HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: bills@sequent.com (Bill Sears)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: My garage door opener doesn't work (sometimes)
Date: 20 Aug 92 16:05:09 GMT
Article-I.D.: sequent.1992Aug20.160509.9866
Distribution: usa
Organization: Sequent Computer Systems Inc.

We have a very sporadic problem with our Sears (Craftsman?) garage door
opener.  Most of the time it works fine, but at times, for no apparent
reason, the remotes will fail (sometimes one, sometimes both).  The unit
can still be operated from the wall switch, and works fine.

Then later on, the remotes will work again.  They'll work for a week or
two, and then they'll fail, again for no apparent reason.

I called the Sears Service Center, and they listed several possible
causes.  I checked them all out, but nothing worked.  They said that
since the warranty has run out, they would have to charge me to look
at the unit.  The problem is that since the problem is so sporadic,
I'm sure they wouldn't find anything wrong.  Plus, I don't want to
pay the (ungodly) $35.00 per hour or whatever for a call-out.

Has anyone experienced this before or did I just get a lemon.  Can
anyone suggest actions to take?

  bills
--------
Bill Sears            Sequent Computer Systems            bills@sequent.com

While a transcendant vocabulary is laudable, one must be eternally careful
to ensure that the calculated objective of the communication does not become
ensconsed in obscurity.  Stated simply, it is invariably preferable to 
eschew obfuscation.                                           - Unknown

Verbosity leads to unclear, inarticulate, ... things.         - VP Dan Quayle

If God had meant for us to vote, He would have given us candidates.  - Anon
From: ec@hpfcso.FC.HP.COM (Edgar Circenis)
Date: Tue, 18 Aug 1992 16:25:37 GMT
Subject: Re: re-grouting a tile shower stall
Organization: Hewlett-Packard, Fort Collins, CO, USA
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house

In misc.consumers.house, marks@ssdevo.enet.dec.com (Randy Marks) writes:

> Was wondering if there is some net-wisdom that might improve my chances
> of removing the old grout without damage to the tiles.
> I have a coupel of half-baked ideas
> 1. perhaps there is some chemical which will soften the grout,
>    thereby requiring less force on the knife

Call Color Tile.  I think they have a chemical that softens grout.

Edgar
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: wex@cs.ulowell.edu (Paul M. Wexelblat)
Subject: Re: Telephone Outlets
Originator: wex@bigmax.ulowell.edu
Reply-To: wex@cs.ulowell.edu
Organization: Univ. of Lowell CS Dept.
Date: Thu, 13 Aug 1992 19:18:23 GMT


In article <BsxApG.BL7@jfwhome.FUNHOUSE.COM>, jfw@jfwhome.FUNHOUSE.COM (John F. Woods) writes:
|> From: jfw@jfwhome.FUNHOUSE.COM (John F. Woods)
|> Subject: Re: Telephone Outlets
|> Date: 13 Aug 92 12:58:25 GMT
|> 
|> In <16b23rINNn8@sixgun.East.Sun.COM> egreen@East.Sun.COM (Ed Green - Pixel Cruncher) writes:
|> >Anybody snooping on my cordless is going to hear a lot of really boring
|> >(to anybody but me) chit chat about my niece, and an occasional Chinese
|> >food order.  BFD.
|> 
|> And if you just can't be convinced of the value of simple privacy, consider
|> that anyone snooping on your cordless phone may also find out when you're
|> about to leave the house for a while, and cash in on the opportunity.  To
|> a few people, scanners are an investment.

And, if they are listening in because they have a similar phone, they can
make infinite calls that appear on your bill.

(like (900) type numbers)

-- 
You are in a maze of twisty little passages, all alike.

