HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: gary@cdthq.UUCP (Gary Heston)
Date: Sat, 05 Sep 92 19:53:26 CDT
Organization: Garys' Home for Obsolete Computers

hogan@csl.sri.com (Emmett Hogan) writes:

> I am looking at replacing my garage door, the current one is way
> beyond repair.  I have seen three different types (of sectional
> doors): Steel, Wood, or Medex. Medex looks kinda like pressboard to
> me, but it looks pretty nice when it's painted.  I am leaning towards
> the Medex, but I tought I'd check to see if anyone had any suggestions
> or warnings when it comes to buying a garage door.

Have you considered fiberglass? Won't rot, won't rust, and it's
very lightweight compared to wood or steel. Being lightweight,
it'll also put less strain on a opener.

Gary Heston, at home....
gary@cdthq.uucp
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: kls4344@ritvax.isc.rit.edu (Person in flux)
Subject: Re: How to smooth out spackle marks over finishing nails
Reply-To: kls4344@ritvax.isc.rit.edu
Organization: Rochester Institute of Technology
Distribution: usa
Date: Wed, 9 Sep 1992 17:36:25 GMT

In article <1992Sep8.215150.19046@adobe.com>, dauphin@adobe.com 
(Kimberly Dauphin) writes:

>After I slapped on the first coat of paint, however, the spackle
>marks still show - noticeably!  What do I need to do to make
>these marks disappear?  Or is it too late :-( since I've
>already put on one (albeit light) coat of paint?

You always should prime spackle spots before painting.  You don't necessarily,
in my experience, have to prime the entire wall, but you should do the spackle. 
At this point if I were you, I'd try putting primer over the offending areas
and then painting again; see what happens.

Katie
From: cram@pinball.East.Sun.COM (Marc W. Howard)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Honeywell Thermostat mail order dealers
Keywords: Honeywell thermostat dealers
Date: 14 Sep 92 21:25:06 GMT
Reply-To: cram@pinball.East.Sun.COM
Organization: Sun Microsystems, Inc.
NNTP-Posting-Host: pinball.east.sun.com


	Does anyone out there know of a firm that will sell the Honeywell
Chromotherm III setback thermostats via mail order?  I want to order another
one for the upstairs but the local (wholesale) dealer has suddenly become
anal retentive and refuses to sell to "home owners".  I know some hardware chains
sell the "ordinary" versions but I am looking for the one designed for heat pumps,
i.e. two stage heating + cooling.

						Thanx,

						Marc W. Howard
						Sun Microsystems NCDC
						Research Triangle Park, NC
						cram@sunpix.East.Sun.COM
From: greg@netcom.com (Greg Bullough)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Re: Asea Washer?
Date: 9 Sep 92 02:33:35 GMT
Distribution: na
Organization: Netcom - Online Communication Services  (408 241-9760 guest)

In article <1992Sep8.210940.16808@nwra.com> mark@nwra.com (Mark Baldwin) writes:
>
>Asea dishwashers have a flap that closes over this vent during washing.
>The friend who purchased one says that it's a "pleasure to use." That's
>a lot to say about a kitchen appliance.  If I have to replace my
>dishwasher, I will get an Asea.
 
Okay. Now we're all braced. How much do these beasties cost?
 
Greg
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house,misc.consumers
From: niebuhr@bnlux1.bnl.gov (david niebuhr)
Subject: Re: Credit report
Organization: Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973
Distribution: na
Date: Thu, 3 Sep 1992 18:38:42 GMT

In article <1992Sep1.143132.9181@ms.uky.edu> kherron@ms.uky.edu (Kenneth Herron) writes:
>msingh@silver.ucs.indiana.edu (The Supreme Commander) writes:
>
>>>   You can get a copy of your credit report once a year from TRW by
>
>You're forgetting one thing:  TRW is doing this out of the goodness of
>their hearts.  There is (unfortunately) no law forcing them to give out
>free credit reports except after a credit denial so unless you've just
>been denied credit they can attach whatever conditions they like to the
>free report.
>

Not quite correct.  As part of the settlement with the Attorneys
General of several states over inaccurate records and stubborness in
correcting them, TRW agreed to issue one free credit report per year
to each person who was listed in their files.  This is in addition of
the automatic free report if credit is denied.

>And of course it's unlikely there's anything substantial in TRW's
>records which you didn't previously give some company permission to
>divulge.
>

Again, not correct quite correct.  Bankruptcies and many other not
truly credit oriented records are recorded.  Legal judgements against
a person who lost a lawsuit are also reported.  I believe child
support payments are included since they are part of a legal
judgement.

