HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: drake@drake.almaden.ibm.com (Sam Drake)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Re: Getting Ready to Sell House: How to Make it Most Appealing?
Date: 12 Nov 92 08:08:03 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: IBM Almaden Research Center

In article <1992Nov11.171921.10839@nntpd.lkg.dec.com> bruno@cupid.enet.dec.com (Greg Bruno) writes:
>>Any other comments on selling a house would be appreciated.
>                                                                 Bake some
>chocolate-chip cookies just before the buyer arrives (careful though, if they
>burn, the effect will be worse than if you had done nothing).

Every time our house was open, we made a loaf of bread in the automatic
bread machine.  I'll put fresh-bread odors up against cookies any time.
But we made sure that the kneading was complete BEFORE the open house
started, so the agent didn't have to shout over the thing.

Did no good; we sold to someone who didn't come to an open house.

Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: hale@btree.uucp (Bob Hale)
Date: Thu, 5 Nov 92 17:10:50 GMT
Organization: Brooktree Corporation
Subject: Re: cleaning up fire place
Summary: 
Followup-To: 
Distribution: na
Organization: Brooktree Corporation, San Diego
Keywords: 

In article <2090022@hpkslx.mayfield.HP.COM> lou@hpkslx.mayfield.HP.COM (Lou Kvitek) writes:
>I use my Sears shop vacuum.  Works great but make sure the exhaust 
>is pointed out a nearby window as some ash may escape the filter.

Now that's an understatement!  If you don't have a water trap in the
line somewhere then you are likely to really dirty up the room with
the fireplace.  Voice of experience :-(.

Bob Hale                                      ...!ucsd!btree!hale
...!btree!hale@ucsd.edu                       ...!ucsd!btree!hale@uunet.uu.net


Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: macrakis@osf.org (Stavros Macrakis)
Subject: Re: Propane vs. coals vs. electric BBQs
Followup-To: misc.consumers.house
Organization: OSF Research Institute
Distribution: usa
Date: 12 Nov 92 11:20:29

In article <27380@dog.ee.lbl.gov> gelman@wallabee.lbl.gov (Frida Gelman) writes:

   ...We have a 4 year old BBQ which we use a great deal... however
   its a real pain to start coal every time,...  Question: how well do
   propane or electrical BBQs work?  Do you get the same/similar
   flavor, consistency as with coal?...

It is a very bad idea to use coal for grilling.  Coal may contain all
sorts of nasty stuff.  Use charcoal, ideally real charcoal, not
briquettes.

	-s
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: davel@booboo.SanDiego.NCR.COM (David Lord)
Subject: Re: Getting Ready to Sell House: How to Make it Most Appealing?
Reply-To: davel@booboo.SanDiego.NCR.COM (David Lord)
Organization: NCR Corporation, Rancho Bernardo
Distribution: usa
Date: Thu, 12 Nov 1992 18:11:39 GMT

In article <1992Nov11.192436.11903@i88.isc.com> jeq@i88.isc.com (Jonathan E. Quist) writes:
>In article <1992Nov11.180523.20266@porthos.cc.bellcore.com> jadams@vixen.uucp (22475-adams) writes:
>>A really good real estate agent who helped us sell our last house walked through
>>our house with us after listing and offered some very simple, yet effective ways
>>of improving our chances of a quick sale (We did 90% of what he suggested).  Among
>>the things that we never thought of:
>>
>>	Remove all "excess" furniture in each room (We rented a storage unit for
>>	a month)...makes each room look larger.

Very, very important. People who've lived in a house for a long time
tend to have WAY too much furniture in it. Ideally there should be just
enough furniture so the house doesn't look empty, in fact both
the houses I made offers on were completely vacant.

>>	Change all hanging pictures which are of family members to landscapes,
>>	etc....makes the home look less like "It _BELONGS_ to the current owner".
>
>You know, I sometimes wonder about this.  We "depersonalized" our house.
>We reroofed the garage.  We even had the exterior painted in a color
>scheme we'd never have chosen had we planned on staying.  And we didn't
>get even insulting offers.

