HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: macrakis@osf.org (Stavros Macrakis)
Subject: Re: How to cut back my heat bill?
Organization: OSF Research Institute
Date: 23 Nov 92 10:32:35

In article <20NOV199216305953@watson.bms.com> bullock@watson.bms.com (JOAN BULLOCK) writes:

   You are correct.  To a point.  Interior walls and objects in your home
   do have a latent heat capacity which must be overcome when you cycle the
   temperature....  When you increase the temperature of your thermostat,
   your furnace will run until _all_ of the interior (walls, possessions as
   well air) has risen to the desired temperature.  Because it takes longer
   to heat up most of the interior of your home than it does to heat up low
   heat capacity air, you probably _feel_ warm before your heating plant
   settles into temerature maintenance mode....

All this is true.  However, it does not mean that it is uneconomical to
reduce the thermostat setting for any particular period of time.  What it
does mean is that you should set the thermostat to start raising the
temperature some time before you want it at that temperature.  Conversely,
you should set it to let the temperature fall before you actually want the
lower temperature.

	-s
From: danny@vega.iii.com (danny)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Re: Central Vacs
Date: 21 Nov 92 01:34:17 GMT
Distribution: na
Organization: Innovative Interfaces Inc., Berkeley CA

In article <2B0D8299.15853@news.service.uci.edu> jfarran@cuba.acs.uci.edu (Joseph Farran) writes:
>In article <17685@bcars664.bnr.ca> Henry.Troup@BNR.CA writes:
>>I've contemplated that central vaccuum would be a good thing for people
>>with allergies - unlike a conventional vaccuum cleaner, the vent is
>>outside, after all.  Any comments?
>
>The Rainbow vacuum cleaner is an excellent choice for people who
>suffer from allergies.
>
>Email me if you want more info.
>
I just have an in house demo of the Tri-Star vacuum ( they don't call
this a vacuum ).  Basically, they have me vacuum all I want and then 
he use the Tri-Star to pick up a lot of dirt. This demo show how 
in-effective my current vacuum is.  

The major different for this vacuum is how they engle the
inlet tube at some 16 degree to the face of the motor through a filter of
course. This enable a circular air motion within the bag which keeps the 
dirt moving and from clogging up the bag.
If also have a outlet filter that consist of a car like round shape paper
element and 3 layer of charcoal filter that can filter down to 1 mircon of dirt
(Something small)

The salesman also metion the rainbow name, saying someting about the 
air movment is not enough. ( I have not seem a rainbow so I don't know
if this is the case )

I have to said I am impressed with this little thing (weight about 15 pound).
The Tri-Star cost $2089 at full retail with a 25 year full replacment 
warranty and clean my house carpet 25 time within this period using some
dry chem stuff.  He did come down to $1589 but we decided this is too
steep for my blood.  If you consisder a good vacuum cost 200-300 dollar
and a new one is in order every 5-10 years or so, $1589 is not much and also
consider how much more dust and dirt the Tri-star picks up.
Central vac is ok, if you plan to stay there a long time.


Now here is my question?
Have any one in the netland brought a Tri-Star ?
if so, and how you like it? How the service response if you need it?

Thanks 
Danny
From: patter@dasher.cc.bellcore.com (patterson,george r)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Re: crickets
Date: 22 Nov 92 17:05:40 GMT
Organization: Bellcore, Livingston, NJ

In article <20NOV199213120494@nsinic.gsfc.nasa.gov> stern@nsinic.gsfc.nasa.gov (If you can't be replaced, you can't be promoted) writes:
>As the weather in Maryland has turned nippy and I've started to
>batten down the hatches for the winter, I've noticed some crickets
>doing the same... in my house. Specifically, I've noticed one or two
>of them in the basement and near the furnace. I don't mind their 
>chirping. In fact, it kinda reminds me of more peaceful times. I'm
>just wondering what do they eat? Will/Could they proliferate? Do
>they cause damage?

They eat natural fibers, including cotton and wool. In the days before
the proliferation of synthetics, the black ones were occasionally known
as "carpet crickets".

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
                    | The reason that cliches become cliches is that
George Patterson -  | they are the hammers and screwdrivers in the
                    | toolbox of communication.
                    |                        Terry Pratchett
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
From: wb8foz@skybridge.SCL.CWRU.Edu (David Lesher)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Re: Calibrating old Honeywell "round" thermostats (for furnaces)
Date: 21 Nov 1992 02:05:31 GMT
Organization: NRK Clinic for habitual NetNews abusers - Beltway Annex
Distribution: na
Reply-To: wb8foz@skybridge.scl.cwru.edu (David Lesher)
NNTP-Posting-Host: skybridge.scl.cwru.edu

{what's them other things in a thermostat?}

Plastics, son. Plastics.

