HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: gmark@cbnewse.cb.att.com (gilbert.m.stewart)
Subject: Ceiling/Wall Seperation
Organization: AT&T
Date: Mon, 25 Jan 1993 16:23:40 GMT
Keywords: plaster, crack, addition


We have a 10x14 addition that was put on before we bought the house.
The seam between the wall over the arch in the entry and the ceiling
opens up about 1/4" each winter, and closes in the summer.  The addition
is on a foundation with an opening into the crawlspace to the original
structure.  There is no apparent condensation nearby.

Does anyone have any suggestions as to how to fix this?

1) Fill the crack with spackling while open?  I'm not sure how
much stress is on this crack or whether the plaster would be
forced out in the summer.  Ideas?

2) A flexible filler, such as paintable silicone?

3) losen the ceiling wallboard from the rafters slightly?

4) Replaster, using a stronger joint tape material, such as
fiberglass?

I've already put a hole between the two attics when installing
a ceiling fan, so there is a common attic temperature.  The 
foundation seems solidly coupled to rest of the house, and there
is no discernible unusually-different settling and no foundation
cracks, nor any type of damage anywhere else.  The addition is
around 8 years old, the house about 15.  The addition is not
cold, nor is there any sign of condensation on the walls or ceiling.
I considered crown molding, but I really don't want to resort to that.
I also don't want crown molding that pulls away from the ceiling
every winter.  BTW, the addition and house are NOT truss or pre-fab
frames, but standard rafter/on-site construction (whatever it's
called...)

Thanks in advance!  I'd sure like to paint the room and have it
look decent.


G. Mark Stewart
708-979-0914
ihlpq!gmark
From: peterson@oasys.dt.navy.mil (Rodney Peterson)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Proper location of cold air returns
Date: 27 Jan 93 12:08:00 GMT
Reply-To: peterson@oasys.dt.navy.mil (Rodney Peterson)
Distribution: usa
Organization: Carderock Division, NSWC, Bethesda, MD

I own a 35 year old two story colonial.  It's typical as the
4 bedrooms are upstairs and the living, family, and dining room and
the kitchen are down stairs.  It has a full basement as well.

The question is that the cold air returns for both levels are
located close the ceilings.  The heating vents are located on the
walls about one foot from the floor.  From what I've seen before
the cold air returns are mounted low to return the cold air which
should be below the hot air.

I'm thinking of installing the a return vent lower to the floor
on both floors.  Before I do that I wanted to check if anyone
has any insight ony the cold air returns are located near the
ceilings of both the first and second floors.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Rod Peterson
From: srivatsa@karna.Eng.Sun.COM (Chakra Srivatsa)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Re: Water Filter Recommendations Wanted!!!
Date: 21 Jan 1993 18:06:28 GMT
Organization: Sun Microsystems, Inc.
Distribution: usa
Reply-To: srivatsa@karna.Eng.Sun.COM
NNTP-Posting-Host: karna

In article 3950@ultb.isc.rit.edu, scs5759@ritvax.isc.rit.edu () writes:
>
>In article <ggawron.101.0@comm.mot.com>, ggawron@comm.mot.com (Glenn Gawron) writes:
>>I am in the market for an under sink water filter that would get rid of both 
>>chlorine and lead.  There are multitudes of manufacturers and models 
....
>	I've done some research on water filters and have found that the
>best one on the market is a solid block carbon filter.  NSF (national
....
>deal.  The only problem is the intitial investment, to buy the housing for the
>cartridge.  I believe it $329.00 but I don't hold me to it.  And the cartridge
>is $38, again don't hold me too it.

I've put in a reverse osmosis water filter in my kitchen.  It's a 4 stage
system (1) 0.5u particle filter (2) carbon pre-filter (3) RO membrane (4) carbon
post-filter.  The whole deal set me back $170.  Manufacturer recommends replacing
(1) and (2) every 6 months (~$8) cost.  I'm very happy with it.

---
The one l lama, he's a priest. 		srivatsa@eng.sun.com
The two l llama, he's a beast.
And I will bet a silk pajama, 
there isn't a three l lllama!		says Ogden Nash

Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: rp@cns.nyu.edu (Robert Picardi)
Subject: Re: AutoDesk Landscaping Computer Program
Reply-To: rp@cns.nyu.edu
Organization: New York University
Date: Wed, 27 Jan 1993 21:18:04 GMT

criticism of the program's slowness in redrawing (previous post) is
most likely due to the lack of a math chip. most cad programs want them...

Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: tony@scotty.dccs.upenn.edu (Anthony Olejnik)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: In search of `magnetic plastic molding' for inside store window
Date: 26 Jan 93 20:50:33 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: University of Pennsylvania

I`m looking for the following plastic molding which also has a pliable
magnet.  I`d like to use plexiglass as an `inside' storm window.  My
thought is to screw metal strips around my wooden window frame.  Then,
attach plexiplass (with the following molding) to the metal strips
(the magnet should adhere the plexiplass to the metal strips around the
window).

The ### is a white plastic and the M is some sort of pliable magnet like
you find on the back of fridge magnets.

          #########
----------------+ #
plexiglass      | #
----------------+ #
          #########
          #MMMMMMM#
          ##MMMMM##
           MMMMMMM

Q: Does anyone know where I can purchase about 36 feet (!) of this
   molding/magnet combination?

I would appreciate some *specific* answers, please.  I just spent a
couple of hours on the phone to a good number of plastic, windows, and
home /hardware stores.  I`ve had no luck so far.

Any help would be *GREATLY* appreciated.
Thanks in advance.

--tony
From: odell@oasys.dt.navy.mil (Bernard O'Dell)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Best New Oil Furnace/Central Air?
Date: 28 Jan 93 11:45:51 GMT
Expires: 5 Feb 93 05:00:00 GMT
Reply-To: odell@oasys.dt.navy.mil (Bernard O'Dell)
Distribution: usa
Organization: Carderock Division, NSWC, Bethesda, MD

After over 14 yrs, my old oil furnace is showing signs of
wear--frequent repair, etc., so I am looking to replace the
furnace, and perhaps the Central Air Conditioner.

Any experiences or recommendations out there for a good
oil furnace and air conditioners that I should look into??

One consumer digest issue recommended the following:

1. Adams/Dornbeck HEO series
2. Ener Royal Ener Oil Comfort plus
3. Thermo Products Thermo Pride

Sears has a Heil 80 efficiency rating 140K BTU lowboy-installed for
$2165.-Ltd 1 year warranty-comb chamber 2 yrs-Lifetime while installed
in your home for the heat exchanger.  A 36K central air cond with a
12 efficiency rating installed for $2369. with a 10 yr compressor
warranty. Total $4535.--

The problem is that I don't have the slightest idea which furnaces/
air-conditioners represent the best value, so, I am turning to
you for your help.

Thanks in advance for your input/info/advice/recommendations--

Bern O'Dell--
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: macrakis@osf.org (Stavros Macrakis)
Subject: Re: when does it make sense to reduce the
Organization: OSF Research Institute
Date: 21 Jan 93 12:42:35

In article <1993Jan21.144208.24822@mcc.com> breland@cobweb.mcc.com (Mark A. Breland) writes:

   Whichever direction a person decides to go (mortgage buydown vs. credit card
   payoff), it basically boils down to who they want to give their money to.
   Buying down a mortgage is great, but they still pay all the credit card
   interest PLUS their tax deductible mortgage interest is reduced.  Going
   the other way, they reduce their giveaways in the form of non-tax deductible
   interest to the credit card issuers and retain a higher level of tax
   deductible mortgage interest, but they remain in debt for a longer period
   of time. 

No.  This is still not right.  For a given monthly payment, you will
get out of debt faster if you first pay off high interest rate loans
(e.g. credit cards) and only then start paying off lower interest rate
loans (e.g. mortgage).

Moreover, if you pay off the credit card first, you increase the
available line of credit for emergencies.  (Of course, they could open
a home equity credit line, too.)

   Either way, you pay...it's just a matter of how much or less either
   approach steals from you.  Run your own numbers and make your own
   choice.

No.  There is NOT a tradeoff here.  It is ALWAYS better to pay off the
higher-interest loan first.

Let me try another way of presenting it.

For every borrower, there is a corresponding lender.  Let's look at it
from the lender's point of view.  He has two loans out to you, one of
$100,000 at 8% interest, the other of $5,000 at 18% interest.  If the
borrower pays $5,000 to him, where would he rather it go?  If it goes
to the mortgage, he is now left with a $95,000 investment at 8%, and a
$5,000 investment at 18% interest.  That is, his investment income is
$8,500 annually.  If it goes to the credit card, he is left with a
$100,000 investment at 8% and a $0 investment at 18%, giving annual
investment income of $8,000.  Clearly he'd rather you pay down the
mortgage.  Equally clearly, the extra $500 are coming from your
pocket, so you should prefer to pay down the credit card.  And this
ignores the mortgage interest subsidy you receive.