I too think that a house doesn't have to be completely depersonalized,
it's actually kind of interesting to see what the current owners are
like, but again, the walls shouldn't be too cluttered.

Light is very important also, when you go out during the day, leave
the drapes open. Turn on all the lights if you know someone is coming
to look at the house and consider leaving many on anytime you are not
home.

If there is any possible way you can do it you should find another
home for your pets (particularly dogs) while the house is on the
market. Alternatively you may be able to restrict them to just a
portion of the yard (a dog run or such). Most buyers are uncomfortable
walking into a backyard if there is a dog there and that makes a big
difference.
From: deyoung.hong@Eng.Sun.COM
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Re: better mouse trap needed
Date: 11 Nov 1992 18:57:42 GMT
Organization: Sun Microsystems
Distribution: world
Reply-To: deyoung.hong@Eng.Sun.COM
NNTP-Posting-Host: hong.eng.sun.com

I'm curious, how do you find out if a house has mice problem?
Does mice usually live in crawl space in a house?
Where can you find mice in a house on concrete slab?

Deyoung


Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: billj@b11.ingr.com (Bill Johnson)
Subject: Re: new septic system odors: advice wanted
Organization: Intergraph Corp. Huntsville, AL
Date: Mon, 9 Nov 1992 19:28:58 GMT

In article <58850052@hpscit.sc.hp.com>, dick@hpscit.sc.hp.com (Dick Lucas) writes:
|> It takes several months for the "good bacteria" to establish themselves.
|> Until this happens, you will get odors from the vent.  It took my septic
|> system almost a year to stop smelling.  Fortunately, the vents were all on the
|> roof so the smell was not too noticeable.  At this point, I have 17 years on
|> the system with no problems.  The only maintainence required has been to
|> alternate the drain field.  The system has 2 drain fields and a valve which
|> allows me to use alternate fields on alternate years.
|> 
|> Dick Lucas

I now own a home with a septic system.  I've only lived in the home about 2 yrs.; 
bought it brand new.  I've never noticed any smell from the system.  I treat the
system monthly with "Rid-X" which I buy at the local Home Depot.  I've been told
that treating the system regularly with this product will extend the life of the
system before you have to have it pumped.  The product is supposed to introduce
the "good bacteria" into the system.  You might try using this product to see if
it helps.  Dumping household chemicals into the septic system, especially
chlorine-based products, can kill the bacteria that are needed to liquify the
solids in the system.

Bill Johnson
From: mdb@druhi.ATT.COM (BrownMD)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: fireproof (melt-proof) adhesive
Keywords: fireplace doors
Date: 12 Nov 92 17:39:59 GMT
Distribution: misc

I have an existing built-in wood-converted
-to-gas fireplace.

I am attempting to install a cheap brass
plated metal and glass door over the existing
metal surround.  The problem I am having is
attaching the new door to the old surrounding
metal with screws, my hands are to big.  So,
rather than use screws I thought that there
must be some kind of adhesive that would work
for metal to metal gluing.  Since it will get
somewhat warm it cannot melt.

Any ideas besides calling NASA?
From: hester@hplvec.LVLD.HP.COM (Bob Hester)
Date: Wed, 4 Nov 1992 19:52:09 GMT
Subject: Re: Finishing the basement. What to do with the support poles??
Organization: Hewlett-Packard Co., Loveland, CO
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house



     I had the same problem in my basement, and there was noway to build
the support post into a wall. My basement was still 90% unfinished. I took
another route with the pole in my basement. I reinforced the main beam in the
house with a laminated beam 6"x13"x16' long, and was able then to remove the
original support pole.  The supports for the laminated beam where built into 
the walls, and the laminated beam was also attached to the main beam.

