HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: paul@hsh.com
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Re: variable rate loan.
Date: 16 Dec 92 22:12:04 GMT
Organization: HSH Associates

In article <1foga4INNt60@flop.ENGR.ORST.EDU>, songshi@prism.CS.ORST.EDU (Songshi Peng) writes:
> Hi, there. Here is an interesting question to the netters:
> Suppose I apply for a variable-rate loan with the current
> rate at 4.80%, while the 30 year fixed rate is 8.37% right 
> now (in California). According to my calculation, you can
> borrow ~30% more money for variable rate loan (assuming
> the same income therefore the same payment) than fixed-rate 
> loan if the bank calculates the amount based on the same 
> formula for both scenario. But it sounds too good to be 
> ture. Any comments on this? 

Well, yes and no.  I think you'll find that -- depending upon the loan amount 
-- you can have as little as a 5% down payment with a fixed rate mortgage, 
but ARMs are considered riskier.  Most lenders want at least 10% down on an 
ARM, and 20% is getting common.  Obviously, this cuts down on the amount you 
can borrow.

It used to be the case that a 5%-down ARM made it easy for people to buy more 
house -- leverage themselves to the hilt, as it were.  But ARMs have this 
problem with their interest rates rising (as we saw in the 1980s), resulting 
in too many foreclosures.

Couple that with the sad fact that home values have been falling (on average)
in your state and you can see why lenders are getting conservative when it
comes to ARMs. 

------

Paul Havemann, VP        HSH Associates           (201)838-3330 | 1-800-UPDATES
      The Nation's Largest Publisher of Mortgage Information
Internet: paul@hsh.com   Compuserve: 70410,3507   America On-Line: HSH Assoc
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: mja@philabs.philips.com (Michael Amato)
Subject: Re: garage door openers
Originator: mja@hercules
Reply-To: mja@philabs.philips.com (Michael Amato)
Organization: Philips Laboratories, Briarcliff, NY 10510
Date: Tue, 15 Dec 1992 20:26:58 GMT


>Two button remote controls exist.

Genie makes a three button.
-- 
+-----------------------------------------------------------------+
| Michael Amato  DoD#0639 | "If pro is the opposite of con,       |
| mja@philabs.philips.com | then what is Congress"? - Will Rogers |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------+
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: sasa3d@morisot.unx.sas.com (Ali Dogrusoz)
Subject: Moisture barrier on top of faced insulation or NOT
Originator: sasa3d@morisot.unx.sas.com
Date: Mon, 14 Dec 1992 20:55:22 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: SAS Institute Inc.
Followup-To: misc.consumers.house


The subject mostly says it. I am planning on putting wall board in my
"Bonus room" over the garage. The room is insulated with faced batts.
Should I put another layer of 4-6 mil plastic over the backing or there
is no point? What about the ceiling I've heard that one should not put
a plasic vapor barrier on the ceilings (the rational was that moisture
would be trapped between the wall board and the barrier and the little
infitration between the stud and the insulation backing would allow the
moisture to escape.) what do you think?

Also on a side note, months back someone posted some hints on how to
sheetrock (Obviously I didn't save it) can someone mail me their copy?

Thanks
-- 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ali Dogrusoz | SAS Institute Inc. | Phone (919) 677-8000 |sasa3d@unx.sas.com
             | SAS Campus Dr      |                      |
             | Cary, NC 27513     |                      |
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: msz@ESD.3Com.COM (Mark Zaller)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Solar activated blinds
Date: 19 Dec 92 01:56:04 GMT
Organization: 3Com Corporation

Does anyone know where to find or purchase window blinds that can be
automatically opened of closed based on the light of day?

Powered by either batteries or 120v I'd like to find a purchasable
item that will automatically close my window blinds when it gets dark,
and open them when it gets light. Or possibly even nicer if it could
sense when it is darker inside than outside.

Any help would be appreciated.

-Mark Zaller
 408-245-5900 (Home)

Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: clewis@ferret.ocunix.on.ca (Chris Lewis)
Subject: Re: Dish washers available that run on 120Volts????
Originator: clewis@bcarh1d7
Organization: eh?
Distribution: na
Date: Fri, 18 Dec 1992 19:29:17 GMT

In article <1gfkgrINN2m4@symbi1.symbiosis.ahp.com> teds@symbiosis.ahp.com writes:
>alanj@endeavor18.tek.com (Alan Jeddeloh) writes:
>>I've never heard of a consumer dishwasher requiring 220 volts.