	-s
From: ChazL@county.lmt.mn.org (Chaz Larson)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Re: How to keep throw rug corners from curling
Date: 25 Jan 93 20:29:31 GMT
Reply-To: ChazL@county.lmt.mn.org (Chaz Larson)
Organization: LaserMaster Corporation

In article <1993Jan20.193035.10478@sco.com>, rogerv@sco.COM (Roger Vortman) 
writes:
> >>I should have ended that subject header with a question mark...
> >>The corners and sometimes whole sides of
> >>the little rugs curl.  Worst are the wool orientals, but others do it too.
> >>Plenty of traffic, including kids who run.  
> >>Solutions to this problem?
> 
> >Two-sided carpet tape.
> 
> This sounds like it would be awfully messy, when you want to move the
> rugs around or just move out.  Cleaning carpet tape goop off hardwood
> floors isn't a job that I would want to tackle

Your local homecenter or hardware store should have a product called "Goof 
Off" which makes this a breeze.

The house I bought had two rooms of carpet laid with double-sided carpet 
tape.  I anticipated, even with Goof Off at the ready, a long session of 
scraping and fussing to remove the adhesive residue.  Goof Off dissolved the 
stuff practically on contact, requiring only that I wipe it up with a rag.  
The finish on the floor was not affected, so far as I can see or feel.  It 
also removes dried latex paint, crayon, tar, etc.

Warning: it stinks, and will probably attack many finishes as well as it does 
the goof [latex paint, for example], so test it in an inconspicuous place 
first.

chaz

..must think...bubble pipe will relax me and I think...
LaserMaster Macintosh Typesetting Tech Support
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: fredch@phx.mcd.mot.com (Fred Christiansen)
Subject: An Owner-Builder's Tale, final chapter of phase 1
Organization: Motorola Computer Group, RT Software
Distribution: na
Date: Wed, 27 Jan 1993 19:47:02 GMT

Rejoice with me, fellow netters, for my DIY house has just passed
final inspection!  And I'd like to thank all those who have provided
me with help (and, in advance, to those who will on things yet to go).
Thanks to the proceeds from a prior house sale and a little help from
parents (one $, the other labor), we've been able to keep the mortgage
companies out of this.  As a consequence, we will be able to move
in at hard costs of $20/sq.ft (just have to satisfy the inspectors).

There *IS* more to be done:  exterior painting, more cabinets, more and
better plumbing fixtures, flooring, ceiling fans, new fridge (old one
just died), new stove, interior doors (yes, you can move in with just doors
to the bathrooms), attic insulation .. that's probably it.

I was just noticing that my chapters 1 and 2 were done in September
and that a lot has happened since then.  Maybe sometime I can write
chapters 3 and on.
-- 
Fred Christiansen, Motorola, 2900 S Diablo Way, Tempe, AZ 85282  "Canajun, eh?"
fredch@phx.mcd.mot.com  ||  uunet!phx.mcd.mot.com!fredch  ||  +1 602-438-3464
  ".. I have set before you Life and Death, blessing and cursing;  therefore
      choose Life, that both you and your children may live"  Deut 30:19
From: au363@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Ken Sussmann)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Re: Septic tank bacteria additive, Saniflo product
Date: 26 Jan 1993 15:15:31 GMT
Organization: Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH (USA)
Reply-To: au363@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Ken Sussmann)
NNTP-Posting-Host: hela.ins.cwru.edu


In a previous article, wwang@osf.org (Weidong Wang) says:

