HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: gary@cdthq.UUCP (Gary Heston)
Date: Sun, 12 Apr 92 17:55:09 CDT
Organization: Garys' Home for Obsolete Computers

mryan@stsci.edu (Mary Ryan) writes:

> 
> All my interior doors are hollow-core.  One has a hole about 1" long by
> 1/8" wide.  How can I patch it?  Wood putty just falls into the hollow center

Take a piece of lightweight cardboard about 3/4" by 1.5", poke two 
holes in the long axis about 1/2" apart, thread a piece of reasonably
strong string through the holes, and slip the cardboard into the hole.
Using the string, pull it up close to the hole and squirt a litte glue
in on either side. Pull it around with the string to spread the glue,
then tie the string around something that will hold the cardboard 
against the inside of the door. After the glue dries, trim off, and 
fill with wood putty as usual.

This technique can also be used with wallboard.

> I would also like to put some coat hooks on the inside of a closet door,
> and put a mirror on the outside of one.  What kind of fasteners should I
> use?

Don't. The door is too weak.

Gary Heston, at home....
gary@cdthq.uucp
From: ostroff@Oswego.EDU (Boyd Ostroff)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Re: Skylights
Date: 9 Apr 92 01:22:09 GMT
Reply-To: ostroff@oswego.Oswego.EDU (Boyd Ostroff)
Organization: Instructional Computing Center, SUNY at Oswego, Oswego, NY

In article <1992Apr7.183659.13150@mdd.comm.mot.com> rudoff@mdd.comm.mot.com (Doug Rudoff) writes:
>
>I'm planning to install some skylights [....]
>
>Does anyone have any information [....]

I found the book "Windows and Skylights" by the Editors of Sunset Books
and Magazine (Lane Publishing Co, Menlo Park, CA, 1982) very helpful
during the planning phase (this is one of those "Sunset Books" you see
at all the local home centers and lumber yards).  Beyond that, have a look
at the (many) free manufacturers brochures at your lumber yard.  This
should point you in the right direction.  If you're still not confident
about doing the job yourself you may want to consider whether this is
a project you're capable of completing on your own.

I have installed lots of windows and two skylights.  They are not the 
easiest thing in the world to tackle, but if you're good at carpentry
they're no big deal either.

.............................................................................
....Boyd Ostroff / Technical Director / SUNY Oswego Department of Theatre....
...............Voice: (315) 341-2987 /  Fax: (315) 341-3394..................
..............ostroff@oswego.oswego.edu / ostroff@cboard.UUCP................
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: rfelix@netcom.com (Robbie Felix)
Subject: Re: Septic system blues... 
Date: Tue, 14 Apr 92 04:43:16 GMT
Organization: Netcom - Online Communication Services  (408 241-9760 guest) 
Distribution: usa
Keywords: septic new house

In article <1992Apr13.153205.13614@xn.ll.mit.edu> killoran@XN.LL.MIT.EDU (Mike I. Killoran) writes:
>Hello,
>
>I'm in the process of buying a house.  Last Saturday I had the septic
>inspection and the home inspection.  The home inspection went well, only
>turned up a few things that I didn't already see.  The septic didn't go so
>well...
>
We just walked away from a very similiar deal!
The septic was failing. Turned out the leachfield was full of dirt in
the pipes. The expert said a fix was "iffy". He said there were no
guarantees. It was 4,000 dollars for a short-term fix.

>
>The homeowners are now in Florida (the house is in Ma) and they have rented
>it to a couple for the last year.  The couple has found their own house, and
>are moving out.  The homeowners think it has been 3-4 years since the last
>pump-out but they have no documentation so it may be longer.

Our situation was similiar, no one knew when the last pumping took place.
>

>He also said if this doesn't work (!), the 'fix' is to dig up the whole
>system and cart it to NY (with all the contaminated soil) and the build a
>new system from scratch.  Do to ledge rock in the backyard it would have to
>go into the side yard and possibly into the front yard...  This, he said,
>could be $20,000.

The reason we chose to back out was because the fix was not something
anyone could guarantee. It cost 20 thousand dollars to connect to a
sewer. Plus the time and energy associated with dealing with a very
bureaucratic process.


>
>So, TMALSS, we want the sellers to pay for the peroxide treatment (the
>broker indicated they would have to in order to sell the house to anyone),
>and want to know how effective this treatment is.  If if works, I will
>certainly pump out the system every 1-2 years to keep it working.  The $130
>it costs to pump out seems to be cheap insurance compared to the cost of
>fixing a neglected system.
>
>Finally, has anyone used this peroxide treatment?  Am I making sense? (I
>have never dealt with a septic system)  Comments?

