amateurish, but
	the technical lawngrass information he provides is top notch.

	"Texas Gardening" (or something close to this) by Neil Sperry.
	This is the all time classic reference for just about any
	Texas-related gardening or landscaping question you might
	have.  He has a chapter on lawns, but the technical information
	is not as complete as in Dr. Koop's book.  About 300 pages or
	so.  Tons of great pictures.  Lots of wonderful information on
	trees, shrubs, flowers, etc.  Make sure you get the new
	addition.

/\  Dave Shaver
\\  CONVEX Computer Corporation, Richardson, TX
\/  Internet: shaver@convex.com    UUCP:  uunet!convex!shaver
From: bkottmann@falcon.aamrl.wpafb.af.mil (Brett Kottmann)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Prices on those bathroom jobs?
Date: 7 Oct 92 13:41:56 EST
Organization: Logicon Technical Services, Inc.

	Everyone who has been posting bathroom remodling stories...how about
some prices?!

	The wood around the tub is rotten (recently purchased house :), so I'm
thinking about ripping out the tub (it's too small, and too high off the floor)
and knocking out the closet, then putting in a larger tub.  I'd like to see
what other remodling jobs have cost before I start getting quotes on the job.

	I'll probably end up doing a lot of the work myself, with the help of
the local home improvement stores :).

	Thanx for your help.

Brett--------------------------------------------------------------------------
	"Why the courts don't tell a husband who has been living off his wife
to go out and get a job is beyond my comprehension."--Joan Lunden
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: andre@king.slc.mentorg.com (Andre' Hut)
Subject: Re: The programmable thermostat jungle...
Organization: /net/king/usr1/andre/.organization
Distribution: usa
Date: 7 Oct 92 09:55:04

In article <ld3vp9INN5a9@exodus.Eng.Sun.COM> srivatsa@karna.Eng.Sun.COM (Chakra Srivatsa) writes:
   >In article 92Oct2144703@king.slc.mentorg.com, andre@king.slc.mentorg.com (Andre' Hut) writes:

   >About Honeywell MagicStat MS3000:

   >>I saw this model at HomeBase (warehouse hardware store in the West).  I
   >>couldn't tell if this unit has a clock, or anyway to set it if there is.  Jim, can
   >>you tell us how it is programmed, and if it has a clock?  
   >>--

   >Yes, it has a clock which you can set at 10 minute increments.
   >(But you can program only 1/2 hour chunks).

   >There are 2 buttons - fast and slow, to move to the time you want.
   >Fast moves by 4 hour increments.  Slow moves it by 1/2 hour.  Tapping
   >the buttons moves the time backward.  Move to the time you want, set the
   >temp, and move on to the next time.  It's pretty easy, except it's
   >a slight hassle to reprogram - for e.g. all weekday morning on times from 7:00
   >to 6:30.  At power on, the first day's program is automatically entered
   >into all 7 days so you don't have to tap in all 7 days worth of programs.

   >6 changes/day, which I think is adequate (4 is NOT adequate).

   >Funny someone should mention it, I sometimes think that its temperature
   >reading is on the high side.  But I verified it with another thermometer,
   >and it looks fine.

   >I would recommend it too.

I that case, I think I will purchase one.  I have been looking for a thermostat that
allows a temperature range to be programmed, with automatic switching between
cool and heat.  Where I live (Utah), the nights can be cold and the days hot during
the spring and autumn, making the normal programmable thermostat virtually
useless.

My first programmable thermostat was a model with no clock, and you had to
program it in "real" time.  That is to say that it took a week to program it, and
if you wanted the heat to come on at 5, you had to get up at that time during
the program period to set it.  Then, invariably it's internal clock would get off,
and you would have to go through the entire process over again *BOGUS*.

--
-------------------------------------------------------------------
My opinions are solely my own, and do not necessarily reflect those
of my employer.

