So I rewired it...

[dazie]

Well, not really.  But I don't know how to spell those "Tim the Tool Man" grunting noises, so you'll just have to imagine.

Once again, it's getting to be a bajillion degrees here.  Once again, my saaad air conditioner can't keep up.  So I called the landlords.  Of course- I haven't heard back since it's the weekend.

So today Ursus got the ladder from the garage and I went up in the attic to see if I could fix the exhaust fan, so my attic wasn't 140 degrees, so my AC didn't crap out.

*grunt grunt*

I cleaned off the screen in front of the exhaust fan, and lo and behold, air started moving through.  WHAT A CONCEPT.  I opened up the louvers to the outside as best I could, they don't really move all that much.

Then I started exploring the attic.  My god there's a lot of useless crap up there.  It looks like it's insulated with soggy corn flakes.  I'm sure it was some low cost 1970s era blown insulation, but it still looks like soggy corn flakes.  And there's not one lick of insulation on the roof itself.

So the plan is this- I'm going to go to Home Depot today and price that styrofoam sheet insulation, and we'll put that in this fall.  After we've done that, we'll find some wonderful friends with a big shop vac, vacuum up all that cornflake insulation (it isn't asbestos- we know that from the home inspection) and then lay down some of the pink stuff before it gets cold.  Theoretically that'll mean my heating bills will be lower this winter!  wooo!

[Infobahn]

You are doing improvements on a rental?

[dazie]

Lease to own.  I figure it has to be done sometime, so we might as well start.

[eo000]

did you get it appraised before you started renting? don't do too much, otherwise.

[dazie]

We have an appraisal from the city, and a locked in price.  Neither of us can wiggle on it.  Which is good for us because the market keeps creeping up.  It's also bad for us in that the price is $8000 over appraisal.

[DownSouth]

[Listener]

You are doing improvements on a rental?

Don't most people do minor improvements on rentals anyway?  I mean, every rental we've moved into, we've replaced the locks or added another deadbolt (keyed to the landlord's key), put in a better shower head that ends up getting left because we forget it or can't get it off, replace the toilet seats, etc.  Nothing costing more than $150 max, but we always did improve slightly.

[DownSouth]

Why do you replace the toilet seats?

[cnamon]

Why do you replace the toilet seats?

In some places, it is the landlord's responsibility to replace the seats when a new tenant moves in.

When I was renting a condo in Alexandria, I replaced my toilet seat because the one that was there was ugly and had a rip in it.

[DownSouth]

I've always had plain white toilets with hard seats.

[Listener]

Why do you replace the toilet seats?

Ingrained dirt.  Or they're broken.  Or LOOK fine, but one hinge is busted.  It costs $15 at Home Depot and 10 minutes or less of time to fix it myself.

I've always had plain white toilets with hard seats.

Mine are "bone" colored because my toilets are off-white.  But yeah, I don't buy special seats.  And I hate soft ones.  They're always warm, which makes me feel like someone JUST got up, even if I'm the only one at home.

[Alice]

Mine are "bone" colored because my toilets are off-white.  But yeah, I don't buy special seats.  And I hate soft ones.  They're always warm, which makes me feel like someone JUST got up, even if I'm the only one at home.

Plus that air escaping noise it makes when you sit down, and then it sticks to your thighs sometimes when you stand up... *shudder*

Hard seats only, please.

[dazie]

Mine are "bone" colored because my toilets are off-white.  But yeah, I don't buy special seats.  And I hate soft ones.  They're always warm, which makes me feel like someone JUST got up, even if I'm the only one at home.

Plus that air escaping noise it makes when you sit down, and then it sticks to your thighs sometimes when you stand up... *shudder*

Hard seats only, please.

aack aack aack.  Indeed- I'll take the plain old seats.  We have one white one and one green one.

[Gamplayerx]

My friend Melissa's parents had a clear lucite toilet seat with little bits of foil embedded in it.  It was very festive and sparkly.  And gloriously tacky.  I wonder if they still have it.  And where they got it.

When we bought this house, the guest bathroom had a green soft toilet seat.  And a green toilet.  We replaced both.

