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| Author |
Message |
otter
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Household Quickies
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Dec 31 20:38 UTC 1996 |
This is the place for questions that don't really need a whole item.
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| 41 responses total. |
otter
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response 1 of 41:
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Dec 31 20:42 UTC 1996 |
I need to get up and clean out the eaves-thingies on the house this week. My
silly question is: where do I prop the ladder? I'm not just going up to sit
on the roof and do this, I want to just move the ladder to different spots
as I go. I know I don't want to prop the ladder against the troughs because
I might break them, but is it OK to rest it on the vinyl siding? I don't want
to dent that, either. I am *so* inexperienced in house care.
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mcpoz
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response 2 of 41:
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Dec 31 20:59 UTC 1996 |
I prop the ladder against the eaves at a point where it is fastened. It has
a tubular ferrule there and it will support more weight. (My eaves troughs
are aluminum). It is real difficult to clean the eaves just from a ladder,
though. Probably dangerous, too because you end up leaning out as far as you
can so you can cover as big a stretch at one "ladder setting" as you can.
Best bet, if your roof slope is low enough to be safe, is to wear good tennis
shoes (or barefoot), and walk on the edge of the roof. I use a leaf-blower
and just walk down the edge of the roof blowing out the stuff as I go.
If someone invented a "J" shaped blower attachment, you could do this from
the ground.
Also, be sure the ladder is safely planted in the ground. This last fall,
a guy I worked with had a ladder skoot out and he fell and broke his back.
If you decide to go on the roof, avoid skuffing your feet or "twist-turning"
which will remove the stones on the shingles and shorten their life.
Good luck and DONT do it it there is a chance of ice.
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scott
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response 3 of 41:
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Dec 31 22:42 UTC 1996 |
Isn't there a ladder attachment that you can use to prop that ladder against
the wall under the eaves? Basically this would be an extension out from the
ladder, adjustable as far as where it attaches on the ladder.
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rcurl
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response 4 of 41:
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Dec 31 22:46 UTC 1996 |
I prop the ladder where mcpoz does. However I can reach 3 feet to the left
and to the right, so it doesn't take long to do my longest trough (ca.
30 feet). If the ladder is set at the proper angle, the force does not
dent either troughs or siding. How many stories is your house? *Moving*
the ladder is the most difficult part with two stories.
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mcpoz
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response 5 of 41:
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Dec 31 23:51 UTC 1996 |
#3 and #4 - It also depends on how much overhang you have. In my case, the
roof overhangs the wall by 36". With some real short overhangs, it might
work, but still, I would prefer to have the ladder extending above the eaves
for safety.
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scott
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response 6 of 41:
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Jan 1 16:56 UTC 1997 |
I'm too lazy to do ASCII art on this, but picture a device that attaches at
any point on the ladder, so that the top can still extend above the eaves
while the thingy acts as spacer between the wall and the ladder beneath the
eaves. For extra credit, picture the device having long arms so that you have
more stability side-to-side.
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otter
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response 7 of 41:
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Jan 2 01:44 UTC 1997 |
Kenn wouldn't let me go up today, citing my precarious knee. He did the
troughs from a seated position on the roof. Thanks for all the tips.
Next short question: short of a bomb, any ideas on spider control?
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n8nxf
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response 8 of 41:
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Jan 2 19:42 UTC 1997 |
We have lots of spiders too. Guess the house leaks enough so they don't
starve to death. I don't try to control their population and simply clean
out the webs a couple times a year.
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rcurl
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response 9 of 41:
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Jan 3 01:50 UTC 1997 |
We like spiders. Also just clean up their used homes.
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scott
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response 10 of 41:
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Jan 3 01:51 UTC 1997 |
I once had a theory about how the spiders would eat the smaller bugs, and the
cat would eat the spiders. But the cat didn't keep up.
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n8nxf
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response 11 of 41:
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Jan 3 12:40 UTC 1997 |
And then she swallowed a dog to eat the cat that ate the spider that
tickeled and tickeled inside her ;)
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otter
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response 12 of 41:
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Jan 4 02:54 UTC 1997 |
<chuckles and shakes her head>
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otter
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response 13 of 41:
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Jan 19 03:33 UTC 1997 |
OK. I have a beautiful old refrigerator circa 1948. The freezer is a little
box (about a cubic foot) that hangs from the middle of the top. It has a
"defrost" setting on it, but that's all I know about defrosting procedure.