Andre' Hut       andre@slc.mentorg.com  or  utah-cs!caeco!andre
Mentor Graphics, Suite 300, 5295 South 300 West, Murray, Utah 84107
-------------------------------------------------------------------
From: games@max.u.washington.edu
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Re: Tree Climbing
Date: 9 Oct 92 18:12:19 GMT
Article-I.D.: max.1992Oct9.111219.1

> In article <1as0snINNpc9@sixgun.East.Sun.COM> egreen@east.sun.com writes:
>Where can I get those spikes you strap on your boots, to climb
>telephone poles and pine trees?  Is there a mail-order supply for
>lumberjack type stuff?  I haven't been able to find anything local, but
>if somebody can point me to a place in the Raleigh/Durham area, I'd
>appreciate it.
>

Try a commercial electrical wholesale place.  Or look in the yellow pages
for KLEIN tools.  They sell a full set of linesmans gear.  Or call the local
utility company, and get the shop, and ask them where they buy thier stuff.
Or if there is logging in the area, call a logging company, or a rigging
company (the guys that sell steel cable, and spansets, and shackles the
size of your head.)

		John Stevens-Schlick
From: plucas+@andrew.cmu.edu (Peter Lucas)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Ceiling ducts in basement?
Date: 7 Oct 92 17:48:30 GMT
Article-I.D.: andrew.IeotBiO00WB8EJu2sm
Organization: H&SS Dean's Office, Carnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh, PA

As the stud walls go up in my basement project, I am starting to contemplate
the mechanicals:  Today's question:
There are existing HVAC ducts in the ceiling at several points around the
soon-to-be-finished space. I may have to add one or two as I divide the space
but they are basically adequate.  I intend to add returns to each room
near the floor.  The question is, should I go to the trouble to extend
the existing ducts down the walls so that the registers are near the
floor, or will the ceiling registers be ok?  Extending them would be some
work and would introduce longer runs and more bends, is it worth it?
                -pete (lucas@maya.com)
From: wlp@hpfcso.FC.HP.COM (Bill Pherigo)
Date: Thu, 15 Oct 1992 17:05:47 GMT
Subject: Sealer for concrete driveway?
Organization: Hewlett-Packard, Fort Collins, CO, USA
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house

     I've just had a concrete driveway poured and was wondering if
I should put a sealer on it.  If so, what should I use?  When?

They used a fiber filled mix, and there are fibers (about 1 per inch)
sticking up in some places, with a swirl finish -- if it matters :-)

Bill Pherigo
<wlp@fc.hp.com>
(303) 229-3586
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: macrakis@osf.org (Stavros Macrakis)
Subject: Re: Building near property line
Organization: OSF Research Institute
	<MACRAKIS.92Oct12144331@lakatos.osf.org>
	<1992Oct12.204428.10146@elroy.jpl.nasa.gov>
	<1992Oct15.124118.29800@crd.ge.com>
Date: 15 Oct 92 11:31:16

In article <1992Oct15.124118.29800@crd.ge.com> millerj@belize.crd.ge.com (Julia K. Miller) writes:

	   I'd check with local construction people to find what the
   policy in granting variances is in your area.... Our neighbor
   planned to put [in] a 6 foot fence... They reject him because they
   said he didn't "need" to have the fence.  ... Needless to say he
   was a little agrivated with the contractor who was going to put in
   the fence and told him to file for the variance assuring him that
   he could get it.

Another useful source of information is the building department
inspectors.  They probably know more about variances than does the
builder.  For that matter, you could sit in on a meeting of the Zoning
Board to see how they operate, or try to contact them by phone in
advance (it probably helps to have an introduction from a Selectman or
the equivalent in your town).

	-s

Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: rogerv@sco.COM (Roger Vortman)
Subject: Re: Inspection report ==> $back? (how many?)
Organization: The Santa Cruz Operation, Inc.
Distribution: usa
Date: Wed, 14 Oct 1992 21:10:59 GMT
Keywords: inspection report


>I don't believe you can or should get anything back.  None of the items you 
>cite would jeopardize a CO and all are things that were in plain view when
>inspected the house before making your offer.  Granted, you are not a 
>professional inspector so may not have noticed any and/or all of the 
>citations.  However, if the house was fairly priced (and it looks like it
>was), these things would be reflected in that price.