>WARNING WARNING
>I unscrewed the fuse to work on the dishwasher. (this was a few years ago)
>When I reached in under the machine I got the  %|#*&^<@  shocked out of me!
>After bouncing off the walls for a few minutes, I found a second fuse
>marked DISHWASHER. The machine was a HOBART Kitchenaid.  You bet your buns
>there are 220V dishwashers. :-)

Three comments:
	- I suspect that the first fuse had nothing whatsoever to do with
	  the dishwasher.
	- if it did, you're fuse box is in gross violation of the electrical
	  code (being able to disconnect one side of 220V without getting the
	  other).  These rules have been around at least 20 years....
	- You trusted the panel labelling? ;-)
Xref: sparky misc.consumers.house:15906 rec.food.cooking:23431
From: sharen@iscnvx.lmsc.lockheed.com (Sharen A. Rund)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house,rec.food.cooking
Subject: Re: Is a convection oven worth the cost ??
Date: 17 Dec 92 22:41:28 GMT
Organization: Lockheed Missiles and Space Co.

In article <1992Dec16.160553.8802@pwa-b.uucp> miorelli@pwa-b.uucp (BoB Miorelli) writes:
>Hi --
>
>My wife and I are building a house and are currently on the search
>for kitchen appliances.  We've pretty much decided upon a Jennair (sp)
>cooktop with the built-in grill and various other modules.  Jennair
>also sells a combination bake/convection oven.  I know what a regular
>bake oven is, I know all about microwave ovens, but I'm not really
>up on the pros/cons of a convection oven.  My limited understanding is that
>they circulate the heat and cook MUCH faster than a regular oven.  Anyone
>shed some light on the advantages/disadvantages of a convection oven?
>Also, any opinions on any of the Jennair line would certainly be welcome.
>
>
>Thanks.
>

I have used them and like them a lot - my original one was a farberware
convection oven - made the greatest turkey - yes - they do cook the food
faster, thus keeping it moist
my second one is a microwave/convection oven combo - I use it a lot -
best part - in the summer, it doesn't heat up the house as much as
a standard oven

-- 
________________       __        ________________   "They that can give up
\_________      \     /_ \      /      _________/  essential liberty to 
 \_________      \_____/  \____/      _________/  obtain temporary safety
  \___________________      __________________/  deserve neither liberty 
                     /______\                   nor safety."  
ALL disclaimers apply ....                           --Benjamin Franklin
From: vinceg@mcdbos.UUCP (Vince Grove)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Re: How often do septic systems need to be
Date: 11 Dec 92 19:52:27 GMT
Reply-To: vinceg@mcdbos.UUCP (Vince Grove)
Distribution: na
Organization: Motorola Microcomputer Division, Woburn, MA

In article <1992Dec8.184153.1558@cs.wayne.edu> mje@pookie.pass.wayne.edu writes:
>Rural friends tell me that if you treat your septic system right, feeding it
>active microorganisms and never pouring toxic wastes down your drains, you
>*never* have to clean a septic tank out. Enough people have told me this that
>I believe it.            --mike

I just asked my home inspector this same question. His response was that the
tank should be pumped ever year or two.

I guess that I could look inside each year to see how things are progressing
just ot be sure.


-- 
Vince Grove				Motorola Computer Group
vinceg@bos.mcd.mot.com			300 Unicorn Park
617-932-1195				Woburn, MA 01801
From: feuerman@parc.xerox.com (Ken Feuerman)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Re: Seeking advice to get rid of fleas
Date: 19 Dec 92 00:17:42 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: Xerox PARC

I used a spray made by Zodiac, and that seems to have done the trick for
us.  Look for it in your pet stores.  Expensive stuff -- a $20 something 
bottle didn't quite cover the approx. 1400 sq ft that I was spraying.

--Ken.
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: kendall@adobe.com (Janice Kendall)
Subject: Re: I was dive bombed by a bat!
Organization: Adobe Systems Incorporated
Date: Fri, 18 Dec 1992 21:33:21 GMT