>
>This must have been discussed several times, but I did not catch any threads.
>
>This is to do with whether a spetic tank ever needs pumping, and whether one
>should add any additive to it.
>
>I know there are several sayings. One saying is that a septic tank should never
>need pumping, nor any additive. Natural bacteria should do the job. Another 
>saying is that one should not add any additive, but one needs to have the tank 
>pumped every 2 or 3 years. Still some say that if you ever had your septic tank
>pumped, it is an indication that it is not working well, that there is not 
>enough bacteria there.
>
>I suppose that by letting detergent, bleaches, soaps. clearners, etc go to the
>septic tank, certain amount of bacteria in the tank will be killed. That means 
>that for a long period of time, the septic tank may work less efficiently. So, 
>is this a good reason to add bactieria additive to increase the batecria amount?
>
>I just saw an ad for a product called Saniflo, "the natural bacteria additive".
>It claims to be better than other additive on the market, and is USDA approved,
>and can even eliminate any clog in the leaching field (pipes). Has anyone heard 
>od this product and/or used? Waht is your opinion? They sell a 6 yr supply for
>$154.00.
>
>
>-- 
>    +--------------------------------------------------------------------+
>    |  Weidong Wang                   |  Open Software Foundation        |
>    |  wwang@osf.org                  |  11 Cambridge Center             |
>    |  (617) 621-7272                 |  Cambridge, MA 02142             |
>    +--------------------------------------------------------------------+
>
>
>
In general, unless you are dumping a great deal of chemicals into your
septic tank, bacteria levels should be okay. After all everytime you use
the toilet you are sending more bacteria into the tank. Yes, tanks do
need to be pumped. Bacteria are great but they can't break down
everything in a reasonable time. A rule of thumb is 2 to 3 years but the
whole idea is to make sure that solids do not get pushed out of the tank
into your leaching field which will clog it and mean big dollars for
repair. If you have an inspection port you can put a stick down to
determine how deep the sludge is in the bottom of the tank to determine
when to have it pumped.
From: egreen@East.Sun.COM (Ed Green - Pixel Cruncher)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Re: Cat Repellant
Date: 22 Jan 1993 16:35:03 GMT
Organization: Sun Microsystems, RTP, NC
Distribution: world
Reply-To: egreen@East.Sun.COM
NNTP-Posting-Host: laser.east.sun.com

In article 13016@hubcap.clemson.edu, hubcap@hubcap.clemson.edu (System Janitor) writes:
>tvervaek@col.hp.com (Tom Vervaeke) writes:
>>owner of the cat to keep it home. If not, either take action or call the
>>animal control folks.
>
>That's right. If they can't keep the cat in the house all the time,
>send it to the pound. Why even go the tinyest bit out of your way for
>your neighbor?

Because his neighbor is acting irresponsibly, and breaking the law to
boot.  

People who let their animals/kids run wild, then expect everyone to put
up with it in the name of "neighborliness" are arrogant, rude,
presumptuous, and undeserving of either the title or the consideration
due a "neighbor."

---
Ed Green, former Ninjaite |I was drinking last night with a biker,
  Ed.Green@East.Sun.COM   |and I showed him a picture of you.  I said,
DoD #0111  (919)460-8302  |"Go on, get to know her, you'll like her!"
 (The Grateful Dead) -->  |It seemed like the least I could do...
From: pnovak@cbnewse.cb.att.com (paul.d.novak)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: asher-benjamin furniture
Keywords: Shaker, discounters
Date: 26 Jan 93 16:53:11 GMT
Organization: AT&T


Crate and Barrel stores sell solid cherry Shaker style furniture 
manufactured by a company called Asher-Benjamin, which is located 
somwhere in Maine.

Does anyone know if any discounters also sell this furniture,
or have an address for the manufacturer?

Paul Novak 
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: prange@silver.ucs.indiana.edu (Henry Prange)
Subject: Re: Deer in the yard
Organization: Indiana University
Date: Sat, 23 Jan 1993 14:54:21 GMT

Try urine-marking. I walked a circle around my tomatoes last summer and
the deer quit eating them. 
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: simnet@plato.ds.boeing.com (Mark R Poulson)
Subject: Re: Electrical wiring-- 'Sharing' a 220V circuit
Organization: Boeing Defense & Space Group
Distribution: na
Date: Mon, 25 Jan 1993 19:28:48 GMT

mglacy@lamar.ColoState.EDU writes:
> I'm putting a 5kw 220 electric resistance heater in my garage.  It 
> must live on a 30A circuit.  This will leave considerable excess
> ampacity over the rated load + 25% required (to my understanding)
> by the NEC.  I'd like to run some lighting (say 200W max) at 110V
> on one side of the 220 circuit. (This would enable me to keep the other
> circuit in the garage as a power-tools-only circuit.)
> 
> Would this be safe and acceptable?

Your heater will draw around 20 amps at 240V, and you correctly figured that
you need a 30A circuit. With the 20% circuit derating this gives you a
continuous working load of 24A. You have 4 amps to spare.

However, I would not use this for lighting for the following reasons:

1) The NEC prohibits screw base lighting on any circuit over 125V between
  conductors. Even though you'd wire the lamp sockets as 120V, the CIRCUIT is
  over 125V between conductors. I may be misunderstanding this, but when I
  wired my shop I assumed that this was not legal. Fluorescent lighting is OK,
  but see reasons number 2 and 3.