Oops - wrong advice....

Hysteresis. Anticipatation.

The room gets cold. The t-stat signals the furnace for heat. It starts.
It works hard, getting its plenum (airbox) hot. When it is, a second
t-stat, called the plenum t-stat {what a conincidence ;-!} starts the
blower. The blower blows warm air into the room. Eventually the room
t-stat senses it's warm enough, and shuts off the gas.

But the blower keeps going, because the plenum is still warm. By the
time it cools and the plenum t-stat shuts it off, the room is TOO
warm.

So the room t-stat has a little heater inside of it. When the gas valve
is open, the heater makes the t-stat a little warmer, so it shuts off
the gas a little sooner to make up for the overshoot. That's what the
"Longer/Shorter" refers to.

Two more points: The same thermal intertia also applies to other
systems such as boilers. Only the names are changed... Ooops.  
And REAL electronic setback t-stats are often smarter. Some 'learn' how
much overshoot happened last cycle, and act to prevent it. I like
that.....

--
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
From: jefftb@hpmwtd.sr.hp.com (Jeff Brown)
Date: Fri, 20 Nov 1992 22:35:20 GMT
Subject: Reefer compressor too hot?
Organization: HP Santa Rosa Site (SRSD MWTD)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house

   I have a 10year old or so refigerator(circa harvest gold) the compressor
   overtemp clicks offf after a while. Does anyone know how hot a comperssor
   should get? I can measure its surface temp. Is my overtemp switch hyper-
   active? or is my compressor shot?

   Thanks in advance
   Jeff Brown
From: michael@afterlife.ncsc.mil (Michael of Nebadon)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Re: Home Automation
Date: 18 Nov 92 20:32:18 GMT
Organization: The Great Beyond

In article <722050942snx@uumike.UUCP> mikey@nlbbs.uucp writes:
>I'd like to know if there are any cateloges out there for home
>automation especially how to attach a PC to control this stuff....

FYI: There is (or was, at least) a home automation mailing list
which may not help you too much (being uucp), but might be of
interest to others. Send mail to intelhouse-request@dlb.com with
the word "subscribe" as the message's text.

michael@afterlife.ncsc.mil
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Distribution: world
From: GioF@ultramac.uucp (Gio Favignano)
Organization: Odyssey Ultraware, Inc
Date: Sun, 22 Nov 1992 18:19:46 CDT
Subject: Re: HELP! Moisture in Ceiling Drywall/Strapping

le> The builder has proposed to re-strap and hang new drywall *on top
le> of* the existing ceiling surface. I had hoped they would opt to
le> replace the existing drywall and straping because 1) this would
le> ensure the imperfections in the current ceilings are not
le> transferred into the new ceilings and 2) the ceilings would not be
le> lowered by 1.5 inches. However, according to the builder, the
le> former is a lot less work (read $$$) than the latter, but will
le> achieve the same effect (i.e. a reasonably flat ceiling).

Lenny@bnr.ca,
	As a contractor myself, I don't see anything really wrong with what your
contractor purposes. The only thing you loose is height. Make sure that they
are using drywall screws and not nails. (That's a awfall lot of weight for
nails). Hanging over existing drywall is a common practice in renovations.
There must be a lot of drywall damaged if the contractor is not willing to
remove it. I would have to ask if there is that much damage, did the
contractor turn it in to his insurance company, and if so are they (The
insurance company) paying for removal and rehanging and the contractor
pocketing the difference?
	I would like to know the outcome. Good Luck!
GioF@oui.com
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: nbull@access.digex.com (Nicholas Bull)
Subject: Providing ground (not an FAQ)
Organization: Express Access Online Communications, Greenbelt, MD USA
Distribution: na
Date: Tue, 17 Nov 1992 17:15:05 GMT

I've read the FAQ and I don't think the answer to my question is
in it.  If not, flame away!

I want to make a 2-prong ungrounded outlet into a 3-prong
grounded outlet (to connect a surge-suppressed computer to).  On
the other side of the wall, a few feet higher and to the left, is
a properly grounded 3-prong outlet.  Can I do either of the
following?

1) (Preferably), drill a hole through the wall, and extend the
ground wire from the existing 3-prong grounded outlet, probably
using a conduit to take it to the presently-ungrounded 2-prong,
which would then be converted to a (hopefully) properly grounded
3-prong; or

2) do the same but extend all three wires from the existing
3-prong grounded outlet to the ungrounded 2-prong, disconnecting
it from the old wiring (I hope it's at the end of the circuit,
not the middle or beginning).

