• The move to the new server is done. There are some software and database maintenance updates in process. This has us passing the hat around to help out. We appreciate any donations. Seriously, even a dollar helps. The payment page may be found here - https://www.audiokarma.org/support.html

The joys of homeownership!

whoaru99 said:
A guy I know used to live in Weed. He moved out of state citing one of the big reasons he was tired of fires.

He was saying the big problem is CA doesn't allow cleanup of deadfall so it just builds up and that's big reason for extensive fires. A couple sparks and it's lit up. Now, it sounds like shifting the focus. Is that true, or at least your opinion?
Click to expand...
Partially, yes.
 
whoaru99 said:
A guy I know used to live in Weed. He moved out of state citing one of the big reasons he was tired of fires.

He was saying the big problem is CA doesn't allow cleanup of deadfall so it just builds up and that's big reason for extensive fires. A couple sparks and it's lit up. Now, it sounds like shifting the focus. Is that true, or at least your opinion?
Click to expand...
You hit the nail on the head. There wasn't a huge problem with wild fires in CA until they ignored basic forest/brush management for a few decades in the name of saving nature (how ironic). All this was very preventable with just basic long used eco management procedures. Instead, morons took over and sent CA on a sure path to destruction. Now it appears that they are way overcorrecting and going in another disastrous direction. Then add in that CA removed reservoirs and let many others run dry to supposedly save a few snails. It is impossible to fight fires when the hydrants are dry. From my vantage point CA is a hot mess and things aren't getting any better.
 
Btw I do own my own home, or the bank does actually but.... I bought in an undesirable inner city neighborhood, so called, in 2018 I bought a beautiful little bungalow for 36.9k and have enjoyed living with folks that care about their neighbors. It's been wonderful! The property values have gone up but it's still relatively cheap or I wouldn't be able to live here. I'm a lucky man!
 
Bicyclist said:
Btw I do own my own home, or the bank does actually but.... I bought in an undesirable inner city neighborhood, so called, in 2018 I bought a beautiful little bungalow for 36.9k and have enjoyed living with folks that care about their neighbors. It's been wonderful! The property values have gone up but it's still relatively cheap or I wouldn't be able to live here. I'm a lucky man!
Click to expand...
It makes me smile inside to see people who are so happy with their situation in life. All the best to you going forward!
 
Bicyclist said:
How could I not be happy?
Click to expand...
After living in the orbit of Washington, DC for over forty years, my wife and I achieved escape velocity this past January and settled in Southwest Virginia. We are now less than ten minutes from the grandkids and the pace of life here is so much slower in a good way. We will miss some things in our old area but will not miss so many more other things. There is so much less stress in the air here.
 
YY1 said:
That is the exact same tile we put in our LR, DR, foyer, and kitchen last year only yours looks like the gray version where ours is the tan.

We really like it and expanded the installation from only the living room to pretty much the entire common area.
Click to expand...

My house is old and small. It was a mess taking out the old stuff.
It was fun learning and a mess putting in the new tile, grout and stuff.
I now have piles of new tools and supplies!
Youtube was indispensable.
I'm not finished.
 
onepixel said:
My house is old and small. It was a mess taking out the old stuff.
It was fun learning and a mess putting in the new tile, grout and stuff.
I now have piles of new tools and supplies!
Youtube was indispensable.
I'm not finished.
Click to expand...
Utube is of unbelievable utility. I have to learned so much about working on old stuff.
 
It sucks when your sewer piping is well over 100 years old and is made of clay (basically terra cotta). Obviously cracking has occurred, then vegetation grows into said cracks, obstructing flow. I can't blame the technology of 1916, it has long outlived its intended lifespan.

Anyway it has become a recurring issue in the last decade. It shows up as a backup in our laundry room. Not terrible, slate tile and a drain there. Anyway, then a rooter guy will come and slide a camera down the cleanout, show the obstruction, etc. They then cut the growth back, helping restore flow... how long that lasts is an unknown, I know it's not getting better. I spent a grand on this two years ago. Then in February of this year another grand. They recommend plastic sleeving the whole thing for about $15K. I can do the math but can't seem to face that hefty sum.
 
