HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: neilson@pmin28.osf.org (Peter Neilson)
Subject: Re: Plumbing - pipe sizes
Organization: Open Software Foundation
Distribution: usa
Date: Tue, 12 Jan 1993 18:26:18 GMT

In article <1993Jan12.161158.983@cbfsb.cb.att.com> dwb@cbnewsb.cb.att.com (david.boyle) writes:
>Can someone please post or email some info regarding plumbing pipe
>sizes?  Specifically, when should you measure inside versus outside
>diameters?
>
>I goofed recently on both a dishwasher install and a sink trap repair.  Each
>involved a return trip to get the right fittings.
>					Thanks, Dave

[Blowtorch on, adjust flame, point it at AT&T.]
  No, we can't email you, because your AT&T header tells us your news
  server, not your email address, in the "From:" field, and there is no
  "Reply-To:" field.  Is there some way to let EVERYONE at AT&T know
  that most of the rest of the world does not know your email addresses
  by magic, and you'll have to tell us what they are, each time, like
  maybe in a .signature file?  Or have news servers been updated to
  take incoming mail, and I am unaware?
[Blowtorch off, resume normal conversation.  I apologise for charred ears.]

There seem to be a lot of different sizes for drainpipes, and unless
you know them well, you'll be like me and have to make several trips.
Here are some I've discovered:

  - Smaller metal slip-joint.  Is it "1 1/4 inch" ??
  - Larger metal slip-joint.  Maybe it's "1 1/2 inch" ??
  - Flange fittings on the other end of slip-joint that look like more
    slip-joint, but aren't.
  - Older fittings of (or matching) cast iron or brass drainpipe.
  - Plastic drainpipe, schedule n, where there are different values of
    n, like 40 or 80 or something.  The various schedules aren't into
    kinky sex, like mating with other schedules.  Some of them can
    deal with metal slip-joint, maybe.

I think that the most important thing about plumbing pipe measurements
is the use of "nominal" sizes.  They don't "make sense" like you would
want them to.  You really have to know how a particular kind of "one-
inch" pipe is supposed to be measured.  If you measure YOUR pipe, and
get "one inch" as the result, and order a "one-inch" pipe to match it,
you can be wrong.  Maybe slightly wrong, maybe hopelessly wrong.
Maybe slightly but hopelessly wrong!

The best method is to take your OLD PIPE or FITTING to the plumbing
supply shop and ask for help in finding something that fits.  Your
local hardware store may very well not have the right thing at all,
which can lead you into buying the wrong thing instead, due to
misplaced hope.  That's why you need a plumbing supply shop.
-- 
           "Nothing is certain."  "You sure?"  "Absolutely!"
             >>>  Peter Neilson  --- neilson@osf.org  <<<
Quote changed daily.  If you've seen this one before, burn your calendar.
From: btwomey@cbnewsj.cb.att.com (William J. Twomey)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Re: When does it make sense to reduce the pricinple of your home loan?
Date: 7 Jan 93 16:59:35 GMT
Distribution: na
Organization: Attack Tribble Training

In article <1993Jan4.232220.3008@mdd.comm.mot.com> rudoff@mdd.comm.mot.com (Doug Rudoff) writes:

[ Does it make sense to pay down your mortgage? ]

Yes.  Maybe.  A qualified yes if:
 -  you have the cash to spare
 -  if you do not and will not have something better to do with the cash
 -  if you are not going to need the cash quickly

A definite yes if:
 -  you would squander your spare cash otherwise.

A definite NO if:
 -  the mortgage rate is ridiculously low, say a mortgage
    that is 25 yrs old or and ARM currently at 4-5%.
 -  you have the brains to find to find an nice place to park your money.
 
I have worked the numbers comparing paying down your mortgage
versus investing.  The gain/loss from investing instead of paying
down is a piddling amount for mortgages rates found today and
investments returns that can reasonably be expected.  The piddling
amount is a couple of thousand dollars either way after 10 to 20
years into the loan.  Meanwhile 10-20 years from now your salary
and cost of living will have doubled, and your real estate taxes
will end up being more than your mortgage payment!  (How many
peoples' parents see this now?)  And that gain/loss amounts to a
few months of mortgage payments.  No big deal.

Why bother trying to find the optimum answer to this mortgage question,
when the difference in returns is small?  Just make sure that you 
do save, and that you are not pissing your money away leaving it in
some pathetic yielding, useless "investment" like a savings account
or a money market returning 3%. 

Save early, save often, save in a knowledgeable way.