Back taxes owed might even be included since they are financially
oriented.

>Credit agencies are part and parcel of obtaining credit.  Either get
>used to it or stop using credit, but let's please be a little less
>knee-jerk, huh?

Stopping the use of credit cannot stop information from being entered
in a credit profile.

Dave

-- 

Dave Niebuhr      Internet: niebuhr@bnl.gov / Bitnet: niebuhr@bnl
Brookhaven National Laboratory Upton, NY 11973  (516)-282-3093

Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: wex@cs.ulowell.edu (Paul M. Wexelblat)
Subject: Re: GFCI (circuit breakers)
Originator: wex@bigmax.ulowell.edu
Reply-To: wex@cs.ulowell.edu
Organization: Univ. of Lowell CS Dept.
Date: Thu, 10 Sep 1992 17:30:10 GMT


In article <3797@ecicrl.ocunix.on.ca>, clewis@ferret.ocunix.on.ca (Chris Lewis) writes:
|> From: clewis@ferret.ocunix.on.ca (Chris Lewis)
|> Subject: Re: GFCI (circuit breakers)
|> Date: 8 Sep 92 23:40:18 GMT
|> 
|> In article <1992Sep8.134228.16167@jupiter.sun.csd.unb.ca> leath@atlas.cs.upei.ca (Stephen Leath) writes:
|> >I just read a handout from CSA that mentioned GFCI circuit breakers
|> >to be used in breaker panels. Could these be used to protect non-grounded
|> >circuits in the same manner as GFCI outlets  protect downstream outlets?
|> 
|> Certainly.  But GFCI outlets are a lot cheaper.  You're going to see prices
|> of $80+ CDN for most GFCI breakers in this country.  At $10-$20, a single
|> GFCI outlet will often do the job just as well.  Ie: if the first device
|> that you want to ground-fault protect on the circuit is a receptacle,
|> use a GFCI outlet.

Furthermore, going to the breaker box to test/reset it is often a real
pain.  If the first thing on the circuit you want to protect is not an
outlet, you can usually install one (and outlet, that is).

N.B. around here, GFI outlets can usually be had for $8/9.  I will check
next time I think of it to see if they are CSA rated (as well as UL).
The last 20 A. GFI Breaker I bought was $45. US.

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

	...Wex
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house,misc.consumers
From: tmkk@uiuc.edu (Khan)
Subject: Re: Credit report
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana
Date: Tue, 8 Sep 1992 19:02:07 GMT


In article <Bu4LHn.Dxs@usenet.ucs.indiana.edu> msingh@silver.ucs.indiana.edu (The Supreme Commander) writes:
>
>>I used to subscribe to the TRW Credit Service, and I couldn't agree
>>with you more. They are a nuisance. However, you've got to play the
>>game.
>
>But as for "you've got to play the game", this kind of additude is
>exactly what lets these credit reporting agencies get away with it.
>*I* do not have to play the game. If I want to hurt myself, by having
>credit denied due to lack of a "history", then that's my business. As
>it is, *I* have no say in the matter. Information is collected on me.

I don't mind that the information is collected. In most cases, it is
done for a legitimate business purpose by people we have authorized to
do it. The part I despise is when those collectors then resell that
information without my knowledge for purposes and to people which they were
not originally authorized. These abuses are where the danger to our
privacy comes in.

>Sort of makes one feel that George Orwells 1984 is right on the mark.
>Not as extreme, but if you have the CIA, the FBI, the Secret Service,
>the local police, *and* companies like TRW keeping tabs on you, you
>do indeed have "big brother" watching over you!

Yeah, except we have no "Big Brother" - just a bunch of "Little
Brothers." :-(

BTW, for anyone interested in this topic, I highly recommend the book
"Privacy for Sale" (sorry, don't have it in front of me and I forgot the
author's name). It's some really eye-opening reading...

Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: moroney@ramblr.enet.dec.com
Subject: Re: Hurricane Andrew's effect on building
Organization: Digital Equipment Corporation
Date: Mon, 14 Sep 1992 20:16:17 GMT

In article <2485@tymix.Tymnet.COM>, rklute@enchanter.tymnet.com (Robert Klute) writes...
>In article <1992Sep12.054914.16903@u.washington.edu> kenney@milton.u.washington.edu (Michael Kenney) writes:
>>I have no trouble with my taxes paying for the cleanup from a storm
>>such as that because you're talking about a 100 year storm.  I
>>certainly would'nt let an event with that kind of probability disuade
>>me from living somewhere.

