HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: mds@condor.nsc.com (Mark Del Secco)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Home Alarm Recommendations?
Date: 13 Apr 92 21:55:24 GMT
Distribution: ba
Organization: National Semiconductor Corporation

I have recently purchased a two-story detached house and would
like to have a home security/alarm system installed.
Can anyone recommend brands or system types?
What features/drawbacks should I be aware of, and what
kind of pricing should I expect?
How should I allow for a cat being on the premises?
Also, I would be interested in hearing any personal experiences
(good or bad) relating to home security systems.
Thanks in advance!

-Mark 


-- 
   
   (_________              /
     )   )   )  ___  /-,  /__/   mds@berlioz.nsc.com  //  Santa Clara, California    
    /   /   /__/__(_/ (__/  \_________________________________________________________/
___/  
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house,rec.pets.cats
From: diamond@cbnewsm.cb.att.com (robert.j.diamond)
Subject: Re: Alarm systems and cats
Organization: AT&T
Date: Fri, 10 Apr 1992 07:55:16 GMT

In article <1992Apr9.131309.13790@qiclab.scn.rain.com> al@qiclab.scn.rain.com (Alan Peterman) writes:

>The secret - and it sounds like your installer was not very experienced - 
>is to mount the lens upside down.  That way the beam does NOT descend
>to the floor.  We have ours mounted in a long corrridor at waist height,
>and even at 45 feet away the beam will pick up people walking, but not
>the cat on the floor.  No falses in over 4 years with this system.

This may not work if the sensor is in a large-ish room because of beam
spread, and if it does work, the whole room is probably not being covered.

The company that installed my system solved this by putting the motion
detectors in small areas where the cats have no means of getting in the
sensor's way, but are places the would-be burgler must pass to gain entry.
(for example, there's one at the top of the stairwell with about an 18-inch
clearway below).

Also, you can put trips on interior doors so you cant move from room to
room without tripping the alarm (of course, you'll have to keep the doors
closed when you're gone)
From: clewis@ferret.ocunix.on.ca (Chris Lewis)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Re: Heat pumps
Date: 11 Apr 92 20:17:05 GMT
Organization: Elegant Communications Inc., Ottawa, Canada

In article <35960094@hpindda.cup.hp.com> krause@hpindda.cup.hp.com (Mike Krause) writes:
>For the most part, where ever you are in this country, once you go down about
>6-8" the ground temperature is the same 62-65 degrees.  Only in areas where
>the ground stays frozen for many years is it probably colder.

You're thinking *feet* not inches.  In the north east and central states,
the ground can freeze up to a depth of 1 to 2 *feet*.  Here the frost line
is 4 feet.  It certainly doesn't do it every year, but it occasionally does.
In many parts of the USA, 6" down would be frozen solid.

Even now, some parts of our property are frozen to a depth of over 6 inches -
our weather is no worse than, say, northern Montana.  [Well, perhaps not
this year - we had some nice spring weather up until this morning - the
snow was almost all gone, but we just got 6" of snow...  Sigh.  Spring
is late this year....]

>If you want
>such a system, they are much more economical than burning fuels or electricity
>and the overall cost is lower.  The one thing to remember is they can only
>get your home up to the temperature of the ground - which is sufficient for
>many people.

This is completely wrong.  A heat pump acts just like a refrigerator -
the compressor and heat exchange coils produce considerably higher
temperatures than ambient around the external radiator system.  Ie:
the air temperature coming out of a heat pump is typically around 120F.
Even when the ambient temperature where the external coils is less than
40F.

AC-mode on a heat pump is no different than heating - it's just pumping
heat in the other direction.
-- 
Chris Lewis; clewis@ferret.ocunix.on.ca; Phone: Canada 613 832-0541
Psroff 3.0 info: psroff-request@ferret.ocunix.on.ca
Ferret list: ferret-request@ferret.ocunix.on.ca
From: hamilton@siberia.rtp.dg.com (Eric Hamilton)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Re: Things to look for when buying a house
Date: 9 Apr 92 17:20:28 GMT
Article-I.D.: dg-rtp.1992Apr9.172028.15804
Organization: Data General Corporation, Research Triangle Park, NC