You are assuming liability for the failing system when you buy the
house. We felt it was too big a variable.

Best wishes, 

rf
>
>Thanks,
>
>Mike Killoran
>killoran@ll.mit.edu
From: rlm@sei.cmu.edu (Richard L. Murphy)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Re: How Can I Stop My Dog from Digging Holes in our yard ?
Date: 9 Apr 92 13:27:19 GMT
Distribution: misc
Organization: Software Engineering Institute

When I took my dog to obedience school (or was it the other way around?), 
the instructor taught a method she said was effective.  Get one of the 
"corkscrew" tether posts from a pet store,  screw it into the dirt at the 
bottom of the hole that doggie just made, and tether doggie on a short 
(maybe a foot long) lead to the post.  After a half hour or so, doggie 
will be very uncomfortable, and will associate the discomfort with the 
smell of fresh dirt.  Theory is, next time he digs, the smell will repel 
him.
Didn't try this myself...but the instructor was credible in all other 
methods I did use.  Worth a try, and doesn't smell as bad as the odor 
repellents.  Good luck.

Dick Murphy
rlm@sei.cmu.edu
Software Engineering Institute  
Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA 15213
"Standard disclaimer goes here..."
From: ICSAFF@ASUACAD.BITNET (Allen French)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Re: Alarm systems and cats
Date: 10 Apr 92 20:44:22 GMT
 <9417@wrgate.wr.tek.com><1992Apr10.000950.28448@qiclab.scn.rain.com>
Organization: Arizona State University

In article <1992Apr10.000950.28448@qiclab.scn.rain.com>, al@qiclab.scn.rain.com
(Alan Peterman) says:
>
>In article <9417@wrgate.wr.tek.com> davidbu@loowit.wr.tek.com (David E.
>Buxton)
>writes:
>...about alarm system that leaves floor space for cat...
>>
>>Actually, my concern would be for the thief who bellies down on the
>>floor and crawls about his business of stealing stuff.  But, maybe
>>that just doesn't happen.  ??
>
>Alarm systems are not for stopping determined, experienced professionals,
>they can defeat any home system - but usually don't bother with
>protected houses.  It's the kids, dopers and stupid scum that alarm
>systems protect against.

Most everyone seems to agree that you can't stop a determined professional
burglar, and on my security budget I am only trying to make it more
difficult for amateurs. But, does it really take a professional to
bypass these mass-market security systems? If the warning signs don't
scare them away, and they find an unarmed window, wouldn't they be
looking for an interior motion detector and try to defeat it by
walking/crawling around/under it? I think it is easy to under-
estimate amateur criminals, by thinking of them only as crazed
drug-addicts.

>Read David Morrell's book "The Fifth Profession" to get an
>idea how futile alarm systems are against a real professional...
>
Sounds like an interesting book.

P.S. Since they are not monitoring my security system yet (hope no
burglars are reading this ;-) ), I tried leaving my cat alone yesterday
with the system armed. When I came home at lunch, I saw that the
detector had gone off. I tried again in the afternoon with the same
result.

The detector is non adjustable, so for the time being I am locking my
cat up in my master bedroom all day. Not an ideal solution, but she
will have to learn to live with it until I come up with something
better.

Thanks for all the suggestions.

Allen
From: FJM1@psuvm.psu.edu (Frank Mulhern)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Retaining Wall in Yard
Date: 14 Apr 92 14:07:58 GMT
Organization: Penn State University

I am in the process of tearing down a two foot high, jagged stone retaining
wall in my yard.  The wall is falling apart and is very dangerous for children
I am seeking suggestions on a type of wall to replace it with---Stone, wood,
brick---or possibly even slope the ground so I don't need the wall.  I'd like
to minimize the amount of work involved.  I see alot of railroad tie walls
around the neighborhood.  Any help would be appreciated.

        Frank Mulhern   Department of Marketing
                        Penn State 814-865-0232    FJM1 @ PSUVM
From: johnp@hpgrla.gr.hp.com (John Parsons)
Date: Mon, 13 Apr 1992 13:26:46 GMT
Subject: Re: Relays
Organization: Hewlett-Packard, Greeley, CO
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house


The National Electrical Code (NEC) and your local codes will contain
certain requirements regarding the physical separation of your
power wiring from any low voltage, limited current wiring.  If in
doubt, ask your inspector.