I vaguely remember my mom putting all the food from the fridge into her
kitchen sink and doing something with pans of hot water, but that's my only
clue. Help!
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rcurl
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response 14 of 41:
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Jan 19 05:24 UTC 1997 |
That's what I used - pans or trays of hot water. "Defrost" turns off the
freezer, so you can melt the ice. Actually, it is rather fun to remove the
ice. After it thaws a bit it can be broken off (though don't use an ice pick
to facilitate this). Removing the ice has some of the deep pleasure of pealing
off sunburned skin.... ;->
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scott
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response 15 of 41:
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Jan 19 14:41 UTC 1997 |
Heh. My current fridge is the same way but much more modern.
I suspect that the "defrost" setting is turn off the cooling without killing
the pilot light on a gas fridge, and might exist on an electric fridge to
reassure the homemaker.
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otter
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response 16 of 41:
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Jan 26 14:51 UTC 1997 |
So, I get to turn all of the ice into water. And it goes where? Would it be
considered cheating to clean the kitchen floor at the same time? hmmm...8^)
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rcurl
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response 17 of 41:
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Jan 26 22:07 UTC 1997 |
It goes into the drip pan under the freezer unit. You must have lost your's.
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n8nxf
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response 18 of 41:
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Jan 27 15:15 UTC 1997 |
(Or it overflowed or is rusted through.)
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gracel
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response 19 of 41:
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Jan 30 01:51 UTC 1997 |
In the days when I defrosted refrigerators, I usually carpeted the floor
nearby with newspapers. But I usually wanted to get the process over
quickly, and removed the ice as soon as it could be detached , not
waiting for the whole to melt. (You're not supposed to poke with *sharp*
objects, but that does not preclude judicious prying with fingers and/or
wooden spoons, plastic utensils, &c)
Clean the refrigerator some, while it's empty, but not the floor (other
things being equal).
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otter
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response 20 of 41:
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Mar 4 03:05 UTC 1997 |
OK. I am tired of trying to find a real, licensed electrician to do this, so
here goes:
I need to have a new electric circuit put in my basement, and several
electricians have come right out and told me it's too small a job to be
bothered with. I've tried all of my friends, and their friends, to no avail.
So I'm asking here. If this is something you can do, please e-mail me here.
I will be happy to pay you for your time and travel, as well as feeding you
and sending you off with a bottle of excellent home-brew in hand.
If you also posess the ability to hook up a gas dryer, I may be compelled to
kiss you. >8^@
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scott
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response 21 of 41:
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Mar 4 12:08 UTC 1997 |
That isn't a hard job at all. I might be persuaded to do it, although
scheduling is a problem.
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n8nxf
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response 22 of 41:
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Mar 4 12:10 UTC 1997 |
Just out of curiosity, how far is your electrical box from the location
where you want the power? Is there room in the main box for another
fuse / circuit breaker (Or two for 240 volt applications) How much
current do you need? Do any walls need to be penetrated?
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n8nxf
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response 23 of 41:
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Mar 4 12:29 UTC 1997 |
Does anyone know where I could go to learn tree climbing techniques?
I'm pretty good with my hands and feet, but want to learn to do it
the way I've seen tree surgeons do it: With ropes, harnesses, etc.
I have about three medium sized walnuts that the WCRC says MUST come
down and 2 chinese elms that need some trimming. Yea, I could hire the
work out but would much prefer to learn how to do it myself. I even
came across a *very* interesting web page put up by a tree climbing
club down in Alabama. They even have a trip where they go out and
spend the night in the canopy of some big trees, sleeping in hammocks.
I, however, am local to Ann Arbor and don't have the operunity to
go all the way out to Alabama :-(
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cmcgee
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response 24 of 41:
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Mar 5 12:47 UTC 1997 |
Bill Lawrence, the A2 City Forester would be able to give you information
about this. He works at the City Forestry Office, 415 W. Washington, and his
phone number is 994 2768. If he isn't available, ask for Paul Bairley.
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