HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: "J. Kubley" <kubley@kubley.opt.indiana.edu>
Subject: RE: Refinancing ..
Reply-To: kubley@kubley.opt.indiana.edu
Organization: Indiana University
Date: Fri, 31 Jul 1992 18:47:32 GMT

Having watched the running discussion about various refinancing options I'd
like to throw out another possibility.  It's called a 'mortgage modification',
it requires a one-time fee, and alters the terms of your mortgage (usually the
interest rate).

I recently modified my mortgage to take advantage of lower interest (a major
reason for refinancing).  For a fee of $500.00 I went from 10.125% to 8.375%
interest rate and reduced my total monthly payment by $90.  The whole pro-
cess took less than 15 minutes . . . . .  and the fee of course!  Sure beats
the heck out of 60-90 days delay and thousands of dollars in closing costs.

If your mortgage holder allows for mortgage modifications and you don't need
any additional money, this is definitely the way to go.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
  internet:  kubley@kubley.opt.indiana.edu      AMPRNET:   [44.48.0.1]
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  bitnet:    kubley@iubacs                      Home BBS:  K9IU
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: drevik@utkvx2.utk.edu (Drevik, Steve)
Subject: Re: Raccoons - how can I convince them to leave?
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41    
Keywords: kinder, gentler
Organization: University of Tennessee Computing Center
Date: Wed, 29 Jul 1992 13:52:00 GMT

In article <1992Jul28.205110.10552@msuinfo.cl.msu.edu>, dab@brunnhilde.chm.msu.edu (David A. Bennett) writes...
>There's a raccoon in the crawl space under my porch.  What can I do to
>non-violently evict it?
> 
>My dog and cat have been telling me about this for months, but I wasn't
>listening.  My wife made me investigate a strange noise the other night
>and I came face to face with the little masked varmint.
> 
>I want to repair the porch but won't until I'm sure it's gone.
> 

Perhaps trap it with a HavaHart(TM) trap?  Peanut butter is a good
bait for many types of critters.  He'll get brave and eat it in the
middle of the night.  Approach the trap (he'll probably go crazy with
fear), cover it with an old blanket (this will calm him down and keep
him from bloodying himself against the cage), take him somewhere far
away from civilization, and open the trap (he'll run away from 
you, don't worry).  If you suspect that he might carry rabies, have
him destroyed by your local Animal Control.  It's the best for him and
other animals.

I'm not sure of any way to "scare" him off.  It's probably fear that
is keeping him under there (your dog barking whenever he shows hisface!)



>Dave Bennett                   18399dab@msu.edu
>CHM
>Michigan State University
>East Lansing, MI
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: bills@sequent.com (Bill Sears)
Subject: Re: setback thermostats
Organization: Sequent Computer Systems Inc.
Distribution: usa
Date: Thu, 23 Jul 92 21:55:17 GMT

In article <BrDsnM.2FJ@watdragon.waterloo.edu> phcalama@dial.waterloo.edu (Paul Calamai) writes:
>Hi.  I've decided to install an automatic setback thermostat
>(since I often forget to do this manually myself) and was looking
>for net.wisdom to provide recommendations.

My brother-in-law gave us a RobertShaw thermostat for Christmas last year.
Don't know that I'd recommend one to anyone as the functionality is kind
of limited.  The best thing that I can say about it is that it was free
and it does the job.  It took a little patience trying to get the thing
programmed just right, but now that it is, I haven't touched it for the
past 6 months.

I don't know how much one of these things costs (like I said, it was a
gift), but you will probably be happier with a Honeywell.  I've heard lots
of good things about Honeywell.

Specifics about what I don't like about it:  

    It has two modes, heating and cooling.  You can't have both at the
    same time.  You get one or the other.  This isn't normally a problem,
    because you set it for heating in the winter and cooling in the summer.
    But if you have an exceptionally hot day in the winter, or cold day in
    the summer, you'll have to switch the thing over manually.

    It supports four time zones for week days and four time zones for week-
    ends. which are all programmable.  Unfortunately, zones 1 and 3 have to
    be set for the same temperature for ALL DAYS.  So if you want to have
    different temperatures in affect throughout the day, you're out of luck.

