HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house

You might want to take a read through the Sunset book sections, but as
far as I know, drought-resistant ground covers aren't very tolerant of
traffic at all.  There are some newer strains of grass under development
which are supposed to be pretty drought-tolerant.  There was an article
on this last year, but the pertinant point was that the developers
did not think they'd have anything ready for market before 1993.  I'd
suspect that it will be sod at first.

The work was being done more-or-less locally (Santa Clara or Salinas),
so any grass developed *might* work in a SF microclimate.  Your milage
will doubtless vary.

BTW, for 15' x 15', you can probably get away with one of the less
thirsty breeds of grass.  Water it well the first year to get it
established, then if 1993 is dry, keep it in sustaining mode with
occasional deep waterings and the odd bath of grey water.  I've
done the sustaining bit in my San Jose yard with pretty good success.
Was planning to write off the yard this year, but that was before
February.  It might even last until I'm ready to re-landscape.

Pete Brooks
From: doshay@ursa.arc.nasa.gov (David Doshay)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Re: hollow-core door questions
Date: 9 Apr 92 17:53:55 GMT
Article-I.D.: news.1992Apr9.175355.5360
Organization: NASA-Ames Biocomputation Center

In article <1992Apr8.203042.19242@stsci.edu>, mryan@stsci.edu (Mary Ryan) writes:
|> 
|> 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 would also like to put some coat hooks on the inside of a closet door,
|> and put a mirror on the outside of one.  What kind of fasteners should I
|> use?

You can buy 1/8" luan plywood in a size just a tiny bit bigger than a door.
They are called 'door skins' and can be had at Home Depot for about $3.
You recover the whole side of the door. A tube of panel adhesive (spread
it thin) works well, then trim to fit the door exactly.

David		doshay@ursa.arc.nasa.gov
From: spp@zabriskie.berkeley.edu (Steve Pope)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Re: Inspection clauses (Re: Things to look for when buying a house)
Date: 9 Apr 92 19:28:27 GMT
Article-I.D.: agate.s25srINN2sp
Organization: U.C. Berkeley -- ERL
NNTP-Posting-Host: zabriskie.berkeley.edu

I say: the best inspection clause for both parties is
one that gives the buyer the option of bailing out within
a fixed time limit (10 days, typical) or accepting the
property in its present condition, at the contract price.

If the buyer feels he wants to dicker with the seller
over defects uncovered during inspections, he does this by 
bailing out ("invoking the contingency"), then making a lower 
offer or one with a seller credit.  This way the seller can evaluate
the options of accepting/negotiating the lower offer, or
going back on the market.

As a seller, I would never accept a contract that
leaves me encumbered with my property off the market while the 
buyer is free to dicker with the price.  I would also not put a 
house on the market without getting a pest control estimate first, 
and disclosing the condition of major features like roof and 
foundation.

As a buyer, I would make negotiate a price that assumes the property
is in average condition, as opposed to one that assumes
perfect condition, so as to reduce the chance of having to
re-negotiate after an inspection.

-- steve
From: clewis@ferret.ocunix.on.ca (Chris Lewis)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Re: GFI question
Date: 9 Apr 92 04:32:53 GMT
Organization: Elegant Communications Inc., Ottawa, Canada

In article <sasbge.702702078@ant> sasbge@unx.sas.com (Gantt Edmiston) writes:
>ronnie@cisco.com (Ronnie B. Kon) writes:

>>In article <92083.183250WALMSLEC@QUCDN.QueensU.CA>, WALMSLEC@QUCDN.QueensU.CA (Chris Walmsley) writes:
>>|> Simple question:  Does anybody make split GFI recepticles that can
>>|> be used for Kitchen counter locations where each half of a standard
>>|> recepticle is wired independently.  It would seem a perfect location
>>|> to have a GFI (near a sink) but most appliance recepticles are wired
>>|> so that each side has a fuse/breaker, and all the GFIs I have seen
>>|> can not be used for that arrangment.

>>Remember that a GFI recepticle protects all recepticles further on the
>>circuit as well as itself.  You can also buy a GFI circuit breaker (although
>>these are expensive--about $35 - $50 last time I checked).

