HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: isidro@BBN.COM (Isidro Castineyra)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Why are baseboard heaters installed against exterior walls?
Date: 7 Jan 93 21:47:22 GMT
Reply-To: isidro@BBN.COM (Isidro Castineyra)
Distribution: na
Organization: Bolt Beranek and Newman Inc., Cambridge MA
NNTP-Posting-Host: bbn.com

My old house (90 years old), has steam radiators close to the center
of the house. In my naive view, this seems the way to go.  Why are
baseboard heaters ausually installed gainst exterior walls? It would
seem that a significant fraction of the heat would be wasted to the
outside (especially if the walls are not well insulated). Is it purely
a matter of installation convenience?  Is it done to avoid nasty
convection drafts? Do I have the wrong idea of how baseboard heaters
work (convection vs. radiation vs. conduction)?  Or, are heating
contractors in cahoots with the oil and gas suppliers to make us heat
the great outdoors?

Thanks,
Isidro


Isidro Castineyra                                 (isidro@bbn.com)   
Bolt Beranek and Newman,  Incorporated		  (617) 873-6233
10 Moulton Street, Cambridge, MA 02138		  USA
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: adelle@cbnewsh.cb.att.com (adelle.s.Petrocco)
Subject: Water Filters
Organization: AT&T
Distribution: usa
Date: Sat, 9 Jan 1993 22:23:45 GMT

We went to buy a water filter because the tap water
tastes like chlorine to me.  Unfortunately, I was
very confused by the variety.  Does anyone have
any information, or is there a FAQ file?

Thanks!

Adelle

-- 
Until I design a .sig, I'm Adelle and my email address is
adelle@cbnewsh.att.com and I'm in New Jersey, in the U.S.A
From: carl@Cayman.COM (Carl Heinzl)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Re: Basement Carpeting.
Date: 7 Jan 93 20:43:21 GMT
	<1993Jan7.164810.22023@cbfsb.cb.att.com>
Distribution: usa
Organization: Cayman Systems Inc., Cambridge, MA
In-reply-to: stevez@cbnewsb.cb.att.com's message of 7 Jan 93 16:48:10 GMT
bcc: carl


>> Also, if something gets spilt, you only have to pick up the one or
>> two carpet squares that are affected... and... they're washable!!!

>How do you pick them up after they are on the floor?  Are they loose?

Yes they are individual 18" squares, and no - by no I mean that they
don't slip, they have a rubber backing.

When they're pushed tightly together they look like a seamless carpet.
My wife (who doesn't bite her fingernails) can pick them up by the
nap, otherwise I get a screwdriver and lift it up at one of the edges.
She made templates and cut the squares to fit perfectly around the
door frames and corners.

We have had these down now since March '91 (in all 3 rooms) and we
both think they're great.  We're bought enough extras so that we can
carpet the bathroom (that's about the be remodeled) and the (new)
hallway (it's just open area now).

-Carl-
--
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: hubcap@hubcap.clemson.edu (System Janitor)
Subject: Re: Gray flexible water supply pipe OK?
Organization: Clemson University
Date: Sat, 9 Jan 1993 19:10:40 GMT

brett@sr.hp.com () writes:


 * 	STAY AWAY FROM IT AT ALL COSTS !!!

 * We've got the stuff in our house (didn't realize it when we bought it).
 * There's nothing wrong with the pipe itself, but all connections are made with
 * a crimped fitting.  If they don't put it on JUST RIGHT, it can crack the pipe

But if you do it right, it should be fine. The connectors are much improved
now. I've heard the horror stories, and I plan to put it in my new
house.

-Mike
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: garyp@rmtc.unisys.com (Gary Palangian [RMTC/ISP])
Subject: Re: Garage Door Openers
Organization: Paramax Systems
Date: Tue, 5 Jan 1993 00:14:44 GMT


In article <1993Jan04.193527.40965@watson.ibm.com>, oasis@jcwrs.watson.ibm.com (GA.Hoffman) writes:
|> A month or so ago a thread began on garage door openers .. 
|> I didn't catch the recommendations.
|> 
|> I see Home Depot has 1/2hp openers on sale each for $133;
|> a Stanley chain-drive and a Genie screw-drive.  Any pros/cons
|> or recommendations would be appreciated!
|> 

Hey Now,

    Well part of the thread had to do with a rumor regarding
new legislation that would require optical sensors to detect
potential door travel blockages (like kids and dogs and cars
and stuff).  The general response was that no one had heard 
of any such regs.

