The costs and efficiencies between twenty years ago and now aren't even comparable - the tech is completely different.
I think this one actually runs off our house grid, it's just they have to be equipped to take renewables instead of gas so you can't just plug in any ol heater. But it's a stiebel eltron hot water pump, for the curious.
Oh yeah, I'm not talking about heat pumps - they've made huge gains in efficiencies in the last couple of decades, just like A/C compressors have (It's basically the same tech), I meant siphon systems - the ones with the big glass panels that sit on your roof with the cylindrical tank above them. There are models specifically designed for houses in areas with lower solar loadings that are typical in mainland Australia, the complaint I had about my parents hot water heater is the first system on their house wasn't a name brand one and died at about 5-6 years old, and to replace it with a system capable of the same performance from a good Australian manufacturer with a long warranty was something like $9k, which was never going to happen.
My landlady has a bee in her bonnet about pipes freezing, and came by while I was away to check that I'd left the taps running (she pays for water). I had left them dripping, but I guess she thought that wasn't enough and put the bathroom tap on to more of a drizzle.
Problem was, it was the hot tap. So extremely hot water has been pouring into my sink for about a week.
Now taking bets on this month's electricity bill: Go!
My landlady has a bee in her bonnet about pipes freezing, and came by while I was away to check that I'd left the taps running (she pays for water). I had left them dripping, but I guess she thought that wasn't enough and put the bathroom tap on to more of a drizzle.
Problem was, it was the hot tap. So extremely hot water has been pouring into my sink for about a week.
Now taking bets on this month's electricity bill: Go!
Well, she didn't want the pipes to freeze you see, so hot water is best.
+17
Options
3cl1ps3I will build a labyrinth to house the cheeseRegistered Userregular
My landlady has a bee in her bonnet about pipes freezing, and came by while I was away to check that I'd left the taps running (she pays for water). I had left them dripping, but I guess she thought that wasn't enough and put the bathroom tap on to more of a drizzle.
Problem was, it was the hot tap. So extremely hot water has been pouring into my sink for about a week.
Now taking bets on this month's electricity bill: Go!
Well, she didn't want the pipes to freeze you see, so hot water is best.
people actually think this gaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
3cl1ps3 on
+10
Options
CambiataCommander ShepardThe likes of which even GAWD has never seenRegistered Userregular
Another new year, and with it new trees for my orchard.
These are the trees/bushes I currently have that seem more or less stable:
3 columnar apple trees
1 tartarian cherry tree
1 peach tree
3 maxium strawberries (all the strawberry plants that survived the Texas heat last year)
1 raspberry
1 niagara grape vine
These trees are in pots and seem to be OK, but I need to find ground for at least some of them:
1 arbequina olive tree
1 koroneiki greek olive tree
1 cold hardy avocado
1 royal ann cherry tree
supposed to taste like vanilla cream or some such. I've never had one, but they sound cool and this is the only banana tree that works in my climate. I tried it once before but the tree died, mostly due to my own mismanagement. I have better plans this year. I know exactly where they are going in the ground (not keeping them in a pot this time) and I already have it basically cleared and ready for planting.
Oh I also fertilized all my current trees yesterday with osmocote slow-release fertilizer which is supposed to be good. I know I haven't been sufficiently fertilizing so I'm going to work on that this year.
I also NEED to make sure I get enough mulching this year.
"If you divide the whole world into just enemies and friends, you'll end up destroying everything" --Nausicaa of the Valley of Wind
I went to go make sure my snowblower was ready for this upcoming storm, so I started pouring gasoline into it. Then, after a few moment I wondered why I was hearing a tinkling sound. WHOOPS. I forgot I left the fuel line unplugged after I drained it out in the spring and now I have gasoline all over the floor of the garage.
I am wicked smart.
How I clean gasoline? I KNOW! I'll put a match to it!
I did not do this. Seems like it was small enough I could just let it evaporate if I just leave the garage door open all afternoon. Stinky.
