HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: slongwor@us.oracle.com (Susan Longworth)
Subject: URGENT: Need House Cleaning in SF!!
Organization: Oracle Corporation, Redwood Shores CA 94065
Distribution: ba
Date: Tue, 6 Oct 1992 20:51:55 GMT
X-Disclaimer: This message was written by an unauthenticated user
              at Oracle Corporation.  The opinions expressed are those
              of the user and not necessarily those of Oracle.

ODHi all,

Well, I took the plunge and just bought my first home. It was all very 
exciting until I took a look at the place -- it's a total and complete MESS. 
Before I can get started on this quaint little gem (read "Fixer-Upper"),
I've GOT to get someone in there to clean it up. I haven't moved anything 
in yet.

Could anyone recommend some cleaning people that will bring their mops and
brooms and clean out this dirt trap? I've got this budgeted, but
cost-effectiveness is always appreciated. It's located in San Francisco.

HELP ME!!!


Thanks bunches,

			Susan

8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 
Susan Longworth
Applications Technical Representative
Oracle Corporation
From: dick@hpscit.sc.hp.com (Dick Lucas)
Date: Fri, 2 Oct 1992 18:52:44 GMT
Subject: Re: Water Re-circulators (was IN-LINE WATER HEATERS)
Organization: Hewlett-Packard, Santa Clara, CA
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house

I have a recirculating system and it consists of a loop running the length
of the house under the floor.  At each point of use, a stub runs to the 
fixture.  The water is constantly circulating through this loop, with the
return line having a very small pump on it.  The water from the return line
is fed to the water heater at the drain fitting at the bottom.  It has been
running with no problems for the last 16 years.  By the way, the pump is
magnetically coupled to the motor, so there are no seals to wear out, and the
loop is insulated with slip on foam.  The pump is 50 watts or so which is 
very small.  You don't need to have a large circulation rate, as you only are
replacing the water in the loop which has cooled off.  

The copper piping is 3/4 on the line out, and 1/2 on the return.  The maximum
amount of water you have to flow at a sink is dependent on how long the stub
line from the loop is.  10 feet of stub line contains less than a pint, so,
at a minimum, you have to flush that amount.  In practice, however, you have
to reheat the cold pipe itself before the water is really hot, but the amount
of water required is still quite small.

Dick Lucas
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: redman@plate.megatek.com (Tim Redfield)
Subject: Broken Thermometers
Organization: Megatek Corporation, San Diego, California
Date: Mon, 28 Sep 1992 18:12:25 GMT

I broke a glass thermometer last night.  Stuff went everywhere.
This was in a bathroom with counters and floors covered with
the ~ 1 inch tiles. It was a royal pain to get the mercury
up, because it was so hard to see.  Some questions:

        1) Is there an easy way to clean up after an event
           such as this?

	2) What is the danger associated with mercury found in 
           thermometers?

Thanx in advance for your replies.
-- 
Tim Redfield          UUCP: {uunet, ucsd, sun}!megatek!redman
                      INTERNET:            redman@megatek.com
Megatek Corporation  9645 Scranton Rd.  San Diego, Ca.  92121
Organization: Computing Technology Services, Michigan Technological Univ.
Date: Wednesday, 30 Sep 1992 11:04:58 EST
From: <JCLEWIN@MTUS5.BITNET>
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Re: White Birch-Firewood?
Distribution: world

In article <lc47riINNdva@utkcs2.cs.utk.edu>, langston@langston.cs.utk.edu (Mike
Langston) says:
>
>brian kiviat asks:
>
>> I just cut down a White Birch tree, is the wood any good for the fireplace?
>
>its pretty bark is probably worth more than its meager thermal units
>
>a lot of people like to leave a few logs in the fireplace (when it's
>not in use) to impress visitors -- but check for borers, termites and
>ants first :)
>
>--
>mike langston <langston@cs.utk.edu>
>department of computer science, university of tennessee
>
>have you fed your killfile today?
According to the Garden Way publishing "Saving money on firewood" both yellow
and paper (=white??) birch are midway down the list of good firewood.  I burn
both types in our woodstove with great results.  Actually it is my third prefer
ed wood source (after red oak and sugar maple) and prefered over red maple (als
o known as soft maple around here).