General Electric has a line of low voltage controlled latching relays,
enclosures, switches, etc.  Ask a GE distributor for GE's Wiring
Devices catalog, and a price list.  The stuff is commercial grade and
produced in relatively low volume, so expect delivery delays and high
prices.

I've used this in my own home and have been pleased with it.  The low
voltage side is 24v half-wave DC, so simple diode logic can accomplish
interesting functions.

The relays can be mounted in a metal outlet box knock-out, or several
can be mounted together in one of GE's enclosures.  They make a loud
CLACK! when they switch (20A contact rating), so I'd recommend putting
the central enclosure in the basement or garage.

Good luck,
John Parsons   johnp@hpgrgu.gr.hp.com
From: carl@Cayman.COM (Carl Heinzl)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Re: Siding query, Aluminum vs. Vinyl
Date: 13 Apr 92 21:05:05 GMT
Organization: Cayman Systems Inc., Cambridge, MA
In-reply-to: glenr@hpdmd48.boi.hp.com's message of 8 Apr 92 21:36:08 GMT
bcc: carl


The other questions to ask about vinyl siding is, if the house burns
down, will the plastic give off toxic fumes that may kill the
inhabitants or people around?

The problem that I`ve heard of with aluminum siding is that it keeps
all the heat inside during a fire.

-Carl-
--
From: spp@zabriskie.berkeley.edu (Steve Pope)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Re: No Zoning/Building Permits
Date: 17 Apr 1992 19:12:55 GMT
Organization: U.C. Berkeley -- ERL
NNTP-Posting-Host: zabriskie.berkeley.edu

In article <1992Apr16.224538.11515@cs.unca.edu> stigle@cs.unca.edu (Sue Stigleman) writes:

>In investigating a house that my husband and I are considering
>making an offer on, we have learned that the owner may not
>have gotten zoning or building permits for the two car garage
>and poolhouse he added...
>I'm pretty sure that both the garage and poolhouse
>don't meet the minimum set-back requirements in the zoning
>ordinance

Unless there's a real shortage of properties of the type you
are looking for , I would strongly advise against
making an offer on a house with this particular defect.  

>I understand that
>the city has to issue a certificate of occupancy for the house.
>What does the city do when issuing a certificate?  Inspect
>the property?  Check to see if the necessary permits were
>obtained?  Make sure any buildings meet zoning and building
>requirements?  (I'm assuming they do all of this, but would
>like some reassurance.)

The city may or may not check anything.  The certificate of
occupancy may do nothing for you.  The real problem is, the
next time you go to do something to your house requiring a 
permit, the city will pull the plans, come over, notice there
is unpermitted construction, and then you're in trouble.
For example, N years of back property taxes -- since in most
localities additions like this trigger an upward reassessment.
Plus, if the additions are not conforming, they will certainly
require that you demolish them.  

>My present inclination is to have "our" real estate agent contact
>the seller's agent and ask some questions about the additions,
>including asking the sellers to show us copies of the zoning
>and building permits, and to do all of this *before* making
>an offer on the house.  

If you like you can make an offer "subject to" the owner producing
permits for these additions.  But best to do as you suggest and 
ask ahead of making the offer if he has the permits.  It sounds like 
he doesn't.  Assuming this is the case, you can ask if he's willing to 
obtain the permits, pay off the city and county any fees and back 
taxes, remove any non-conforming parts of the structures, etc.  If 
he's willing to do all this, you can write all of it into your 
contract.  At a minimum you are adding several weeks to time to close 
the purchase -- since you certainly don't want to close until the 
seller has corrected everything.  Plus, the outcome still has a 
degree of uncertainty, especially is some structures need to be
torn down.

Again, unless this is absolutely the property you need to buy,
I would look for another property rather than dealing with all 
the hassle.

-- steve
From: nms@cbnewsh.cb.att.com (n.m.scribner)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Silverfish problem - help
Date: 11 Apr 92 17:34:31 GMT
Distribution: na
Organization: AT&T

I have a problem with silverfish in my house.  I have a 5 year old
2 story house in suburban NJ.  We see about 5 silverfish a week in
the kitchen and upstairs bathrooms along the rear of the house.
Recently, I sprayed along the bottom of the basement wall and left
a trail of a different powder like chemical.  Both chemicals were
intended to combat cockroaches and silverfish and spiders and others.