Do you know where you can earn 7%, with very low risk, today?

Bill Twomey
Ans:

Short Term Bond Funds.
-- 
bt@violin.att.com
908 615 4162
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: patter@dasher.cc.bellcore.com (patterson,george r)
Subject: Re: "gap-osis" between range and base cabinets/countertop
Organization: Bellcore, Livingston, NJ
Date: Fri, 8 Jan 93 02:12:28 GMT

In article <1993Jan7.213014.8867@phx.mcd.mot.com> fredch@phx.mcd.mot.com (Fred Christiansen) writes:

>Given that a standard range is preferred over the others (for whatever
>arbitrary reasons), what can be done about this gap?  Has anyone found
>anything that seals off this gap?

An outfit named "Harriet Carter" sells a strip to fill the gap. They
call it a "spill guard", it's made of aluminum with attached magnets
to hold it in place. Sells for $2.98 each - $5.75 a pair. Catalogue
number is F2594.

The address is 
                Harriet Carter
                Dept. 23
                North Wales, PA 19455

Their phone number is 215-361-5151 if you're in a hurry. I've ordered a few
things from them before and have no complaints.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
                    | New Jersey drivers are the best in the world.
George Patterson -  | They have to be to drive the way they do and
                    | survive.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: vonk@sr.hp.com (Steve Vonk)
Subject: Re: Insulation cutting tool?
Date: Tue, 5 Jan 1993 23:41:59 GMT
Organization: HP Sonoma County (SRSD/MWTD/MID)
X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.1.9 PL6]

I've used hedge trimming shears, too.  They work great.  No sharp knife
edges to worry about either.  You milage may very.

Steve Vonk (my opinions are my own)

Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: matth@progress.COM (Matthew J. Harper)
Subject: Re: Security Systems: Do I need to wire windows on 2nd Floor?
Organization: Progress Software Corp.
Date: Tue, 12 Jan 1993 22:32:39 GMT

patter@dasher.cc.bellcore.com (patterson,george r) writes:

>I tried mail on this one, but it didn't make it, so -

>In article <C0Jtut.M6K@icon.rose.hp.com> you write:
>>
>>The second story should be fine without any sensors. I would think that a theif
>>would rather use a lower story door, or hit another ouse, than put up a ladder
>>and work on a second story window. 

>Many thieves prefer to head for the second story because these windows
>are frequently left unlocked. If there's a good chance of this happening
>in your house, you might put a sensor in the upstairs hall. You're right
>in that a thief usually won't break a second story window if he can work
>on the ground floor stuff more easily, but they won't break in at all
>if there's a window unlocked.

  An additional note on this:

  A large percentage of second floor house breakins are perfromed with the
same homeowners extension ladder that is left next to the garage because it
won't fit inside...  

  Take a look around your area sometime and see how many people have ladders
stored outside their houses without any kind of chain holding them down.

  Food for thought.  

-Matth
--
          Matthew J. Harper ! Progress Software Corp. ! {disclaimer.i}         
   God created heaven and earth to grow barley and hops. Now he homebrews !-)  

     Starve a lawyer!  Boycott Sam Adams and Jim Koch's BS legal tactics!
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: marcher@kean.ucs.mun.ca
Subject: bathroom fan summary
Organization: Memorial University. St.John's Nfld, Canada
Date: Fri, 8 Jan 1993 20:26:42 GMT

Here is a summary of the information kindly provided on quality 
bathroom fans:

1. Do not use NuTone - they are very noisy.

2. Two posters (Kathy and George) recommended Nautilus by Broan as a
   fan which is quiet and readily available in North American stores.
   Both reported satisfaction with these models.

3. One poster recommended finding a fan with a shutter that closes
   tight when not in use (shuts automatically).  He indicated that
   such models are common in Europe, but hard to find in N. America.

4.  Two more posters recommended a fan which is powerful and quiet.
    The first poster described it, but didn't know the brand name.
    The second poster described what sounded like the same product -
    Deflecto is the brand name.  It is mounted in the attic with ducts
    or exhaust tubes running down to vents in the required rooms.
    Andy indicated that the vents were four inches in size.  I presume
    the humidity that is sucked up is then vented to the outside via
    a protected opening in the roof.  Andy had one installed ($200 for
    fan and fittings) in 1991 and is "extremely pleased" with its
    performance.  I'm wondering if such a fan could also be used to
    exhaust kitchen odors, etc.?  It would be great if it could since
    this would take care of two birds with one stone, so to speak.
    Maybe someone could address this question.