    This was fairly easy to put in when the basement was still unfinished, 
although it took the help of 3 other strong men to put the beam in place.

Bob Hester


Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: randyw@iplmail.orl.mmc.com (Randy Walker)
Subject: Re: (Request) Closet Organizer
Keywords: request
Organization: Martin Marietta
Distribution: usa
Date: Thu, 5 Nov 1992 13:33:06 GMT

 I have used Home Depot's plastic-coated metal wire shelving when 
 re-arranging a closet. There are a few different types of shelving
 for various uses, which you buy by the foot. They will cut the shelving
 to size for you. There are also various special purpose items like door
 racks and baskets. The items are pricey, but with proper installation,
 (ie, screw into studs or other wood ) they are quite solid. They also
 do not require painting.

 Randy Walker
From: hmoss@hpnmdla.sr.hp.com (Howard Moss)
Date: Fri, 13 Nov 1992 01:04:04 GMT
Subject: Re: Toilet leak...
Organization: Hewlett-Packard, Santa Rosa, CA
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house

Well, so far the responses have leaned heavily towards a leak around 
the pipe connecting the tank to the bowl. That is very easy to imagine
so of course that will be the last thing I'll do! No, actually, it'll
be the first thing I'll do (as soon as I can guarantee that the kids
will be out of the bathroom for more than 10 minutes!). I'll let you
know the results. THANKS, so far.

Howard
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: wpns@miki.pictel.com (Willie Smith)
Subject: Water filters?
Organization: PictureTel Corporation
Distribution: usa
Date: Fri, 6 Nov 1992 20:27:22 GMT

Is this a faq?

I've got a lot of iron in my water, and and engineer at the EPA
reccomended a particulate filter to get the big chunks out :+) The
salesdroid at Sears said I should get a chemical element that keeps
the iron in suspension, but it gets really thick at times.  Does
anyone have any experience with water filters in terms of reccomended
vendors, types, fittings, etc?  Sears has some pretty nice looking
ones (clear housing, integral shutoff valves), but I don't know if the
cost ($45 ea) is reasonable, and I'm a little concerned about the line
size (our house has a 1" main and the filters take a 3/4" maximum
pipe).  What's good or bad about Sears or anyone else?  I'm thinking
about a particulate (sediment) filter followed by a carbon filter, is
that worthwhile, or should I do something else, like two particulate
filters in parallel for lower pressure drop and ability to change
elements without shutting off the flow of water to the house?

Thanks :== fn(reponse)

Willie Smith
wpns@pictel.com
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: barrett@terminus.gatech.edu (James Barrett)
Subject: Removing oil from driveway
Organization: Georgia Tech College of Computing
Date: Fri, 6 Nov 1992 20:45:26 GMT

My wife and I just moved into a house we are renting.  The previous
tenants evidently had a problem with oil leaks in their car, because
there is quite a bit of oil at the top of the driveway.  Is there
any way to remove this or at least help stop it from being dragged into
the house every time I forget and walk through it.

Thanks

-------------------OS/2 v2.0 -- Why settle for anything less?-----------------
James C. Barrett (barrett@cc.gatech.edu)| Atlanta Braves - 1991 and 1992   
Georgia Tech College of Computing       |    World Outdoor Baseball Champs!!
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: bier@acuson.com (Jeff Bier)
Subject: Home inspector recommendations needed - Fremont
Organization: Acuson; Mountain View, California
Distribution: ba
Date: Tue, 10 Nov 1992 18:20:41 GMT


I'm in the process of buying a house in Fremont.  I'd
like to get recommendations for a home inspector.  I'm
looking for an experienced, throrough professional who will
go through the property with me carefully and produce
a comprehensible, detailed report.

If you've recently worked with an inspector who has done
good work, I would appreciate hearing about them.

Similarly, if you've worked with someone who has NOT
done good work, I'd like to hear about them.