    Not surprisingly, as of 1 Jan 1993, all newly manufactured
garage door openers must include optical sensors and warning
stickers that can be applied near the wall switch and optical
scanners about crushing children.  Also, all garage door openers
must include instructions that say the wall switch must be mounted
where the door travel can be easily monitored so that you
don't crush a child.  

    These policies have been designed to protect the garage 
door opener consumer from crushing kids by accident.  The
garage door consumer will have to pay about $20 to $40
per opener plus an additional $20-$50 in installation for
the new units.

   So, it would be a smart financial move to purchase a garage
door opener now while last years models are still available.  Unless,
of course, you are worried about accidently crsuhing kids with your
garage door.

   I just purchased two 1/2 horsepower openers from Sears this
weekend.  Total cost of $280.  I didn't buy them because of the
noise or quality or anything like that.  I bought them because they had
three button controllers that allowed independant control of 
both garage doors.  The code number keypad can accept
two codes (1 for each garage door) which is most excellent if you
ride a motorcycle and don't want to fish for the remote when you
get home.

   Comparable units from other manufacturers were just too expensive
feature for feature.  The Genie Company plastered their box with
"10 YEAR WARRANTY".  When you read the fine print you discover you
have to pay $25 extra for this warranty and it only includes the
motor.  So I decided against them cause I thought it was misleading
packaging.  

Party On...  Wishing you many successful door openings and closings...

Gary P.


is policy will ensure that people who accidently kill
ki
From: vln@icpsr.umich.edu (Victoria Neff)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Re: Cabinet hardware
Date: 7 Jan 1993 20:49:35 GMT
Organization: Inter-University Consortium for Political and Social Research
Distribution: world
NNTP-Posting-Host: tdis.icpsr.umich.edu

In article <1ii2jvINN9ru@shelley.u.washington.edu> shelley@vents.biostr.washington.edu (Shelley Vogel) writes:
>
>I've just taken all the hardware off my kitchen cupboards to paint them
>and want to replace the old, ugly chrome stuff with something nice.  I
>went to Ernst with a sample in my pocket and found that *every* handle
>was the wrong size!!

We replaced the chrome handles on our circa 1946 kitchen drawers with wooden
ones, which fit ok.  You might try your full-service lumber yard (the one
that serves the builders).  It was at that kind of place that we got our
handles.

(I had fun using model paint to paint the handles different rainbow colors
 to go on the plain white drawers.)
From: tslee@us.oracle.com (Terry S. Lee)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Re: Dual line phone causing cross-talk ??
Date: 8 Jan 93 23:34:16 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: does not represent views of Oracle Corp
X-Disclaimer: This message was written by an unauthenticated user
              at Oracle Corporation.  The opinions expressed are those
              of the user and not necessarily those of Oracle.

In article <MICHAEL.93Jan7161044@sunbeam.ksc.nasa.gov> michael@sunbeam.ksc.nasa.gov (Michael D. Myjak x7-3286) writes:
>I would not have believed that this were possible if it wasn't
>happening to me.  It seems to go against everything I've learned in
>electronics, physics, telephoney, and electrical transmission line
>theory...  but...
>    I seem to be experiencing capacitive coupling on my phone lines!
	[...]
I had it bad too.  I used 3-pair ribbon, home run wired.  I ended up only
running both lines to 2 boxes, and single line to the rest of the house.
I was sorely disappointed!
	[...]
>What is amazing to me is the volume level of the cross talk. It is
>simply astonishing! Its like there was a short or something, but there
>isn't. To give you an idea of the the magnitude of the problem,
>whenever my wife and I are using both lines simultaniously. I cannot
>not only make out my wife's voice but I can clearly make out the other
>half of the conversation...  almost as if it was the primary circuit!

Same symptoms here.

>We have disconnected the phone company from the house and tested their
>lines using both of my phones and the problem goes away. When we add
>the house wiring back into the circuit, the problem returns. So the
>problem has to be with the house wiring. The house wiring ohm's out
>with every phone (both of them!)  and the answering machine
>disconnected... to something like 2-10megOhms or so. We've eliminated
>the equipment as well by connecting them to the phone company without
>the house wiring connected.