  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
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: ebupaf@ebu.ericsson.se (Pat Fargo 6266)
Subject: Re: John Deere Lawn Mowers?
Reply-To: ebupaf@ebu.ericsson.se
Organization: Ericsson Business Communications, Inc.
Date: Fri, 31 Jul 1992 12:43:51 GMT

Being from Milwaukee, a lot of people I knew
had Deere products. Excellent reputation, and
known, at least in Wisconsin, as top of the line.
Both my father and father-in-law owned them, and
I never remember any problems.

---
Patrick A. Fargo		Ericsson Business Communication
				Anaheim, California

Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: harris@athena.mit.edu (Jonathan G Harris)
Subject: Re: Removing mirror tiles
Organization: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Date: Wed, 22 Jul 1992 20:32:25 GMT

I just removed mirror tiles on one wall. They were held to the wall by
adhesive squares.  The most efficient way I found:
  (0) Wear gloves and goggles and have a trashcan ready
 (1) tape a disposable plastic dropcloth to the molding and spread it over the
work area.
  (2) Use a screw driver or other hardy device to pry the tile from the wall.
Do this from the center so that the tile breaks. Generally you can by trial and
error get your technique so that the tile breaks into three or four large pieces.
  (3) Carefully pull or pry each piece from the wall.
   (4) Wrap up the drop cloth carefullly and throw it out. Then sweep and vacuum
to make sure you remove any remaining pieces of glass.

Small mirror tiles could be removed without breakage but most of the full sized
ones were not strong enough to pry off. Unfortunately several came out with chunks
of plaster attached. It looks as if the plaster patching though will be easier
than the tile removing.

HELP: How do I get what is left of the adhesive squares of the wall without
making more holes in the plaster.
-JH   
-- 
Jonathan G. Harris
Department of Chemical Engineering,  MIT Rm 66-450 
25 Ames Street, Cambridge, MA 02139
harris@athena.mit.edu (617)253-5273  Fax 253-9695
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: keng@zcar.asd.sgi.com (Ken Greenebaum)
Subject: Re: Home Ethernet
Organization:  Silicon Graphics, Inc.  Mountain View, CA
Date: Wed, 22 Jul 1992 06:21:18 GMT

In <Brpw0q.4qv@world.std.com> edwards@world.std.com (Jonathan Edwards) writes:

>A recent post in comp.dcom.telecom states that 10BASE-T (twisted pair)
>Ethernet is not FCC Class B, and in fact generates lots of RFI, making it
>unsuitable for home use. The poster ran a Thinnet cable loop throughout the
>house instead.
>Can anyone comment on this, or suggest alternatives for home LAN wiring?

Why run a star lan?  Broadcast is much easier to route to every room,
and the cable doesn't cost that much.

I bought a couple thousand feet of bulk beldon cable, and a couple dozen
connectors...

I just ran thinnet thru my new house.  It doesn't seem to interphere w/radio
reception, and I don't watch television.

I also ran plenty of twisted pair for telephone, security, and control.

We are still settling in so haven't had too much time to play, yet.


BTW I splurged and purchased a triple blade coax cutter, and crimper.
    It has already paid for itself in the hours of frustration it has
    saved me from.


									-Ken
From: umak@atar.epps.kodak.com (Uma Krishnan)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: 3 Season Porch In New England And Wood stove - How much use can you get out of it
Date: 30 Jul 92 12:50:21 GMT
Article-I.D.: APS.1992Jul30.125021.9906
Reply-To: umak@atar.Atex.Kodak.COM
Organization: Atex Publishing Systems, Inc.

Hi

My husband and I are trying to decide between a 3 season and a 4 season
porch. We live in northern mass. I like 3 season, since
1) it is inexpensive,
2) you get the feeling of being outdoors
 
Let me also add, that we are also going to putting a new familiy room,
and the 3/4 season porch will be off that. We will also put a wood stove in the 
family  room (and I am hoping that the heat off it should be sufficient for the
screened porch for most time)

I would also like to know the wood stove's cost effectiveness.

The net wisdom on this issue is sought.


Thanks a million in advance

Uma Krishnan
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: eliot@chutney.rtp.dg.com (Topher Eliot)
Subject: Re: Range Hood Recommedation Sought...
Date: Tue, 21 Jul 92 16:30:16 GMT
Reply-To: eliot@dg-rtp.dg.com
Organization: Data General Corporation, Research Triangle Park, NC

The Home Ventilation Institute sets standards for testing the CFM abilities
of duct hoods.  Look for ratings that include the "HVI" certification.