>Last month I sold my 20-year-old house.  The inspection report read something
>like yours.  It sounded like I lived in a _dump_.  However, the report was 
>merely reflecting the age of the house.  I had to, and did, fix one item
>that did not conform to code and repaired some termite damage.  I informed 
>my buyers that this was the extent of the actions I would take and that 
>was the end of the discussion.  If the buyers had made a lower offer based on
>the inspection, I would have taken it as an indication of their lack of
>interest in the house and refused and put the house back on the market.

The point that the original poster was making was that he was going to
have to spend some money that he had not expected, not that he was not
interested in the house.  The attitude that since he found out that he
needs to spend more money, and tries a lower offer is a lack of interest
in the house is unproductive and unrealistic.

Information that is uncovered by inspections, at least in California, 
becomes available to all potential buyers (disclosure laws).  Hence, one
must face the fact that if there is money to be spent by a buyer that was
not taken into account when evaluating comparable houses, that the house
itself might just be worth less than the seller thought before the 
inspections uncovered the items...again, this is relative to the comparable
house prices on which the offer was based.

In the area where I live, the market is so slow that if this occurred,
and both the buyer and seller were serious and realistic, a lower price
would likely be agreed on.  Sellers are well aware that a qualified, interested
buyer is very hard to find, and that money in the hand is better than
waiting in vain for someone to come along to pay the original price AND
do the repairs.  In a buyer's market that might very well never happen.
So as a seller, you need to negotiate realistically, and keep your
emotions about how your house is being insulted or whatever, out of it.

-Roger
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house,misc.consumers
From: jayc@hubcap.clemson.edu (Jay Crawford)
Subject: Stoll Heatgrate Information Wanted
Keywords: stoll heatgrate
Organization: Clemson University
Date: Fri, 9 Oct 1992 14:37:50 GMT

I'm looking to purchase a Stoll Heatgrate to go in my fireplace.  It is a grate
made of hollow tubing through which room air is drawn, heated by the fire, and
then blown out the front of the unit.  Does anyone know where I can purchase
a Stoll Heatgrate?  Mail order is preferred. 
-- 
Jay Crawford          
jayc@hubcap.clemson.edu
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: tln@cbnewsf.cb.att.com (teresa.l.green)
Subject: RE:Layoff Mortgage Insurance
Organization: AT&T
Distribution: usa
Date: Wed, 14 Oct 1992 19:45:25 GMT

Hi -
     I have also been offered job loss mortgage protection
through my mortgage company.  I was wondering if anyone had 
any warnings about the worth of this type of insurance.
How do the insurance companies define laid off?

     General Information about the plan:
	Monthly premium is 2.75% of your monthly mortgage payment
	90 waiting period before eligible for benefits
	must be out of work for 30 consecutive days before you receive
  		benefits (60 days for strike, lockout, or temporary
		layoff)
	the plan pays 100% for up to 6 months per layoff period (50%
		of mortgage is paid if you insure a co-mortgager also)
	you are covered for two layoff periods totaling 12 months
		of coverage, after 12 months your coverage is terminated.
	
				Just Asking....
				
					:-) Teresa
teresa@ihlpm.ATT.COM
	
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house,tx.general
From: shaver@convex.com (Dave Shaver)
Subject: Re: Book on Texas lawns?
Date: Thu, 15 Oct 1992 00:06:46 GMT
Distribution: tx
Organization: CONVEX Computer Corp, MPP System Software, Richardson, TX
X-Disclaimer: This message was written by a user at CONVEX Computer
              Corp. The opinions expressed are those of the user and
              not necessarily those of CONVEX.

>> is shaver@convex.com (Dave Shaver)
> is swisher@cs.utexas.edu (Janet M. Swisher)

>>Take a look at these.
>>	"Texas Lawn Care" by Dr. Koop.
>>	"Texas Gardening" (or something close to this) by Neil Sperry.

>Any suggestions on where to find these books?  BookStop? 