Same tests performed here.  The telphone tech tells me that twisted, solid
wire kills the crosstalk.  He didn't know why, but that's what he uses to wire
a house.  (kinda of a "No.... you just don't use stranded ribbon.  I don't
know why but you just DONT")
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: macrakis@osf.org (Stavros Macrakis)
Subject: Re: How should I treat my hardwood floors?
Followup-To: misc.consumers.house
Organization: OSF Research Institute
Distribution: usa
Date: 11 Jan 93 18:14:20

In article <1993Jan6.164452.27660@crd.ge.com> lorraine@caliban.crd.ge.com (Peter Lorraine) writes:

   ... My wife and I have just bought a 17 year old house with
   hardwood floors.  They appear to be in "fairly" good condition...
   I don't think I need to sand..., but I am not sure cleaning alone
   will be sufficient.... the previous owner maintains she waxed the
   floors periodically...  If the floors have a wax finish, is there a
   straightforward way to remove it and rewax?

Yes.  It's called stripping.  Before you do anything else, try
stripping and rewaxing one room.  There is a good chance that this is
all you will need to do.  To strip properly, you'll need a stripper
(buy at a good hardware store) and ideally a floor machine with a
stripping pad (something like a plastic Brillo pad).  Floor machines
can be rented at tool supply places.

Get a good quality liquid wax and rewax, buffing with a buffing pad on
the floor machine.  If you get an industrial floor machine (one big
wheel rather than two small ones), be careful: it generates a lot of
force and torque.

I suspect you will get a fine result by just sanding and rewaxing.

	-s
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: mjackson@stsci.edu (Michelle Jackson)
Subject: Dry Kitchen Cabinets
Organization: Space Telescope Science Institute
Distribution: usa
Date: Wed, 6 Jan 1993 18:35:36 GMT

I am seeking advice on a product to restore my dry kitchen 
cabinet. The cabinet is a honey-colored wood cabinet with 
a glossy finish. The cabinet has streaks of dry spots and 
a couple of small dry patches. In these areas, the color 
and gloss are gone. I believe that the dryness was caused 
by escaping steam from the dishwasher.

I've used lemon oil (Old English brand) to restore the 
moisture, but the cabinet dries out again within days. 
I've considered applying a stain and gloss to the dry 
areas, but I can't find stain whose color is close 
enough to the color of my cabinet. The instructions 
on the glosses that I've seen warn about applying a gloss 
without sanding and staining.

Does anyone know of a product that restores the moisture 
and some shine to wood for a long time (months, years)? 
I don't mind if the product darkens the wood slightly.

Please respond by e-mail.

Thanks for your help,

Michelle Jackson
Space Telescope Science Institute
E-mail: mjackson@stsci.edu
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: sjackson@medicus.com (Steve Jackson)
Subject: Re: When does it make sense to reduce the
Organization: Medicus Systems Corporation, Alameda, California
Date: Thu, 7 Jan 1993 18:57:32 GMT

jon@destin.dazixco.ingr.com (Jon Stone) writes:
>It depends what your viewpoint is.  Most of the posters have assumed
>that putting money in your house is just like any other investment.  I
>don't.  Paying off your mortgage is different in the following ways
>(among others) than putting money in an equivalent (after tax)
>investment.

>Advantages:
>- you pay less interest.  If you have a 30 yr loan, 90+% of the money
>  you are paying is interest.  True, there is a tax refund, but you're
>  only getting back ~30% of what your paying out anyway.
>- a home is a roof over your head.
>- As a friend of mine says, "Once my house is payed off, I can flip
>  hamburgers and still feed my family" (hard times scenario).
>- Once you pay off your house, then you suddenly have a large amount
>  of cash flow that you can redirect elsewhere.  Think of it; having
>  $600-1000 each month to sock away into an investment, retirement, or
>  college fund.

>Disadvantages:
>- you can't get your money out, except a home mortgage loan.  Very
>  illiquid.
>- you pay higher taxes.  My thought is I'd rather pay $200 in taxes
>  per month, then pay $600 interest.

>This is just another perspective.  Depends what your viewpoint is.  If
>you can earn more, after taxes, in another investment, then you can
>always divert the funds into your house if you wish.  You can't do the
>opposite.

Another perspective.  Here's a reason for paying off your mortgage early
that doesn't depend on mortgage/investment rates:
     You live in a high income/high living cost/high housing cost area,
     and might move to a lower income/low living cost/low housing area.
     You might be in a bind if you want to avoid paying capital gains on
     any profits on your house by buying an equally expensive house.

Example:
     You buy a $500,000 house with 5% down (e.g., loan of $475,000).
     Your income is 1/3 of that: $158,000.  For the example, let's say
     that's the income/loan limit that all lenders in the country require.