DisruptedCapitalist on
"Simple, real stupidity beats artificial intelligence every time." -Mustrum Ridcully in Terry Pratchett's Hogfather p. 142 (HarperPrism 1996)
Update on the landlady and the hot tap: "That was deliberate because the hot pipes freeze first"
...
... ok I live in a mid-century building in Boston so it IS perfectly possible that the plumbing was installed in such a way that somehow the hot pipe has a long enough journey between boiler and my apartment to separately and individually freeze up.
Update on the landlady and the hot tap: "That was deliberate because the hot pipes freeze first"
...
... ok I live in a mid-century building in Boston so it IS perfectly possible that the plumbing was installed in such a way that somehow the hot pipe has a long enough journey between boiler and my apartment to separately and individually freeze up.
But are you fucking kidding me??
I think she's taking the Mbepa effect to a bit of an absurd conclusion.
Between you and me, Peggy, I smoked this Juul and it did UNTHINKABLE things to my mind and body...
Update on the landlady and the hot tap: "That was deliberate because the hot pipes freeze first"
...
... ok I live in a mid-century building in Boston so it IS perfectly possible that the plumbing was installed in such a way that somehow the hot pipe has a long enough journey between boiler and my apartment to separately and individually freeze up.
But are you fucking kidding me??
I think she's taking the Mbepa effect to a bit of an absurd conclusion.
That's one of those things that just "common sense" in New England. Growing up around here everyone always talked about that. I wonder if it's something that local TV stations kept on perpetuating.
"Simple, real stupidity beats artificial intelligence every time." -Mustrum Ridcully in Terry Pratchett's Hogfather p. 142 (HarperPrism 1996)
I've been giving her the benefit of the doubt and assuming it's something specific to my building, but if she's just alleging it as a point of general principle then I say again what the fuck???!?
3cl1ps3I will build a labyrinth to house the cheeseRegistered Userregular
I can't speak to buildings in the city but outside of Boston/Cambridge people generally don't bother leaving faucets running because the houses were built and plumbed with New England winters in mind.
My building is a renovators worst nightmare and when I moved in she told me she'd had pipe freeze problems in the past, so I think it's a valid concern in this instance. Building standards here are ... Variable.
Based on local property prices, I'd be surprised if she has much cash left after the mortgage. She's very gradually fixing up some bits around the place, like the fencing, but major plumbing work would be a massive investment.
I can't speak to buildings in the city but outside of Boston/Cambridge people generally don't bother leaving faucets running because the houses were built and plumbed with New England winters in mind.
Yeah... Have you seen my house? This is my big fear right now. With the way we're pissing away money on heat, the pipes in the basement freezing is my big concern.
Based on local property prices, I'd be surprised if she has much cash left after the mortgage. She's very gradually fixing up some bits around the place, like the fencing, but major plumbing work would be a massive investment.
Donovan PuppyfuckerA dagger in the dark isworth a thousand swords in the morningRegistered Userregular
"No, you don't get it - the bathroom sink doesn't mount to the wall, the bathroom wall mounts to the sink. Don't get the wall wet though, it's papier-mâché."
"No, you don't get it - the bathroom sink doesn't mount to the wall, the bathroom wall mounts to the sink. Don't get the wall wet though, it's papier-mâché."
This is sadly not far from the truth in some Boston rentals
+6
Options
3cl1ps3I will build a labyrinth to house the cheeseRegistered Userregular
"No, you don't get it - the bathroom sink doesn't mount to the wall, the bathroom wall mounts to the sink. Don't get the wall wet though, it's papier-mâché."
This is sadly not far from the truth in some rentals
Trust me, it ain't just New England with the jank-ass delights.
+3
Options
minor incidentexpert in a dying fieldnjRegistered Userregular
To be fair to Boston, half the city is built on a pile of garbage, so that shit is all just dust in the wind anyway.
Ah, it stinks, it sucks, it's anthropologically unjust
+2
Options
3cl1ps3I will build a labyrinth to house the cheeseRegistered Userregular
Everyone loves to dump on Boston but I've yet to find something here that was as genuinely terrifying as the places I lived in North Carolina. Every building in that state is a death trap.