Thanks,

-Jeff Bier
bier@acuson.com
(415) 694-5827
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: sands@apple.com (Michael Sands)
Subject: ridge vents help?
Date: Tue, 10 Nov 1992 19:24:45 GMT
Organization: Apple Computer, Inc
Followup-To: misc.consumers.house

I am remodeling my house and have a clerestory roof.  It consists of 2x10
rafters and a open ceiling inside with R-30 batting in the gaps.  There
are big screened blocks at the bottom ends and no (!?) openings at the 
top.  The roofing material will be composition, 25 year stuff, of lighter
color.

The clerestory roof, for those not familar, is a roof that does not meet
at the ridge.  Rather one side goes much higher than the other and overlaps
sufficiently so that a low row of windows can close the gap.

I live in California and my main consideration is reflecting or resisting
the heat in the summer.  I was amazed that the roofing material
manufactures
do not rate or talk about how reflective their compostion shakes are.  

I hear that it is possible for the roof to get so hot that it will pull 
moist air into the roof, which condenses in the evenings and water drips
the next day.  It seems like a roof ridge vent will allow most of the
trapped
heat to exit but it is not clear how to do this with a clerestory
construction.

Comments would be appreciated...

Michael
From: dick@hpscit.sc.hp.com (Dick Lucas)
Date: Fri, 6 Nov 1992 17:06:02 GMT
Subject: Re: wagner airless sprayer
Organization: Hewlett-Packard, Santa Clara, CA
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house

For $150 or so, you get what are referred to as a "buzz gun" which has the
paint container attached to the gun itself.  I had one of these years ago,
tried it once, and got a refund on it.  I ended up with a (oh no!!) 
Sears airless painter which has a 1/3 hp motor, and a gun on the end of 
a hose (15-as much as 50 feet).  I purchased it in 1980, used it since then,
and am using it now to repaint the exterior of my house.  
  With proper care, it should last for many more years.
The Sears unit was made (or at least uses identical parts) by Wagner.
It sits on the floor, has a hopper on top which holds the
paint, and will spray latex paint straight from the can.  I have used it 
for painting the acoustic ceilings of 2 rental houses, and I can say that it
makes quick work of what would be an impossible job with a roller. 

You can expect to pay $350 and up for this type of system, but you will recover
the cost the first time you do a major job.  I have now painted the exterior
of 3 houses, and the interior of 2 with it.  The biggest problem with the
system is that it is a pain to clean. If you are going to spray only a gallon,
it takes longer to clean than it does to paint. The brands of sprayers carried
by Home Depot are Wagner and Campbell-Hausfield.  Both are similar, but the
Campbell-Hausfield accessoried are not directly interchangeable with the
Wagner unit, and they appear to be less "standard" than the Wagner stuff.

If the thought of spending this much money bothers you, you should consider
renting a spray unit for a day.  I suspect that the cost would be $50 or so,
and you can spray a lot of paint in that time.
From: mikey@nlbbs.uucp (Mike Couture)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Humidity in Bathroom
Date: Fri, 13 Nov 92 02:36:30 GMT
Reply-To: mikey@nlbbs.uucp
Distribution: world
Organization: The Northern Lights BBS * Portland, Maine * 207-762-2756 (v.32bis)

I am having humidity problems in my bathroom.  I have a fan but we still
have alot of humid air that is creating mildew on the ceiling.  Is there
any paint or 'stuff' I can use to stop this mildew?




From: rar@hplvec.LVLD.HP.COM (Ray Robertson)
Date: Fri, 6 Nov 1992 19:15:58 GMT
Subject: Re: better mouse trap needed
Organization: Hewlett-Packard Co., Loveland, CO
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house

    My solution is to wedge a half a peanut in the bait location with
some peanut butter on it.  My best record is 6 mice with the same
peanut.