JCLEWIN @MTUS5.BITNET  Jeff Lewin.  Houghton County Michigan, in the Upper Peni
nsula.  Supposed to be a light snow year, may not get our normal 250 inches....
From: lederman@taney.uscghq.uscg.mil
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Re: translucent/transparent sound insulation ?
Date: 28 Sep 92 13:16:39 EST
Organization: United States Coast Guard

In article <1992Sep11.144301.8967@athena.mit.edu>, chasman@athena.mit.edu (David Chasman) writes:
> I'm looking for a good material to sound-proof windows.I dont' want to
> replace the windows - I guess I don't know what I'm looking for exactly.
> All suggestions appreciated.

    There are a number of companies which make sound-proofing
 materials, many of which are plastic sheets which contain Lead or
 Barium to increase their density.  Some of them make transparent
 or translucent material.

    You should be able to get the names of companies from a
 Thomases Register at any good library: or, since I see an MIT
 return address, try one of your school's Engineering libraries,
 which ought to have many reference materials on hand (EDN
 Directory, EDN Magazine, Electronic Component News magazine, the
 Gold Book directory, etc.).  I can also come up with the names
 of some companies (which I haven't dealt with for several years,
 which is why I don't have the names sitting on my desk at the
 moment) if necessary.
From: meltsner@crd.ge.com (Kenneth J Meltsner)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Re: Re:Outdoor Lighting: Mercury vapor Vs. High Pressure Sodium
Date: 28 Sep 92 17:09:23 GMT
Reply-To: meltsner@crd.ge.com
Distribution: usa
Organization: GE Research and Development Center



In article <1992Sep28.024246.12708@pasteur.Berkeley.EDU>,
charless@cory.Berkeley.EDU (Charles R. Sullivan) writes:

|>My $.02 summary of the subject:

Please don't forget two important factors:

(1)  Installation

(2)  Maintenance

some industrial-strength lighting products may require professional
installation or maintenance due to the high pressure (or high
temperatures in use) present in the lamps.  Get a "life-cycle" figure
for the next ten years of use; nothing will run up your costs faster
than a visit from an electrician in a flak jacket.

You may also want to make sure your preferred lighting choice is
acceptable for use around basketball hoops, etc., before installing
it.  The more-esoteric lighting systems may not be intended for general
consumer use, and may require significantly more care in planning and
installation.

Disclaimer: I'm not a lighting engineer, I don't speak as one, and if
you're going to install little glass envelopes pressurized with
halides and metal vapors near your home and kids, you'd better talk to
someone who's paid to do this sort of thing.

===============================================================================
Ken Meltsner                        | meltsner@crd.ge.com (518) 387-6391
GE Research and Development Center  | Fax:  (518) 387-7495
P.O. Box 8, Room K1/MB207	    | Nothing I say should be attributed
Schenectady, NY 12301               | to my employer, and probably vice-versa
================ Materials and Manufacturing, World O' Stuff ==================
From: tslee@oracle.uucp (Terry S. Lee)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: PVC J bend + iron waste pipe = dribbly drain!
Date: 30 Sep 92 06:01:04 GMT
Reply-To: tslee@oracle.uucp (Terry S. Lee)
Distribution: na
Organization: Oracle Corp
Originator: tslee@wrpyr.us.oracle.com
X-Disclaimer: This message was written by an unauthenticated user
              at Oracle Corporation.  The opinions expressed are those
              of the user and not necessarily those of Oracle.