Thank you to everyone who responded.

						Cheers!
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: dougl@mail.boi.hp.com (Doug Leno)
Subject: Re: size's, gallons, and Cubic Foot
Date: Mon, 11 Jan 1993 13:50:29 GMT
Organization: Hewlett-Packard / Boise, Idaho
X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.1.4 PL6]

patterson,george r (patter@dasher.cc.bellcore.com) wrote:

: Eureka!
: If you drop 1,200 pounds of people into that tub, you'll displace 1,200
: pounds of water. 

only if they all float and there's no splashing when they hit the water!  


--
Doug Leno 
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: patter@dasher.cc.bellcore.com (patterson,george r)
Subject: Re: main service requirements (was: balancing a panel)
Organization: Bellcore, Livingston, NJ
Distribution: na
Date: Fri, 8 Jan 93 03:05:56 GMT

In article <1iijukINNdsq@morrow.stanford.edu> GA.MCL@forsythe.stanford.edu (Mark C. Lawrence) writes:
>In misc.consumers.house 82324,  Sun, 3 Ja,
>patter@dasher.cc.bellcore.com (patterson,george r) said,
>patter>Not really. In this area, anyone with any sense of economics uses gas
>       ^^^^^^^^^^                ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>        see below.               of course, because your code has made
>                                 electric too expensive to install.

Bull. They do it because electricity costs $0.11 a kwh up here and gas
is relatively cheap. The difference in materials costs for a service
installation are only about $1 per amp increase (putting in a 200 amp
service rather than a 100 amp service will cost around $30 more for the
breaker box and about $50 more in breakers, plus maybe $35 for larger wire).
The electricians around here add about another $50. The cost of putting
in a gas service *start* at $250 and the sky's the limit.

If I were to have the service hookups to my house installed today, the
electrical service would cost me about $310 more for an all electric
house than for what I have, but I wouldn't have to pay for a gas hookup
(which would probably only cost about $500, since I'm close to the line).
It's about the same either way.

Installation costs for utilities are always a trivial consideration. That's
a one shot expense which is about the same whether you use gas or electric.
What counts is that monthly bill.

The service costs above are based on the current price for GE equipment.
A 200 amp panel with main breaker is $98.00, for example. You mileage may
vary.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
                    | New Jersey drivers are the best in the world.
George Patterson -  | They have to be to drive the way they do and
                    | survive.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: gny@doe.carleton.ca (George N. Yaremchuk)
Subject: Re: Patching Ceiling Plaster Cracks
Organization: Dept. of Electronics, Carleton University
Date: Thu, 7 Jan 1993 20:46:03 GMT

In <1993Jan5.062406.3825@adobe.com> vonzelow@adobe.com (Jon von Zelowitz) writes:

>In article <jeffz-301292135153@tuolumne.cray.com> jeffz@cray.com (Jeff Zais) writes:
>>
>>I'm about to paint the parlor ceiling in my 100-year old Victorian. 
>>There are some minor cracks in the lath and plaster that I'm going
>>to patch before painting.  Any suggestions on how to proceed?
.....
>You can patch (and keep patching), or you can sheetrock over it and
>get no more cracks. If you haven't sheetrocked before, there's some
>learning involved there too, and you may not want to make a
>(presumably) high ceiling your first sheetrock project! Neither of
>these alternatives is much fun; consider getting used to the cracks. :-)

>If you patch, enlarge the crack until you reach the point where the
>plaster is adhering decently. Clean up the edges with a utility knife.
>Brush out the dust. Spray the area with water to help your Fixall
>adhere. Dab in Fixall somewhat BELOW the level of the surface,
>beveling the edges up toward the surface. Let that dry. Then mud over
>it, and feather it like a sheetrock joint.
.......
>   Jon von Zelowitz   vonzelow@mv.us.adobe.com   ...uunet!adobe!vonzelow

I have used "plaster washers" to reattach the plaster to the lath.  These
are thin 1" dia. washers, with perforations to let a plaster skim coat
adhere, and a dimpled hole in the middle for a (drywall) attachment
screw. They are advertised very regularly in "Old House Journal". I have
found if you don't reattach the plaster to the lath, then the cracks
will simply reappear (in a year or so). They seem to work very well for
me, and are relatively inexpensive. Without trying to be a smart-ass,
IMHO if you want drywall walls, buy a new house.