>As I remember, Camille hit 200 mph, and that was what? ~30 years ago.
>So, I don't think we can cavalier and call class 5+ storms 100 year
>events, anymore.

100 year storms/floods etc. is a definition used in building codes, flood
control projects, etc. where the storm/flood is one so bad that it is expected
to happen _on average_ once in 100 years.  Storms are pretty much random
events, so it is entirely possible to get 2 "100 year storms" 3 years apart, or
you may not get a "100 year storm" for 500 years, though both events are rather
unlikely.  30 years apart may or may not be bad luck, or maybe it is true the
100 year storm definition is not strict enough.

Also, I don't know where Camille hit 30 years ago, but 100 year storms go
by region, if Camille didn't hit the same area as Andrew, a given region
only underwent 1 storm in those 30 years, and it may really be 100 years before
the region hit by either storm undergoes another storm as bad.

-Mike
From: jheath@CERIS.Purdue.EDU (Jim Heath)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Re: Home security tips from a burglar
Date: 9 Sep 92 18:29:12 GMT
Organization: Center for Environmental and Regulatory Information Systems, Purdue University

> In article 14579@gazette.bcm.tmc.edu, so690561@mbcr.bcm.tmc.edu (Susan Elizabeth Olson) writes:
> 
>>....so much for the "no gun" solution request of an earlier poster - I'm
>>interested to see if anyone else out there comes up with other home
>>security tips that don't involve the purchase of a weapon.
>

Do you have a meat cleaver, how about a baseball bat?  Keep it
near your bed at night.

Do you have full use of your body?  If so, find a "good" dojo and
obtain some martial arts training.

If you can afford it, a cellular phone would be a very good idea,
though I suppose it could be jammed.

If you don't like these options, prepare yourself to submit to
whatever indignities the home invader wishes to visit upon you
even unto death...

So much for personal defense. 

For Area/House defense, there are all manner of possibilities
which have been gone over before here.  

Alarm system either electronic or canine or both.

Don't leave bushes where they will shield someone breaking into
your house.

Lights that are left on or turned on by motion sensors.  Ideally,
placement should be hard to break/cut wires and numerous enough
to make this impractical.

Cameras are good.  Might be tricky protecting the vcr from being
stolen though.
-- 
"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,misc.consumers
From: heflin@rtsg.mot.com (Suzanne Stratton Heflin)
Subject: Re: Another mortgage scam?
Organization: Motorola Inc., Cellular Infrastructure Group
Distribution: usa
Date: Fri, 11 Sep 1992 18:20:49 GMT

At my bank, you can lock in for free for 60 days.  If you wish a longer
lock (90, 120, even 180), you can but it will cost you.  If you choose the
free 60 day lock, and for some reason you don't close within the 60 days,
you may lock once more, at either the previous rate (your original lock) or
the current rate, whichever is HIGHER.  So, they get you coming and going...
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: dwb@cbnewsb.cb.att.com (david.boyle)
Subject: Re: Your expertise required ...
Organization: AT&T
Date: Wed, 16 Sep 1992 02:07:37 GMT

In article <BuMsC9.54q@hsi.com>, kenney@hsi.com (Brian Kenney) writes:
> The best way to get a list of house prices in a neighborhood
> is to go to the assessor's office in the town (or city) hall.
> This is all public information and is freely available.
> 
> Before purchasing our house, we found out what all the other
> ones in the neighborhood went for.  It is an excellant tool
> to use when buying a home.
> 
> -Bri
But what can you do if most of the houses have been owned for 5 or more years?
Is there another way, other than hiring an appraiser?
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: patter@dasher.uucp (24224-guthrie)
Subject: Re: Anything before siding??
Organization: Bellcore, Livingston, NJ
Date: Mon, 7 Sep 92 15:39:28 GMT

In article <1992Sep5.160350.17572@ultb.isc.rit.edu> kls4344@ritvax.isc.rit.edu writes:
>In article <1992Sep3.090715.3558@wvnvms.wvnet.edu>, un026217@wvnvms.wvnet.edu 
>writes:                        
>
>>We just bought a old house and I like to put up siding
>>before the weather gets cold.
>
>I assume that you're planning to put up vinyl or aluminum siding over the
>original brick, stucco, or wood facade.  Please, don't do this.  

I would agree with this. I have vinyl siding on my house, installed by the
previous owners. It makes it impossible to do any work to the outside.
There's nothing solid out there. For example, the vinyl was cut to fit
around the existing iron porch rail, which is in bad shape. How do I
replace the rail? They installed a free-standing heater in one room with
the exhaust stack put right through the wall. What do I plug the hole
with when I remove that? And I'd like to put up some window boxes, but
the siding makes it a real job.