-- 
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
"Daddy, did you know that super banana squash is a vampire?  And he drinks
blood from cactuses?"  -- Tommy, age 3.
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: fredch@phx.mcd.mot.com (Fred Christiansen)
Subject: is the Reliance Sta-Kleen water heater good?
Organization: Motorola Computer Group, Technical Systems Division
Distribution: na
Date: Wed, 22 Jul 1992 20:01:47 GMT

While browsing my local DIY/HI stores, I noticed that several of them
carry the State/Reliance brand.  These come in a variety of models
from pedestrian up to the Duron (tm).  The mid- to higher-end models have
a cold-water intake/supply in a sort of spiral that they call Sta-Kleen.
The idea is that it reduces or eliminates the need to drain the sediment.

1) Is the notion behind this Sta-Kleen stuff for real?  Really work?

2) Are the higher-end models really made better?  I have this suspicion
   that the materials are really the same and that all you're really
   paying extra for is "insurance".  That is, they're betting they'll
   pay out less in warranty repairs than the premium you paid (vs the lower
   models) in order to get the longer warranty.

p.s. Since I'm a middle-of-the-road person, the 502 Sta-Kleen at $150 (Home
Depot) is what I'm inclined to get.
-- 
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
  On Attitude & the Immune System:  A sound heart is the life of the flesh:
    but envy the rottenness of the bones.  Prov 14:30
Xref: sparky misc.consumers.house:10058 misc.legal:15225
From: fsars@acad2.alaska.edu (Allen R Sparks)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house,misc.legal
Subject: Re: Burglars and dogs and snakes, oh my!
Date: 30 Jul 92 19:11:48 GMT
Organization: University of Alaska

In article <MACRAKIS.92Jul30172324@next4.osf.org>, macrakis@osf.org (Stavros Macrakis) writes:
> I'm horrified.
> 
> You apparently value your precious property rights more than human
> life.  No civilized state or country imposes capital punishment for
> burglary, yet you arrogate the right to yourself.
> 

Come on, it's more than that.  While the original subject, or scenario
was someone breaking into a business (I'm still not sympathetic to the
criminal) the discussion has also started to become broader.  It's not
just a matter of property rights when someone breaks into your home in
the middle of the night, and it's not just machismo, to use the full
spanish term, to want to protect your wife and kids.  I want that
person out of my house.  This isn't just a property issue.

If someone broke into my house while I was asleep, I'd be horrified.
                    === Al Sparks
From: clewis@ferret.ocunix.on.ca (Chris Lewis)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Re: Another meter question
Date: 27 Jul 92 04:33:53 GMT
Organization: Elegant Communications Inc., Ottawa, Canada

In article <1992Jul25.023049.5752@porthos.cc.bellcore.com> patter@dasher.cc.bellcore.com writes:
>In article <1992Jul24.220043.14342@col.hp.com> cab@col.hp.com (Chris Best) writes:
>>Check the NEC (and/or whatever else applies), but here's a starter:
>>There's a maximum distance the service can run inside the house before it gets
>>to the panel.

[Not so much the panel, but the main disconnect.]

>>             I think it's probably less than 20 feet.  You might be better
>>off running conduit (or cable where permitted) along the outside wall until
>>you're close to the panel.

>I helped restore/remodel an old place in midtown Atlanta. The owner wanted
>the breaker box in the rear of the house, close to the kitchen. The
>meter was on the front of the house. By the time the electrician was
>done, the service drop came from the eaves down to the meter. The main
>service cable then went back up to the attic level and ran the length
>of the house before going down a few feet to the box. Total run from the
>meter to the box was nearly 60 feet.

>Yes, it did pass inspection. The inspector was the same one who decided
>that 12 gauge was dangerous for a washing machine outlet and required
>10 gauge in his area of town, so he was picky.

What you should remember, after perusing Steven Bellovin's quote on the NEC,
is that rules about meter position, service-to-disconnect length limits
etc. are not imposed by the NEC, nor even, often, by the municipality.
They are usually imposed by the *utility* company.

In our case, it means that the electrical inspector that comes in to
inspect the wall outlets etc., has no jurisdiction over the service
wiring - that inspection is done by Ontario Hydro (or in some cases,
a sub-provider) when they come to make the power connection.

Which is why the inspectors/hydro utility should be consulted on
such things.