               Ray

Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: efs@summa4.mv.com (Ed Sinamark)
Subject: Placement of Whole House Humidifier?
Organization: Summa Four Inc.
Date: Fri, 13 Nov 92 18:57:23 GMT

We just purchased a whole house humidified, the kind that you
stick in the hallway that is suppossed to humidify a 3000 sq ft home.
My question is is there a best place in a house to put something like this.
If you put it on the second floor will it still adequeatly humidify the first
floor and visa versa.  We have a relativly standard layout 4 bedroom, two
story garrison type house.  
-- 
Ed Sinamark         | The opinions expressed  | "If we weren't all crazy |
25 Sundial Ave      | above are my own and    |  we WOULD go insane"     |
Manchester, NH 03103| not those of my employer|            Jimmy Buffett |
efs@summa4.mv.com   |                         |                          |
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: brunson@davinci.Data-IO.COM (Kaye Brunson)
Subject: Re: Info on renting/buying
Organization: Data I/O Corporation
Date: Fri, 13 Nov 1992 21:08:38 GMT


In article <921112651@danix.UUCP>, dans@danix.UUCP (Dan Simoes) writes:
|> 
|> I'm not sure if this is the right group, but does anyone have any ideas
|> as to how to avoid buying a house right away, but without renting?
|> I'll be getting married in February, and I don't want to buy a house just
|> now, since I'm not sure where we want to end up living.  I really hate the
|> idea of renting, since the money just goes into someone else's pocket, and
|> you have nothing to show for it.
|> 
|> The obvious solution is rent to buy...but what if I decide not to buy?
|> 
|>

Alternatives to renting and buying a place to live:

Live at home with your parents, or with other relatives.

Get into the house sitting business.  Have someone pay you to live in
thier house.

Find a good highway overpass to sleep under, preferably one near a good
homeless shelter that you can get breakfast at.

Travel the world, sleeping on trains, planes, and busses.

Get a job at a boarding school as the moderator of a dorm.

Get a job as a live in "Au pair" or nanny.

Become a kept "sex slave" to some rich person.

Sleep in your car.

You'll have to decide if any of these have any usefullness to you at
all.  I enjoyed the opportunity for a quick morning brainstorm.

From: ajeans@hplred.HPL.HP.COM (Albert Jeans)
Date: Wed, 11 Nov 1992 21:32:33 GMT
Subject: Re: Interior Painting:  Rolling vs. Spraying
Organization: Hewlett-Packard Laboratories, Palo Alto, CA
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house

Spraying is a whole lot faster of course, but it also uses a lot more paint
(maybe almost twice as much?).
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Re: GFCI question
From: gary@cdthq.UUCP (Gary Heston)
Date: Thu, 12 Nov 92 18:53:25 CST
Organization: Garys' Home for Obsolete Computers

wpc@po.CWRU.Edu (William P. Claspy) writes:

> 
> Hey now, all!
> 
> 	I've been reading this group long enough to know that GFCIs are a
> common topic, indeed a FAQ, but as far as I can tell, this question hasn't
> been asked, or answered.  I'll be replacing the old two-pronged outlets in my
> 80 year old house with GFCIs, and I know this follows code, as per the FAQ.
> The FAQ also mentions that this also protects all the outlets downstream from
> the GFCI.  I'd like to replace them at the same time, and would like them
> to be 3 pronged outlets.  Can I wire in regular 3 prongers, just ignoring the
> ground, or do they all have to be GFCIs in this case?

Regular 3 prong, with *no* attachment to the ground terminal (i.e.,
don't jumper them together).

As I understand it, anyway...

Gary Heston, at home....
gary@cdthq.uucp
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: mjoseph@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu (Mark Joseph)
Subject: Re: Roof problem?
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Date: Tue, 10 Nov 1992 22:14:16 GMT

In article <1992Nov9.205019.1103@netnews.whoi.edu> arthur@acoustics.whoi.edu (Arthur Newhall) writes:
>
>
>I think I may have a roof problem.  I was checking things out in my attic 
>while it was raining when I noticed that there were water droplets on the ends
>of ALOT of the roofing nails that protrude through the roof.  Since the roof
>was reshingled (with high-grade shingles) less than 5 years ago I was quite dumbfounded to come up with a reason why this was happening. 
>
>1: Could this be only moisture condensation?
>

Yep.