[Listener]

I always get a little creeped out by black toilets.  I mean, how can you tell if it's truly clean?  Or if someone let it mellow, as it were?  My grandparents' house in Hollywood had a black toilet downstairs.

Last time I was at Target, I saw a clear toilet seat with embedded fish artwork in the ring and lid.

[ReBurn]

I always get a little creeped out by black toilets.  I mean, how can you tell if it's truly clean?  Or if someone let it mellow, as it were?  My grandparents' house in Hollywood had a black toilet downstairs.

Last time I was at Target, I saw a clear toilet seat with embedded fish artwork in the ring and lid.

Seems to me it's the brown toilets that you have to worry about.

[Listener]

I always get a little creeped out by black toilets.  I mean, how can you tell if it's truly clean?  Or if someone let it mellow, as it were?  My grandparents' house in Hollywood had a black toilet downstairs.

Last time I was at Target, I saw a clear toilet seat with embedded fish artwork in the ring and lid.

Seems to me it's the brown toilets that you have to worry about.

Oh ha ha.

[Alice]

I always get a little creeped out by black toilets.  I mean, how can you tell if it's truly clean?  Or if someone let it mellow, as it were?  My grandparents' house in Hollywood had a black toilet downstairs.

Last time I was at Target, I saw a clear toilet seat with embedded fish artwork in the ring and lid.

Seems to me it's the brown toilets that you have to worry about.

That's no joke.

My roomie's family had a dark brown wooden toilet ring.  Because of that, I sat in her old senile grandma's poop.  I couldn't stop gagging.

[Listener]

I always get a little creeped out by black toilets.  I mean, how can you tell if it's truly clean?  Or if someone let it mellow, as it were?  My grandparents' house in Hollywood had a black toilet downstairs.

Last time I was at Target, I saw a clear toilet seat with embedded fish artwork in the ring and lid.

Seems to me it's the brown toilets that you have to worry about.

That's no joke.

My roomie's family had a dark brown wooden toilet ring.  Because of that, I sat in her old senile grandma's poop.  I couldn't stop gagging.

I suppose you have a point.

In one house we rented, the downstairs toilet had a wooden seat.  To the best of my knowledge, none of us pooped on it.

[ReBurn]

I always get a little creeped out by black toilets.  I mean, how can you tell if it's truly clean?  Or if someone let it mellow, as it were?  My grandparents' house in Hollywood had a black toilet downstairs.

Last time I was at Target, I saw a clear toilet seat with embedded fish artwork in the ring and lid.

Seems to me it's the brown toilets that you have to worry about.

That's no joke.

My roomie's family had a dark brown wooden toilet ring.  Because of that, I sat in her old senile grandma's poop.  I couldn't stop gagging.

I suppose you have a point.

In one house we rented, the downstairs toilet had a wooden seat.  To the best of my knowledge, none of us pooped on it.

Yep.  At least to the best of your knowledge.  I just wish people would put *both* seats down when they flush!  Sheesh!  They put two there for a reason...

Ok, I don't really wish that.  I just wanted to sound all superior.

[Alice]

Ok, I don't really wish that.  I just wanted to sound all superior.

That's easy, simply insert:

*sigh*

or

*spit*

And it's passive aggressive enough to make you superior.

[ReBurn]

Ok, I don't really wish that.  I just wanted to sound all superior.

That's easy, simply insert:

*sigh*

or

*spit*

And it's passive aggressive enough to make you superior.

Thanks for the tips, alice!  You're the best!

*sigh*

[Alice]

Ok, I don't really wish that.  I just wanted to sound all superior.

That's easy, simply insert:

*sigh*

or

*spit*

And it's passive aggressive enough to make you superior.

Thanks for the tips, alice!  You're the best!

*sigh*

Oh, and if you want to be mean but get away with it, put a wink after what you say.

Like, reburn is a complete tool and I'm so glad he's not in chat right now. 

[Bennyhana]

Well, not really.  But I don't know how to spell those "Tim the Tool Man" grunting noises, so you'll just have to imagine.