In article <3506@speedy.mcnc.org>, pickel@mcnc.org (Lisa C. Pickel) writes:
|> In article <3701@phred.UUCP> brianr@phred.UUCP (Brian Reese) writes:
|> >I agree with Steve on this one.  One advantage to making an offer prior to 
|> >inspection is (once accepted by the seller) that it holds the house in your
|> >name for the 3-5 days so you can get it inspected.  If the inspection reveals
|> >any problems, you are perfectly within your right to make a new offer based on
|> >the findings.  If the seller won't budge on the price - walk away.  Your 
|> >original offer should have been contingent on a satisfactory (to the buyer)
|> >inspection, so you are not out anything (except the cost of the inspection,
|> >which would have been incured either way).
|> 
|> Ah, would it were so.  Unfortunately there IS a risk to this method.  My best
|> friend had made an offer on a house, found severe structural problems with
|> it during the inspection, and had to sue to get back her earnest money.
|> Not only that, because the seller lived out of town, she had to travel
|> halfway across the state to small claims court where the seller now lived.  
|> Not only that, but the judge decided to split the earnest money between 
|> the seller and herself.  All that trouble and she still lost 500.00.
|> 
Who was holding the earnest money?

When we bought, our lawyer's advice was not to allow the owner to hold it.
It's good advice.  Most standard contracts have some wording built in about
who holds the earnest money and under what circumstances it can be released;
it is essential that this wording prevent release from escrow without the
consent of the buyer.  Any listing agent will have an escrow
account and will probably insist that it be used (in part to prevent the seller
from escaping the commission) so a problem is most likely with a FSBO.  If
the seller has not set up a satisfactory escrow arrangement, you should suggest
that your lawyer escrow the earnest money.  If you're buying a house and you don't
already have a lawyer, you've skipped a step - go back and get one.

-- 
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Eric Hamilton				+1 919 248 6172
Data General Corporation		hamilton@dg-rtp.rtp.dg.com
62 Alexander Drive			...!mcnc!rti!xyzzy!hamilton
Research Triangle Park, NC  27709, USA
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: doug@jhawk.b11.ingr.com (Doug Bradley)
Subject: Re: How to Lime a lawn?
Reply-To: doug@jhawk.b11.ingr.com.
Organization: Intergraph Corp. Huntsville, AL
Distribution: misc.consumers.house
Date: Thu, 9 Apr 1992 13:11:51 GMT

In article <GLEN.92Apr7223847@midway.Cayman.COM>, glen@Cayman.COM (Glen B. Glater) writes:
|> Can someone tell me how much lime to put on a lawn?  I've got a bunch of moss
|> and a patch under a pine tree that I'd like to get grass growing on.
|> 

    First thing to do is get a soil test to see if you need to lime at all.
  Most county extension offices will help you do this.
    Only apply lime to raise the pH (6.5 is good for most turf grasses).
  If you do buy lime, the bag should tell you how much to apply to achieve
  what level depending on your type of soil (i.e. clay soils take more, 
  because less "soaks" in i guess).
    I've read that elemental sulfur will tweak your pH from basic to acidic
  but it's rare to have to do that.
    As for HOW to apply it, I applied pelletized lime with a broadcast spreader
  this spring. A drop spreader would probably be more accurate if you have one.
   
doug
From: freds@hpcc01.corp.hp.com (Fred Saavedra)
Date: Fri, 10 Apr 1992 00:50:27 GMT
Subject: Re: hollow-core door questions
Organization: the HP Corporate notes server
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house



>
>All my interior doors are hollow-core.  One has a hole about 1" long by
>1/8" wide.  How can I patch it?  Wood putty just falls into the hollow center.

I used AUTO BODY FIller (BONDO), and a plastic scrapper to shape the
filler just before it hardens. Once hardened it can be sanded to a 
very smooth finish.

fred
From: peterson@CS.ColoState.EDU (james peterson)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Re: Question about PRO and CONS of FHA versus CONVENTIONAL loan
Date: 6 Apr 92 18:06:12 GMT
Article-I.D.: yuma.1992Apr06.180612.63160
Distribution: misc
Organization: Colorado State University, Computer Science Department

In article <30034@cbmvax.commodore.com> augi@cbmvax.commodore.com (Joe Augenbraun) writes:
>
>FHA loans are only appropriate for people who need to make extremely low
>down payments.  Down payments on the order of 1-2% are possible.
>

Golly, this is news to me. 1-2% Gracy?  Last I heard the minimum was 3%
on amounts up $50K and 5% on amounts in excess of $50K.

Correct me if I'm wrong.  (I just closed an FHA loan 5 weeks ago.)

james sends
-- 
james lee peterson				peterson@CS.ColoState.edu
dept. of computer science                       
colorado state university		"Some ignorance is invincible."
ft. collins, colorado  (voice:303/491-7137; fax:303/491-6639)
From: rogerv@sco.COM (Roger Vortman)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Re: Things to look for when buying a house
Date: Wed, 08 Apr 92 19:44:15 GMT
Organization: The Santa Cruz Operation, Inc.