In article <1992Dec17.234448.2382@advtech.uswest.com> jsims@uswest.com (John Sims) writes:
>
>Peacefully sitting in my family room last night my head was suddenly buzzed
>by a brown flying creature.  At first I thought it was a bird, but then I
>realized that this is December in Colorado and there are no birds.
>
>To make a long story short, I chased it into the basement and realized it
>was a BAT.  I opened a window and tried to get it to leave.  The bat refused
>to leave and has now gone to bat heaven.  (Hey, I tried to get it to leave :-)
>The bat was 3-4 inches long with a 12-16 inch wing span.
>
>Anyway if there are any net.bat.experts out there, I'm wondering:
>
>1) Do bats move in packs, are there likely to be more of them in my house?
>   (Scenes from horror movies come flooding to my mind.)
>
>2) What would a bat nest look like and what should I do if I find one?
>
>3) What attracts bats and how do you get rid of them?
>
>4) Based on the bats size, is this an adult or a baby bat?
>
>5) Any other info on bats that might be interesting or relevant.
>
>thanks,
>
>John Sims
>U S WEST Advanced Technologies
>4001 Discovery Drive
>Boulder, CO 80303
>jsims@advtech.uswest.com
>
>

I am not an expert, but I do like bats (I'm very attractive to mosquitoes).
Bats eat insects and are not generally harmful to humans, although some may 
carry rabies(?).

My poor memory is not recalling where (maybe Texas Monthly magazine), but
I think someone is actually marketing a Bat Nest that you can put in your
backyard to attract bats to live near you and eat all those pesky insects.

Next time, at any rate, you can possibly call the local Humane Society or
the city's Animal Control and have them come trap it instead of killing it.

- Janice
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: kam@hpcvxkm.cv.hp.com (Keith Marchington)
Subject: Re: Bread Makers
Reply-To: kam@hpcvlx.cv.hp.com
Organization: UTD-CV Corvallis, OR
Distribution: na
Date: Thu, 17 Dec 1992 01:04:17 GMT


In article <4074@master.CNA.TEK.COM>, mikeq@freddy.CNA.TEK.COM (Mike
Quigley) writes:
|> In article <BzD64L.DF5.1@cs.cmu.edu> jennie+@cs.cmu.edu (Jennifer
Kay) writes:
|> >
|> >I would recommend against buying a bread machine. 
|> 
|> As one critic of American Pop Culture observed, today's bread makers
are tomorrow's
|> garage sale items. Sort of like the pasta machine craze of the 80s.
|> 
|> Mike

Well, as somebody who has been putting his bread machine to the test
daily for about TWO YEARS now, I'd say that a bread machine, for a
fresh, hot bread lover like myself, is fabulous.  

I'm getting tired of all of the people who say that bread machines are
the work of the devil, or some-such.  Hogwash!  If you like to make
bread by hand, do it!  I don't.  I also like to wake up to hot bread
EVERY MORNING!  I don't like bread that's been in the freezer from the
weekend batch.  I used to make bread on the weekends, but frankly I'd
rather be in the shop working on that chest of drawers.

Like most other things, bread machines are good for some, and not for
others.  For me it's great.  You won't find my bread maker in a garage
sale any time soon!

Keith
From: frank@marvin.contex.com (Frank Perdicaro)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Re: Air valves for steam radiators
Date: 17 Dec 92 18:35:14 GMT
Organization: Xyvision Design Systems

In article <1992Dec10.223736.22959@cbfsb.cb.att.com> hbb@cbnewsf.cb.att.com (harlan.b.braude) writes:
>In article <MACRAKIS.92Dec10151622@lakatos.osf.org> macrakis@osf.org (Stavros Macrakis) writes:
>>We have single-pipe steam heat.  The air valves on the radiators are
>>old, and I'd like to install adjustable ones.  Any recommendations on
>>brands?  Are the small modern ones worth the 50% premium over the
>>older-style ones, or is it just styling?
>>
>I've not seen adjustable valves. The ones I'm familiar with are
>coded with single letters or digits which are used to determine
>which rediator they should be connected to in the system based
>on how far from the boiler the radiator is.

Isnt steam interesting?  I had some go-arounds with steam valves, and
finally found good ones.  Right now I cannot remember the name, but
they are all stainless steel, vent out the top, have a six slot
castellated nut, and an infinitly adjustable air bleeder, a pointer
and a scale.  Very easy to adjust.  These are the modern, premium
type.  It was/is worth it for the convenience.  They are about $20
each at regular hardware stores, and come in a red and white box.

I have lived with steam for about 20 years, and run a steam system for
about 10.
I have said this before in this forum, but solving steam distribution
is exaclty like solving an analog electronic circuit.  Each radiator
is an RC circuit, and the transient system response is largely controlled by 
bleeder valves.   Just like electricty is not supposed to collect in 
light bulbs, water is not supposed to collect in radiators.  