Once again, it's getting to be a bajillion degrees here.  Once again, my saaad air conditioner can't keep up.  So I called the landlords.  Of course- I haven't heard back since it's the weekend.

So today Ursus got the ladder from the garage and I went up in the attic to see if I could fix the exhaust fan, so my attic wasn't 140 degrees, so my AC didn't crap out.

*grunt grunt*

I cleaned off the screen in front of the exhaust fan, and lo and behold, air started moving through.  WHAT A CONCEPT.  I opened up the louvers to the outside as best I could, they don't really move all that much.

Then I started exploring the attic.  My god there's a lot of useless crap up there.  It looks like it's insulated with soggy corn flakes.  I'm sure it was some low cost 1970s era blown insulation, but it still looks like soggy corn flakes.  And there's not one lick of insulation on the roof itself.

So the plan is this- I'm going to go to Home Depot today and price that styrofoam sheet insulation, and we'll put that in this fall.  After we've done that, we'll find some wonderful friends with a big shop vac, vacuum up all that cornflake insulation (it isn't asbestos- we know that from the home inspection) and then lay down some of the pink stuff before it gets cold.  Theoretically that'll mean my heating bills will be lower this winter!  wooo!

If you're just going to put pink foam there, why bother vacuuming up the other stuff?  Or is the blown stuff on top of plywood and not just ceiling joists?  Seems to me that if you can just put the pink stuff down over the joists, you'd increase the R value of the whole thing even more.

[dazie]

The soggy cornflake stuff is just laying about on the floor of the attic.  It's in piles in some places, bare wood between joists in others.  It looks like a giant hamster has been piling it up for bedding.  I'm afraid it's flammable.

[Bennyhana]

if it's the same shit my parents had in their attic, it's definitely not flammable.  Theirs was fiberglass chunks that looked similar to what you've described.  However, they have made insulation out of recycled paper products.  I'm sure it's treated, but I'm not sure if the treatment lasts forever or not.  I know that flameproofing on curtains doesn't last forever unless they're inherently flame retardant fabric.

[dazie]

It isn't the grey blown newspaper looking stuff- it's brown, like old sawdust.

But I suppose if I found out what it is, I could just do what you said- distribute it evenly over the floor, then lay the pink stuff over it...

[Bennyhana]

It isn't the grey blown newspaper looking stuff- it's brown, like old sawdust.

But I suppose if I found out what it is, I could just do what you said- distribute it evenly over the floor, then lay the pink stuff over it...

Yeah, though I was actually picturing an attic like that at my parents', which has no "floor" to speak of, it's all open joists with insulation between them.  You have to walk on the joists, or you will pop through the ceiling.  If there is an actual floor, it would probably better to take the other stuff out, so you could walk on the pink foam without breaking it.

[Listener]

It isn't the grey blown newspaper looking stuff- it's brown, like old sawdust.

But I suppose if I found out what it is, I could just do what you said- distribute it evenly over the floor, then lay the pink stuff over it...

Maybe try slicing out a small sample of it, take it out to the driveway, and try to set it on fire in a place where the fire won't spread.

Would that prove flammability/nonflammability? 

[meredith]

maybe rock wool?


is it like this?

[dazie]

maybe rock wool + dust?

?

[meredith]

maybe rock wool + dust?

?

^

[Listener]

maybe rock wool + dust?

?

^

Imageshack is acting funny.  I was trying to put a picture of a carrot here, to be funny.  So imagine one.

[dazie]

Oh yeah.  I fixed the toilet today.    No more $100 a month water bills!

Although, since we got Tim taking a shower more often now, our water usage has shot up.  I can deal with that.  I'll gladly pay for a non-reeking teen.

[Bennyhana]

Oh yeah.  I fixed the toilet today.    No more $100 a month water bills!

Although, since we got Tim taking a shower more often now, our water usage has shot up.  I can deal with that.  I'll gladly pay for a non-reeking teen.

My mother got me to take a shower more often by telling me that, if I wanted long hair I had to take care of it.

I just thought of that because of the hair thread the other day.  It certainly doesn't seem to help you.