>>>  I offer a different experience on inspecting before offering.
>>>  I recently bought a house where an offer was made and accepted,
>>>  and an inspection followed which turned up several problems.
>>>  I went back to the seller with a list of items I thought should be
>>>  covered by the seller along with a dollar amount to fix these items.
>>>  The seller then agreed to lower the price by the amount of the repairs.

>I have two simple questions here.

>1) What should we do if the seller disagree to lower the price? 

This is part of negotiating.  It depends on how you feel about the house.  You
can just say that you are not satisfied with the results of the inspection
and walk away from the house.  Ultimately, that may be what you have to
do out of financial necessity.  One usually hopes that the threat of
walking away will wake up the sellers to their deal falling apart, and
cause them to negotiate more realistically.  After all, the reason that you
had the inspection was to find out what you were getting into relative to
repairs, or ability to do the improvements that you need to do.

But you have a decision to make here...if you want the house too much to
walk away from it, and the threat of walking away doesn't do any good, and
the sellers still won't cooperate, then you either pay the repairs yourself
or walk away.  Which means that you pay, since we postulated that you won't
walk away.

Remember that in most areas these days, due to the recession, real estate
is a buyer's market.  By just threatening to walk away, you should get some
leverage.  By actually walking away, given how many real buyers there are
out there, you'll find something else soon.  So don't be afraid to negotiate
hard.

>2) What should we do if we found that the inspector, recommended by the 
>   seller, had given us the wrong information on purpose, and which led to
>   the wrong decision?

Why would you use an inspector recommended by the seller, unless he or she
were the only inspector in town?  That seems kind of like asking for trouble.

As to what your recourse is if an inspector falsifies a report, that's a
question for a real estate lawyer, especially if you find out after escrow
has closed.

-Roger
From: scoatney@hpcupt3.cup.hp.com (Sue Coatney)
Date: Fri, 10 Apr 1992 00:28:30 GMT
Subject: Re: Refinishing Bathtubs??
Organization: Hewlett Packard, Cupertino
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house

We had our bathtub done 2+ years ago. The stuff is peeling off the bathtub 
in a couple of places - around the faucets, under the soapdish, at the
tub/tile connection.

I would strongly recommend against it - it wasn't cheap and it certainly
doesn't last.

Sue Coatney
From: wailes@en.ecn.purdue.edu (Tom S Wailes)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Re: mice
Summary: Better Mouse trap
Date: 8 Apr 92 18:08:48 GMT
Article-I.D.: en.1992Apr8.180848.11093
Organization: Purdue University Engineering Computer Network

In article <33XViB1w161w@cdthq.UUCP>, gary@cdthq.UUCP (Gary Heston) writes:
> stern@rsdps.gsfc.nasa.gov (Trash to Trash communication) writes:
> 
> > I've been doing battle with a family (or two or three...) of mice for some 
> > time now.  I've tried mouse traps (occassionally catch a few. Last night I 
> > caught a mouse PAW!) poison (No evidence that it's worked) and a cheap sonic 
> > device (well, perhaps it might keep them away from the traps but if they're 
> > already "anchored" to the house I'm guessing this may only make their lives 
> > somewhat uncomfortable).

   One method we used to get rid of mice might work quite well for you.
Get a bucket (wide mouth is better), coat hanger, peanut butter, nail,
a scrap piece of board or similar (say 3" by 2').  You want to create
a rotating cylinder covered with peanut butter hanging over a bucket
filled with water.  So empty the contents of the can (without going all the
way around). Punch a hole in the top and bottom of the can. Straighten
out the coat hanger and slip it through the holes in the can. Attach the 
assembly across the bucket.  Cover the can with peanut butter.  Fill the
bucket with water so that a mouse cannot stand up on the bottom.
Set the trap in a reasonable place, and put the board on the side of the
bucket making a ramp for the mice to climb to get near the can.  

   During the night the peanut butter will attract the mice (very aromatic,
enticing to them).  They will climb the board, and then attempt to jump onto
the can.  The can will rotate, and they will go into the water.  Mice cannot
swim very well.  Its bad, but I guess getting rid of them by any means is 
fairly violent.  Note that this trap can get a whole mouse family in one
night.  We left ours in the basement for months. Silent safe method for 
catching them.