"No, you don't get it - the bathroom sink doesn't mount to the wall, the bathroom wall mounts to the sink. Don't get the wall wet though, it's papier-mâché."
This is sadly not far from the truth in some rentals
Trust me, it ain't just New England with the jank-ass delights.
I mentioned Boston specifically as it was the geographical location being discussed
But yes shit is awful everywhere
Fuck Boston though. #NeverGoingBack
0
Options
minor incidentexpert in a dying fieldnjRegistered Userregular
To clarify, I love Boston. Even though it's perched on literal tons of garbage.
Ah, it stinks, it sucks, it's anthropologically unjust
Today l’m committing to cleaning up our yard a bit: trimming back the ferns, cleaning up the trash that gets blown in and washing the front porch and garage.
I’m terrible at any work related to outdoors (the arachnophobia doesn’t help matters), so this is all long overdue.
Also transplanting indoor carrots? Anya received a carrot kit from my mom; one of the kits with a tiny pot and a billion seeds that never grow. Except like, all of them grew. So right now we have about 100 carrot seedlings in a tiny two inch pot.
+9
Options
BouwsTWanna come to a super soft birthday party?Registered Userregular
edited January 2019
So I mentioned many moons ago that my wife and I are house hunting, and that I was going to keep this thread appraised of our process and then definitely never did. Going back through some photo's I took they're all pretty bad and lack context so I don't even want to post most of them.
I do have a couple houses that we've looked at that did not make the cut that I thought I'd share however. They're pretty diametrically opposed.
My main wish items for a new home are three bedrooms on the main level, and a large area (likely a basement) for gaming (I'd like to build myself a pool table that could double as a gaming table, and have enough room for that, a small home theater, and room for 4-6 desks for LAN parties). Wife wants private, mature back yard, and would rather a smaller home that we have to clean less than a mansion.
Blue, and superficially pretty - Designed by dumb person - Asking About 10% Above our budget
-So I liked this house for the colors and style, and it's in a great old neigborhood near downtown of our small city. Recently reno'd and showed REALLY well.
- Bright and open, good living spaces on the main level!
- Master bedroom was about perfect for what we could have asked for. Not monstrous, but private above the attached garage and a nice ensuite bathroom. Shower height was for people under 5'6" but I could fix that.
-Heading downstairs, I could easily see myself tripping in the dark (or drunk) and sending myself to emerg. The basement was also tiny, so the foundation of this home was quite a bit smaller than the upstairs footprint.
- Aaaaand the garage. Long and single car only, but the bad design? You'd have to swerve as you backed in to miss that wall!
This felt like it ticked so many boxes, but the fails were so bad that we couldn't consider this one, sadly.
Stellar neigborhood - Sketchy House In Need of Updates - BUT THAT GARAGE THO - ~On Budget
-No exterior pictures as we saw this one at night. Front entry was very impressive, with a curved staircase though! Symmetrical living areas on either side, I quite liked the layout at the front of the house!
- Kitchen was a gut job, and I've never seen a painted ceiling like this ever...
-Basement was undeveloped with a forced walk-out, and showcases the radiant heat. Very uncommon for our area, as most homes are central furnace. Decent size, but was kind of "L" shaped, which would require some creativity to utilize.
- Master bedroom was a good size, though oddly shaped (though wife wants a bit of a reading nook it it was kind of perfect in that way), however door widths were not big'un approved.
- This felt like a death trap to step onto, and I didn't know until I was off it. Clearly home-made and way under engineered. I walked all the way around the house to get back inside, it felt that weak.
- The garage was a ~40'x25' shop though and HOLY SHIT did I want this. I don't even work on cars at home as our family owns an auto repair garage, I just couldn't get over how much space there was. So unnecessary, it was great!
Ultimately, this house was at our budget, and required significant updating to get it where we'd want it. Either we'd have to live through the renovations and complete them ourselves, or live with some pretty ugly finishings and the unfinished basement for longer than we'd want. Also, that stair thing sketched me out hard enough where I'd be concerned with how OTHER things were done in that house if that's what they consider acceptable.