Incidentally, in the same situation as yours, we *had* to make the
service entrance go into the front wall where the new meter was.
A disconnect had to be placed within 5 feet of where the wire
entered.  We then ran around 40 feet of 000-3 (125A service) to
where the new panel was being placed (this was in a duplex - one
of the two entrances had, of course, to come in the "wrong" unit's
basement area.  So we ran a cable to the "right" unit's basement
section and installed the new panel there.  The old panel location
(which used to service both halves) would have been another 40 feet
of wire)
-- 
Chris Lewis; clewis@ferret.ocunix.on.ca; Phone: Canada 613 832-0541
Psroff 3.0 info: psroff-request@ferret.ocunix.on.ca
Ferret list: ferret-request@ferret.ocunix.on.ca
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: russell@ncube.com
Subject: Re: Metal roofs
Organization: nCUBE CORPORATION
Distribution: na
Date: Mon, 27 Jul 1992 20:52:57 GMT

In article <1992Jul23.230436.5198@nntpd2.cxo.dec.com>, marks@ssdevo.enet.dec.com (Randy Marks) writes:
|> >1. What are the advantages and disadvantages of metal roofs?
|> Very noisy when it rains (or hails).

Not if it is a flat, standing-seam type installed over felt.  I was
surprised at how quiet it was when our house was just framed (no
insulation or ceiling board).  I hear water in the gutters more than
the roof.  The amazing thing to me is that the people who usually ask
us if they are noisy are the ones who put skylights all over the place
-- they make a whole lot more noise than a good metal roof.

Russell Randolph
nCUBE, Beaverton, Oregon
russell@ncube.com
From: steveh@vice.ICO.TEK.COM (Stephen Hume)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Re: Reseeding vs. resodding
Date: 21 Jul 92 19:58:41 GMT
Article-I.D.: vice.10002
Distribution: usa
Organization: Tektronix Inc., Beaverton, Or.

In article <92203.070530KHAAV@ASUACAD.BITNET> KHAAV@ASUACAD.BITNET (Bob Kaneshige) writes:
>Theres also another alternative; stolens.  It cost me $28 to cover 800 sq'
                                  ^^^^^^^

What are stolens???

steveh
From: clewis@ferret.ocunix.on.ca (Chris Lewis)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Re: Geothermal heatpump
Date: 29 Jul 92 04:17:25 GMT
Organization: Elegant Communications Inc., Ottawa, Canada

In article <1992Jul28.135711.5469@dg-rtp.dg.com> eliot@dg-rtp.dg.com writes:
>In article <1992Jul27.160826.14429@CERIS.Purdue.EDU>, jheath@CERIS.Purdue.EDU (Jim Heath) writes:
>|> From article <1992Jul27.042152.20503@dg-rtp.dg.com>, by eliot@chutney.rtp.dg.com (Topher Eliot):
>|> > Everybody I've spoken to here (in NC) who has or had a heat pump didn't like
>|> > it.  They said it blew barely-warm air, which made it feel drafty.  I would
>|> > definitely choose gas over a heat pump.

Considering that we leave our fans on 100% of the time for the air circulation,
this isn't that much of a problem ;-)  Thin-skinned yanks ;-)

>|> Did you know anyone who tried one of those "geothermal" heatpumps
>|> where the input (and output?) for the pump is buried below the
>|> frostline?  I have heard that they are much better. 

>No, as far as I know these weren't geothermal.  For whatever reason, those
>don't seem to be used around here.

Most heat pumps suffer drastically reduced efficiency when the "heat sink"
nears freezing.  Which will mean that you have to switch over to secondary
heat (often electric, preferably gas).  With geothermal, it never goes
below freezing, so you never have to resort to the more expensive secondary
heat.  But they cost a lot more than a simple air heat exchanger - typical
geothermal systems consist either of 600 feet or more of pipe buried
below the frost line, or two wells drilled > 200 feet.  The former is
prefered in areas with topsoil, the latter for people with shallow bedrock.

Thus, in the balmier areas, geothermal would be a waste of money.  NC probably
classes as balmy - compared to here.  Geothermal is *very* popular here for
those that can afford the capital costs of $10K or more.
-- 
Chris Lewis; clewis@ferret.ocunix.on.ca; Phone: Canada 613 832-0541
Psroff 3.0 info: psroff-request@ferret.ocunix.on.ca
Ferret list: ferret-request@ferret.ocunix.on.ca
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: tan@infonode.ingr.com (Maribel Tan-Vanderzijp )
Subject: Re: HELP with The World's Dirtiest Jenn-Air!
Organization: Intergraph Corporation, Huntsville, AL.
Distribution: usa
Date: Wed, 22 Jul 1992 19:18:16 GMT

We have one too, the previous owner never seems to clean it. So it takes
me 1 weekend to clean the whole thing up. Fortunately, the oven is self-
cleaning and I think it was rarely used by the previous owner. 