Thanks for your wisdom on this.  (Another alternative is to
somehow run a ground wire from the cold-water pipe in the
bathroom across the hall--maybe through the attic?)

Nick
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: kayshav_dattatri@taligent.com (Kayshav Dattatri)
Subject: Honeywell Programmable Thermostat?
Organization: Taligent
Distribution: usa
Date: Mon, 23 Nov 1992 22:42:04 GMT


Any one have any experience with these gizmos? I'm planning to replace our
exisitng old thermostat for better(efficient) temperature control.

I saw two at the local Home Depot. One has an accuracy of 1F and costs $95
and the other one has an accuracy of 1.5F and costs about $55.

Also, is there any place where this can be bought cheaper, even mail-order is
fine.

I have seen Honeywell security systems but don't know about thermostats.

P.S. I live in the SF bay area.

Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: patter@dasher.cc.bellcore.com (patterson,george r)
Subject: Re: Providing ground (not an FAQ)
Organization: Bellcore, Livingston, NJ
Distribution: na
Date: Fri, 20 Nov 92 05:07:58 GMT

In article <BxvEL9.IF1@access.digex.com> nbull@access.digex.com (Nicholas Bull) writes:

>1) (Preferably), drill a hole through the wall, and extend the
>ground wire from the existing 3-prong grounded outlet, probably
>using a conduit to take it to the presently-ungrounded 2-prong,
>which would then be converted to a (hopefully) properly grounded
>3-prong; or

By "converted", I assume you mean you'll replace the existing 2-prong with
a 3-prong, attaching it to the original black & white wires and to your
new safety ground. That's what I would do.

>2) do the same but extend all three wires from the existing
>3-prong grounded outlet to the ungrounded 2-prong, disconnecting
>it from the old wiring (I hope it's at the end of the circuit,
>not the middle or beginning).

If you do this and they're on different circuits, you will have transferred
this outlet to the other circuit, possibly creating a slight overload. If
you do this and they're on the same circuit already, you've done a lot of
work for nothing.

>Thanks for your wisdom on this.  (Another alternative is to
>somehow run a ground wire from the cold-water pipe in the
>bathroom across the hall--maybe through the attic?)

This is illegal in some locales. It should work, though.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
                    |
George Patterson -  | Society calls everything difficult good
                    | and makes everything good difficult.
                    |
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: mks@cbnewsm.cb.att.com (manishkumar.sharma)
Subject: Smoke Detectors from BRK Elec RECALL?
Organization: AT&T
Distribution: usa
Date: Thu, 19 Nov 1992 17:14:42 GMT

I just received a recall notice from BRK Electronics (Aurora, IL) that
made/supplied the 2 smoke detectors in my house. The recall is not for
battery-operated ones, just for those connected to the house wiring.
They list some serial numbers and ask that if the ones on my house are one
of these, I should send in the enclosed card and they will send in new
ones, free. I am then expected to return the recalled detectors to them.

I will be opening up my detectors today to check if they were made by BRK.

1. Did any one else get these? I guess this applies to anyone in the
country who was supplied detectors by BRK.
2. Did you ask for an get the new ones?
3. Is this another new-fangled scam?

Thanks.

-Manish Sharma
 ...att!trumpet!mks
From: amy@vineland.pubs.stratus.com (Amy McNulty)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Re: How to get rid of fireplace smoke smell? (Re: cleaning up fire place)
Date: 16 Nov 92 20:45:17 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: Stratus Computer Inc, Marlboro MA
NNTP-Posting-Host: blueheron.pubs.stratus.com

In article <1992Nov13.192933.9692@porthos.cc.bellcore.com>  
patter@dasher.cc.bellcore.com (patterson,george r) writes:
> In article <1992Nov12.220859.19844@cbnewsm.cb.att.com>  
chana@cbnewsm.cb.att.com (chana.nasamran) writes:
> >Is it normal to have smoke smell from a fireplace
> >even 2-3 days after a fire?  Last winter, I lit a fire 
> >in my fireplace for the 1st time and I didn't have this
> >problem.  Now, 3 days after my second use of the fireplace,
> >smoke smell still remains.  
> 
> You will find that many central heating plants pull a little smoke  
from
> the fireplace if the heat's on while the fire's burning. The only  
case I
> have first hand experience with (my mother's house) can't be fixed,  
as far
> as we can determine.
> 
> The only thing which can be done in this case is to use the fireplace  
only
> when the heat is off, and to clean the fireplace out and close the  
damper
> before turning the heat back on. Many people feel this is a pain in  
the
> neck, but I have a lower opinion of it. Hope this isn't your problem.

