Quote :

"Also, Frontpoint can be pretty cheap if all you want is a panel and a few door sensors. "

That's pretty much what I'm looking for. What else did you add?

Even with the basic stuff...can I control it with my cell phone?

9/10/2013 12:38:20 PM

with the middle package you get remote access ($43/month). The cheapest package is $34/month, but no remote access.

I have 5 door sensors, 2 heat/smoke sensors, 5 glass break sensors, 2 keyless remotes, and 2 siren/strobe alarms (these were the components purchased elsewhere).

9/10/2013 12:53:50 PM

Do you guys have kids or something?
I just never really had any interest in a security system.

9/10/2013 1:53:42 PM

No...but we live in what you would call a "transition" area. When I bought the house about 3 years ago, my street was 50% legit homeowners and 50% ghetto. It's probably closer to 70/30 right now...but there is still a decent amount of riff raff walking around.

Again...I don't think a security system is necessary. But we're about to go on a honeymoon and have a few other trips planned and the fiancee wants an alarm system for the house.

I'm pretty good with picking battles...and this isn't one I'm going to fight.

9/10/2013 2:06:20 PM

Word. I def don't live in the nicest neighborhood however its probably 90% homeowners and its in kind of a cul de sac, so never been too worried. Worst problem is the 8 year old kids running through my yard...

9/10/2013 2:31:07 PM

There are many reasons/benefits to having a security system. It just comes down to personal preference.

9/10/2013 4:13:59 PM

i moved into my house in march and got robbed in july

broke in while everyone was at work

got a security system now. with the economy and the amount of people out of work you would be wise to invest in one

9/10/2013 4:41:38 PM

My house came with a system so I just continue to use it. The only downside I've found is that when the air conditioning kicks in it sometimes sets off the motion sensor due to making the curtains go all over the place.

9/10/2013 4:47:40 PM

put some weights on your curtains

9/10/2013 4:53:56 PM

I am not a fan of motion sensors at all. We have enough wildlife outdoors to make them useless. Cats and dogs inside make them useless.

9/11/2013 10:13:44 AM

my system has smart motion sensors that recognize pets

my outdoor camera motion is set to record only on certain rules that i set up and I can mask out areas of the cameras vision that would set the motion off to record such as trees, bushes etc.

systems are getting smarted for those types of concerns

9/11/2013 11:46:02 AM

Doesn't anyone control their thermostat remotely through an alarm system or through another method??

It has been offered by one home security system and not another and I'm trying to figure out if it's worth it. So I'm wondering if people have done it and have they noticed a significant difference in their electric bills because of it. Thanks.

9/11/2013 3:13:24 PM

Not exactly the same, but I have a Nest, and the energy savings are minor over a seven day programmable (in fact it can also be a seven day programmable in addition to learning). It's not going to save you a ton unless you have a very basic thermostat. It is a nice luxury though.

Not sure what the UX experience would be like with an incorporated unit, but I love my Nest.

9/11/2013 3:25:48 PM

Yeah, I love that it figured out when I woke up each day in the winter and preheated the house for me.

9/11/2013 3:38:35 PM

HOA just called an emergency meeting to tell us that the retention pond in the neighborhood is failing, and they require an additional $150 check to cover the expenses. Our HOA is already $240/year with no perks, and they said if we do not raise the money it will be turned over to the city which will most likely put liens on all of our houses until it is paid off.

9/11/2013 8:25:56 PM

call their bluff

9/11/2013 8:34:25 PM

I am pretty fucking glad I don't have live in a HOA neighborhood.

9/11/2013 9:32:32 PM

Two questions:

1. Anyone have a Nest? If you do have one, have you noticed cost savings or do you just like having something cool that you can remotely turn up / down your system?

2. Anyone have experience with a Home Warranty and sprinkler system? Buying a house that has an irrigation / sprinkler system and wondering if it's going to be a money pit to deal with.

9/12/2013 8:56:24 AM

Nest vs a 7 day programmable will see negligible (if any) energy savings. Nest OR 7 day programmable vs a standard will definitely see energy savings (and convenience imo).

9/12/2013 9:35:42 AM

^^^ turning your retention pond over to the city is probably the best thing you could do. As a county employee we hate them and have had to maintain them against our will. Now financially I don't think we put liens against the home owners but I'm not sure.

The hoa will pay to fix it and put a lien on your shit in a hurry tho.

And seriously dude... $150 bucks is nothing though in the scheme of this stuff. It's probably a 15-30 grand fix and it's mandatory or fines will be levied against you from DENR.

9/12/2013 9:58:28 AM

Was the HOA performing routine maintenance and inspections? Is that how the problem was caught?

Or was this something so glaring that it got someone's attention?

In what manner is it failing? Typically, retention pond failures are just a berm failure, though there are several modes.


Also, there are 2 alternatives to Nest that I've seen recently... don't recall the names, but worth checking into.