	...Wex
From: oman@iccgcc.decnet.ab.com (Diane at Allen-Bradley in Cleveland)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Pest Control: Terminex vs. Orkin...
Date: 21 Aug 92 15:04:19 EST



In March we purchased new contruction that was built last summer, and 
we're having a minimal problem with black carpenter ants.  We've had 
Terminex give us a quote and Orkin in coming this weekend to give us 
a quote.  We feel it's best to take care of the problem now before it 
gets too out of hand and/or destructive to our beautiful home.  Has 
anyone out there had any experiance they can share about pest control...  
Terminex vs Orkin vs whoever else?

We would greatly appreciate any sharing of experience or opinions on this
subject.  

Thanks,
Di
From: ssriniva@Teknowledge.COM (Shankar Srinivasan)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Garage Doors
Keywords: Advice Wanted
Date: 13 Aug 92 17:57:52 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: Cimflex Teknowledge Corporation, Knowledge Systems Division

I may have to replace my garage door soon because the old 
one's badly warped :-(. What are the pros and cons of the
different types that are available? Specifically, I'd like
advice/opinions on the following:
- My current door is a one-piece for a two car garage. Should
  I replace with a one-piece or a sectional? Any pros and cons
  on service/price/longevity/reliability?
- What about steel doors versus wood doors? Steel doors seem
  less expensive - and at least I know they won't warp!
- My door is in much worse shape than any of the neighboring
  houses of the same age (12 yrs). Why should that be and 
  what precautions should I take?
- Any general advice on selection of a door or a door company?
  
Thanks in advance for all answers. Replies via email preferred,
but post is fine. I will summarize.
- Shankar
----------------------------------------------------------------
Shankar Srinivasan			shankar@Teknowledge.Com
Cimflex Teknowledge Corp.
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: leath@atlas.cs.upei.ca (Stephen Leath)
Subject: Re: wall paper on plaster walls with cracks
Organization: University of Prince Edward Island
Distribution: usa
Date: Thu, 20 Aug 1992 15:55:54 GMT

In article <1992Aug20.005829.4953@informix.com> stellay@informix.com (Stella Yan) writes:
>
>I have a 50 year old house which has plaster interior walls.  There
>are many cracks, some big, some small, appearing here and there probably
>due to structural settling and weather changes.  (Our area has very heavy 
>clay soil which expands and contracts a lot as the season changes.) We 
>patched them and painted them, but they reappear after a while.  I have 
>once read in some newspaper column that if you have plaster walls, 
>you just have to learn to live with cracks, or you have to keep re-patching 
>often. 
>
>I am thinking about repairing the cracks and then hang wall paper, so I don't 
>have to deal with the cracks again for a long time.  Assuming that I repair 
>the cracks before hanging the wall paper, when the plaster crack again will 
>it crack right through the wall paper?  Or will the cracks stretch the wall 
>paper to create creases or lines?
>

I have a 120 year old house with cracked plaster walls. I use a substance
called Durobond (brand name) you mix it with water apply it to the deep
cracks, but don't fill the crack (once dried you can not sand it,it is like
cement) then finish off with normal drywall compound. The durobond will
never crack. For small cracks just use drywall compound if they form again
they don't show up through good wallpaper. Watch out for bumps more than
indentations, they show up like a sore thumb especially the tiny pointed
ones.

Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: shore@dinah.tc.cornell.edu (Melinda Shore)
Subject: Re: Mice
Reply-To: shore@tc.cornell.edu
Organization: Cornell Theory Center
Distribution: na
Date: Thu, 13 Aug 1992 15:31:03 GMT

In article <1992Aug12.222445.11219@wri.com>, markm@wri.com writes:
> My DOG loves to catch mice.  