GNY

--
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   George N. Yaremchuk			   	Email : gny@doe.carleton.ca
   Dept. of Electronics, Carleton Univ.,   	Tel   : 613-788-2600 x8980
   Ottawa, Canada.  K1S 5B6			PS    : God = 1.0 / 0.0 ;
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: kenk@sdc.com (Ken Konecki)
Subject: Re: Gray flexible water supply pipe OK?
Organization: Systems Development Corporation
Date: Tue, 12 Jan 1993 18:41:37 GMT

In article <122210045@hpfcso.FC.HP.COM> rand@hpfcso.FC.HP.COM (Rand Briggs) writes:
>	Poly-Butyl Water Supply Pipe
>
>	I am looking into building a new home.  The builder suggests
>	using the flexible, gray, plastic pipe, rather than the
>	usual copper pipe.  I am a little bit leery of it.  Does
>	anyone have information about this stuff?

Plastic pipe is light in weight and easy to cut and flexible plastic
pipe is easily bent into curves to avoid tedious fitting and joining.
You can join it with simple slip together fittings which are made
watertight by a solvent cement.  Plastic can be combined with metal
plumbing elements without danger of crrosion.  Plastic pipes never
sweat and you never need to sweat them, and they never corrode.

Were there any specific concerns you had?

Cheers,
    -Ken K
-- 
Ken Konecki
e-mail:kenk@sdc.com    -or-    ...!uunet!tellab5!sdc!kenk
"Getting an inch of snow is like winning 10 cents in the lottery"
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: cornutt@lambda.msfc.nasa.gov (David Cornutt)
Subject: Re: Questions about Genie garage door opener
Organization: NASA/MSFC
Distribution: usa
Date: Tue, 12 Jan 1993 18:00:35 GMT

saseph@hal.unx.sas.com (Ed Hughes) writes:

>In article <1993Jan08.183656.27892@eng.umd.edu>, naiming@eng.umd.edu (Naiming Shen) writes:
>>My garage has two doors, which means I need to install two openers.
>>I went the Home Depot yesterday and saw a Genie opener GXL9500. That
>>one has two 3-function transmitters, sell for $169. 
>>Naiming Shen

>I think the 9500 is a 1/2 hp model, which is more than you need
>for a single width door.  1/2 hp is recommended for a double-width
>door.  You'd need 1/3 or 1/4 hp.

If your Home Depot prices them the same way the one here does, then the
1/2 hp unit is only about $10 more, and it comes with two remotes
(the 1/3 hp unit doesn't).  Go ahead and spring for the 1/2 hp unit.
You'll never have to worry about it burning out.

-- 
David Cornutt, New Technology Inc., Huntsville, AL  (205) 461-4517
(cornutt@lambda.msfc.nasa.gov; some insane route applies)
"The opinions expressed herein are not necessarily those of my employer,
not necessarily mine, and probably not necessary."
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house,misc.rural
From: patter@dasher.cc.bellcore.com (patterson,george r)
Subject: Re: Power company easement
Organization: Bellcore, Livingston, NJ
Distribution: misc
Date: Tue, 12 Jan 93 21:04:48 GMT

In article <1993Jan12.131730.17781@hemlock.cray.com> davew@willow03.cray.com (Dave Wagner) writes:
>
>In article <1993Jan12.181752.225@porthos.cc.bellcore.com>, patter@dasher.cc.bellcore.com (patterson,george r) writes:
>> 
>> I grew up under a set of TVA high tension lines.

>You mean all that about you not needing a flash-light when you go into a
>dark room is just rumor?

A blatant falsehood. But don't get me mad - my nickname is "Jupiter"
around here.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
                    | I had been told that the best defense is a good
George Patterson -  | offense, so I made up my mind early in life to
                    | become as offensive as possible.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: pankaj@synopsys.com (Pankaj Mayor)
Subject: Monitored security system for home
Organization: Synopsys, Inc.
Distribution: usa
Date: Sat, 9 Jan 1993 01:54:48 GMT

I am looking at getting a monitored security system installed
in my house. I am basically interested in a low cost system
which provides reasonable security against someone trying to
break-in. Do any of you have any pleasant/horror stories to
relate about the various companies out there which sell security
systems.