>2: Has anyone seen this type of behavior?
>

Yep.

>3: Should I fear the worse (new roof)?  Should I ignor it as long as there
>	is plenty of circulation?
>

See below.

>4: Can anything be done to prevent this? 
>

What you are seeing is almost certainly condensation.  The problem stems
from inadequate attic ventilation.  Trapped heat is the symptom in summer,
condensation is the symptom as cooler weather begins.  Both can shorten
the life of your roof and, depending on the insulation, cause you to
waste heating and cooling $$ inside the living space of the house.

How is the attic ventilated?  There is a formula (which I obviously
should have found before writing this :-) ) that helps to determine
the proper area of inlet ventilation and outlet ventilation for a
given square footage of attic.  Soffit vents (for inlet), roof vents
(outlet), ridge vents (outlet), gable vents (both?), and powered
roof vents (outlet) are all possible solutions.

I'll look up the guidelines for vent area vs. attic area.

Oh, by the way, you're not alone.

Mark


-- 
Mark Joseph             University of Illinois / Speech & Hearing Science
Technical Support Mgr.  901 S. Sixth St., Champaign, IL 61820
m-joseph@uiuc.edu       (217)244-2569   FAX:(217)244-2235
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Re: GFCI question
From: michael@sunbeam.ksc.nasa.gov (Michael D. Myjak x7-3286)
Date: 11 Nov 92 11:24:44
Organization: NASA, Kennedy Space Center, FL.
In-reply-to: wpc@po.CWRU.Edu's message of 11 Nov 1992 14:21:04 GMTLines: 28


   [...]  I'll be replacing the old two-pronged outlets in my
   80 year old house with GFCIs, and I know this follows code, as per the FAQ.
   The FAQ also mentions that this also protects all the outlets downstream from
   the GFCI.  I'd like to replace them at the same time, and would like them
   to be 3 pronged outlets.  Can I wire in regular 3 prongers, just ignoring the
   ground, or do they all have to be GFCIs in this case?

You can, the adverse consequences are that someone, perhaps a future
owner, will/might assume that the outlet is grounded when in
actuallity it is not.

Now, on to pick a nit: a GFCI in a circuit will protect *all* outlets
on that circuit. In other words, a GFCI can go anywhere in the circuit
and will provide protection to all devices in that circuit. Thats
because the GFI is sensing a current difference between the hot and
neutral...  which there shouldn't be unless current is being grounded
somewhere elsein the circuit. Typically, GFCI circuit breakers are set
to trip at .005 amps.

--
- Michael D. Myjak			
  Senior Technical Specialist, Systems Analyst
  McDonnell Douglas Space Systems Company
  Kennedy Space Center, Fl., 32815
  MYJAK@TITAN.KSC.NASA.GOV

Gravity. It's not just a good idea. Its the LAW!
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: edwards@world.std.com (Jonathan Edwards)
Subject: Re: soundproofing rooms
Organization: IntraNet, Inc.
Date: Fri, 6 Nov 1992 00:41:58 GMT

In article <1992Nov3.163536.22414@philabs.philips.com> mja@philabs.philips.com (Michael Amato) writes:
>For walls, insulate and use sound board (usually goes under the sheetrock)
>or a wall tile (if you can stand the looks) like cork.

I have been advised to use double sheetrock instead of soundboard. The
reasoning is that both fiberglass and soundboard do well absorbing high
frequencies, but neither do well with low frequency sound. The higher density
of sheetrock helps absorb the lower frequencies.



-- 
Jonathan Edwards				edwards@intranet.com
IntraNet, Inc					617-527-7020
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house