Terriers are particularly good mousers.  The problem with
using dogs, though, is that they make more of a mess with
the mouse than do cats, at least in my experience.  When
the weather turns cold my cat catches one or two mice per
night and leaves the carcasses in the same place, making
cleanup pretty easy (this lasts for about two weeks, then
the mice leave).  On the occasions when my dog has gotten 
a mouse she's tended to leave blood and parts spattered 
around.  It's pretty unpleasant.
-- 
       Melinda Shore - Cornell Theory Center - shore@tc.cornell.edu
From: brian@cbmvax.commodore.com (Brian Fennimore)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Re: Address of IKEA
Date: 12 Aug 92 17:16:05 GMT
Reply-To: brian@cbmvax.commodore.com (Brian Fennimore)
Distribution: usa
Organization: Commodore, West Chester, PA

In article <1992Aug11.193938.25079@ns.network.com> muchow@zebo.network.com (Jim Muchow) writes:
>As a Scandinavian, my wife misses her local access to the IKEA stores back
>in Denmark. When she heard that IKEA is now expanding in the States and
>Canada, she was hoping that they would eventually come to MN. They haven't
>and so we were wondering if anyone would be kind enough to provide us with
>the address of the IKEA stores that have opened here in the States. I
>believe that there is one in PA around Philadelphia and another in Seattle
>maybe.
>
>Jim Muchow

I don't know the exact address, but the Pennsylvania location is at
The Plymouth Meeting Mall, Plymouth Meeting, Pa. of all places. This is 
in Montgomery County, right off the Pa. Turnpike exit for Plymouth Meeting.

-Brian

P.S. Did I metion it was in Plymouth Meeting?
From: stoffel@oasys.dt.navy.mil (William Stoffel)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Re: Which garage door opener to use?
Date: 19 Aug 92 14:48:28 GMT
Article-I.D.: oasys.23817
Reply-To: stoffel@oasys.dt.navy.mil (William Stoffel)
Organization: Annapolis Detachment, CARDEROCKDIV, NSWC

In misc.consumers.house, mguyott@eriador.prime.com (M. Guyott) writes:

>I am getting ready to purchase two garage door openers.  So far the
>"Genie" garage door openers seem to be the best/most popular.  I would
>be interested in hearing about other people's experiences with garage
>door openers and which brands of openers they would recommend.

I have 2 of the 1/2 HP "Screw-Drive" Genie's and have been very happy
with them. The auto reverse can be set very accurately, and they seem
to hold the setting very well. No other maintenance required so far
question  during installation.b replacements. They came with (IMO) good

Good luck with whatever you get. - Bill
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: M21760@mwvm.mitre.org
Subject: Re: Lawn Tractors
Organization: The MITRE Corporation, McLean VA 22102
Date: Wed, 12 Aug 1992 20:09:58 GMT

In article <1992Aug05.210132.49755@ns1.cc.lehigh.edu>
maw2@ns1.cc.lehigh.edu (MICHELE A. WHITE) writes:
 
>
>
>I am looking for recommendations on a good, reliable lawn tractor to mow 1
>acre of lawn.  My husband has been seriously considering the John Deere STX.
>What is the best buy for the money?  Thanks in advance for any suggestions.
>
>--
>---------------------------------------------------------------
>Michele White - (215)758-3995
>User Consultant
>Lehigh University Computing Center
>maw2@ns.cc.lehigh.edu
 
We bought a John Deere STX-36 Lawn Tractor about two years ago for
our 1 acre lawn.  We've been very happy with it.  When we bought it,
it was Consumer Reports' Best Buy.  However, if I had to do it all
over again, I would spend the extra $200 or $300 and get the John
Deere 36" cut Riding Mower (instead of a lawn tractor), assuming you
plan to use it on your lawn only and not for snow removal.  The
advantage to a riding mower is that the cutting blade is in the front,
rather than the middle, so the front tires don't push down the grass
before you get a chance to cut it.  Another advantage is that it has
a smaller turning radius, which will save you TONS of time if you have
to go around trees.
 
Hope this helps!
 
Linda
From: sheriffp@Software.Mitel.COM (Peter Sheriff)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Re: Converting Oil Furnace to Gas...
Date: 21 Aug 92 12:47:50 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: Mitel. Kanata (Ontario). Canada.