Or, try leaving a window open (just an inch or so should be
enough) near the furnace. The furnace will pull the outside
air instead of the chimney/smoky air.

Note: We live in a small, "slab" (no basement) ranch house;
the furnace is in the kitchen, and the fireplace is in the
living room (on the opposite side of the wall with the furnace).
This solution may only work for us because of the unusual
layout of our house....
______________________________________________________________
amy_mcnulty@vos.stratus.com  or  amy@vineland.pubs.stratus.com
Amy McNulty -- Stratus Computer, Marlboro, MA
Stratus pays me to write, but not to write this!
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: stern@nsinic.gsfc.nasa.gov (If you can't be replaced, you can't be promoted)
Subject: crickets
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41    
Organization: NASA Science Internet Network Information Center
Date: Fri, 20 Nov 1992 18:12:00 GMT

As the weather in Maryland has turned nippy and I've started to
batten down the hatches for the winter, I've noticed some crickets
doing the same... in my house. Specifically, I've noticed one or two
of them in the basement and near the furnace. I don't mind their 
chirping. In fact, it kinda reminds me of more peaceful times. I'm
just wondering what do they eat? Will/Could they proliferate? Do
they cause damage?


Dave Stern

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
         NASA Science Internet  Routing Center Manager            Hughes STX
                         301-286-6079
 DECnet-   NSINIC::STERN                        Code 930.6   Bldg 28 Rm W291
 INTERNET- STERN@NSINIC.GSFC.NASA.GOV           Goddard Space Flight Center
 BITnet-   STERN@DFTBIT                         Greenbelt, MD 20771
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: mwc@bistromath.mitre.org (Mike C. Conant)
Subject: Fireplace Cracks
Organization: The MITRE Corporation, Bedford, MA
Distribution: usa
Date: Fri, 20 Nov 1992 21:14:13 GMT

The front face of my 6 month old fireplace cracked 
right up the middle. Has anyone seen this happen??
The fireplace is built out of brick.
From: fowler@esmlsun.gatech.edu (c b fowler)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Re: Power paint rollers
Date: 17 Nov 92 20:06:51 GMT
Organization: Georgia Tech Research Institute

DONALD L. HARDY (dh0a@ns1.cc.lehigh.edu) wrote:
>After Christmas I will be repainting my entire house (inside).  Anybody 
>have any input on those power paint rollers, with the hollow handles that 

I've recently done some painting with a Wagner.  It is fast laying paint on 
flat surfaces, both ceilings and walls.  The last 10x12 room I painted took 
about 30 minutes (for one coat) to put on the major portion of the paint.  
You still have to go back and edge the trim, door, windows, etc.

Saving all that time isn't entirely free...you have to clean the entire unit 
before you put it away...the pump, check valves, tubing, handle, roller, 
roller internals.  I honestly spent more time cleaning the unit than 
painting.

Would I buy it again?  Sure.  It's much easier to clean the unit than to go 
through with conventional rollers and paintbrushes.

Have a happy Christmas.

Chris

c. b. fowler  gtri/esml
chris.fowler@gtri.gatech.edu
CFOWLER@GTRI01 (BITNET)
From: 1k1mgm@kuhub.cc.ukans.edu (Christopher Gunn)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Re: Teflon Tape on gas service, was: Replacing gas range:
Date: 21 Nov 92 11:26:12 CST
Organization: University of Kansas Academic Computing Services

In article <1elmkcINN591@usenet.INS.CWRU.Edu>, wb8foz@skybridge.SCL.CWRU.Edu (David Lesher) writes:
> I can't think of why t.t. is nfg on gas, except maybe pieces of it
> may get into the pilot jets and clog them? 

I have no idea what the official reason is, but it's been my experience
that Teflon tape crawls around some in the joint under pressure.
Once replaced an old sink with an OLDER sink and could not
for the life of me get it to stop dripping at the connections.
Went to bed in despair but got up to find that it had 'healed.'
If an apparently-tight gas joint crawled open, the results
could be nasty.  Conceivably, teflon might span a real gap in old
or damaged threads with a film, only to fail catastrophically later.

I've never done gas connections *without* Teflon tape (only done
a few, though), but *WATCH* them for a while.