Bookstop is a good choice; I bought my copies of there.  In fact,
almost any good bookstore store should at least have Neil's book.

/\  Dave Shaver
\\  CONVEX Computer Corporation, Richardson, TX
\/  Internet: shaver@convex.com    UUCP:  uunet!convex!shaver
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: M21760@mwvm.mitre.org
Subject: Kitchen Cabinet Refacing - Tips?
Organization: The MITRE Corporation, McLean VA 22102
Date: Fri, 9 Oct 1992 12:31:43 GMT

 
We are planning to have our kitchen cabinets refaced and would
appreciate any pointers that anyone can provide.  We are in
the process of gathering estimates (6 so far, 1 more to go)
and are having a hard time selecting a contractor.
 
Our existing cabinets are about 25-30 years old (original).
They are solid wood and VERY sturdy, so we don't want to
replace them.  They have taken a beating over the years and there
are many dark areas that probably couldn't be sanded down enough
(we want a pickled or white washed oak look).  So, instead of
sanding, we're considering having wood veneers glued on to the
cabinets and having all the doors and drawer fronts replaced with
solid wood doors and drawer fronts.
 
Does anyone have any experience with this?  Can you suggest things
to look for in a contractor?  What questions to ask?  Any horror
stories?  We'd appreciate any information you can provide.  Although
we're pretty handy around the house (we've installed new kitchens
ourselves in the past), refacing is new to us.  So is dealing with
contractors since we usually prefer to do things ourselves.
 
Also, we're considering a bevelled edge counter top.  One contractor
said that water can leak into the seams.  Has this ever happened to
anyone?
 
If possible, please respond thru e-mail.  I'll post a summary of
any responses that I receive.  Send e-mail to lbking@lear.mitre.org
 
Thanks a lot,
Linda.
 
 
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: heflin@rtsg.mot.com (Suzanne Stratton Heflin)
Subject: Re: sliding patio door replacement
Keywords: crestline pella anderson marvin worth-it?
Organization: Motorola Inc., Cellular Infrastructure Group
Distribution: usa
Date: Wed, 14 Oct 1992 15:58:17 GMT

rusty@cbnewse.cb.att.com (jane.a.horodeck) writes:


>This may be a FAQ but I am in the process of choosing a replacement
>for my aluminum sliding glass door.  It is installed on the north
>side of the house and it is 8' wide.  I live in the western Chicago 
>suburbs and the early predictions are for a >>ccooollllddd<< winter!

>I have looked at Crestline, Lincoln, Anderson, Pella, and Marvin 
>products.  All are nice but there is a significant difference in
>$$ between like products.  A carpenter friend of my neighbors suggested
>that when replacing windows/doors/whatever, Pella is the only way
>to go.  But their product is also +$500 in cost.  And they have
>that goofy screen-inside, movable-panel outside configuration...

>So, I ask, would you recommend Crestline as a first choice?  Or should
>I not consider anything less for my application?  I would also appreciate
>feedback on;
>	- outside cladding mandatory?  or a nice feature?
>	- low-E option
>	
>A salesperson at the local home center admitted that Anderson has had
>problems in the past with their vinyl cladding pulling apart at seams.


Any chance that you would replace it with a swinging patio door instead
of sliding?  I live in Elmhurst and we have the exact same situation:
swinging/sliding door facing north, although ours is only 7 feet.  Anyway,
I believe our door is a Hurd product.  We replaced pretty much all the
windows in our house with Hurd windows, and are currently building a new
house with all Hurd.  I believe that they're better quality than Anderson
or Crestline, and less expensive than Pella or Marvin.  They also make
sliding doors.  I would suggest that in any case, clad is a must, but
forget the low-E.  We have LOTS of windows facing west on our new house,
and got low-E there, but that's to help with heat gain, primarily.  It
would be a waste facing north.  If you're interested in who carries Hurd,
I know that Wind-mill in, I think, Warrenville does.  Otherwise, drop me
an e-mail and I'll get other names from my builder.
>thanks alot!
>jane
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house