[meredith]

by the time i was a teen, body oil secretion was absurd.. no chance of skipping showers

[dazie]

The hair and showers were concurrent. 

[DownSouth]

He doesn't shower regularly?  Good luck getting laid.

[dazie]

He doesn't shower regularly?  Good luck getting laid.

He does now.  He didn't before.

AND HE WON'T BE GETTING LAID ANY TIME SOON ANYWAY IF I HAVE MY SAY!

Yeah.  I know.  Wishful thinking.

[meredith]

as long as it's safe sex, why not?

[dazie]

as long as it's safe sex, why not?

Eew.  I mean- this is my baby boy we're talking about. 

[DownSouth]

as long as it's safe sex, why not?

Eew.  I mean- this is my baby boy we're talking about. 

I bet he does it on the kitchen table.

[meredith]

just sayin'   

[Alice]

as long as it's safe sex, why not?

Eew.  I mean- this is my baby boy we're talking about. 

I bet he does it on the kitchen table.

I bet that's why there are skid marks on dazie's kitchen table.

[DownSouth]

as long as it's safe sex, why not?

Eew.  I mean- this is my baby boy we're talking about. 

I bet he does it on the kitchen table.

I bet that's why there are skid marks on dazie's kitchen table.

That's one way to stain wood.

[dazie]

HAH!  Just goes to show YOU guys- I don't have a kitchen table.   

[dazie]

Today's home improvement project- new light fixture in the bathroom. 

Wish me luck.  I'll try to not electrocute myself.

[dazie]

I'm putting in this, but 8 bulbs instead of 6:

http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=24584-1811-VB5-6CH&lpage=none

[dazie]

Gah.

Got the old fixture out, and have discovered that it had wires on the end.  (flourescent)

My new fixture has wires in the middle.

I need more wire.

And paint.  The new one isn't quite as big as the old one. 

[Miss Molly]

Speaking of electrical quandries... we have a light in the downstairs foyer that is supposed to be on all the time.  the porch lights are supposed to be set on a timer.  All of them are out.  I tried taking the bulb out of the inside foyer one so I could get a new one, and when my hand touched the metal part of the fixture it zapped me.

How can I avoid getting zapped?  Why did it zap me?

[dazie]

Turn off the breaker before you mess with it again.

It probably zapped you because it is miswired somewhere- you might want to get an electrician to look at it.  You are supposed to be able to at least change the bulb without getting electrocuted.

[Alice]

Speaking of electrical quandries... we have a light in the downstairs foyer that is supposed to be on all the time.  the porch lights are supposed to be set on a timer.  All of them are out.  I tried taking the bulb out of the inside foyer one so I could get a new one, and when my hand touched the metal part of the fixture it zapped me.

How can I avoid getting zapped?  Why did it zap me?

Our porch light does that too - I use a pot holder to change it.  It can make it a tad more difficult, but then I don't have to get zapped.

[JJ]

Speaking of electrical quandries... we have a light in the downstairs foyer that is supposed to be on all the time.  the porch lights are supposed to be set on a timer.  All of them are out.  I tried taking the bulb out of the inside foyer one so I could get a new one, and when my hand touched the metal part of the fixture it zapped me.

How can I avoid getting zapped?  Why did it zap me?

Our porch light does that too - I use a pot holder to change it.  It can make it a tad more difficult, but then I don't have to get zapped.

Your fixture is not grounded properly.

Alice: Consider CFL bulbs, they last super long and are great and I love them and want to eat them up.

[Alice]

Speaking of electrical quandries... we have a light in the downstairs foyer that is supposed to be on all the time.  the porch lights are supposed to be set on a timer.  All of them are out.  I tried taking the bulb out of the inside foyer one so I could get a new one, and when my hand touched the metal part of the fixture it zapped me.

How can I avoid getting zapped?  Why did it zap me?

Our porch light does that too - I use a pot holder to change it.  It can make it a tad more difficult, but then I don't have to get zapped.

Your fixture is not grounded properly.

Alice: Consider CFL bulbs, they last super long and are great and I love them and want to eat them up.

I do need to get lightbulbs today, actually - i'll check them out.