Triple that - a split receptacle needs a dual GFI breaker.  Cheapest
one I've seen was $150CDN.  Note that Chris is posting from Canada.

An intermediate box with two GFI receptacles would work, but would
be contrary to code.  And it would require that the kitchen receptacle
be rewired for 5 conductors: 2 hots, 2 neutrals and a ground - part of
the reason it's not-code (CEC doesn't like multiple hot cables entering
one box).  Plus the potential expense of ripping the wall.

>>				Ronnie

>Seems to me that you *could* wire the GFI in another location and then
>wire a standard receptacle in the location where you want the "special"
>case.  Wire one half of the duplex to the GFI and the other half to non-GFI
>filtered power.

This defeats the purpose of protecting both sides.

>You might need to buy one of those special computer style
>"isolated ground" duplex receptacles that have two ground lugs on each side
>of the duplex.  The ground lug is integral to the GFI for proper operation,
>required by the NEC on the other and generally a good idea.  I think Hubbell
>makes such a beast.

Not necessary.  GFI's don't care about the current thru the ground wire.
They measure imbalances between neutral and hot.  Therefore, two GFI's
could share a ground.  Would still need 5 wires (2 hot, 2 neutral and
one ground). But this is uncode anyways.

Both the NEC and CEC *prefer* GFI's to be grounded.  However, *both*
codes permit GFI's to be used to replace ungroundable (ie: getting
a real ground is impractical) two prong outlets.  In which case they
require that the third prong must not be connected anywhere - including
to downstream outlets.

In most cases, the only practical solution for Chris is to install
a (very expensive) dual GFI breaker.

The other alternative is to rewire the split near the sink to be a single
GFI outlet.  I think the CEC would permit that if he otherwise met code
for split receptacle counts.
-- 
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: brooksp@hpcc01.corp.hp.com (Peter Brooks)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Re: Brick walk tips/advice needed
Date: 14 Apr 92 17:22:25 GMT
Organization: the HP Corporate notes server

Haven't done a brick walkway myself (yet; I'm scavenging brick from
parts of the garden/patio), but there's a decent segment on it in
the TOH video.  (It's the one with Bob Vila, and it goes over
several small to medium projects.)  You should be able to find it
in a home center.  Well worth the few bucks it costs.  

Pete Brooks
From: fwb@ursa.siemens.com (Frederic W. Brehm)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: IDEAL brand replacement windows
Date: 15 Apr 92 16:55:37 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: Siemens Corporate Research

I am thinking of replacing some of the windows on my house. The house has
double-hung windows, and we will replace them with the same kind. My
brother-in-law does this kind of work and recommends Ideal brand replacement
windows. He says that they are less expensive than a name brand like Anderson,
but just as good. I'm inclined to believe him, but my wife is a little
nervous about using something that is not a well-known brand. We will be
getting samples to look at and need to know how to compare them with Anderson
windows that we could see in a store.

What are the important considerations in comparing replacement windows?

Does anyone have any experience or opinions about Ideal windows?

Thanks,
Fred
-- 
Frederic W. Brehm	Siemens Corporate Research	Princeton, NJ
fwb@siemens.siemens.com
From: clewis@ferret.ocunix.on.ca (Chris Lewis)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Re: Brick walk tips/advice RECEIVED!!
Date: 15 Apr 92 02:19:53 GMT
Organization: Elegant Communications Inc., Ottawa, Canada

In article <1992Apr14.122843.11915@jarvis.csri.toronto.edu> thomson@hub.toronto.edu (Brian Thomson) writes:
>In article <1992Apr13.191717.23021@cs.cmu.edu> moody@cs.cmu.edu writes:

>>2) Sand (or, better yet, stone dust) is preferred to concrete as a bed for 
>>the paving blocks.

>I have heard that a couple of inches of lime on top of sand and gravel
>makes a very good bed.  It gives some frost flexibility, and also
>has the very nice side effect that weeds and grass etc. won't grow in it.
>This is second (or maybe third!) hand information, though.

I would think, given what I know lime to be, that this would be a little
dangerous.