We're hopefully looking at a few more tomorrow, I'll try to take some better photo's and keep you guys in the loop if you're interested. Onward!
BouwsT on
Between you and me, Peggy, I smoked this Juul and it did UNTHINKABLE things to my mind and body...
+8
Options
Donovan PuppyfuckerA dagger in the dark isworth a thousand swords in the morningRegistered Userregular
Those are... quite some design choices. What goes through people’s heads?!
I scrubbed the garage door and @Moriveth trimmed the grass around the rock:
Niko got in on the action and scrubbed our front door clean:
Mori’s mom came over with some shears and I trimmed back the hydrangea in the front yard while she trimmed back the ferns (the ferns were growing around the front porch). I also scrubbed the pathway, just cleared off all the leaves. We kept the leaves on all the beds for mulch.
We know trimming back the ferns/hydrangeas isn’t ideal at this time of year and could possibly kill them off. However, the hydrangea looked as if it had never been pruned, and both it and the ferns would have probably attracted the HOA’s attention, so we decided it was still best to do.
A frog was annoyed that we destroyed his fern. Sorry, frog!
The tree next to the hydrangea is half dead; Mori’s mom will bring over her saw sometime and we’ll tackle that.
Also thinking of removing the thorny bushes near our front entrance.
I got another call from my landlady. Now she wants me to call her if the city chucks all the snow from the street into the footpath/driveway at the back of the house (because we don't have a fence along the yard there so the contractors see it as a free zone or something).
I'm like the worst person to call about this because I don't drive so I don't really give a fuck.
I got another call from my landlady. Now she wants me to call her if the city chucks all the snow from the street into the footpath/driveway at the back of the house (because we don't have a fence along the yard there so the contractors see it as a free zone or something).
I'm like the worst person to call about this because I don't drive so I don't really give a fuck.
Tell her not to worry because the storm's turning into rain around midnight and the snow's not going to last, because climate change has basically obliterated the ability to get real snow storms in southern New England outside of freak storms.
3cl1ps3I will build a labyrinth to house the cheeseRegistered Userregular
I'm honestly not sure we'll ever get another proper classic MA snow storm outside of freak occurrences where it's insanely cold. It's just too consistently warm here in winter now to get winter weather like we used to.
JedocIn the scupperswith the staggers and jagsRegistered Userregular
I bought a Nest about a week ago on the strength of this thread, and so far I really like it. I've basically just left it on learning mode and tweaked the temperature at the times I usually would with my own dumb thermostat, and so far it seems to have a pretty good grip on my habits.
Ran into my first hiccup today. Since this is the first weekday off I've had since installing the thing, it dutifully turned itself down ten degrees at the time I'd usually be leaving for work. I didn't notice for a couple of hours, but it got pretty chilly before I caught on.
Shoveling snow because you were like "oh I have no place to put a snowblower so I'll just shovel snow this year" because you literally bought a house right at the edge of winter and didn't have a chance to put up a shed or anything (I require a permit to even put a tiny ass plastic shed)
don't be like bowen, buy a snowblower or else you'll find yourself spending 2 hours in -20c weather shoveling 1.5-2 feet of snow out of your driveway and sidewalk
not a doctor, not a lawyer, examples I use may not be fully researched so don't take out of context plz, don't @ me
Shoveling snow because you were like "oh I have no place to put a snowblower so I'll just shovel snow this year" because you literally bought a house right at the edge of winter and didn't have a chance to put up a shed or anything (I require a permit to even put a tiny ass plastic shed)
don't be like bowen, buy a snowblower or else you'll find yourself spending 2 hours in -20c weather shoveling 1.5-2 feet of snow out of your driveway and sidewalk
Posts
Oh yeah, I'm not talking about heat pumps - they've made huge gains in efficiencies in the last couple of decades, just like A/C compressors have (It's basically the same tech), I meant siphon systems - the ones with the big glass panels that sit on your roof with the cylindrical tank above them. There are models specifically designed for houses in areas with lower solar loadings that are typical in mainland Australia, the complaint I had about my parents hot water heater is the first system on their house wasn't a name brand one and died at about 5-6 years old, and to replace it with a system capable of the same performance from a good Australian manufacturer with a long warranty was something like $9k, which was never going to happen.