     Your house appreciates by 20% ($100,000).  Your loan is down to, oh,
     $460,000, income up to $170,000.

     You move to a place where housing and income is exactly 1/2 of your
     old place (when you make up examples, you get to pick the numbers. :-)).
     So houses cost about $300,000, and your job pays about $85,000.

     To avoid paying capital gains on the $100,000, you have to buy a house
     worth $600,000.  Unfortunately, the lenders still follow the 1/3 limit,
     so they'll only lend you $85,000*3 = $255,000.  You're short $205,000.

Yes, the numbers (and ratios) are really exaggerated, but the reasoning
still holds.

Steve Jackson
sjackson@medicus.com
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: patter@dasher.cc.bellcore.com (patterson,george r)
Subject: Re: Quality bathroom fan?
Organization: Bellcore, Livingston, NJ
Date: Tue, 5 Jan 93 16:32:58 GMT

In article <1993Jan5.090326.1@kean.ucs.mun.ca> marcher@kean.ucs.mun.ca writes:
>I am looking for brand recommendations for bathroom fans.  Also, 
>recommendations on installment of same would be very helpful.  As soon 
>as I get enough $ together (sometime in Feb., maybe) I'm going to get 
>me one!  I look forward to hearing from all and sundry.  I always 
>learn a lot from this newsgroup.

In my opinion, Nautilus is the best brand which is easily available. I
have also used the Miami Cary brand (sold at one time by Home Depot).
It's noisier than the Nautilus, but it's cheaper and mine has held up
well.

These fans usually must be installed from behind the sheet rock - they
almost always require a hole in the sheet rock which is too small to
fit the fan through. If you can't get to the area to mount the fan in
this manner (for example, you have a first floor bath in a two story
house), you will have to choose your fan carefully. Or you can cut a
big hole, put in the fan, and patch the sheet rock.

The ducting for the exhaust is run exactly like that for a clothes dryer.
It should be vented outside the house.

Fans typically must be placed a few feet outside the shower - I don't
know of any that can take direct exposure to water. The larger ones
will require a dedicated 15 amp circuit; smaller ones can be tied into
any circuit with spare capacity. Check the instructions for the unit
you want to buy.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
                    | If you take a dog which is starving and feed him
George Patterson -  | and make him prosperous, that dog will not bite
                    | you. This is the primary difference between a dog
                    | and a man.             Samuel Clemens
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: federkin@rtsg.mot.com (John Federkins)
Subject: Need Recommendation on water filter
Organization: Motorola Inc., Cellular Infrastructure Group
Distribution: usa
Date: Fri, 8 Jan 1993 12:30:58 GMT

My village has well water.  Before I blow several $100 on
a water softener, I want to try a water filter.  Anybody
have any recommendations on whole-house water filters?  The
water appears to have a high mineral/sediment content and
exceeds the federal allowable limits for radium.  (The village
says not to worry, 'cuz the gov't is gonna raise the limits!)

Thanks,
JF

-- 
------------------------------------------------------------------------
   "The sooner you fall behind, the more time you have to catch up!"
John Federkins				Cellular Infrastructure Division
Motorola, Inc.				Arlington Heights, IL
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: patter@dasher.cc.bellcore.com (patterson,george r)
Subject: Re: Should I install a gas furnace?
Organization: Bellcore, Livingston, NJ
Distribution: na
Date: Wed, 6 Jan 93 21:23:34 GMT

In article <13794@limey> sheriffp@Software.Mitel.COM (Peter Sheriff) writes:
>
>    Holy smoke. You guys must pay through the nose for energy. My gas bill
>for last year was $734 Cdn. I have forced air gas heating and no other gas
>appliances. With the electricity for the fan and air conditioning I am
>probably around the $1000 mark for a full years climate control.

I think you've misinterpreted some of the posts, but maybe not. Or maybe
we need a symbol for sarcasm? Anyway, my gas bill for the year is in that
range, running from a low of about $25/month in summer to about $125/month
in winter. I have a 40 year old furnace, R-19 insulation in the attic,
and no insulation in most of the walls. I'm slowly taking care of this
latter problem; as I renovate each room, I remove the sheet rock from
each exterior wall and insulate it. But I digress.

Electricity is a different issue. I'm paying about $1,200 US a year for
that. I have one high-efficiency window air conditioner; those with
central air pay more than I.