2) This is a 30A circuit so you should be using 30A switches and #10 wire
  everywhere to be safe. This is very costly for just a lighting circuit.

3) A circuit that contains fixed appliances (the heater) and lights has an
  NEC requirement that the fixed appliances draw no more than half the
  amperage of the circuit. Your 20A heater is 5 amps too much to allow a
  general purpose circuit.

Having a similar problem in my shop, what I did was to install two 120V/10A
heaters each on their own 120V circuits. I put all my lighting on these two
20A circuits also, with #12 wire and 20A switches. The switches turn the
heaters and lights off (I didn't want to keep my shop at 65 degrees when I
wasn't out there if I forgot to turn it off).

You seem to need more heat than me (I wanted more too, but couldn't find the
power to run it), so you're probably best off to run a separate circuit from
your panel to the garage. If that's really really difficult, you could put a
subpanel where your 240V/30A box is located assuming you have all four
wires (2 hots, nuetral, ground).

		Mark
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: becker@shell.portal.com (CELIA TONY BECKER)
Subject: Re: Power and current
Keywords: Power and current
Organization: Portal Communications Company
Date: Sun, 24 Jan 1993 10:49:19 GMT

dunne@math.okstate.edu (Ed Dunne) writes:

>If I have an appliance with a heating element rated at 850 watts, how
>much current (in amps) is it going to draw in a standard 110V circuit?

>Ed Dunne

Power, given in the units, Watts, is equal to the product of the Current, given in Amperes, and Electromotive force, given in Volts.

Solving for the current, we compute:

850 Watts / 110 Volts = 7.73 Amperes

Tony
From: bsardis@netcom.com (Barry Sardis)
Subject: Dispute with Home Owners Assn - Advice Sought
Organization: Netcom - Online Communication Services  (408 241-9760 guest) 
Date: Thu, 21 Jan 1993 20:02:04 GMT

I own a condo. I engaged a mangement company to locate a tenant.
This is the same company that manages the complex for the HOA. The
tenants have a dog and they keep it chained on the patio.

Some residents complained about the dog. The HOA CC&Rs do not allow
pets in the complex. There are lots of cats in the complex, roaming
free.

I have had conversations with the management company on the situation.
There have been some discussions and compromises. The management
company sends threatening letters and fines my account. I wrote a
letter asking for a dialog, but the next letter was more of the same
without even an acknowledgement of my letter.

I intend to speak directly to the board. There are numerous other
violations of the CC&Rs evident in the complex. I am not normally
one who makes waves.                                                     

What I want to know is do I have any legal recourse to get them to 
stop the harrassment? Can I take them to small claims court?

-- 
Barry Sardis		| Home:   (408) 448-1589
1241 Laurie Avenue	| Office: (408) 448-7404
San Jose, CA 95125	| Fax:    (408) 448-7404
Email: bsardis@netcom.COM or 70105.1210@compuserve.COM
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: srsmart@silver.ucs.indiana.edu (susan r. smart)
Subject: Re: No Hot Water!
Organization: Indiana University
Date: Thu, 21 Jan 1993 13:40:36 GMT

How helpful would it be to insulate the hot water heater?  I've been
considering this for my heater which is in my basement where I have the
heating vents closed.

Susan Smart srsmart@silver.ucs.indiana.edu

Xref: sparky misc.consumers.house:17244 misc.kids:33161
From: Jeff.Cook@FtCollinsCO.NCR.COM (Jeff Cook)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house,misc.kids
Subject: Re: Hot water too hot
Date: 21 Jan 93 17:47:52 GMT
	<JEFF.COOK.93Jan21165137@pigpen.FtCollinsCO.NCR.COM>
Organization: none
In-reply-to: Jeff.Cook@FtCollinsCO.NCR.COM's message of 21 Jan 93 16:51:37 GMT

By the way, as another precaution:  If you don't let your child watch
you filling the tub, you might be able to delay her from becoming
interested in turning those knobs like daddy does.

--

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jeff Cook                                  Jeff.Cook@FtCollinsCO.NCR.com
"Millions long for immortality who do not       72506.237@compuserve.com
know what to do with themselves on a rainy        Compuserve:  72506,237
Sunday afternoon."  -- Susan Ertz            
------------------------------------------------------------------------