                                                Tom
                                                wailes@ecn.purdue.edu
From: glenr@hpdmd48.boi.hp.com (Glen Ray)
Date: Wed, 8 Apr 1992 21:36:08 GMT
Subject: Re: Siding query, Aluminum vs. Vinyl
Organization: Hewlett Packard - Boise, ID
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house

   I posted a similar question a couple of weeks
ago. All but one response was positive for vinyl
the one that cladboard was best. The one negitive
about aluminium and steel was that they could and 
sometimes do suffer damage from hail, rocks autos,
and children. Vinyl was also reported to be damaged
by rocks, arrows and autos but the damage was always
considered minor.
                    Good Luck
                       Glen Ray
   
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: leath@atlas.cs.upei.ca (Stephen Leath)
Subject: Re: Problems with Plaster
Organization: University of Prince Edward Island
Distribution: na
Date: Wed, 15 Apr 1992 11:59:12 GMT

In article <13173@bwdls58.bnr.ca> Henry.Troup@BNR.CA writes:
>In article <ktv85qINNmh4@news.bbn.com>, mjensen@BBN.COM (Martin Jensen) writes:
>
>|>    Someone  suggested using joint compound, but I would wonder about its
>|>    viability over such large areas.  At this stage I would  welcome  any
>|>    suggestions or alternatives.
>
>a.k.a drywall mud?  I'd use it.  I had to apply a lot of mud to a wall
>where the previous paint had been appplied over unprimed drywall mud. 
>It's easy to sand but should be primed before painting or papering.  Use
>a plasterers float or a very wide plastic knife; the wider the better
>for large areas.
>                            
 
Another tip. Do not apply thick amounts at once, apply thin layers and let
dry before next layer. Thick layers will crack.

Steve

Xref: sparky misc.consumers.house:6050 misc.rural:1062
From: davidbu@loowit.wr.tek.com (David E. Buxton)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house,misc.rural
Subject: Re: Acid Neutralizers
Date: 6 Apr 92 19:25:04 GMT
Followup-To: misc.consumers.house,misc.rural



I live in the northwest -- good water.  But my parents live north of
Toronto Ontario.  They have a problem with their water that sounds
like yours, except they don't call it "acid".  Its a form of water
hardness involving iron in solution in the water.  The iron in the water
and the coper in the pipes form a galvanic cell reaction that etches the
copper pipes and results in green water (copper oxide) and eroded pipes.
The standard treatment in the locale is to use a water softener system
that precipitates out the iron.

Dave
From: ostroff@Oswego.EDU (Boyd Ostroff)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Re: furnace recommendations
Keywords: furnace
Date: 3 Apr 92 15:09:46 GMT
Reply-To: ostroff@oswego.Oswego.EDU (Boyd Ostroff)
Organization: Instructional Computing Center, SUNY at Oswego, Oswego, NY

In article <1992Apr2.175252.11597@tc.cornell.edu> kakazu@nmc.cit.cornell.edu writes:
>I'm planning to install a new furnace this year and was looking for some
>recommendations.  The type I am getting is a gas forced air.  One thing I'm
>wondering is if the super efficient ones are really worth it? 

Environmentally?  I'd say yes. You decide for yourself.  Financially?
That shouldn't be too hard to figure out.  What's your current heat bill?
Let's say its $1000 to keep it simple.  How efficient is you current furnace?
If it's an old clunker, let's say 60%.

With a 70% standard efficiency furnace your heat bill would be 
60/70*1000 = $857.  An 80% high efficiency would cost 60/80*1000 = $750.
A 90% very-high efficiency would cost 60/90*1000 = $667.

You will have to look at the purchase price differntial and decide for yourself
based on, let's say, a 10 year lifespan.  Personally, I went with the very
high efficiency unit last year (a Ruud 90+) and am very happy with it.

.............................................................................
....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: jon@destin.dazixco.ingr.com (Jon Stone)
Subject: Re: dumping a broker
Reply-To: jon@ingr.com
Organization: Dazix - An Intergraph Company
X-Newsreader: GNU Emacs 18.57.2, GNUS 3.14.1, NNTP 3.10
	<JACK.92Apr3085158@au-bon-pain.lcs.mit.edu>
	<1992Apr3.175723.26491@informix.com>
Distribution: misc
Date: Wed, 8 Apr 1992 00:07:15 GMT

>>>>> On 3 Apr 92 17:57:23 GMT, davek@informix.com (David Kosenko) said:

 >> In article <JACK.92Apr3085158@au-bon-pain.lcs.mit.edu> 
 >> 	jack@au-bon-pain.lcs.mit.edu (Jack Costanza) writes:
 >> [ in reference to a discussion of why a broker would suggest increasing
 >>   the commission to increase interest in the house]
  >
  >Based on a $150,000 house the commission is $9000 at 6%. If what you say 
  >is true, then an extra $1050 will motivate him show my house more 
  >effectively, pointing out hidden assets that he wouldn't have the time
  >for if it weren't for an extra ~$1000. Sounds like it has become a pretty 
  >indulgent profession.