I use ammonia and rubbing alcohol. alcohol works great on the metal part.
I submerged the never cleaned filter into a bucket of ammonia-water mixture
for about a week and throw every water immersible part into the dishwasher.

take out the cartridge, take out the coil range, put the metal disc into the
dishwasher too. wipe the cartridge with rubbing alcohol.

I put a piece of mirror now in the back-wall of my range. Give a feeling 
of cleanliness and extra space. Easy to clean and protect the wall paper.

I have a very clean range now. I stir fry a lot with a range top wok, I clean
the exhaust filter and metal top in the dishwasher every week and wipe the
top off with a wet sponge after cooking.

Someone suggested to me to take out the grill bar and replace it with a
skillet rectangular pan that fit straight into griller side. She said I can
use it with a pot on top of it or skillet on top of it. sounds like a great
idea for cleaning, because I can just dump the whole skillet pan in the 
dishwasher after dinner or wipe off with a wet sponge.
From: connors@hplabsz.hpl.hp.com (Tim Connors)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Re: Applying for 2 mortgages
Date: 21 Jul 92 17:33:55 GMT
Article-I.D.: hplabsz.1992Jul21.173355.6137
Distribution: usa
Organization: Hewlett-Packard Laboratories Palo Alto,CA

In article 4500@dg-rtp.dg.com, eliot@chutney.rtp.dg.com (Topher Eliot) writes:
>I've heard it suggested that when buying a house, you apply for mortgages at
>two places.  At one, lock the rate, at the other, don't.  
>

I did this in 1986.  I used a broker who was promising that he could get me
a good rate.  I also applied at a S&L.  The S&L was quoting a higher rate,
but locked it at application time.  The broker basically collected all the
necessary documentation from me, but held off submitting it to any lender
until the last minute.  That way he could choose the one with the best
rate.

The only problem I encountered was that the S&L's credit check revealed
that some other business had inquired about my credit for the propose of
granting a mortgage.  Of course that other business was the broker - he did
a credit check first.  I told the S&L that I was applying for two loans and
would take the best deal.  They basically said "Oh ... that's a good idea."

Since rates didn't jump up during the escrow period, the broker came up
with the better deal and I told the S&L that I didn't need their loan.
Since they already knew that I went after two loans it wasn't a big
surprise to them.

One interesting thing was that the S&L had been in trouble (yes the crisis
is that old, but no one was paying attention back then) and were just
getting back on their feet.  During their probation, they had not been
allowed to make mortgages.  But when I came along they were just starting
in the mortgage business again.  To get business fast, they were charging
no fees.  So it didn't cost me anything even though they did a credit
report and an appraisal.

Good luck,
-Tim
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: hhwu@cbnewsh.cb.att.com (eric.wu)
Subject: Humming Water Pipe
Organization: AT&T
Distribution: usa
Date: Tue, 21 Jul 1992 14:30:29 GMT


My water pipes are making noises like a big transformer
and the plumber cannot find the culprit.  I hope the net 
wisdom can help me.

When I turn off the water, the noise will start and it can 
last for minutes.  If I turn the water back on, the noise
will go away but only comes back stronger when the water 
is turned off again.  If the noise is loud, I can very 
often feel the floor vibrates too.

The pipes are in the basement, going from the water meter 
to water heater (about 15') and clustering around the water 
heater because most of the plumbing is there.  Two long 
(30') pipes take the cold and hot water to the kitchen and 
washer.  In some areas, the water pipe touches air duck

When the pipes are humming, I can feel them vibrate by touch 
but the source of the sound is very hard to trace; it seems 
to move back and forth along the pipe.  The humming cannot be 
duplicated at will.  When the plumber was with us, we had a 
hard time to make it happen.

The humming seems to get worse when the day goes on.  it 
went on and off for more than half an hour after everybody 
stopped using water during the night but I didn't hear it the
last two mornings.  Also the humming can go away for a few 
seconds then come right back by itself.  I believe I fixed 
all the leaky faucet or toilet and I don't have ice maker.

Does anyone know what may cause the noise and how to fix it?  
Thanks in advance.

Eric
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house,misc.invest,misc.taxes