The main problem is that the manufacturers change the stuff every so
often. It is impossible to get more of whatever you install ten or fifteen
years down the road. Make absolutely sure that you never want to change
*anything* about the exterior of your house if you go with vinyl siding.
Even adding a new outside light fixture becomes a major undertaking.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
                    | Preparation for attack at one point requires that
                    | you weaken your defenses elsewhere. If you are
George Patterson -  | prepared on your right, you are weak on your left.
                    | If you are prepared on your left, you are weak on
                    | your right. If you are prepared everywhere, you
                    | are weak everywhere.           - The Art of War -
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: thomasr@cpqhou.compaq.com (Thomas Rush)
Subject: Re: Hurricane Andrew's effect on building
Reply-To: thomasr@cpqhou.UUCP (Thomas Rush)
Organization: Compaq Computer Corporation
Date: Tue, 15 Sep 92 13:04:39 GMT

In article <18qrtaINN64e@sixgun.East.Sun.COM> egreen@east.sun.com writes:
>
>Blaming natural disaster victims for living in a "dangerous" area is
>idiotic.
>
>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,

And the government using its power to take my money to pay for their
choice of a place to live is stealing.  

When I lived in CA I had earthquake insurance (by choice, not the 
recent state-sponsored scam).  Here in TX, I have flood insurance.
Should I just drop the insurance and pray that whatever catastrophe 
befalls this area is severe enough (and in an election year) so
that Uncle steps in and steals your money to make it up to me?



thomas rush				uunet!cpqhou!thomasr
compaq computer corporation		their employee,
deep in the hearth of texas		not their opinions.
From: betz@pinecrest.nsc.com (Gary Betz)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Re: HELP-How to get builder to fix things?
Date: 16 Sep 92 00:32:36 GMT
Organization: National Semiconductor Corporation

|> In article <66320002@misty.boeing.com> burton@misty.boeing.com (Brandy Burton-Tarantino) writes:
|> 
|>    Path: cbnews!att!linac!pacific.mps.ohio-state.edu!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!usc!sdd.hp.com!caen!uunet!bcstec!misty!burton
|>    From: burton@misty.boeing.com (Brandy Burton-Tarantino)
|>    Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
|>    Date: 14 Sep 92 18:49:18 GMT
|>    Organization: Boeing Commercial Airplane BCS Support
|>    Lines: 12
|> 
|> 
|>      How does one 'make' a builder (an EXTREMELY uncooperative builder) fix
|>      things in a house before the closing??  Is there ANY stick to beat them
|>      over the head with?  - Realtor is representing seller, FHA inspector
|>      won't speak to us (doesn't like to be bothered by the buyers evidently).
|> 
|>      HELP!  Final inspection is in 2 days.
|> 
|> 
If you can't resolve the problem before you close escrow, you might try
what my uncle did a few years ago when he had the same problem. He
simply had a large banner of a lemon made up and hung it up across the
front of his house. Ironically, another builder doing a development across
the street was henceforth having problems selling his homes because most 
prospective buyers evidently though my uncle's development was also built 
by that other builder.

Eventually, the perplexed builder offered to repair the problems at my
uncle's place so he would take down the banner.

Not saying this is your exact solution, but maybe the banner will piss your
builder off enough so he will resolve your problems to get you off his
back so he can continue to sell houses. 

Good Luck. Let us know what happens.

-- 
Regards,

Gary 
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: bullock@watson.bms.com (JOAN BULLOCK)
Subject: Re: Best Hardware Store
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.4-b1  
Organization: Bristol Myers Squibb Pharmaceutical Research Institute
Distribution: usa
Date: Mon, 14 Sep 1992 15:19:00 GMT

In article <1992Sep10.235907.22880@phoenix.irv.icl.com>, 
tdo@phoenix.irv.icl.com (Ted Do) writes...
>I totally agree that Home Depot is the best place to shop for home 
>(or whatever) improvements. Their prices seem to be very competive.
>What I like them the most is their service. Their staffs are very
>knowledgeable and friendly.  


I agree with Ted's assessment of Home Depot's prices and service, but I 
would be very careful regarding their merchandise.  On more than one 
occasion, items I have purchased have been defective:

 - replacement door hinges with just enough play that a tight-fitting door 
   "catches" on the jam.  The store staff was very accomodating about 
   an exchange, but the replacements were only marginally better such that 
   the door still sticks.  