Limestone screenings is a very good base.  It's a very small grade of
crushed limestone.  ~1/4".  Stone dust sounds like it might be another
for it.

When compacted, even with just the end of a 4x4, this stuff is like concrete.
It does give.  But it packs very well, and weeds won't grow thru it.  It would
also make a good substitute for concrete as an anchor for fence posts.

When we installed our walkways in Toronto, all of the suppliers were
recommending it as a base, followed by a inch or so of sand.  On the
second we didn't bother with the sand.  Both were good.
-- 
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
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: hoefling@sp28.csrd.uiuc.edu (Jay Hoeflinger)
Subject: Re: Four Seasons
Organization: /homes/hoefling/.organization
Date: 13 Apr 92 10:37:33

  >>In article <1992Apr10.163718.21862@news.mentorg.com> brianb@sprintcom (Brian Bailey) writes:
  >>
  >>   Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
  >>   Path: csrd.uiuc.edu!ux1.cso.uiuc.edu!moe.ksu.ksu.edu!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!qt.cs.utexas.edu!cs.utexas.edu!uunet!news.mentorg.com!sprint!brianb
  >>   From: brianb@sprintcom (Brian Bailey)
  >>   Sender: brianb@sprint (Brian Bailey)
  >>   Date: Fri, 10 Apr 1992 16:37:18 GMT
  >>   Nntp-Posting-Host: sprint.mentor.com
  >>   Organization: mentor
  >>   Keywords: Sunrooms
  >>   Followup-To: 
  >>   Lines: 16
  >>
  >>   I am thinking of having a sun room added to my house, and the best I have
  >>   seen so far (from looking through magazines etc) is Four Seasons.
  >>
  >>   Does anyone have any comments on this company ?
  >>   What are their products like ?
  >>   Are there other companies I should look into (Pacific NW) ?
  >>   What other things should I be aware about with this type of extension ?
  >>
  >>   Thanks for any info.
  >>
  >>   -- 
  >>   Brian Bailey

We had a guy from Four Seasons come out for the free estimate.  He listened to
what we had in mind, made suggestions, then came back in a couple weeks with
engineering drawings, a list of the steps they would have to go through to do
the job, and much helpful information.  The price he quoted eventually was 
beyond our means, so we elected to not proceed, but it was valuable to have 
the guy come out.  It got us thinking about what we wanted.

I would definitely recommend calling for the free estimate.  The company seems
very professional and able to do just about any sort of construction or home-improvement
project a homeowner might want to do.  I don't know whether they are more expensive
than other companies,  since we haven't compared prices, although I suspect they 
are (they have to pay for the "free" estimates somehow).  But the salesman indicated
they could be bargained-with in the off-season (winter).  Now, I suspect that they
will have plenty of work and would not be so willing to haggle.

--
Jay Hoeflinger
hoefling@csrd.uiuc.edu

Center for Supercomputing Research and Development, Compiler Group
U of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
(217) 244-0288
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: edwards@world.std.com (Jonathan Edwards)
Subject: Wall construction
Organization: The World Public Access UNIX, Brookline, MA
Date: Wed, 15 Apr 1992 14:14:22 GMT

A builder I am talking to uses 2x4 studs in all walls.
Many people have told me to use 2x6 in the exterior walls instead, giving
R-19 instead of R-11 insulation.
An architect I just interviewed recommends using 2x4 with 3/4" Thermax panels
on the inside, behind the wallboard. He claims this provides R-24.
Does anyone have any experience with this style of construction?

On another note, the same builder says that he normally doesn't use kiln-dried
wood, and wants to charge me extra for it. Is this a shlock builder?

Thank you for your support - JE.
From: bobh@wrgate.wr.tek.com (Bob Heath)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: PVC plumbing
Keywords: PVC, CPVC
Date: 13 Apr 92 19:48:25 GMT
Reply-To: bobh@wrgate.wr.tek.com
Distribution: usa
Organization: Tektronix, Inc.


I am doing some remodeling on my house, adding a half-bath, relocating
the hot water heater and laundry room and remodeling the kitchen. In
the course of this work, I of course am doing a fair amount of plumbing.