     I have a conversion burner on my furnace. It does depend on the
furnace to an extent but the maintenance person who does a check on it
every other season tells me that my conversion is very efficient (for
a normal efficiency type of furnace). He said that it was because the
heat exchanger in the oil furnace was built better that most purpose-made
gas units. I certainly have no complaints. My heating bill is about one
third that of our friends who use oil and my house is larger and is a 
four level split.

                                  Pete
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: pjh@mccc.edu (Pete Holsberg)
Subject: Re: Making low offers
Organization: The College On The Other Side Of Route One
Distribution: usa
Date: Fri, 21 Aug 1992 00:24:09 GMT
Keywords: house buying

In article <1992Aug18.232058.15847@porthos.cc.bellcore.com> patter@dasher.uucp (24224-guthrie) writes:
=In article <heflin.714148311@pink1> heflin@rtsg.mot.com (Suzanne Stratton Heflin) writes:
=
=>I can't believe you sold a house for 20% less than what you listed for.
=
=You obviously are unfamiliar with the Real Estate situation in New
=Jersey. He's lucky to have sold it at all!.

Not generally true throughout NJ!

In this area (Mercer County), homes generally sell for 90-96% of the
asking price.

Any house will sell if the price is right. Certainly if my wife is the
listing agent! :-)

Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: eliot@chutney.rtp.dg.com (Topher Eliot)
Subject: Re: Water Heater question
Date: Wed, 12 Aug 92 14:48:53 GMT
Reply-To: eliot@dg-rtp.dg.com
Organization: Data General Corporation, Research Triangle Park, NC

In article <HOLLEN.92Aug11094435@peg.megatek.UUCP>, hollen@megatek.UUCP (Dion Hollenbeck) writes:
|> Rich> The water heater should be drained on some regular basis, like yearly.
|> 
|> Rich> After you drain and refill, make sure there is no air in it.
|> Rich> There is (usually) an overpressure vent on top. Open it by hand
|> Rich> just a crack until water comes out.  O, and turn off the heat
|> Rich> while you drain/refill.
|> 
|> Do not do this unless you know what you are doing.  In areas with hard
|> water (are there any which are not?) after the valve has been popped
|> once, it will never again seal completely.  I had the valve on my
|> water heater pop due to overheating (bad thermo) and the plumber had
|> to replace it with a new one.  He cautioned me when he installed the
|> new one to never open it unless I wanted it to continue to leak.

I second this.  I had a pissed-off brother-in-law after I 'helpfully' tested
his over-pressure valve for him.  Boy was I relieved when it stopped dripping
several hours later.  Of course this was the same brother-in-law whose dining
room carpet I had poured a dishwasher load of soapy water into...

-- 
Topher Eliot             Data General DG/UX Systems Administration Development
(919) 248-6371      eliot@dg-rtp.dg.com       {backbone}!mcnc!rti!dg-rtp!eliot
Obviously, I speak for myself, not for DG.
misc.consumers.house archivist.  Send mail to house-archive@dg-rtp.dg.com
"You're going to banana-whip me?  I don't think I've ever been banana-whipped."
From: n9020351@henson.cc.wwu.edu (James Douglas Del-Vecchio)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Re: Killing burglars.
Date: 21 Aug 92 23:59:54 GMT
Article-I.D.: henson.1992Aug21.235954.27477
Organization: Western Washington University

paigen@tfs.com (David Paigen) writes:

>This represents to me a callous disregard for the life of another.  Mind
>you, I WOULD shoot an invader in my home if they made any threatening
>moves, but as long as they "FREEZE!," "PUT THE GUN DOWN SLOWLY!," and
>"LIE FACE DOWN ON THE FLOOR WITH YOUR HANDS ON YOUR HEAD!," I have no reason
>to shoot.

	If he has a gun, he has it for murder, so there is no reason for
any yelling to take place.   To do so is a foolish invitation to death.

>Furthermore, the use of preemptive, deadly force (e.g. shooting in the
>back) is dishonorable and likely to land you in jail for murder-2 or
>voluntary manslaughter.