Christopher Gunn	Molecular Graphics and Modeling Lab
SPAN--KUPHSX::GUNN	Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Malott Hall
913-864-4428 or -4495	University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS  66045
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: josh@Happy-Man.com (Joshua_Putnam)
Subject: Re: Getting rid of radio on my phone lines?
Reply-To: Joshua_Putnam@happy-man.com
Organization: Happy Man Corp., Vashon Island, WA 98070-7399
Distribution: usa
Date: Tue, 24 Nov 1992 00:29:53 GMT

In <1992Nov23.204931.17999@porthos.cc.bellcore.com> patter@dasher.cc.bellcore.com (patterson,george r) writes:

>In article <1992Nov23.150227.14070@miki.pictel.com> dustin@miki.pictel.com (Dustin Clampitt) writes:

>>there.  The phone company said, "find somebody who sells
>>phone stuff and ask for a supressor."  The phone company
>>says it's not their problem.  How supportive.
>>
>>What can I do?  What can I buy?  Who ya gonna call?  

>What can you buy? Call an electronics supply store and ask if they sell
>radio noise suppressors for telephones. And the phone company is correct;
>it's not their problem. Sounds to me like they were very supportive. They
>told you exactly what you need to do.

The American Radio Relay League's _Handbook_ has some
good information on curing radio frequency
interference with a variety of services, including
phones.  Last I remember it gave specific model
numbers for standard telco RFI filters.

The radio station and telco are probably both
operating properly -- lots of newer phones are
extremely sensitive to RFI that older phones built to
Ma Bell specs wouldn't have picked up.

There was a discussion of this recently in
comp.dcom.telecom.
-- 
 Joshua_Putnam@happy-man.com    Happy Man Corp.  206/463-9399 x102
 4410 SW Pt. Robinson Rd., Vashon Island, WA  98070-7399  fax x108
 We publish SOLID VALUE for the intelligent investor.  NextMail OK
Info free; sample $20: Send POSTAL addr: Solid-Value@happy-man.com
From: isidro@BBN.COM (Isidro Castineyra)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Blown-In Insulation & Vapor Barriers
Date: 17 Nov 1992 00:45:14 GMT
Organization: Bolt Beranek and Newman Inc., Cambridge MA
Distribution: na
Reply-To: isidro@BBN.COM (Isidro Castineyra)
NNTP-Posting-Host: bbn.com

A neighbour of mine had his house insulated by blowing cellulose into
the exterior walls. He swears by the process, and his house does feel
much tighter than mine (the houses are almost identical).  I have
heard that because it is almost impossible to install a vapor barrier,
the insulation can trap humidity inside the walls. This could damage
the structure in the long run. What is the net-wisdom on this?

Thanks,
Isidro


Isidro Castineyra                                 (isidro@bbn.com)   
Bolt Beranek and Newman,  Incorporated		  (617) 873-6233
10 Moulton Street, Cambridge, MA 02138		  USA
From: rhaar@albert.cs.gmr.com (Bob Haar)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Re: Home Automation
Date: 18 Nov 92 13:10:53 GMT
Reply-To: rhaar@albert.cs.gmr.com
Organization: G.M. Research and Environmental Staff

In article 722050942snx@uumike.UUCP, mikey@uumike.UUCP (Mike Couture) writes:
|>I'd like to know if there are any cateloges out there for home
|>automation especially how to attach a PC to control this stuff....

Get eh Home Automation Laboratories catalog. Besides having a braod
selection of products, it is also educational.

They have a toll-free phone line - 1-800=466-3522 .



---
	Robert Haar               InterNet : rhaar@gmr.com 
	Computer Science Dept., G.M. Research and Environmental Staff
DISCLAIMER: Unless indicated otherwise, everything in this note is
personal opinion, not an official statement of General Motors Corp.
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: ameres@ithaca.cat.rpi.edu (Eric Ameres)
Subject: Re: Plumbing - what sort of connector do I need?
Organization: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY
Date: Wed, 18 Nov 1992 21:09:47 GMT

First let me say I'm not a plumber, but I do play one on TV... :)

Sounds like you need a flexible rubber connector (boot) to join the
two pieces.  You can get them at most hardware stores (Home Depot,
Builder's Square...)  They're usually black rubber and look like a
short hose a little larger at both ends than the pipes you need to
connect.  Slip one end of the boot over each of the other pipes and
use pipes strap clamps (should be included with the boot) to make the
connections secure and watertight.

Saves you from having to tear out more stuff...

Eric.

-- 
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Eric Ameres,  Software Engineer                 ameres@cat.rpi.edu
New York State Center for Advanced Technology in Automation & Robotics
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute - CII 8313, Troy, NY 12180-3590