[JJ]

GET THE GE MODELS

NO SYLVANIA, DO NOT WANT

[dazie]

Holeey hell.  It's like frickin' Broadway in my bathroom now.   

[attachment deleted by admin]

[JJ]

= 320 W @ standard globes
= 72 W @ CFLs

[dazie]

Do they make a CFL that doesn't make me look like a zombie?  I hate the color of the light they exude.   

[JJ]

Old CFLs were lacking in blue and green wavelengths (IIRC).  See below

The newer ones produce just the same nice yellow light as traditional incandescents.

GEs are really good. Get Globe brand at wal-mart for globe style fixtures: I found they were better than GE.

CFLs rule.

Just remember for some circumstances there may be a warm-up period before they're totally bright.

[dazie]

I actually replaced a flourescent fixture with the Broadway lights because flourescents in a bathroom are evil.  I'll check out the new CFLs though.

[Miss Molly]

No way, I love fluorescents in a bathroom!

[Gamplayerx]

Good job, dazie!

Electrical stuff scares me.

[Infobahn]

Fluorescents, unless they are daylight color corrected, cast green light.  Evil, green, light.

[BigDun]

Speaking of electrical quandries... we have a light in the downstairs foyer that is supposed to be on all the time.  the porch lights are supposed to be set on a timer.  All of them are out.  I tried taking the bulb out of the inside foyer one so I could get a new one, and when my hand touched the metal part of the fixture it zapped me.

How can I avoid getting zapped?  Why did it zap me?

Call an electrician.

Being zapped when touching the metal part of the fixture indicates a short. The fact that it didn't blow a fuse should be of some concern. In the short term, figure out which breaker controls that light and switch the breaker off. It could just be bad polarity on the bulb and the bulb screw was touching something it shouldn't. It could also be a wiring problem and a fire hazard.

[Gamplayerx]

Some people look good in green.   

[JJ]

Fluorescents, unless they are daylight color corrected, cast green light.  Evil, green, light.

It's all about the powder coatings:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fluorescent_lamp

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compact_fluorescent_lamp

[JJ]

Many people find the color spectrum produced by some fluorescent lighting to be harsh and displeasing. It is common for a healthy person to appear with a sickly bluish skin tone under fluorescent lighting. This is due in part to the presence of prominent blue and green lines emitted directly by the mercury arc and in part to the type of phosphor used. Many pigments appear a slightly different color when viewed under fluorescent light versus incandescent. This is mainly the case with fluorescent lamps containing the older halophosphate type phosphors (chemical formula Ca5(PO4)3(F,Cl):Sb3+,Mn2+), usually labeled as "cool white". The bad color reproduction is due to the fact that this phosphor mainly emits yellow and blue light, and relatively little green and red. To the eye, this mixture looks white, but light reflected from surfaces has an incomplete spectrum. More expensive fluorescent lamps use a triphosphor mixture, based on europium and terbium ions, that have emission bands more evenly distributed over the spectrum of visible light. These phosphors give a more natural color reproduction to the human eye.

[Jessie]

I hate whatever kind of lights they use in hotel bathrooms.  Christ I look AWFUL in them, always.

[dazie]

I hate whatever kind of lights they use in hotel bathrooms.  Christ I look AWFUL in them, always.

You should take your "dates" to somewhere other than Motel 6.

[Jessie]

I hate whatever kind of lights they use in hotel bathrooms.  Christ I look AWFUL in them, always.

You should take your "dates" to somewhere other than Motel 6.

GFY

[dazie]

I hate whatever kind of lights they use in hotel bathrooms.  Christ I look AWFUL in them, always.

You should take your "dates" to somewhere other than Motel 6.

GFY

Can I borrow your room key?

[Alice]

I hate whatever kind of lights they use in hotel bathrooms.  Christ I look AWFUL in them, always.

That's because you can see every effing flaw.

True story:

I dated this guy once and we really only saw eachother in fake light at night time - because our schedules.  After seeing him for the first time in broad daylight, after like a month of dating, I didnt' find him attractive.  It was the weirdest thing ever.