On a 1950s house, I used PVC stuff to go from the basin to the iron/steel
pipe coming out of the wall.  A PVC 'wall pipe' inserts into the iron pipe,
a plastic ring and a nut keeps it in.  The PVC wall pipe presents a lipped
surface, and with another nut hooks up to a PVC J bend.

Well, the weakness in the system seems to be the plastic wall pipe.  Wishful
thinking must have made the designers think that a pipe sitting there, with
a crummy, hard, plastic ring with a hard plastic nut over it will keep water
out.  Sure, by the time water gets there, it quickly travels across, down,
and away, but I get an irritating dribble.  This happens on three installations.

When I told the Home Depot plumbing guy my woes, he chuckled and said 'yeah,
the PVC wall pipe doesn't seal worth a ...', and suggested I switch the hard
plastic ring for a foam version that at least will compress under the nut.  It
improved the situation, my dribble is now a drip.

I am now advised to switch to the ol' fashioned, cast brass number that weighs
about 5 lbs and costs about $17 a piece.  The only advantage it has is that it
depends on threading to seal against the house drain system, not some silly
slip fit pipe dream.  I asked if he knew of a PVC version of a wall pipe that
seals with threads, and presents the lipped connector the J bend wants to see.
He said he hasn't seen one.

Tips, anyone?  I'm about to shove some plumber's putty all over, but it's messy,
doesn't look good, and seems like a big hack to me.

Thanks in adv.
Terry Lee
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Re: Recommend lightweight chain saw
From: <JCLEWIN@MTUS5.BITNET>
Date: Friday, 2 Oct 1992 09:26:33 EST
Distribution: usa
Organization: Computing Technology Services, Michigan Technological Univ.

In article <1992Oct1.165203.23230@csi.jpl.nasa.gov>, eldred@rrunner.jpl.nasa.gov
(Dan Eldred) says:
>
>My 15 year old Poulan chain saw is about worn out so I'm starting
>to search for a new one.  I cut mostly large brush so it doesn't have
>to be a particularly large or powerful one, though I do appreciate
>decent quality.  In particular, I'm concerned with:
>
>        Does it start easily?
>        Does it idle reliably?
>        Does it wear out or break?
>        Does the chain bar stay secure?
>        Does the chain wear out rapidly?
>        Are parts likely to be available in 10-15 years?
>        Does it vibrate like crazy?
>        Does it hold together or vibrate itself apart?
>        It is easy to use (well laid out, lightweight)?
>        Is there an automatic oiler?  Does it work well?
>        Anything else you can think of that's important.
>
>I recall that there was a discussion on this subject a couple of months
>ago, but, alas, I didn't pay attention then.  Many thanks, Dan
>
>        Dan Eldred              eldred@rrunner.jpl.nasa.gov
>
See consumer reports. They did a survey of small gas and small electric saws.
Their number one choice was a Stihl (I don't remember the size).  This summer
I bought a Stihl 026, probably bigger than you need (I cut 5 to 10 cords of
firewood - starting with dead trees in the bush)                  but if the
smaller sizes are anyway similar it would be an excellent choice.  Misc.rural
had a discussion of chain saw safety and use... one person gave sound advice
in that no matter what saw you buy, be sure you can get it serviced in your
local.
From: rakoczynskij@gtephx.UUCP (Jurek Rakoczynski)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Re: Redoing a foundation: Questions
Date: 28 Sep 92 23:04:04 GMT
Organization: AG Communication Systems, Phoenix, Arizona

In article <1686C595A.AMILLSAP@cmsa.gmr.com>, AMILLSAP@cmsa.gmr.com writes:
> In article <1992Sep23.153528.8082@porthos.cc.bellcore.com>
> patter@dasher.uucp (24224-guthrie) writes:
> 
> >Maybe I'm misunderstanding you on one thing. To me "pea stone" is gravel.
> >Is that what you mean also?
> 
> That is exactly what I mean.  The depth of the peastone is engineered to
> spread the load.  Peastone (gravel between 1/4"and 3/4" diameter) is 98%
> compacted when it hits the ground.  Loads placed on it disperse (due to the

This is not my area, but I did spend several years as an inspector
for a civil engineering firm over 15 years ago.  I doubt that you'll
see that much by just dumping it into a hole with some water lube on
the gravel.  Maybe you'll see something like 80-85%, but not 98%.  We
had all we could do to try to get the contractor to reach 95% on
ashpalt using a those big driven water loaded vibrating rollers after
6-8 passes.  Some of the 3/4"(?) crushed stone (CA#6 ?) for road bed
use, we use to mark 100% compacted because it was worked so much with
water and had enough fines in it that we couldn't even dig it out for
the sample pit without damaging the adjacent area.

> "pyramiding" effect of the gravel) at an angle between 30 and 45 degrees.
> The amount of peastone (i.e. bearing trench width and depth) is engineered
> so that the load is suitably dispersed to the bearing capacity of the
> underlying "virgin" soil.   In my case, the soil (clay) was conservatively
> assumed to have a bearing capacity of 2000 lb./sq.ft.  The typical peastone
> trench under the walls ended up being 24" wide and 9" deep.  In reality,
> my bearing soil is sand and gravel which has a bearing capacity of 4000 to
> 10,000 lbs.
> 

-- 
Jurek Rakoczynski, AG Communication Systems, POB 52179, Phoenix, AZ. 85072
UUCP: ...!{ncar!noao!enuucp | att}!gtephx!rakoczynskij  Voice: +1 602 581 4867
Inet: gtephx!rakoczynskij@enuucp.eas.asu.edu              Fax: +1 602 582 7111
Inet: /DD.UN=J.RAKOCZYNSKI/O=GTE/PRMD=GTEMAIL/ADMD=TELEMAIL/C=US/@sprint.com
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: hollen@megatek.UUCP (Dion Hollenbeck)
Subject: Re: PVC J bend + iron waste pipe = dribbly drain!
Organization: Megatek Corporation, San Diego, California
Distribution: na
Date: Wed, 30 Sep 1992 21:53:43 GMT

>>>>> On 30 Sep 92 06:01:04 GMT, tslee@oracle.uucp (Terry S. Lee) said:

Terry> On a 1950s house, I used PVC stuff to go from the basin to the
Terry> iron/steel pipe coming out of the wall.  A PVC 'wall pipe'
Terry> inserts into the iron pipe, a plastic ring and a nut keeps it
Terry> in.  The PVC wall pipe presents a lipped surface, and with
Terry> another nut hooks up to a PVC J bend.

[... explanation of dribble at interface of iron and plastic pipe ...]

Terry> Tips, anyone?  I'm about to shove some plumber's putty all
Terry> over, but it's messy, doesn't look good, and seems like a big
Terry> hack to me.

I had a dribble at the interface between cast iron in wall and the
chromed brass type of waste pipe.  I just coated it liberally (1/4"
thick) with clear silicone seal and have had no problems.  It was
easily removable when I needed to take the joint apart.  I know you
care about esthetics as I do, but the bottom line may just be, can you
stop the leak, period.

-- 
Dion Hollenbeck       UUCP: {uunet, ucsd, sun}!megatek!hollen
                      INTERNET:            hollen@megatek.com
Megatek Corporation  9645 Scranton Rd.  San Diego, Ca.  92121
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: richard@sfu.ca (Richard Chycoski)
Subject: Re: Electric Drill Recommendation
Reply-To: richard@sfu.ca
Organization: Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, B.C., Canada
Distribution: na
Date: Mon, 5 Oct 1992 15:12:58 GMT

In article <1992Oct2.183830.2496@porthos.cc.bellcore.com> patter@dasher.uucp  
(24224-guthrie) writes:
> If you opt for Skil, you should be aware that they make several quality
> levels of tool. My experience with their commercial quality line is
> that it's a very good tool. I've used worm drive Skil saws that were
> made in the 40s and still ran fine, being used commercially the entire
> time.
> 
> However, a few years ago they began to market a homeowners' line of tools.
> My experience with this line (they're in the $40 price range) has convinced
> me that B&D makes better quality tools for less money. In short, if it
> costs much less than $100, I wouldn't buy a Skil tool.

My experience with Skil power drills made in the last fifteen years is that I  
wish that I had bought something else. The drill that I bought for the shop at  
work died (electrically) after just a few years of light service (this was an  
electronic shop in a computing centre - not a lot of call for a drill). I  
bought one for my Dad, who was doing some carpentry and boat building at the  
time - it lasted a little longer, but the motor is not in great shape either.  
Compared to the WW-II surplus drill that he used for forty years, the Skil  
drill (3/8", variable speed ~$125) is junk! (The surplus drill was also smaller  
and lighter in weight!) My next drill will probably be a Makita (with cord). I  
haven't heard any complaints locally from friends who have bought them, and  
their prices are close to (and often better than) the 'commercial' Skil tools.

- Richard Chycoski
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: macrakis@osf.org (Stavros Macrakis)
Subject: Re: siding options?
Organization: OSF Research Institute
Date: 29 Sep 92 14:12:18

In article <1992Sep28.171309.2653@meteor.wisc.edu> foley@meteor.wisc.edu (Jonathan Foley) writes:

   Hello!  My wife and I are living in a very old wooden house (it was built in
   the 1870s).  Paint does not last very long on this beast.  It was painted every
   8 years or so for the last 30 years without much luck.  Paint just seems to
   peel right off the sucker.   We don't want to do this.  So, we are considering 
   the options for various kinds of siding and such.  

Eight years is a reasonable repainting interval for a wooden exterior.
Still, it shouldn't be "peeling" off at the end of the period -- most
of it should just look tired.  If it is peeling, perhaps you need to
reduce the amount of moisture buildup underneath the paint.  Do you
have a range hood, exhaust fans in bathrooms, exterior venting for
dryer?  Next time you repaint the interior, you could consider using a
vapor-barrier paint.

As for imitation clapboard made of vinyl or aluminum, please don't do
it!  It invariably makes the house look cheaper, and ruins much of its
period quality.  It also, in the long term, causes damage by hiding
deterioration of the underlying wood, and holding moisture in.  Note
that although straight runs of imitation clapboard don't look too bad,
what's really awful is what happens at the ends of runs, around
windows, and around other detail.  It's a disaster!

New wooden clapboards won't increase the repainting interval
significantly, although there are certainly things you can do to
increase it somewhat, such as priming the back side and ends before
putting them up.

When calculating cost-effectiveness, by the way, consider the time
value of money.

   We would like to know what we could do.  We aren't too keen on the idea of
   just putting up the normal vinyl siding (or aluminum), but it seems to be
   the most cost-effective means to cover the house.  However, would it be 
   possible to just put new wooden clapboards up instead?  What about the
   cost difference?  We are very new at this sort of thing, so please explain
   what you mean.  By the way, the house is a three story.  In addition, there
   are some areas of the house that are covered with 'scallops' rather than the
   regular clapboards.  We would love to keep them (or something like it).

Please do!!  No way to keep them with vinyl or aluminum.

	-s

PS I own an 1871 house.
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: psv2b@poe.acc.Virginia.EDU (Peter S. Vines)
Subject: Re: Loose Laid Vinyl Flooring - O.K.?
Organization: University of Virginia
Distribution: usa
Date: Mon, 28 Sep 1992 14:16:54 GMT

I installed Armstrong Timespan in a playroom 9 months ago and only glued
the edges.  For a couple of days there were tiny ripples throughout the
floor but they quickly went away and the flooring has worked quite well.
I was concerned at first about the recommended installation, but it seems ok.

In article <1992Sep28.133328.723@cbfsb.cb.att.com> tln@cbnewsf.cb.att.com (teresa.l.green) writes:
>Hello -
>	Has anyone heard of or used a product called Mannington Gold?
>This particular brand of vinyl flooring is apparently loose laid, no
>glue, just stapled at the edges.  The salesman said it was very 
>important to lay the vinyl out and staple it immediately, as it starts
>to shrink.  I plan to put this down in a bathroom and I am concerned
>about its durability.  I would appreciate comments and advice concerning 
>this type of vinyl flooring.
>				Thanks,
>					Teresa
>					teresa@ihlpm.ATT.COM


--
- Peter Vines : vines@virginia.edu : (804) 924-4644 : University of Virginia
From: russ@hpkslx.mayfield.HP.COM (Russ Lown)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Re: Gas piping question
Date: 1 Oct 92 18:52:27 GMT
Organization: HP Response Center Lab

Jack Tavares writes:

|> >In most places it is not a DIY job.
|> >It needs to be inspected by a licensed plumber/gas line installer.
|> >You can doit yourself, but not legally in most places.
|> >
|> >If a location allows you to do it yourself,
|> >then you must still get it inspected, and most
|> >plumbers wont inspect DIT jobs
|> >
|> >
|> >Jack Tavares	(603) 332-9400 x 1463 (603) 332-1019 (FAX)
|> >Cabletron 	PO Box 5005 Rochester, NH 03867-0505
|> >Disclaimer: Cabletron could care less!

----------

Ok, 

All legalities aside,  I think the real question i would like to 
see answered is, 

 "where could i get some DIY information on doing a job like this?"

In particular, what are some good books on gas fitting.  Then, I can
decide if it's worth my time, and if it's legal for me to get the
permit and DIM (DoItMyself).


Thanks,


Russ "beer is my job and i'm late for work" Lown
From: mzk20@pecan.spa.amdahl.com (Makoto Kobayashi)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Roofer recommendation in the South Bay
Date: 28 Sep 92 20:22:36 GMT
Distribution: ca
Organization: Amdahl Corporation  Sunnyvale, CA

I need to reroof my house in South Bay area.  I would appreciate
greatly if soneone can recommend a roofer for me.  My house is 
a small 3 bedroom house with an attached garage.  I am concerened
about the quality of the work most, then the cost.
Thanks in advance.
  
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: lester@naomi.b23b.ingr.com (Les Bartel)
Subject: Re: Installing deadbolts in steel doors
Reply-To: lester@naomi.b23b.ingr.com
Organization: Dazix, An Intergraph Company
Date: Thu, 1 Oct 1992 14:22:23 GMT

In article <1992Sep30.175509.17223@porthos.cc.bellcore.com>, patter@dasher.uucp (24224-guthrie) writes:
|> In article <lcjm05INNq0i@news.bbn.com> jdelsign@BBN.COM (John Delsignore) writes:
|> >	3. How easy is it to drill the opening for the deadbolt
|> >	   through the steel?  Is there a special drill bit required?
|> 
|> Assuming you have a drill motor, it's a piece of cake. Buy a hole saw the
|> right size which is designed for cutting steel. Drill halfway through the
|> door from one side, then drill in from the other. If the edge of the door
|> isn't square (the door is usually made narrower on the frame side than on
|> the outside to make it close properly), the center of the hole on one side
|> should be further from the edge than that on the other.

I always drill until the pilot bit emerges out the other side of my work.
That way I _know_ that when I drill from the other side that it will
line up.  If the door is too thick for this, drill as deep as you can
and then chuck a regular bit in your drill to finish the pilot hole.
Continue with the hole saw from the other side.

 - les

-- 
Les Bartel			lester@naomi.b23b.ingr.com
Intergraph Corporation
Huntsville, AL			(205) 730-8537

There are three kinds of people in the world:
Those who can count, and those who can't.
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house