9/16/2013 9:29:28 AM

Quote :

"HOA just called an emergency meeting to tell us that the retention pond in the neighborhood is failing, and they require an additional $150 check to cover the expenses. Our HOA is already $240/year with no perks, and they said if we do not raise the money it will be turned over to the city which will most likely put liens on all of our houses until it is paid off."

Quit-Claim deed the pond to another entity, like "F U Raleigh LLC" and then tell the city the pond is no longer under the ownership or jurisdiction of the HOA.

9/16/2013 9:42:26 AM

Quote :

"Two questions: 1. Anyone have a Nest? If you do have one, have you noticed cost savings or do you just like having something cool that you can remotely turn up / down your system"

lol .. its been covered many times in this thread and section. try the search? try looking a few posts up from yours bro?

9/16/2013 10:24:46 AM

This may need it's own thread, depending on the level of knowledge on here...

So last September I bought a new-construction home. After closing, I had gutters put on by a local company. Well, a few months ago I noticed a leak in my attic where a gutter screw comes through the exterior wall of the house (hard to explain without pictures, but one roof pitches down to an exterior wall on another part of the house (this is a bad roof design, btw). I had a gutter placed on the side of the wall there to catch water out of the corner. It's only about a 12" long piece of gutter with 2 screws... only one is leaking. It wasn't bad at first, so I wasn't too concerned. I called the gutter guy, no response. As life goes, I got busy and forgot. Recently, I remembered it and went back to the attic to check it out... mold... not a ton, but enough to have me worried. Now I noticed a small amount of paint bubbling in the room below. Ruh roh.

So I've called the gutter guy about 5 times since this started.... never answered or return voicemails... what's my best plan of action? I didn't pay much for the gutters... and I'm guessing I have gotten what I paid for... I'm guessing the repair may be as much, if not close to the same price.

Just hire my own contractor and get it fixed... or try to go after this guy? I don't recall if the receipt even has an address on there, just 3 names and 3 cell phone numbers.

[Edited on September 16, 2013 at 1:27 PM. Reason : well, after typing all that the guy finally answers. probably got tired of all my calls.]

[Edited on September 16, 2013 at 1:41 PM. Reason : /]

9/16/2013 1:21:16 PM

^^i also made a thread in the lounge that had a few posts, if you search for it.

9/16/2013 7:59:16 PM

Derp. Thanks guys

9/17/2013 8:49:06 AM

labor estimate to install backer board, tile, grouting, etc. associated with changing an ugly shower stall insert to a fully tiled shower? It's probably about 36x36 and I'd most likely take it to the 9' ceiling.

I already know we'd go with a very basic, streamlined tile that would be fairly inexpensive, but I'm trying to get an idea on the labor cost to see if it'd be worth it.

This fall we'll be doing the kitchen and probably a new front door. Next year I'm thinking about fencing in the yard and doing the shower in the master bath.

9/17/2013 10:54:04 AM

ugh, another water issue.

One of my outdoor spigots is leaking/spraying from the HCVB, but the set screw is position so that I can't easily drill it out... can I just unscrew the spigot from the house and pull it out a bit to give me some drilling room? And who uses HCVBs anymore? And what idiot decided tamperproof set screws were needed? Holy shit.

9/17/2013 1:54:40 PM

As long as they didn't do something stupid, you should be able to just unscrew it from the house.

9/17/2013 2:11:23 PM

So a flourescent light that came with the house started tripping the circuit breaker after working fine for the last 4 years. It also smells like something is burning because of it.

9/19/2013 7:45:39 PM

my first guess is a ballast issue

9/19/2013 7:53:26 PM

^. pretty much anything that isn't a tube is ballast. replace.

9/20/2013 9:25:15 AM

Locksmith recommendations? I need to rekey two locks.

9/22/2013 8:22:55 PM

Idiot husband left the beer tap sanitizer on the counter. It leaked and now there is a huge, ugly, white spot on the dark green granite. Any suggestions on fixing it? Kegerator WILL be sold (and as many other of his toys as needed) to fix this.

9/22/2013 11:49:26 PM

i'd try some detergent and/or bleach mixed with warm water and a brush first.

9/23/2013 12:17:56 AM

Brush won't work, it's soaked into the granite. The guy he works with used to work at a granite shop, so he's going to ask for advice on what to try today. The internet suggests some sort of poultice to draw the crap out.

9/23/2013 9:23:00 AM

I doubt that will work, it probably demineralized the stone, you can't fix that.

But damn, what a ball breaker. Selling his shit to fix an accident? Better open you don't ever break anything....

9/23/2013 11:24:46 AM

Wow, as if it didn't need to be said before, ALWAYS get inspections before you purchase a house. We are in the midst of reviewing inspections from the house we're under contract for.

Structural Assessment = Tons of cracks in the brick that all need to be fixed, plus some work needs to be done under the house for supports to be properly installed

Radon = Elevated Radon levels

Regular Assessment = Found a few electrical issues, ventilation issues, plumbing issues

We are having to send a report back to sellers with all the things we need fixed prior to moving in. We second guessed getting the radon test done but are very glad we did so now.