-- 
	 Frank E Perdicaro, Systems Admin, etc.		Xyvision Color Systems
      Legalize guns, drugs and cash...today.		101 Edgewater Drive
   inhouse: frank@marvin, x5572				Wakefield MA
outhouse: frank@contex.com, 617-245-4100x5572		018801285
From: cnrdean@toxic (Sam Scalise)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Insulation Materials
Date: 17 Dec 1992 23:52:25 GMT
Organization: U.C. College of Natural Resources
Distribution: usa
Reply-To: cnrdean@nature.Berkeley.EDU
NNTP-Posting-Host: toxic.berkeley.edu


Two questions:

1)  I tore out some ceiling insulation from a house that was built
around 1946.  It kind of looked like fiberglass with kraft vapor
barrier.  But, I think it was called something like "rock wool".  I did
wear a mask, but I hope it wasn't made with asbestos in it.  (Of
course, fiberglass probably isn't exactly good to deal with either.)
Anybody guess what this material was made out of?


2)  I now live in a house built around 1938 where the ceiling
insulation looks like loose, shredded, redwood bark fibers.  Anybody
know what this stuff might be?  I think I want to replace it with
something better insulation characteristics.

Thanks.
Sam Scalise
cnrdean@nature.berkeley.edu
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: spies@eastrg2.cray.com (John Spies)
Subject: Help with hardwood floor
Followup-To: noel@advtech.slc.paramax.com
Organization: Cray Research, Inc.
Date: 16 Dec 92 06:31:58 CST




One of my cats knocked over the Christmas tree, spilling 
a full water stand on my hardwood floor.  As this was in the
middle of the night the water sat on the floor for up
to several hours.  I notice tonight that the floor is cupping
up where the water was.  Any suggestions for what to do
about the wrecked floor?  (Aside from making hamburger
out of the cat :-)

This is being posted by a friend, please don't reply to
this address.  Please post or mail to:

        noel@advtech.slc.paramax.com

Thanks in advance.

Eileen Noel




--
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
  John Spies				 703-663-2397
  Cray Research                     spies@eastrg2.cray.com   
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: wnk@aquifer.geology.uiuc.edu (Walter Kreiling)
Subject: Relining your flue.
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana
Date: Fri, 18 Dec 1992 22:11:24 GMT
Keywords: chimney flue furnace


We had the chimney sweep out last week to clean the flue and inspect it.
He confirmed what the inspector (who inspected the house before we
closed on it, which was 1 year ago) told us, that is that the flue coming
from the furnace and the water heater needed to be relined.  They gave
me an estimate of ~$1900.00 for the job.  It seems that the liner that's
in there is as old as the house (68 yrs) and consists of glazed clay tiles 
which are cracked and caving in.  The old tiles are 9 inches accross, and
the chimney sweep determined that the new flue liner would only need to
be 5 inches accross.  Their method consists of inserting a seamless stainless
steel insert and then pouring a mortar compound around it to insulate and
hold it in place.  This seems like it will last a long time but is also
expensive.  I also talked to a furnace repair person who has another way
of doing it, which is using a flexible aluminium flue which just hangs in
the chimney and is suspended from the top, this method would only cost
about $600.00.  My question, has anyone had their flue relined and if so
which method did you use and how is it holding up?
Thank you for any info you can send my way.

Walter

--
Walter Kreiling					    wnk@aquifer.geology.uiuc.edu
Department of Geology					  University of Illinois

   I beg your pardon sir, but I am NOT a merry man!  --Lt. Worf (ST:TNG (Qpid))
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: neilson@pmin28.osf.org (Peter Neilson)
Subject: Re: Dishwasher's Busted!
Organization: Open Software Foundation
Distribution: usa
Date: Thu, 17 Dec 1992 12:52:25 GMT

In article <1992Dec16.203358.25341@cbnewsk.cb.att.com> nastasi@cbnewsk.cb.att.com (joseph.l.nastasi) writes:
>Hi all,
>
>I have a cheap dishwasher that's 6 years old.  It's a Tappen
>I think.  Anyway, the last time I tried to wash dishes, it wen
>through it's cycles, but nothing got cleaned.  And there is a 
>small lake in the bottom of the machine.  Any ideas on what
>I could try or look for before I call a repairperson or buy
>a new one????  I'm pretty handy with tools, but I don't enjoy
>it! :-)
>
>Thanks,
>Joe Nastasi
>AT&T, Middletown, NJ
>(908) 957-6365 7am-4pm EST M-F
>
>PS: please reply email and I'll post a summary!!!

I would have replied by email if you had provided an address that I
could reply to.  (Hey, all you AT&T folks, put your external-type email
addresses in your .signature files!  I gave up long ago trying to mail
to your news sender machine.)