	If you see he has a gun, then shooting in the back is the smartest
and safest thing to do.  See my above statement.  Ditto for knife in hand.

In most of our 50 states, a grand jury will often not even indite in such 
a clear cut situation, i.e. no trial takes place.
(your mileage may vary.  ...in Mass. for example).

>And here again we see the preemptive strike.

Make that "reactive" strike.  The first action was the B&E.

Jim Del Vecchio
From: red_trek@drycas.club.cc.cmu.edu
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Short Environmental tips available
Date: 13 Aug 92 18:16:04 GMT
Organization: Carnegie Mellon Computer Club

I have available to interested parties a 300-line (40 blocks?)
file called "Short Environmental Tips".  This list is heavily,
though not exclusively, based on the book "50 Simple Things You
Can Do to Save the Earth" (EarthWorks Press #25, 1400 Shattuck Ave,
Berkeley, CA 94709, USA  ISBN 0-929634-06-3).

A number of the items in this file relate to energy saving things
you can do around the home that will save money for your pocketbook
as well as helping the environment.

"Short Environmental Tips" is expressly *NOT* copyrighted.  It may
be reproduced, crossposted, redistributed etc at will, in whole or 
in part.

If interested in a copy, please contact me by e-mail at:

Red_Trek@drycas.club.cc.cmu.edu

I greatly prefer to send this file via e-mail, as I often have
difficulty sending files to many sites.
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: patter@dasher.uucp (24224-guthrie)
Subject: Re: Replacing windows.  Which type?
Reply-To: patter@dasher.cc.bellcore.com
Organization: Bellcore, Livingston, NJ
Distribution: usa
Date: Fri, 14 Aug 92 16:42:25 GMT

In article <1992Aug14.030716.24313@sactoh0.sac.ca.us> jhp@sactoh0.SAC.CA.US (Jim H. Puga) writes:
>I'm looking into replacing the windows in a house I am remodeling.
>I've had two estimates with one place telling me aluminum windows
>are fine and the other telling me to go with vinyl.
>
>My question is, which is better, vinyl or aluminum?

Aluminum conducts heat very well. Vinyl is the better insulator.
Aluminum is more durable.

Having a 1950s house with period aluminum windows, I recommend that your
major consideration should be to try to select a style and supplier
which will still be available ten or twenty years from now. Whatever you
get, you want to be able to repair any minor frame damage.

On the insulation issue. I had an energy survey done on my house and was
told by the examiner that replacing my old aluminum windows with new
advanced designs would not pay for itself within ten years. That being
the case, I wouldn't attach any importance to differences in efficiency
between two modern double or triple pane designs. It can't be enough to
worry about.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
                    |
George Patterson -  | I don't know if I believe in love at first sight.
                    | I've never seen a Porshe full of money.
                    |
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: macrakis@osf.org (Stavros Macrakis)
Subject: Re: Sheet flooring
Organization: OSF Research Institute
Date: 14 Aug 92 12:38:56

In article <1992Aug13.144813.13079@ultb.isc.rit.edu> kls4344@ritvax.isc.rit.edu (Person in flux) writes:

   ...the net's experience with really good vinyl tiles...[which
   supposedly] withstand abuse much better than even the highest grade
   linoleum... and are easily repaired because they are tile rather
   than sheet....

Real sheet linoleum (not vinyl) is used in many commercial
high-traffic applications, such as airports, subway cars, schools,
hospitals, etc.  Since the color and pattern are in the bulk of the
material (not the surface), they are permanent until you've worn it
all the way down.  The advantage of sheet is that you don't have
cracks to collect dirt and seams which might lift (edges are caulked
together (`welded')).  We installed this in our kitchen, and we're
very happy with it.  The brand is Krommenie Marmoleum.