Problem was, it was the hot tap. So extremely hot water has been pouring into my sink for about a week.
Now taking bets on this month's electricity bill: Go!
Well, she didn't want the pipes to freeze you see, so hot water is best.
people actually think this gaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
These are the trees/bushes I currently have that seem more or less stable:
3 columnar apple trees
1 tartarian cherry tree
1 peach tree
3 maxium strawberries (all the strawberry plants that survived the Texas heat last year)
1 raspberry
1 niagara grape vine
These trees are in pots and seem to be OK, but I need to find ground for at least some of them:
1 arbequina olive tree
1 koroneiki greek olive tree
1 cold hardy avocado
1 royal ann cherry tree
Yesterday, I ordered:
2 ice cream banana trees
1 concord grape vine
This is what the ice cream banana looks like: https://www.fast-growing-trees.com/Ice-Cream-Banana-Tree.htm
supposed to taste like vanilla cream or some such. I've never had one, but they sound cool and this is the only banana tree that works in my climate. I tried it once before but the tree died, mostly due to my own mismanagement. I have better plans this year. I know exactly where they are going in the ground (not keeping them in a pot this time) and I already have it basically cleared and ready for planting.
Oh I also fertilized all my current trees yesterday with osmocote slow-release fertilizer which is supposed to be good. I know I haven't been sufficiently fertilizing so I'm going to work on that this year.
I also NEED to make sure I get enough mulching this year.
I went to go make sure my snowblower was ready for this upcoming storm, so I started pouring gasoline into it. Then, after a few moment I wondered why I was hearing a tinkling sound. WHOOPS. I forgot I left the fuel line unplugged after I drained it out in the spring and now I have gasoline all over the floor of the garage.
I am wicked smart.
How I clean gasoline? I KNOW! I'll put a match to it!
...
... ok I live in a mid-century building in Boston so it IS perfectly possible that the plumbing was installed in such a way that somehow the hot pipe has a long enough journey between boiler and my apartment to separately and individually freeze up.
But are you fucking kidding me??
I think she's taking the Mbepa effect to a bit of an absurd conclusion.
That's one of those things that just "common sense" in New England. Growing up around here everyone always talked about that. I wonder if it's something that local TV stations kept on perpetuating.
Yeah... Have you seen my house? This is my big fear right now. With the way we're pissing away money on heat, the pipes in the basement freezing is my big concern.
Knowing Boston, the plumbing is likely structural
This is sadly not far from the truth in some Boston rentals
Trust me, it ain't just New England with the jank-ass delights.
I mentioned Boston specifically as it was the geographical location being discussed
But yes shit is awful everywhere
Fuck Boston though. #NeverGoingBack
I’m terrible at any work related to outdoors (the arachnophobia doesn’t help matters), so this is all long overdue.
Also transplanting indoor carrots? Anya received a carrot kit from my mom; one of the kits with a tiny pot and a billion seeds that never grow. Except like, all of them grew. So right now we have about 100 carrot seedlings in a tiny two inch pot.
I do have a couple houses that we've looked at that did not make the cut that I thought I'd share however. They're pretty diametrically opposed.
My main wish items for a new home are three bedrooms on the main level, and a large area (likely a basement) for gaming (I'd like to build myself a pool table that could double as a gaming table, and have enough room for that, a small home theater, and room for 4-6 desks for LAN parties). Wife wants private, mature back yard, and would rather a smaller home that we have to clean less than a mansion.
Blue, and superficially pretty - Designed by dumb person - Asking About 10% Above our budget
-So I liked this house for the colors and style, and it's in a great old neigborhood near downtown of our small city. Recently reno'd and showed REALLY well.
- Bright and open, good living spaces on the main level!
- Master bedroom was about perfect for what we could have asked for. Not monstrous, but private above the attached garage and a nice ensuite bathroom. Shower height was for people under 5'6" but I could fix that.