The first thing to check on a dishwasher is the drain hose connection
that (usually) goes into a fitting at the top of the of the garbage
disposal.  The connection is made of an especially crummy flavor of
rubber, and after a while it flattens and closes up.  You just buy a
new one (same crummy rubber) and install it, and you're good for the
next three or four years, or maybe more if the crummilizer at the
rubber factory was broken the day yours was made.
-- 
           "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: lee@hsh.com (Lee Havemann)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Re: Finding a Stud
Date: 15 Dec 92 18:16:55 GMT
 <1992Dec8.210825.22255@infonode.ingr.com> <1992Dec9.143143.7265@cbnewsd.cb.att.com>
Distribution: usa
Organization: HSH Associates

In article <1992Dec9.143143.7265@cbnewsd.cb.att.com>, bohdan@cbnewsd.cb.att.com (bohdan.l.bodnar) writes:
> In article <1992Dec8.210825.22255@infonode.ingr.com> dianne@dianne.b24a.ingr.com (Dianne Ferrans) writes:
>>In article <1992Dec8.064007.13269@hpcvaac.cv.hp.com>, billn@hpcvaac.cv.hp.com (bill nelson) writes:
>>|> cnrdean@toxic (Sam Scalise) writes:
>>|> : 
>>|> : This should be an easy one.  In fact, I'm a little bit embarrassed to
>>|> : ask, but I've got a DIY job to get done.
>>|> : 
>>|> : I grew up in a sheetrocked home, and it was always easy to find a stud
>>|> : behind the sheetrock using one of those magnets which found the nail
>>|> : behind the mud.  Now I live in an older house with plaster.  I need to
>>
>>I recently bought a newfangled stud finder at Home Depot which
>>uses sonic waves (radar?) to find the beam.  Just move it along the
>>wall till the little light comes on.  Cost:  about $12.00  It even
>>moves the light along a scale, so you can find the center of
>>the beam.
>>
> 
> I've been using an electronic stud sensor (made by Zircon -- sold in outfits
> like Builder's Square -- Sears sells an identical one with their logo on it)
> for several years.  The one I have is the self-calibrating one.  I have been
> VERY pleased with its performance.  The cost was about $15.
> 
> Bohdan Bodnar
> AT&T Bell Laboratories
> Naperville, IL 60566

I have the Sears brand that Bohdan mentioned, and I frequently use it when 
running wire on jobs. It works pretty well on the old buildings with plaster/
lath walls.


-- 

 Lee Havemann, Sys_op       HSH Associates          (201) 838-3330 
 Internet: lee@hsh.com    Compuserve: 70410,3507    AOL: HSH Assoc
 "Any opinions expressed are not necessarily those of anyone else, 
  including myself."                     
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: lester@naomi.b23b.ingr.com (Les Bartel)
Subject: Re: garage door openers
Reply-To: lester@naomi.b23b.ingr.com
Organization: Intergraph Corporation
Date: Mon, 14 Dec 1992 16:09:09 GMT

In article <11DEC199209410515@addvax.llnl.gov>, lim@addvax.llnl.gov (Doug Lim) writes:
|> In article <1992Dec10.100113.23152@ncrcae.ColumbiaSC.NCR.COM>,
|> shawn@grok90.ColumbiaSC.NCR.COM (Shawn Shealy) writes...
|> >My question:
|> >  I already have 1 garage opener, a Sears.  I am interested in
|> >  buying another and am considering a Stanley 3500 (if I can
|> >  find one) because of Consumers Reports good rating.  I would
|> >  like to have 2 garage door opener transmitters which could
|> >  each open either of my 2 garage doors.  Do these dual control
|> >  transmitters exist?  If so, where can I locate one?  Are they
|> >  available separately or only with an opener.  The system that
|> >  I use must have security code capability on the transmitter/receiver.
|> >  The opener that I currently have does have this.  Does Stanley
|> >  make a dual controller?  Sears?

My door opener remote unit simply replaces the 'door bell' type button.
It is a Sears remote, and would appear to work on other openers as well.
It relies on the voltage coming across the two wires to the button to
power the receiver.  When the receiver gets a signal from the transmitter,
it closes a relay (shorting its power supply) to open or close the door.

 - les

-- 
Les Bartel			Look, I'll make a deal with you.
Intergraph Corporation		If you stop telling lies about me,
Electronics Division		I'll stop telling the truth about you.
lester@naomi.b23b.ingr.com
(205) 730-8537
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house