 >> I was, of course, being flippant about the "hidden assets" part - my point
 >> being that the broker would be interested in selling the house, so would
 >> find more positive things to point out.  But consider this: if you were a
 >> broker, and had 3 $150K houses to show to a potential buyer, wouldn't you
 >> be more likely to "fluff up" the one with the higher commission?  Remember
 >> that it is still more or less of a buyers market (though that is changing
 >> quickly), so the broker likely has several houses to choose from to show
 >> to clients.  I think you are probably on the right track that it has
 >> become an indulgent profession.  But if you were offered three jobs that
 >> were more or less equivalent, but one paid a slightly higher salary, which
 >> job would you be inclined to take?  Brokers need to feed their kids, too
 >> (not all of them drive around in fancy cars, etc. you know).

How about this...

Instead of raising the commission, which benefits the listing agent
(your agent) as well as the selling agent, add a bonus (say $500-1000)
to the selling agent.  That is the agent who brings you a buyer.  Make
sure this bonus gets listed in the MLS book also.  

This way you do tend to bring in other agents, but you don't give any
$$ to your own agent, whom you obviously feel is not doing all he
could.  You don't want to give the listing agent a bonus anyway.  All
he can do is run more/bigger adds and hold an open house more (too)
often.

Thus for 3 equivalent $150,000 houses, yours would be paying the
highest commission to the selling agent.

That's my $ .02 worth,

Jon

--
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Jon Stone                                          jon@ingr.com
Dazix, an Intergraph Company; Boulder, CO          (303) 581-1463
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house,rec.pets.cats
From: pjs@euclid.JPL.NASA.GOV (Peter J. Scott)
Subject: Re: Alarm systems and cats
Reply-To: pjs@euclid.jpl.nasa.gov
Organization: Jet Propulsion Laboratory, NASA/Caltech
Date: Thu, 9 Apr 1992 17:54:27 GMT

In article <1992Apr9.131309.13790@qiclab.scn.rain.com>, al@qiclab.scn.rain.com (Alan Peterman) writes:
> The secret - and it sounds like your installer was not very experienced - 
> is to mount the lens upside down.  That way the beam does NOT descend
> to the floor.  We have ours mounted in a long corrridor at waist height,
> and even at 45 feet away the beam will pick up people walking, but not
> the cat on the floor. 

Works until, of course, you're hit by a cat burglar :-)

-- 
This is news.  This is your       |    Peter Scott, NASA/JPL/Caltech
brain on news.  Any questions?    |    (pjs@euclid.jpl.nasa.gov)


Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Re: mice
From: gary@cdthq.UUCP (Gary Heston)
Date: Tue, 07 Apr 92 19:05:01 CDT
Organization: Garys' Home for Obsolete Computers

stern@rsdps.gsfc.nasa.gov (Trash to Trash communication) writes:

> I've been doing battle with a family (or two or three...) of mice for some 
> time now.  I've tried mouse traps (occassionally catch a few. Last night I 
> caught a mouse PAW!) poison (No evidence that it's worked) and a cheap sonic 
> device (well, perhaps it might keep them away from the traps but if they're 
> already "anchored" to the house I'm guessing this may only make their lives 
> somewhat uncomfortable).
> 
> The problem is that they're living in the walls and between the floor and 
> ceiling (split level design) thus setting traps there is difficult even if 
> they did work. Interestingly enough, they appear to stay away from our food, 
> that is, they don't appear to be doing much damage.  I do hear them scratchin
> at what sounds like the plumbing system on a daily/nightly basis. If they 
> didn't do this and I was assured that no harm would come to my house and its 
> mechanical systems I'd just leave them alone. Being a light sleeper, I'm 
> looking for other options.  Any suggestions?

You need to figure out what they're eating. Get rid of that, and then
you can stand a better chance of trapping them when they forage. I got
rid of one in my kitchen by blocking one of it's paths beside the 
refrigerator with a piece of cardboard, and then placing a glue trap
in front of the other one. Nailed...er, stuck 'em in less than a day.

You might also drop moth balls into the walls, if you can, to try and
run them out. Moth crystals might be easier to get into a small opening
around an outlet or pipe.

Gary Heston, at home....
gary@cdthq.uucp