I still have the problem.  Any suggestions appreciated.
Please respond directly, and I will summarize for the net.
Thanks. Neal Scribner
From: bakken@cs.arizona.edu (Dave Bakken)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Re: mice
Date: 6 Apr 92 19:25:58 GMT
Organization: U of Arizona CS Dept, Tucson

Try baiting your mousetrap with peanut butter---they really seem
to like it.  Also, instead of putting it on top of the thing you
put cheese on, put it under it, so they can't easily lick it
off without tripping the trap.  I had a mice stealing cheese
from my trap for days and then I tried that.  Only twenty minutes
after we went to bed it was history.

Good luck!
--
Dave Bakken                               Internet: bakken@cs.arizona.edu
Dept. of Computer Science; U of Arizona   Voice:    +1 602 621 4089      
Tucson, AZ 85721; USA                     FAX:      +1 602 621 4246
The fact that you're paranoid doesn't prove they're *not* out to get you.
From: jlacoss@isi.edu (Jeff LaCoss)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Re: Which first - replacement windows or furnace?
Date: 15 Apr 92 20:53:06 GMT
Reply-To: jlacoss@paddington.isi.edu (Jeff LaCoss)
Organization: USC-Information Sciences Institute


 Windows first.

 If they leak, it doesn't matter how good the furnace is.

 If your windows are tight, you'll be in better shape than you are
now. (Certainly no worse off!)

	Jeff
From: pgf@cayman.COM (Paul Fox)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: fresh cracking paint
Date: 17 Apr 92 16:37:01 GMT
Organization: Cayman Systems Inc., Cambridge Ma


	hi -- our house was built in 1937.  The paint on the ceilings is
	calcimite.  That's just to give the period.  Our problem is with
	the walls.  We just applied a coat of latex wall paint, and a few
	days after painting, before we've had a chance to do the second
	coat, the first coat has "shrunk", or something like that.  Where
	it was applied more thinly, i.e.  mostly where it was brushed on,
	but also in some roller spots, there have appeared thin cracks,
	which look just as if the paint shrank as it dried.  Before
	painting, we had washed with a TSP solution.  I don't know what
	kind of paint was on the walls before we started.  Anyone know what
	might be happening?  Is all the paint gonna come off?  Should we
	just go ahead with the second coat?


	paul fox, pgf@cayman.com

	(The latex we used _may_ have been subjected to freezing
	temperatures at some point, since we brought it from our old house
	(a couple of months ago, after doing some painting there).  Could
	that have anything to do with it?

-- 
		paul fox, pgf@cayman.com, (617)494-1999
		Cayman Systems, 26 Landsdowne St., Cambridge, MA 02139
From: bweiss@cs.arizona.edu (Beth Weiss)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Re: Things to look for when buying a house
Date: 9 Apr 92 22:43:00 GMT
Reply-To: bweiss@cs.arizona.edu (Beth Weiss)
Organization: U of Arizona, CS Dept, Tucson

[on buying a 40 year old house]

Someone:
|> >Although heating costs are non-trivial, calling this the `critical'
|> >factor in buying a house seems to me exaggerated.  You can easily

rogerv@sco.COM (Roger Vortman) writes:
|> I have heard of heating
|> costs into the hundreds of dollars per month in cold areas in uninsulated
|> houses,

In many climates, _cooling_ costs can be just as important.  The
previous owner of our 2000 square foot house had $300-$400/month
utility bills in the summertime.  After the inspection yielded the
expected recommendation: "replace inefficient heating/cooling system",
we negotiated a lower price, and bought the house anyway.

BTW, that was last August, and we still haven't replaced the system.
We're not home as much as she was, we put a timer on the thermostat,
and installed ceiling fans--our bills our more like $150/month, and so
we're not prepared to shell out $5000-$6000 to replace the entire unit
if we don't have to.

--Beth Weiss
bweiss@cs.arizona.edu
From: staffan@ca.serum.kodak.com (Kenneth Staffan (x37507))
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Re: Mortgage brokers
Date: 9 Apr 92 20:16:06 GMT
Organization: Eastman Kodak

In article <89460002@hpl-opus.hpl.hp.com> steinbac@hpl-opus.hpl.hp.com (Guenter Steinbach) writes:
>In misc.consumers.house, staffan@ca.serum.kodak.com (Kenneth Staffan (x37507)) writes:
>> > >They typically charge a `markup' which you don't see.
>> 
>> > ... I wonder how you wouldn't see this...
>
>You actually don't because as was pointed out before, the broker gets
>the loan "wholesale", while you pay retail.  What this means is when he
>sells you a loan with 2 points, he pays only one point to the bank and
>pockets the other point.  One point is a typical broker markup.  He
>doesn't live on your application fees alone...  I have seen the wholesale
>loan lists, and on what he advertises as a "zero-point" loan the broker
>actually gets one percent back from the bank.