By the way, there are standards for the resistance of floor goods.
The French system rates U (wear) P (puncture-resistance) E (water
resistance) C (chemical resistance).  There is a DIN (German) system,
too.  I assume there is some ANSI system as well, but I have not seen
it used.  Linoleum rates U2.5-U4, depending on its thickness.  U1 is
light domestic, U2 normal domestic, U2.5 heavy domestic/light
commercial, U3 commercial use, U4 heavy commercial use.

	-s
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: heflin@rtsg.mot.com (Suzanne Stratton Heflin)
Subject: Re: Marble in shower
Organization: Motorola Inc., Cellular Infrastructure Group
Distribution: usa
Date: Fri, 14 Aug 1992 17:00:21 GMT

irened@sequent.com (Irene Dale) writes:

>We have to redo the tiled shower in an upstairs bathroom.
>My husband has suggested using marble on the walls.
>If you use 12inch squares, the cost shouldn't be too prohibitive.
>It seems that I've heard marble gets water stains.  Anyone
>out there have marble in their shower or have any ideas
>about why it is a good or bad idea?

I have a friend that is a professional tilesetter, and he just did a new
bathroom in their home.  He did the whole thing in gorgeous marble (actually,
something he called "aglomerate" marble) and it looks great.  I would imagine
that, being a professional for years, he would know whether it would be
a problem in the shower.  That's right where he has it, as well as on the
floor and half way up the walls.
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: paul@xcluud.sccsi.com (Paul Hutmacher)
Subject: Re: Frogs in front yard
Organization: Greater Montrose UFO Appreciation Society & Data Haven
Distribution: na
Date: Thu, 20 Aug 1992 04:21:21 GMT

In article <1992Aug17.213743.4863@twisto.eng.hou.compaq.com> parikh@sirocco.eng.hou.compaq.com (Vijay Parikh) writes:

>How to get rid of the frogs?

Leave 'em be.  First off, when they're making noise at night they're 
just working up to a night of good frog sex.  That's a mating call you 
hear.

Second of all, they eat oodles of insects.  That includes those nasty
culex mosquitoes that carry all the bad diseases this time of year.

Finally, there's a good chance they are Houston Toads, a protected
specie under the Endangered Species Act.

We like 'em around here.  Tell your kids to learn to live with 'em :)

-- 
"There is nothing to history.  No progress,          | Paul Hutmacher 
 no justice. There is nothing but random horror."    | Houston, Texas
"Jupiter" in _The Difference Engine_ Gibson/Sterling | paul@xcluud.sccsi.com
From: jheath@CERIS.Purdue.EDU (Jim Heath)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Re: Mice
Date: 12 Aug 92 16:25:53 GMT
Distribution: na
Organization: Center for Environmental and Regulatory Information Systems, Purdue University

From article <1992Aug12.002329.11464@cbnewsj.cb.att.com>, by ecl@cbnewsj.cb.att.com (Evelyn C. Leeper):
> We seem to have a mouse problem.  A couple of weeks ago, we started
> finding mouse droppings in one room.  After a couple of days we found
> the hole where the mouse (or mice) was getting in and plugged it with
> steel wool.  That solved that problem but now at the other end of the
> house we are hearing scratching behind one wall (which is brick on the
> outside, drywall inside) as if there is some animal (I'm guessing a
> mouse) trying to get through.
> 
> Does anyone have any ideas as to how to discourage this sort of
> behavior?  We have this feeling if we do something at this location,
> the mouse will just move elsewhere.
>

Well, rat/mouse poison does the job pretty well, but you end up
with a dead, stinking rodent for a few days.

My wife seems to have read somewhere that cotton balls soaked in
ammonia and placed in or near the hole will make them leave.
This seems to be working, but the way we knew one came in that
particular hole was it ate half a box of Dcon (?) pellets, so
there may not be a rat/mouse around who knows about the hole. 
-- 
"Land of song, said the warrior bard,           Jim Heath
Though all the world betrays thee.
One sword, at least, thy rights shall guard, (The Minstrel Boy)
One faithful harp will praise thee."         (Thomas Moore)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house