Last edited:
About a week ago our 5 year old Maytag refrigerator died. It's still under warranty so I called Maytag to schedule service. I new it was the compressor and told the person I talked to as much. This was last Monday and they couldn't get anyone to my house until yesterday. The guy gets here and says, "Yep, it's the compressor". I thought that since I had told them it was the compressor they would have had one on hand. Nope, 7-10 days for parts. I'm running on a beer fridge and a cooler. Enshitification at it's best.
 
enricosonic said:
It sucks when your sewer piping is well over 100 years old and is made of clay (basically terra cotta). Obviously cracking has occurred, then vegetation grows into said cracks, obstructing flow. I can't blame the technology of 1916, it has long outlived its intended lifespan.

Anyway it has become a recurring issue in the last decade. It shows up as a backup in our laundry room. Not terrible, slate tile and a drain there. Anyway, then a rooter guy will come and slide a camera down the cleanout, show the obstruction, etc. They then cut the growth back, helping restore flow... how long that lasts is an unknown, I know it's not getting better. I spent a grand on this two years ago. Then in February of this year another grand. They recommend plastic sleeving the whole thing for about $15K. I can do the math but can't seem to face that hefty sum.
Click to expand...

I think I can one-up you:

My mom's mid-1960's era house had treated cardboard outgoing pipes.

Yeah, that became a problem around 2005.
 
kdooley said:
About a week ago our 5 year old Maytag refrigerator died. It's still under warranty so I called Maytag to schedule service. I new it was the compressor and told the person I talked to as much. This was last Monday and they couldn't get anyone to my house until yesterday. The guy gets here and says, "Yep, it's the compressor". I thought that since I had told them it was the compressor they would have had one on hand. Nope, 7-10 days for parts. I'm running on a beer fridge and a cooler. Enshitification at it's best.
Click to expand...

...and I think I can also "one-up" you:

Brand new GE dishwasher.
Would not complete a cycle.
Got to 99% but would never show complete.
Hard reset button combo (which I had to figure out) or breaker off/on and it would work but do the same thing.

2 weeks for a tech.
Only two boards in the thing.
They drop shipped one of them, and had no tracking.
Didn't arrive until the day the tech was scheduled.
Almost got cancelled and put back another two weeks.
Guess which board it wasn't?
3 more weeks.

I used to be a big fan of GE appliances.
No longer.
Sold to Haier (China) a few years ago.
 
I've gone back to buying cheaper appliances with minimal electronic interfaces. We bought basic washer and dryers with minimal electronic interfaces and they've been absolute tanks with no issues. It seems like the best bet these days is the cheaper appliance with dials and buttons, or the very top end stuff like Miele. The mid-level appliances are getting stupid expensive and come with the most electronic gadgets that no one asked for, and break easily.
 
We needed a new washer to replace a 20 year old Whirlpool a few years ago.

Only ONE in the entire inventory of Lowes, Best Buy, and Home Depot that still had an agitator and allowed you to set the water level (vs "smart" level by weight of clothes).

It was a bottom of the line GE (prior to the Haier sale).

I've since learned-

Whirlpool was also sold, IIRC to Electrolux.

What was wrong with our washer is a clogged pump inlet which somewhat easy repair.
I kind of figured it was something easy, so I saved it.
I'm a huge proponent of 'Plan B" backups.
 
Last edited:
FWIW, I`ll say it again for the umpteenth time, folks, do yourself a big favor, by installing a decent quality protection status monitored outlet plugin surge/spike protector for any washing machines, fridges, microwave, etc., especially for more recent designs that use more sophisticated electronic controller/smart technology, if not already implemented, that, and whole house protected circuit breaker panel installed type, as well.

Nearly 20 yrs. ago I bought a bunch of (at that time $8.00 ea.) Belkin multitap (6) internal fuse protected outlet mounted ones from HD, and installed them all over my house, and have had only one of them quit protecting after lightning struck a tree ~10ft. from my house energizing a very high EMP blast over voltage into all of my house`s wiring around 6 yrs. back, it (the Belkin) gave up its protecting life to save a 24/7/365 plugged in paper shredder`s 5 amp SMPS brick plugged into it.

I replaced it with a more expensive & better quality metal housing Tripp-Lite outlet mounted duplex one, as that trusted Belkin brand model version is no longer available.

BTW, My next door neighbor B-I-L`s plugged in, but unprotected, & located ~70 ft. from the lightning struck tree 1987 purchased Kenmore brand mechanical timer washing machine, but was not operating at the time of the strike, but suffered a water level circuit board surge/spike failure, while my very similar 1989 purchased, but Belkin ^^^ protected Kenmore brand mechanical timer washing machine located ~30ft. from the lightning struck tree`s major EMP blast suffered zero damage.

It`s your electrical/electronic devices.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom