HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: dwb@cbnewsb.cb.att.com (david.boyle)
Subject: Wanescoting - installation
Organization: AT&T
Date: Sat, 7 Nov 1992 03:39:57 GMT

I plan to install some cedar wanescoting and have an install question.
I was going to nail furring up and then nail the tongue-in-groove onto
the furring strips.  However, the installation instructions with the 
kit (kit = enough to do 6ft x 3ft) say to use panel adhesive.  Also, the
molding on the top and bottom is made to go flush on the wall, with the
furring strip this would expose a gap on the top.  Any reasons not to
use the adhesive?  Thanks in advance.
							Dave

From: goris@hpfcso.FC.HP.COM (Andy Goris)
Date: Sat, 7 Nov 1992 04:52:52 GMT
Subject: Re: Attack of the Woodpecker!
Organization: Hewlett-Packard, Fort Collins, CO, USA
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house

Woodpeckers aren't usually pecking for food in this situation, they're
signalling for a mate.  I just finished patching over 20 holes in our
cedar siding (brand new, heavily treated, so there's NO insects).  The
woodpeckers look for a nice LOUD place to peck.  Most of our holes went
all the way to the insulation :-(.

We put out one of those inflatable owls and that seemed to work.  The
inflatable snakes aren't as effective, and ours leaked :-(.  Shooting
the bird with a pellet gun is also effective ;-).  Finally, I read in
a pamphlet from the Colorado Wildlife Dept. that if you hang a piece
of cedar, with a perch in your yard where they can peck and make lots
of noise, they'll peck on this instead of your house.

GOOD LUCK!

Andy Goris       goris@fc.hp.com
From: labelle@hfglobe.intel.com (George La Belle)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Shake roof maintenance
Date: 11 Nov 92 00:59:23 GMT
Organization: Intel Corporation


	Its that time of year again when a little mold starts showing on
	my roof. I've been told before that a little mold killer applied
	once a year is all I need. Many in my neighborhood have replaced
	their roofs already (~14 years old). I just received a flyer
	telling me this outfit will preasure clean my roof, then reaply
	"lost oils". Another neighbor tells me preasure cleaning actually
	dries out a roof and reduces its life.

	What to do? Anybody have definitive answers to properly maintaining
	a shake roof? 

		Thanks,
		George
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: mryan@stsci.edu
Subject: Re: Ceiling Fan Recommendations Wanted
Organization: Space Telescope Science Institute
Distribution: na
Date: Tue, 10 Nov 1992 21:27:07 GMT

In article <10NOV199214341236@watson.bms.com>, bullock@watson.bms.com (JOAN BULLOCK) writes:
> 
> Try picking the brains of a couple of fan dealers.
> 

Pick their brains, but don't buy from them until you shop around.  Last year
I bought a house with 4 ceiling fans and no light kits on them.  I bought
2 light kits from a ceiling fan specialty store.  I later saw the exact
same light kits at Home Depot for *half* the price I paid for them.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mary Ryan			mryan@stsci.edu
Space Telescope Science Institute
Baltimore, Maryland
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: eliot@chutney.rtp.dg.com (Topher Eliot)
Subject: Re: Re: How to tell a REAL buyer's agent
Date: Wed, 11 Nov 92 18:42:10 GMT
Reply-To: eliot@dg-rtp.dg.com
Organization: Data General Corporation, Research Triangle Park, NC

I've heard that buyers who get real buyers agents working for them sometimes
can take advantage of the benefits of such, and then at the last minute get
the listing agent to split the commision being payed by the seller, just as
if the buyer's agent had been a "selling" agent all along.  It makes me think
that if I ever list a house for sale through an RE agent again (not that I
think it's a good idea in general), I will put a clause in my contract stating
that if the buyer is represented by a buyer's agent at any point in the
negotiations, the commision I pay will go down by 50%.  Let that seller, who
is benefiting from the buyer's agency, REALLY pay for it!

Note that I have nothing against RE agents as people, I've received fine
treatment from some of them.  But I'm convinced that the industry is inherently
inefficient, with little market force to make it efficient (sort of like
health care...)  So I prefer to opt out if I can (which I did quite succesfully
on my latest purchase & sale).

-- 
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
"I can understand Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, but I can't understand mutually
recursive inline functions."  --anon.
Xref: sparky misc.consumers.house:14269 misc.invest.real-estate:901
From: bd670@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Russell I. Dyreng)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house,misc.invest.real-estate
Subject: Re: Control of escrow accounts
Date: 5 Nov 1992 16:32:05 GMT
Organization: Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio (USA)
NNTP-Posting-Host: hela.ins.cwru.edu


>In article <1498@ncrclm.ClemsonSC.NCR.COM>
>lsnow@ncrclm.ClemsonSC.NCR.COM (Linda Snow) writes:
>
>>
>>During one of the many discussions of  home financing and 
>>re-financing, I believe a couple of people mentioned they did 
>>not pay their taxes and insurance through the usual escrow 
>>accounts.  How is this done?  Don't the lending institutions 
>>require it?  Or is this something you have to ask for and 
>>qualify for?  I would be interested in choosing this option,
>>if possible, when I re-finance.
>>
>>Thanks for any info.
>
>It depends on how much equity you hold. I didn't have taxes 
>escrowed in either my original mortgage or my refinance as I 
>had sufficient equity in the house to cover any default. You 
>should definitely bring this up when you apply. And if you're 
>planning on a refinance, it may already
>be too late to get a low rate...
>                      --mike
>-------------------------------                  

Normally you have to have at least a 20% equity position in your
home before the lending institution will allow you to pay your 
taxes and insurance yourself.  At 20% equity they no longer 
require you to carry private mortgage insurance (PMI).  If you 
are at or above the 20% level be sure to tell the loan officer 
that you wish to pay the taxes and insurance on your own.  

Simply put 1/12 of the annual amount into a savings account 
each month.  When the bills come due, you'll have the money on 
hand to cover the expenses.  You will have also earned a few 
dollars in interest by so doing.  Never pay PMI if you are over
20% equity.  It is a ripoff.  This insurance does not cover you 
for anything.  It covers the LENDER in case of a default on your
part.

Happy Refinancing!
-- 
Russ
bd670@cleveland.freenet.edu
Remember-any advice that I give you may be worth exactly what
you paid for it.
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: zulch@suntan.ece.clarkson.edu (Peter Zulch)
Subject: Size of wooden storm door
Organization: Clarkson University
Date: Wed, 11 Nov 1992 21:31:04 GMT







I would like to replace the ugly aluminimum storm door on the front
of my dutch colonial home with a nice wooden one with the screen
insert and glass pane insert (basically 8 panes inside a wooden frame,
I forget the name for this style). The problem is the door only
comes in 32" and 36" widths. My door frame is 34" wide (what a surprise).
So I bought the 36" door hoping to cut it down to fit. However, it is
37" wide (gee, who would have ever thought, somthing else to cause
trouble). The stiles of the door are approx. 4.5 to 5" wide. To allow
for a proper backset for the door knob, I can only cut 1" of one side
and 2" off the other!!!  Talking with the sales person, she said that
this would be to much to take off the door ( the 2" ) and it would loose
its structural integrety.  The door frame is set in concrete ( the first
floor of my house is concrete ) so rebuilding the door frame for either
door would be a major project and ruin the already nice appearance
of the door frame. Should I make my own door? The only problem with
this is that I am not certain of how to make the screen/glass inserts?
Does anyone know of any plans for this and where can I by the special
hardware to hold the screen/glass in the door.  I could have a door
made by a local door shop, but they want close to $400 which I think
is kind of steep for a lousy storm door. Or does someone
know if a 34" door is made and sold by a nationally known store (builders
square, hechingers, etc ).

Any suggestions are greatly appreciated!!

Thanks Pete.
From: bakken@cs.arizona.edu (Dave Bakken)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Re: better mouse trap needed
Date: 12 Nov 92 16:42:47 GMT
Distribution: na
Organization: U of Arizona CS Dept, Tucson

In article <17659@bcars664.bnr.ca> Henry.Troup@BNR.CA writes:
>|>> (Choosy mice chose Jiff!).  Natural selection has left me with mice that
>|>> can lick off the peanut butter without springing the trap [...]

Try putting the peanut butter *under* the cheese holder thing.  It would
be almost impossible for a mouse to get to the peanut butter without
springing the trap.  I've done this twice and it worked great  both times.  
--
Dave Bakken                               Internet: bakken@cs.arizona.edu
Dept. of Computer Science; U of Arizona   Voice:    +1 602 621 4098      
Tucson, AZ 85721; USA                     FAX:      +1 602 621 4246
The fact that you're paranoid doesn't prove they're *not* out to get you.
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house,misc.consumers
From: tjoa@cory.Berkeley.EDU (Richard Tjoa)
Subject: Airline Suit
Summary: What of it?
Keywords: airlies screwed consumers sex
Organization: University of California, at Berkeley
Distribution: usa
Date: Fri, 13 Nov 1992 09:52:07 GMT

A while ago, there was stuff posted about the airline anti-trust suit which
was settled for "coupons" which had a bunch of restrictions and other
what-not tacked onto them...  As a result, a number of state Attorney
Generals decided that this settlement was, well, crap, so they were
planning not to settle under those terms...  I was wondering if anyone
knew anything about this or any other government action.


-Richard

Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: gey@cbnewsd.cb.att.com (gerald.e.yingling)
Subject: Humidifier in Furnace question
Organization: AT&T
Distribution: usa
Date: Fri, 13 Nov 1992 16:57:07 GMT
Keywords: Which duct?

I am planning to put a humidifier in my furnace soon but am
confused - should it go in the hot air plenum or the cold air
return?  I am leaning towards the type that has a rotating drum or
the type that drips water on a screen "April Aire" type.  Does
the type make a difference on placement - hot or cold air side
of furnace?  I have seen humidifiers in either locations - but is one
perferred?
Thanks
Jerry
From: un026217@wvnvms.wvnet.edu
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Wasp?????
Date: 6 Nov 92 14:53:58 GMT
Organization: West Virginia Network for Educational Telecomputing

Hi,

I posted a message asking how to keep wasp out the house
and got no answers yet. However, I remember a while ago
there was a discussion on the topic. Would someone email
me the summery please?

Thanks, Bo Wang
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: patter@dasher.cc.bellcore.com (patterson,george r)
Subject: Re: Price Negotiation for new Windows?
Organization: Bellcore, Livingston, NJ
Distribution: usa
Date: Sat, 14 Nov 92 01:56:50 GMT
Keywords: windows

In article <1992Nov13.224708.27803@cbfsb.cb.att.com> tln@cbnewsf.cb.att.com (teresa.l.green) writes:
>Hello -
>
>	I am purchasing Marvin windows for my home and I would
>like to know if a person can negotiate price? 

This varies from outfit to outfit. I have negotiated discounts of 10% to
an occasional 40% simply by becoming a "steady" customer. Do this by
making regular, small purchases. I have such arrangements with several
local places. Whether I come out ahead financially in the long run, the
friendships are worth the money. I'd much rather pay Pete Stelton for
hardware than whoever owns Home Depot.

Another thing to ask is if they offer a discount for cash payment. This is
rarely the case with large purchases.

Also see if they have a "contractor's desk". "Patterson Construction" can
get discounts that George Patterson can't get. This is sometimes the case
at medium size outfits and rarely the case with small businesses. Large
ones don't do this much either; Home Depot has a "contractor's" checkout
lane, but the prices aren't any better there.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
                    |
George Patterson -  | I don't know if I believe in love at first sight.
                    | I've never seen a Porshe full of money.
                    |
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
From: spikes@hpscit.sc.hp.com (Bill Spikes)
Date: Thu, 5 Nov 1992 16:10:42 GMT
Subject: Re: FYI: This Old Pyramid
Organization: Hewlett-Packard, Santa Clara, CA
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house

Saw it last night. One of the better NOVAs. Well presented and still
technical enough to actually LEARN somethin'. The interaction between
the stone mason and the 4,6,8,10 year degreed types was great. The mason
was given a very short time to build one with local help while trying
to use only ancient construction techniques. His basic complaint was, "Get
these 'scientists' outta here and let me build this thing!"

Great entertainment and I learnt 'stuff' in spite of mysef'.


Bill


Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: bryan@isrc.sandia.gov (Jon R Bryan)
Subject: Re: FYI: This Old Pyramid
Organization: Sandia National Labs, Org. 1600, Albq., NM
Date: Thu, 5 Nov 1992 18:45:04 GMT

kfp@sibyl.SAIC.Com (Keith Pilotti 552-3900 SV CMCT) writes:
: "This Old Pyramid" is the title of the upcoming episode of Nova on PBS.
: 
Remember when the stonemason working on the walk/patio for the TOH's
Concord Barn said he was going to do this?
-- 
Jon R. Bryan	(505) 844-2015	<=>	bryan@isrc.sandia.gov
Sandia National Laboratories, Intelligent System Sensors and Controls
From: wb8foz@skybridge.SCL.CWRU.Edu (David Lesher)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Re: Fill old well in basement?
Date: 13 Nov 1992 01:33:17 GMT
Organization: NRK Clinic for habitual NetNews abusers - Beltway Annex
Distribution: usa
Reply-To: wb8foz@skybridge.scl.cwru.edu (David Lesher)
NNTP-Posting-Host: skybridge.scl.cwru.edu

Others said
# Don't fill it.  

Agreed. You can hide bodies in it. Unless they are already
there. Did you see Jimmy Hofffa down there ;-?
--
A host is a host from coast to coast..wb8foz@skybridge.scl.cwru.edu
& no one will talk to a host that's close..........................
Unless the host (that isn't close).........................pob 1433
is busy, hung or dead....................................20915-1433
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: jeq@i88.isc.com (Jonathan E. Quist)
Subject: Re: Getting Ready to Sell House: How to Make it Most Appealing?
Organization: INTERACTIVE Systems Corporation, Naperville, IL
Distribution: usa
Date: Wed, 11 Nov 1992 19:24:36 GMT

In article <1992Nov11.180523.20266@porthos.cc.bellcore.com> jadams@vixen.uucp (22475-adams) writes:
>A really good real estate agent who helped us sell our last house walked through
>our house with us after listing and offered some very simple, yet effective ways
>of improving our chances of a quick sale (We did 90% of what he suggested).  Among
>the things that we never thought of:
>
>	Remove all "excess" furniture in each room (We rented a storage unit for
>	a month)...makes each room look larger.
>
>	Change all hanging pictures which are of family members to landscapes,
>	etc....makes the home look less like "It _BELONGS_ to the current owner".

You know, I sometimes wonder about this.  We "depersonalized" our house.
We reroofed the garage.  We even had the exterior painted in a color
scheme we'd never have chosen had we planned on staying.  And we didn't
get even insulting offers.

When it was all over with, and we decided to stay, we remembered that one
of the things that endeared us to the house when we bought it was a
framed piece of needlework that was hanging in the dining room.  It
depicted the Kiev railroad station, and was completed by the owner's
grandmother during her boat trip from Russia to America.  It represented
her last (ever) view of her native country.  You can't
get a great deal more personal than that.  We knew it wasn't staying
with the house, but it said, in no uncertain terms, that this
was a home, rather than a house.

So maybe we're just atypical.  But personal worked on us; impersonal
didn't sell our house.  Go figure.


Comments, anyone?
-- 
Jonathan E. Quist                              INTERACTIVE Systems Corporation
jeq@i88.isc.com  '71 CL450-K4 "Gleep", DoD #094        Naperville, IL
        There are many things a person should experience in a lifetime.
       Among them are an infant's first cry, and an infant's first laugh.
From: AMILLSAP@cmsa.gmr.com
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Re: Jacuzzi baths vs others?
Date: 11 Nov 92 11:32:20 GMT
Organization: GM Research Labs

In article <sands-101192111506@90.10.20.76>
sands@apple.com (Michael Sands) writes:

>
>We are remodeling and get an opportunity to add a jetted bath tub to our
>master bathroom.  Jacuzzi has a patent on their jets and charge a $800
>premium on their baths because the jets are better.
>
>Is this true?  Are the jets really that much different?
>
>Where should I buy, how much is reasonable, what should I look out for?
>
>

I am no expert, but I, too, have been shopping for Jacuzzi-type tubs.  You
may be interested to know that Jacuzzi was sold some time ago and that there
are some folks who feel that there quality has slipped.  More importantly,
the Jacuzzi family now produces spa-tubs under the brand name of JASON (for
JAcuzzi and SON).   I have listened to all the sales droids, and I will be
purchasing JASON.   They may be a bit difficult to locate because they have
to have sales "territories", but their corporate sales number is:
1-800-255-5766.

You might also be interested in a mail-order plumbing supply outfit called
Paragon products.  I faxed them a list of all the fixtures for the house I
am building (including the JASON tub) and they had better prices than most of
the local suppliers.  The shipping cost for the tub was somewhat mitigated
by the lower price and the fact that I didn't have to pay sales tax.

Good Luck,
Arnie Millsap
From: pfh@cray.com (Peter Hill)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Re: Ceiling Fan Recommendations Wanted
Date: 11 Nov 92 00:26:57 GMT
Distribution: na
Organization: Cray Research, Inc.

Some comments about the recent thread, from which I extract two quotes:
>...up there with Casablanca...
>...Fans tend to last quite awhile...

I think Casablanca brand fans are hugely overrated.  They're very
pretty, but they're poorly designed.

- The Casablanca "Intelli-touch" fans have unacceptable design
  brain-damage.  (AC line noise sensitivity, in particular.)

- The non-"Intelli-touch" fan motors are relatively noisy.

- All have problems with the blade attachment.  The dealer
  couldn't get Casablanca to acknowledge there was a problem,
  even though two of my four fans broke just after the warranty
  expired.

No sir, I don't like 'em.  I'll try Hunter Originals next time.  Those
four Casablancas are the new owners' problem; come to think of it, the
other two warranties just expired....

-- 
___________________________________________________________________________
Peter Hill                     pfh@cray.com                 +1 612 683 5753
Cray Research, Inc.            655F Lone Oak Drive, Eagan, Minnesota  55121
From: perley@trub.crd.ge.com (Donald P Perley)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Re: Gas logs in your fireplace
Date: 12 Nov 92 16:26:09 GMT
	<5523@gold.gvg.tek.com>
Organization: GE Corp. R & D, Schenectady, NY 12345

In article <5523@gold.gvg.tek.com> stevem@gold.gvg.tek.com (Steve Miller) writes:

   In article <FAUNT.92Nov6113544@dustbin.cisco.com> faunt@dustbin.cisco.com (Doug Faunt N6TQS 415-688-8269) writes:
   >A question I've had for a while:
   >Why are gas pipes requires to be black iron?  Why not galvanized?

   To distinguish it from pipes that are not carrying gas.

   "We'll just cut this here water pipe with my blow torch, and add that extra
   circuit."  Oopps, KABLEWY.

Well, GEE.  If that's the reason, then how do you distinguish gas pipes from
heating pipes, which are often black iron?

There seem to be a lot of replies giving bogus reasons.  The real reason
black pipe is used is because its CHEAPER than galvanized!  People don't
complain about rust stains in the flames like they do with their 
bathtubs.

A recent bid I read for a gas heat conversion said that the company
would use galvanized pipe for any outdoor gas plumbing line and "black
or galvanized" for indoor plumbing.

--
perley@trub.crd.ge.com
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Re: GFCI question
From: michael@sunbeam.ksc.nasa.gov (Michael D. Myjak x7-3286)
Date: 12 Nov 92 08:19:48
Organization: NASA, Kennedy Space Center, FL.
In-reply-to: drand@spinner.osf.org's message of 11 Nov 92 14:08:18Lines: 32

Originally, I wrote:

      Now, on to pick a nit: a GFCI in a circuit will protect *all* outlets
      on that circuit. In other words, a GFCI can go anywhere in the circuit
      and will provide protection to all devices in that circuit. Thats
      because the GFI is sensing a current difference between the hot and
      neutral...  which there shouldn't be unless current is being grounded
      somewhere elsein the circuit. Typically, GFCI circuit breakers are set
      to trip at .005 amps.

Douglas S. Rand (drand@spinner.osf.org) then followed up with:

   This is not worded quite right.  The GFCI outlet will protect all the
   outlets which are downstream of it.  It will do nothing for earlier
   outlets.

You are absolutely correct. I guess I got a little carried away with
the delete command. <meta-K for you emacs weenies> It should read as
"... and will provide protection to all devices [following] in that
circuit." 

I wish I could help more on this subject but I'm having a little
trouble getting my foot out-a mouth...

--
- Michael D. Myjak			
  Senior Technical Specialist, Systems Analyst
  McDonnell Douglas Space Systems Company
  Kennedy Space Center, Fl., 32815
  MYJAK@TITAN.KSC.NASA.GOV

Gravity. It's not just a good idea. Its the LAW!
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: laird@stable.ecn.purdue.edu (Kyler Laird)
Subject: Re: Cellulose vs Fiberglass insulation
Keywords: insulation
Organization: Purdue University Engineering Computer Network
Date: 11 Nov 92 20:35:44 GMT

An interesting sidenote (I think)...

My father has long noticed dust accumulation in our house.  My mother
is an obsessive cleaner.  Where does it come from?  It's blown in
insulation that comes in from the electrical switch boxes on exterior
walls!  He's plastered up vents and such, and we don't have any problems
downstairs (concrete walls), so the switch boxes seem plausible to me.

Anywayz...conclusion: blown in insulation is awfully hard to control.  I
recommend against it for that reason alone.

--kyler
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: kapa@cbnewsc.cb.att.com (k.a.perkins)
Subject: Re: Recomendation for an upright freezer
Organization: AT&T
Distribution: usa
Date: Fri, 13 Nov 1992 05:38:15 GMT
Summary: not a big fan of auto defrost

In article <BxK89n.M67@constellation.ecn.uoknor.edu>, richman@reepicheep.gcn.uoknor.edu (Mike Richman) writes:
> We are looking for an extra freezer, an upright (non-chest) unit which
> had automatic defrost.  Any suggestions for which brands to consider,
> and which to avoid?  Features worth paying extra for?  Thanks.

Well, one feature that I wouldn't pay extra for, especially in a large
freezer, is auto defrost.  While the freezer is defrosting itself, it's
also defrosting (thawing and refreezing) all of the stuff in the freezer,
which isn't the best thing for preventing freezer burn and generally dried
out meat and things.

Do get a lock, especially if you have kids around.
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house