My plan was to use 1/2" sched. 40 PVC for cold water lines and 3/4" sched.
40 CPVC for hot water, but I have a couple of questions. First of all, the
local building code allows the use of PVC for cold water, but the county
inspector tells me that the manufacturer won't guarantee it for use in a
house. (although the pipe is clearly labeled 600psi which seems more than
adequate to me.) It's ok for supply lines from the street to the house,
but indoor use is risky. Has anybody on the net had negative or positive 
experience with PVC in this application? I could use CPVC for both hot 
and cold, but it's considerably more expensive.

My second question has to do with the proper diameter of CPVC to use. It
seems odd to me that the stuff they call 3/4" CPVC has approximately the
same inner diameter as 1/2" galvanized, copper and PVC. I selected 3/4" 
CPVC only because the 1/2" CPVC had such a narrow inner diameter that I 
feared an unacceptable pressure drop. What diameter of CPVC is the most
common for indoor residential use?

Thanks
Bob Heath
bobh@wrgate.wr.tek.com
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: jsims@uswest.com (John Sims)
Subject: cleaning berber carpet 
Followup-To: jsims@uswest.com 
Keywords: berber carpet cleaning
Organization: U S WEST Advanced Technologies
Date: Mon, 13 Apr 1992 20:31:54 GMT

Does anyone know the correct way to clean berber carpet?
What should I do if I want to do it myself?
What should I look for in a "professional" outfit?

Thanks.

John Sims
U S WEST Advanced Technologies
4001 Discovery Drive
Boulder, CO 803030



Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house,rec.pets.dogs
From: jschafer@purch.Columbia.NCR.COM ()
Subject: Re: Stopping Dogs From Digging
Originator: jschafer@purch
Organization: NCR Corp, E&M-Columbia, Columbia, SC
Date: Tue, 14 Apr 92 13:09:10 GMT

Someone in misc.consumers.house recently asked how to stop dogs from
digging.  Put their stools in the holes.  Worked like a charm on my
two little outlaws, Sundance and Cassidy.

John Schafer
NCR, MCPD-Columbia
West Columbia SC

Xref: sparky misc.consumers.house:6175 rec.pets.cats:4723
From: davidbu@loowit.wr.tek.com (David E. Buxton)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house,rec.pets.cats
Subject: Re: Alarm systems and cats
Date: 9 Apr 92 22:28:28 GMT
Followup-To: misc.consumers.house

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

Actually, my concern would be for the thief who bellies down on the
floor and crawls about his business of stealing stuff.  But, maybe
that just doesn't happen.  ??

Dave
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: al@qiclab.scn.rain.com (Alan Peterman)
Subject: Re: Alarm systems and cats
Organization: SCN Research/Qic Laboratories of Tigard, Oregon.
Date: Fri, 10 Apr 1992 00:09:50 GMT

In article <9417@wrgate.wr.tek.com> davidbu@loowit.wr.tek.com (David E. Buxton) writes:
...about alarm system that leaves floor space for cat...
>
>Actually, my concern would be for the thief who bellies down on the
>floor and crawls about his business of stealing stuff.  But, maybe
>that just doesn't happen.  ??

Alarm systems are not for stopping determined, experienced professionals,
they can defeat any home system - but usually don't bother with 
protected houses.  It's the kids, dopers and stupid scum that alarm 
systems protect against.  They aren't going to even know there is a
infrared beam until the alarms sounds - IF they even could make it
past the perimeter sensors.  After all the interior sensors are the
second line of defense - or should be in a properly installed
system.  Read David Morrell's book "The Fifth Profession" to get an
idea how futile alarm systems are against a real professional, and then
quit worrying, those guys have better things to do than residences,
unless you happen to own VERY valuable art, gems or such.