9/23/2013 11:32:45 AM

The rain this weekend was kind enough to show us we have a hole in our roof somewhere. Hoping it is just one spot and was running to other location where it entered the house. Glad it isnt gonna rain any for the next week it appears. Having someone come look at it thursday.

9/23/2013 11:54:34 AM

I'm thinking it permanently damaged the stone as well. I'll see what his co-worker said tonight, but I'm fairly certain it's ruined. It's the largest section of counter in the whole kitchen. basically an L the size of a sheet of granite with the sink hole in it, so this is going to be over a grand to fix. This is not the first time he's ruined nice things by being a slob, and I'm not going to suffer at my shitty job anymore just to pay for him being an idiot. I didn't want granite because I knew this would happen, and he insisted on getting it.

9/23/2013 1:38:24 PM

Quote :

"I'm thinking it permanently damaged the stone as well. I'll see what his co-worker said tonight, but I'm fairly certain it's ruined. It's the largest section of counter in the whole kitchen. basically an L the size of a sheet of granite with the sink hole in it, so this is going to be over a grand to fix. This is not the first time he's ruined nice things by being a slob, and I'm not going to suffer at my shitty job anymore just to pay for him being an idiot. I didn't want granite because I knew this would happen, and he insisted on getting it. "

He shouldn't take you for granite.

9/23/2013 2:18:56 PM

Co-worker told him to try soaking it with acetone, so I have to wait another week to ditch the kegerator while he tries that.

He also bought me the wrong phone, then didn't return it for the right one (that is now out of stock) and a million other bullshit ways his laziness is making me miserable. Now I have a new phone I can't use sitting on the ruined granite in my kitchen reminding me how useless he is.

9/23/2013 2:26:03 PM

I feel sorry for this dude. Why the hell did you even marry him?

9/23/2013 2:38:04 PM

At the time I was sick, and he made me feel not as bad about myself for not being able to get shit done. Now I'm healthy and back to kicking ass and taking names, and he's still being lazy (even though he'd talked about all the things he wanted to do eventually, turns out that was a bunch of BS and all he wants to do is be lazy, drink beer, watch football, and get in my way while I try to start a company and finish my PhD).

9/23/2013 2:43:41 PM

So, he took care of you while you were sick and now you're projecting your anger about your shitty job onto him?

9/23/2013 3:10:19 PM

He didn't take care of me, just came home from work and we watched TV together. When I visited him I would clean up his place, go get groceries, cook, etc. while he was at work. Should have known better when he enjoyed being lazy with me.

9/23/2013 3:19:19 PM

So I have tool rack for things like brooms, rakes, shovels, etc that fits into the corner of my garage. It's the type that has holes so you can insert the handle in and the tool sits upright. I keep this in one corner closest by the garage door.

We'll my 6 year old was using a broom and when she put it back it leaned out under the garage door at such an angle that when she and my wife closed the door, it perfectly held the garage door from closing even as the opener tried it's hardest to close the door. In the end I have a bent top section of the garage door and some other parts of the door opener were bent/damaged. I've got everything back together and the door is working again, but that is one strong ass broom handle. Also I blame myself for putting that tool rack so close to the door

9/23/2013 4:31:09 PM

^^maybe you need some other thread. Sounds like more than granite needs to be fixed...

^i thought garage doors had resistance detectors or something like that, to prevent crushing.... I know my parents does... I'd be more worried about that shit failing. Better fuck up your door than rip something else apart, or kill your kid or dog or something.

9/23/2013 9:00:05 PM

Quote :

"I'm gonna ask them to replace it and see what they say. I at least want to see how much it would cost to re-pipe with PEX before I walk away (especially since I'm already in for inspections + appraisal + due diligence fee). Its a smaller 1 story house with a crawlspace so I'm hoping its more in the 2000ish range rather than 5000+. 8/16/2013 7:41:03 PM"

So I went through with buying the house after a plumber gave me an estimate for $1300 to re-pipe and the house appraised $2k more than I paid.

New house:

9/23/2013 11:36:36 PM

Quote :

"^i thought garage doors had resistance detectors or something like that, to prevent crushing.... I know my parents does... I'd be more worried about that shit failing. Better fuck up your door than rip something else apart, or kill your kid or dog or something."

They do. There is a screw/knob on the garage door opener that adjusts the resistance. It should be set so that the garage door opens back up relatively easy when it hits something, but it doesn't trigger false alarms due to the normal binding that the garage door does on it's way down. Kids and cats get crushed fairly often as a result of installers who put these in and don't take the time to adjust the resistance.

I admittedly need to do this on my own home. The inspector noted it in the pre-purchase inspection. I don't have kids or pets though. rflong...adjust the resistance.

[Edited on September 24, 2013 at 12:38 PM. Reason : l]

9/24/2013 12:37:14 PM