Thanks

Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: mhl@spirit.ece.cmu.edu (Mikko H. Lipasti)
Subject: Heating a house
Followup-To: misc.consumers.house
Summary: Forced air vs. hot water
Organization: Electrical and Computer Engineering, Carnegie Mellon
Distribution: na
Date: Tue, 5 Jan 1993 21:35:10 GMT

Does anyone have any insight on the respective efficiencies of 
various means for heating a house?  I am looking at buying in the
next year in Minnesota (cold winters), and most of the houses on
the market appear to use forced air with natural gas furnaces.
This surprises me, since no one uses forced air in Finland (where
I'm from, and where the winters are also cold), and I was under
the impression that it was extremely inefficient (air is an effective
insulator, and should be a very poor conductor of heat, right?).
In addition, I find the noise and on-off cycling of forced-air
systems annoying.  I'm used to hot-water heat with radiators in
each room.

What are the trade-offs involved?  Is it just so much cheaper to 
install forced-air (especially considering the ducts are needed for
A/C anyway) that houses with hot-water heat are no longer being
built?  How about the different types of furnaces?  Gas? Oil? Electric?
Heat pumps?  A pointer to a good source of information on these
issues would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Mikko Lipasti
mhl@ece.cmu.edu

Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: patter@dasher.cc.bellcore.com (patterson,george r)
Subject: Re: Radiant underfloor heat
Organization: Bellcore, Livingston, NJ
Distribution: usa
Date: Wed, 13 Jan 93 00:05:15 GMT

In article <C0rJKs.5tq@cgl.ucsf.edu> edman@cgl.ucsf.edu (Jeff Edman) writes:
>Does any have experience with adding radiant floor heat to an existing
>home?
>
>There are a number of systems available (Heatway, Radiantec) that simply
>place
>tubing underneath an existing wood floor without requiring placing the
>tubes
>in concrete.
>
>My architect argues that this method is not efficient and recommends using
>baseboard radiant heat. Somehow I don't think that there could be much
>difference
>and the floor would be warmer with the tubes underneath.
>
>Any thoughts?

Can't say about the efficiency, but I rented a place with the
tube-in-concrete system once. Forget about carpeting or rugs with an
in-floor or under the floor system. They serve as an insulator.

Also. When I moved into my house, there was one bedroom which lies
over an unheated and uninsulated garage. The boards in that room are
all cupped badly from the years of uneven temperatures. The garage
ceiling is insulated now, but I'll have to carpet that room - the
floor's beyond repair. Nice oak, too. I suspect that a heating system
under a wood floor would produce the same sort of damage.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
                    | I had been told that the best defense is a good
George Patterson -  | offense, so I made up my mind early in life to
                    | become as offensive as possible.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: dhosek@hmcvax.claremont.edu
Subject: Re: CREDIT REPORTS: They don't know the diff. between Jr. and Sr.?
Organization: Quixote Digital Typography
Distribution: usa
Date: 12 Jan 93 13:53:20 PST

In article <barrett.726759980@cc.gatech.edu>, barrett@forge.gatech.edu (James Barrett) writes:
> When I've gotten copies of my report just to make sure it's OK, my Dad's
> stuff has been on there (I'm Jr.), but I've written to the agencies and
> they've always sent me an updated copy without his information.  Now
> that's not to say that next billing cycle, his information won't reappear
> since they don't usually flag stuff like that.  It seems to me that 
> SSN should be enough to index.

Problem is, if memory serves and the person who told me this knew
what they were talking about, it's illegal to use the SSN for
anything other than tax purposes. Which leaves one wondering
about various universities, Checkfree Corporation and many others
who do use it as an ID number for other things...

-dh
From: browner@rm1.interlan.com (Michael Browner)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Re: When does it make sense to reduce the
Date: 8 Jan 93 16:13:11 GMT
Distribution: na
Organization: Racal-Milgo, Sunrise, Florida

In article <C0G7KD.KJH@srgenprp.sr.hp.com>, brett@sr.hp.com writes:
|> Michael J. Edelman (mje@pookie.pass.wayne.edu) wrote:
|> > Rememeber that the one-time deduction lets you
|> > shelter 100% of the capital gains on a house from taxes. Assuming you 
|> > keep rolling over your house investment, you can get a very good return.
|> 
|> Warning, I think there's a limit on the size of that one time deduction
|> ( < $100,000 ?? ).  Consult a tax advisor BEFORE you start counting on it.
|> This may differ from state to state also.
|> 

It is one time deduction, that can only be taken by some one over 55.  The
amount of the deduction is currently $125,000.00.  As for state taxes on
capital gains, I won't say since I live in a state with no income tax.  But
the actual deduction above is for you federal income tax.

Michael B.
-- 
Michael Browner     		browner@sun1.interlan.com or
(305) 846-6848                  browner@rd1.interlan.com
Racal-Milgo, MS E-112, 
P.O.Box 407044, Ft Lauderdale, FL 33340