-- 
Alan L. Peterman                                   (503)-684-1984 hm
                       al@qiclab.scn.rain.com
It's odd how as I get older, the days are longer, but the years are shorter!
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: clausgi@microsoft.com (Claus Giloi)
Subject: Hot water/forced air heating system
Date: 11 Apr 92 01:59:06 GMT
Organization: Microsoft Corp.
Keywords: heating


My builder, who prides himself on energy efficient
heating systems, is suggesting that I change the
heating system in our new home to one which combines
a gas fired hot water heater of the type used for
hot water baseboard heating with an heat exchanger/blower
system for forced air heating. His contention is that
having only one furnace will make this more efficient
than a separate gas water heater and forced air gas furnace.

He is not charging extra, though he claims it will cost
him a few hundred dollars more. The heating system is entirely
within the envelope of the house ( no ducts under the subfloor ).

The system sounds good, does anyone have experience with this
kind of system or know of a reason why I should not go this
route?

-Claus
From: sgianett@quarter.Prime.COM (Stephen Gianetti)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Problem while in buying process (land)
Date: 16 Apr 92 14:44:12 GMT
Reply-To: sgianett@quarter.Prime.COM (Stephen Gianetti)
Distribution: usa
Organization: Computervision, A Division of PRIME Computer, Inc.


 Hi All,
 I am searching for some thoughts and suggestions on our current
 situation.  My fiancee and I are in the process of buying a
 house.  We have an accepted offer and already have had an in-
 spection done which has met our approval.  The bank seems 
 positive to our application and says we should find out about 
 the loan in the next 2 weeks making our deadline for approval.

 Now, the curve ball, we get a call from the realtor saying 
 that the sellers (this house is on a  subdivide plot)
 have talked to their neighbor and that he is requesting a 
 "scenic lean" be put into the deed.  Seems some of the land
 slices through his front lawn which he has been mowing for the
 past 20 years.  It seems his main concern is that we will put
 up a fence or build on it.  The realtor also mentioned "adverse
 possession" which when I looked it up happens to be... 20 years 
 in Massachusetts.

 We both agree to let the seller and neighbor decide on the course
 of action.  We don't want to sign anything that limits us in the
 future.  This is our first house and we are not trying to fight
 with the neighbor's but this man seems to have already talked to
 his lawyer and is prepared for anything.   We do not want to buy
 the house and end up in court a year later.  We have expressed to
 the realtor that we have no intentions of building on the land.
 
 Here's a map of what is happening:

    |
    | neighbor's *      *neighbor's front yard     |
    |                                              |
    |            *                                 |
    |____________ *________________________________|
    |               *                              |
    |                 *                            | S 
    |                   * *                        | t
    |                        * * * * * * * * * * * | r
    |                                              | e
    |                            some wet lands    | e
    |                                              | t
    |           |----------------------------------|
    |           |                                  |
    |           |                                  |
    |           |                                  |
    |           |                                  |
    |           |                                  |
    |           |                                  |
    |           |        Sellers house             |
    | Our House |                                  |
    |           |                                  |
    |           |                                  | 
    |           |                                  |
    -----------------------------------------------
         Street

 Any comments or thoughts would be appreciated.  
 Please email and thanks,

 Steve Gianetti
 sgianett@quarter.Prime.COM
From: pkrause@triton.unm.edu (Paul Krause CIRT)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Re: Septic system blues...
Keywords: septic new house
Date: 14 Apr 92 14:26:41 GMT
Article-I.D.: lynx.p7xjl!c
Distribution: usa
Organization: University of New Mexico, Albuquerque

>In article <1992Apr13.153205.13614@xn.ll.mit.edu> killoran@XN.LL.MIT.EDU (Mike I. Killoran) writes:
>We just walked away from a very similiar deal!
>The septic was failing. Turned out the leachfield was full of dirt in
>the pipes. The expert said a fix was "iffy". He said there were no
>guarantees. It was 4,000 dollars for a short-term fix.
>
>The reason we chose to back out was because the fix was not something
>anyone could guarantee. It cost 20 thousand dollars to connect to a
>sewer. Plus the time and energy associated with dealing with a very
>bureaucratic process.
>
I have been following these discussions with some interest because I had my
drain field replaced about 4 years ago for $600.  I did not have to remove
the old pipe and I have very sandy soil so it's easy to dig; but there must
be some other differences to account for the cost.  Does anyone know how that
$20,000 is itemized?

Paul
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house