OK, that makes sense.  Of course from my point of view, there is no cost,
since I can't go to the bank and get a "wholesale" deal myself.

Ken
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
From: garyp@gvls2.gvl.unisys.com (Gary Palangian)
Subject: Shower Massage Drip
Keywords: do-it-yourself
Organization: Unisys Defense Systems, Great Valley Labs, Paoli, Pa
Date: Fri, 10 Apr 1992 16:12:12 GMT

This is my first time using the network.  Please be patient with me if I screw up a few times.

I was hoping somebody could enlighten me as to a problem I have with my
Teledyne Water Massage Showerhead.  Whenever I turn the water off and leave
the shower massage in its wall cradle, it drips.  It drips for hours.  And
it's not just a little drip, but a near constant stream.  

Now here's the strange part.  With a regular showerhead or by removing
the shower massage and leaving it dangling for 10 minutes, there is no
dripping.  Even after putting the shower massage back in it's cradle.  

I had the same problem in California before I moved to Colorado.  Has
anybody out there had a similar problem?  Can anybody offer a solution
or even an explanation?  The problem is especially concerning recently since 
we are building a new house and were considering putting in a hand held
shower massage unit by Moen.  I don't want it if it's gonna drip like
the shower massage does.

I would like to learn to communicate using the net, but if you would like
to use e-mail, I think my address is garyp@rmtc.unisys.com.
Xref: sparky misc.consumers.house:6067 ne.housing:414 athena.housing:70
From: maglione@media.mit.edu (Tom Maglione)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house,ne.housing,athena.housing
Subject: Housemate wanted.
Date: 7 Apr 92 00:51:34 GMT
Organization: MIT Media Laboratory

NOTE: I am posting this for a friend in my neighborhood, please DO NOT
email back to me; she is not reachable via email, you must use the phone.

I have seen her house and I know her fairly well. I can personally
vouch for Nancy's good character, integrity and cleanliness.

Wanted: Female boarder for furnished room in large country house,
ideal for grad student or professor.

Setting is in a wooded 2.5 acres in Wayland; rental includes:
-garage under house;
-screened porch with barbecue;
-close to Wayland/Weston town line;
-ten minutes from MA.Pike/Rte.128/MBTA green line/Logan Shuttle
-just off routes 30/27/20/9
-washer/dryer and kitchen priveleges
-telephone jack
-small television
-includes all utilities except telephone
-large, friendly cat
-asking $750.00/month

Call Nancy at (508) 653-9680
From: adnan@sgtech.UUCP (Adnan Yaqub)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Air Duct Cleaning
Date: 7 Apr 92 08:34:29 GMT
Distribution: misc
Organization: Star Gate Technologies, Inc.

[Please excuse me if this has recently been discussed.  I am new to
this group.]

We have an old house with forced air heating and alot of dust.  I
recently installed an electrostatic air filter, but we still have
mucho dust.  Now we are thinking of getting our ducts cleaned.  My
investigations have revealed two methods which seems to be commonly
used.

Method #1:

Push a rotating brush attached to a vacuum through the ducts.  The
brush dislodges the dust, while the vacuum sucks it up.  The company
offering this method then sprays an anti-bacteria/mold chemical into
the ducts and then "fogs" the ducts with something which glues all
remaining dust to the duct walls.

Method #2:

Seal all ducts with a plastic wrap.  Attach a vacuum to the furnace,
thus applying a negative pressure to the system.  Go to each duct and
blow in compressed air.  Finally send an "air ball" (a ball with tiny
holes in it through which compressed air blows) through the horizontal
duct work in the basement to blow out any debris.

My Comments:

I am wondering if any one has any experience with any of these
methods.  I am not at all excited about the chemicals used in Method
#1.  Here in Cleveland our winters are much too dry for mold, etc.
Also, what is this glue stuff?

I am, however, a little sceptical about Method #2's ability to remove
all the dust.  I was told, however, by a representative of one company
which uses Method #2, that the pressure used is about eight times that
of a furnace blower, so if it doesn't come out when they clean, it
won't come out when the furnace is on.  He also told me that they have
extracted forks, pop cans, matchbox cars, and other debris using
Method #2.

Any comments?  If there is enough interest, I will summerize.
--
Adnan Yaqub (adnan@sgtech.uucp, ...!uunet!abvax!sgtech!adnan)
Star Gate Technologies
29300 Aurora Rd, Solon, OH, 44139, USA, +1 216 349 1860