-Heading downstairs, I could easily see myself tripping in the dark (or drunk) and sending myself to emerg. The basement was also tiny, so the foundation of this home was quite a bit smaller than the upstairs footprint.
- Aaaaand the garage. Long and single car only, but the bad design? You'd have to swerve as you backed in to miss that wall!
This felt like it ticked so many boxes, but the fails were so bad that we couldn't consider this one, sadly.
Stellar neigborhood - Sketchy House In Need of Updates - BUT THAT GARAGE THO - ~On Budget
-No exterior pictures as we saw this one at night. Front entry was very impressive, with a curved staircase though! Symmetrical living areas on either side, I quite liked the layout at the front of the house!
- Kitchen was a gut job, and I've never seen a painted ceiling like this ever...
-Basement was undeveloped with a forced walk-out, and showcases the radiant heat. Very uncommon for our area, as most homes are central furnace. Decent size, but was kind of "L" shaped, which would require some creativity to utilize.
- Master bedroom was a good size, though oddly shaped (though wife wants a bit of a reading nook it it was kind of perfect in that way), however door widths were not big'un approved.
- This felt like a death trap to step onto, and I didn't know until I was off it. Clearly home-made and way under engineered. I walked all the way around the house to get back inside, it felt that weak.
- The garage was a ~40'x25' shop though and HOLY SHIT did I want this. I don't even work on cars at home as our family owns an auto repair garage, I just couldn't get over how much space there was. So unnecessary, it was great!
Ultimately, this house was at our budget, and required significant updating to get it where we'd want it. Either we'd have to live through the renovations and complete them ourselves, or live with some pretty ugly finishings and the unfinished basement for longer than we'd want. Also, that stair thing sketched me out hard enough where I'd be concerned with how OTHER things were done in that house if that's what they consider acceptable.
We're hopefully looking at a few more tomorrow, I'll try to take some better photo's and keep you guys in the loop if you're interested. Onward!
The fuck is up with those windows? Four different sizes and shapes in the one wall?
Lmao, never even noticed in the dark, but that's right on par with that fucking staircase man. Whatever is lying around.
I scrubbed the garage door and @Moriveth trimmed the grass around the rock:
Niko got in on the action and scrubbed our front door clean:
Mori’s mom came over with some shears and I trimmed back the hydrangea in the front yard while she trimmed back the ferns (the ferns were growing around the front porch). I also scrubbed the pathway, just cleared off all the leaves. We kept the leaves on all the beds for mulch.
We know trimming back the ferns/hydrangeas isn’t ideal at this time of year and could possibly kill them off. However, the hydrangea looked as if it had never been pruned, and both it and the ferns would have probably attracted the HOA’s attention, so we decided it was still best to do.
A frog was annoyed that we destroyed his fern. Sorry, frog!
The tree next to the hydrangea is half dead; Mori’s mom will bring over her saw sometime and we’ll tackle that.
Also thinking of removing the thorny bushes near our front entrance.
I'm like the worst person to call about this because I don't drive so I don't really give a fuck.
Tell her not to worry because the storm's turning into rain around midnight and the snow's not going to last, because climate change has basically obliterated the ability to get real snow storms in southern New England outside of freak storms.
they were hoping for a serious snow flurry.
I'm so fucking depressed about it.
*not fun
Ran into my first hiccup today. Since this is the first weekday off I've had since installing the thing, it dutifully turned itself down ten degrees at the time I'd usually be leaving for work. I didn't notice for a couple of hours, but it got pretty chilly before I caught on.
Shoveling snow because you were like "oh I have no place to put a snowblower so I'll just shovel snow this year" because you literally bought a house right at the edge of winter and didn't have a chance to put up a shed or anything (I require a permit to even put a tiny ass plastic shed)
don't be like bowen, buy a snowblower or else you'll find yourself spending 2 hours in -20c weather shoveling 1.5-2 feet of snow out of your driveway and sidewalk
Get stronk.
Maybe in a few more weeks I'll be built like hugh jackman with a gut