These costs vary widely across the US. Electricity costs from $0.03kwh
to about $0.15kwh. I'm paying $0.11.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
                    | I think that I shall never see
George Patterson -  | a billboard lovely as a tree.
                    | Indeed, unless the billboards fall,
                    | I'll never see a tree at all.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
From: mjc+@cs.cmu.edu (Monica Cellio)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Re: Monitored security system for home
Keywords: home security systems
Date: 12 Jan 93 21:34:05 GMT
Article-I.D.: NL.mjc.726874445
Distribution: usa
Organization: School of Computer Science, Carnegie Mellon

>When I asked this salesperson why they couldn't
>know when the phone lines were cut, they said that the phone company
>didn't provide that service and that "nobody else could do that either".

My house contains a security system by Eagle and it detects cut phone lines.
It also has 72-hour battery backup.

I asked how the protection for the phone line works.  They told me that at
all times there is a small electrical pulse on the phone line and that if
this disappears the alarm sounds (and the folks at the monitoring service
know by this disappearance that the alarm has gone off).  I was skeptical,
but we tested it and it seems to work.  I guess to really test it I should
(1) call my police department (not monitoring company) to let them know
it's coming and (2) set it off and reconnect the line, and wait for the
police to let me know what happened. :-)

I would imagine that the pulse on the phone line is near universal 
(something has to power ringers, after all), so I'd ask around before 
taking the word of this salesman.

Monica
From: lawler@oasys.dt.navy.mil (Gerald Lawler)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Re: FHA MIP insurance refund?
Date: 4 Jan 93 12:41:24 GMT
Reply-To: lawler@oasys.dt.navy.mil (Gerald Lawler)
Followup-To: misc.consumers.house
Organization: Carderock Division, NSWC, Bethesda, MD

In misc.consumers.house, chiu@gpb-mac.sps.mot.com (Norman Chiu) writes:
>I am currently working on the refinance of my house.  My original mortgage
>was a FHA loan, which I paid a MIP insurance of about $3000 three years
>ago.  Now the new mortgage is a conventional loan, and I wonder if
>anyone knows where and how I can contact FHA to get part of the MIP
>insurance money back?

  Information concerning refunds for FHA MIP insurance can be obtained
by calling (703) 235-8117  M-F 8:30am to 8 pm EST.  Have your FHA loan
number ready if you want specific information concerning your loan.
This number is available from your current lender and is not the same
number as your lender's loan number.

  The amount of the refund is based upon the length of time that you
have had the loan.  Since your loan is only three years old, you should
get a substantial refund.  The people at FHA can give you an approximate
amount when you call based upon when you think the loan will be paid-
off.

  Your current lender should notify FHA when your loan is paid.  Once
notified, FHA will send you a application for a refund.  Don't expect
a refund for about 6 months after your loan is paid-off, assuming you
complete, and return the application in quickly.

Gerry Lawler       email    lawler@oasys.dt.navy.mil
From: tslee@oracle.uucp (Terry S. Lee)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Are C sources on the net for the X10 prog interface?
Date: 8 Jan 93 00:22:14 GMT
Reply-To: tslee@oracle.uucp (Terry S. Lee)
Distribution: na
Organization: does not represent views of Oracle Corp
Originator: tslee@wrpyr.us.oracle.com
X-Disclaimer: This message was written by an unauthenticated user
              at Oracle Corporation.  The opinions expressed are those
              of the user and not necessarily those of Oracle.

FTP addresses would be great.  Thanks in adv.
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: manes@magpie.nycenet.edu (Steve Manes)
Subject: Re: How should I treat my hardwood floors?
Organization: Manes and Associates, NYC
Distribution: usa
Date: Thu, 7 Jan 1993 19:44:15 GMT
X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.1 PL7]

patterson,george r (patter@dasher.cc.bellcore.com) wrote:
: Normally varnish is used to finish floors, but sometimes shellac is
: applied. In your case, you almost certainly have varnish, because you
: say it's not a glossy finish. Shellac produces a glossy finish, whereas
: varnish can be had in semi-gloss. Alcohol disolves shellac but will not
: harm varnish.

If the house was built in the last 17 years it's a fairly safe guess that
the floors could have been finished with polyurethane, in this case a
satin type (which doesn't hold up to wear nearly as well as high gloss).
-- 
Stephen Manes					   manes@magpie.nycenet.edu
Manes and Associates/Commontech-NoHo		   New York, NY, USA  =o&>o

Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house