 - Price-pfister (sp?) single-pull bathroom faucet that sticks slightly 
   upon first use after standing for a while.  

Minor annoyances, but they make me wonder if some of their merchandise may
not be first quality.


Of course, your mileage may vary ...


Joan Bullock
bullock@bms.com

Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house,misc.consumers
From: philip@simserver1com (Philip Peake)
Subject: Re: Another mortgage scam?
Date: Thu, 10 Sep 1992 20:29:48 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: mentor
Keywords: 
Followup-To: 

In article <MACRAKIS.92Sep10130108@next4.osf.org>, macrakis@osf.org (Stavros Macrakis) writes:
|> In article <1581@dcsc.dla.mil> ppasquin@dcsc.dla.mil (Peggy Pasquinelly) writes:
|> 
|>        Boy, am I mad. ... a local bank... told us we would have to pay
|>        2% immediately to lock in the interest rate to be refunded at
|>        closing.  We haven't even made application yet!
|> 
|> Around here, I've heard 1% for locking in the interest rate.  It
|> doesn't seem unreasonable to me that you have to make some commitment
|> to the bank for them to make some commitment to you.

Well ... yes and no ..

I just set up a mortgage, and was given the choice of locking or not.
It didn't cost me a penny.

I can maybe appreciate that the lender may want to take the loan fee,
or a promise to pay it, or some proportion of it in order to lock,
but a separate payment ?!?!?!?
 
|>        This is not an application fee.  It is not discount points.
|>        According to their representative, this is a new policy
|>        instituted by the bank as some sort of solution or alternative
|>        to paying discount points, since so many home buyers don't want
|>        to pay points. . . .. I won't pontificate points.  I THINK THIS
|>        IS A SCAM TO SUPPRESS ISSUING MORTGAGES BECAUSE THE INTEREST
|>        RATES ARE _SO_ LOW RIGHT NOW.
|> 
|> Huh?  Most banks sell mortgages on the wholesale market these days.
|> They make money by marking up wholesale mortgages.  If they don't
|> write mortgages, they don't make money.  And of course no one is
|> forcing them to write mortgages at unprofitable rates.  My guess for
|> the reason for the lock-in money is that people were continuing to
|> shop around even after the rate commitment, and abandoning
|> applications just before closing.  This costs the banks money and
|> aggravation.  Asking for money up front makes this harder to do.

It is a lender's choice to use whatever rate they want - even if the
going rate is 20%, nothing stops them lending at 5%.

Using the "going rate" as a guideline to set their own rates is
an acceptable practice, but pretending that "someone else" sets the rates
and using that as an excuse for floating them from day to day isn't on.

The only reason they all follow like sheep, is that most lenders have no
intention whatsoever of keeping the loan, they all want to sell them,
and loans with rates much different from the "going rate" are difficult to
sell.

So, Peggy, keep looking at other lenders.
A good one will want *some* commitment from you, in the event that
you decide to buy, but you shouldn't pay much (if any) extra for
the "privilege" of locking in an interest rate for a few weeks.

Philip
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Re: Windows leaking - advice wanted
From: gary@cdthq.UUCP (Gary Heston)
Date: Tue, 08 Sep 92 21:14:01 CDT
Organization: Garys' Home for Obsolete Computers

bwilliam@oyster.smcm.edu (Bill Williams) writes:

> During a recent prolonged rainstorm with wind blowing the rain against
> the side of the house, we noticed dark stains on the interior walls,
> running down from the bottom edges of a couple of windows on the windward
> side of the house.  Presumably water is getting blown into the space
> between the external wall and the sheetrock and wetting out the sheetrock
> cover along the seams (the stains are remarkably straight and
> symmetrical).
> 
> I'm a real novice at house-construction stuff, and I'd like to fix these
> putative leaks but I don't know where to begin.  Windows are fairly
> self-contained, right, and can be removed and replaced more-or-less in
> one piece?  Taking the windows out to inspect the damage seems like the
> first step.  Can someone recommend some good books about windows and how
> to deal with them?

Get a caulking gun and a tube or two of good caulk, and seal the 
joints around the window, particularly under the sill. Brush or 
scrape away any loose stuff first, so it'll adhere better.

After giving that a week to cure, have someone hose the outside 
while you watch the inside, to make sure the water isn't working
it's way around the window frames. You may need to replace some
weatherstripping.

Pulling a window is not a trivial job; save that work for when
you replace them.

I'm betting you don't have adequate caulk around them. Check your
other windows as well....

Gary Heston, at home...
gary@cdthq.uucp
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house