Hello google group. I just bought my first home and I have a few
problems to finish up but I haven't got much of a clue what to do.
Here are the main problems:
1) the claw-tub faucet doesn't turn off despite the nozzle's being
turned as far as possible (with a wrench) it still drips. The other
noticeable problem is that when it is on, more water sprays out where
the shower attachment meets the faucet then comes up to the shower
head.
2) i've got to take down a tree but all of the information online is
about falling a tree. I can't do this because the tree is far too
big, too many nearby houses and telephone wires. I want to climb up
there and chainsaw it down piece by piece with a few helpers lowering
the pieces down by ropes. good plan?
3) one of the gas stoves is broken, I'm planning on calling a
professional about this though. It isn't the pilot light and the gas
connection is still working.

Thanks much in advance to everyone that replies... this is very
humbling not having a clue what to do living out on my own for the
first time.

Adam

On 25 Oct 2004 23:47:03 -0700,
(HopelessStudent) wrote:

Hello google group. I just bought my first home and I have a few
problems to finish up but I haven't got much of a clue what to do.
Here are the main problems:
1) the claw-tub faucet doesn't turn off despite the nozzle's being
turned as far as possible (with a wrench) it still drips. The other
noticeable problem is that when it is on, more water sprays out where
the shower attachment meets the faucet then comes up to the shower
head.

Time to learn how to fix a faucet. If this is really old-style
plumbing, you probably have worn-out washers, and the shower head may
need to be re-seated with a fresh wrapping of pipe tape. Any basic
home repair book should have decent explanations.

2) i've got to take down a tree but all of the information online is
about falling a tree. I can't do this because the tree is far too
big, too many nearby houses and telephone wires. I want to climb up
there and chainsaw it down piece by piece with a few helpers lowering
the pieces down by ropes. good plan?

Not unless you already have experience doing this sort of thing and
good medical and homeowner's insurance. It's a good way to break a
shoulder, drop heavy objects on your neighbor's roof, or find out that
those "telephone wires" are really 220V service. This is a job for a
professional arborist.

3) one of the gas stoves is broken, I'm planning on calling a
professional about this though. It isn't the pilot light and the gas
connection is still working.

Should be no problem -- for a good appliance repairman. If you are at
all unsure of what you are doing, working with gas appliances is best
avoided.

--
Chris Green

Thanks much in advance to everyone that replies... this is very
humbling not having a clue what to do living out on my own for the
first time.

Adam

HopelessStudent wrote:
Hello google group. I just bought my first home and I have a few
problems to finish up but I haven't got much of a clue what to do.
Here are the main problems:
1) the claw-tub faucet doesn't turn off despite the nozzle's being
turned as far as possible (with a wrench) it still drips. The other
noticeable problem is that when it is on, more water sprays out where
the shower attachment meets the faucet then comes up to the shower
head.
2) i've got to take down a tree but all of the information online is
about falling a tree. I can't do this because the tree is far too
big, too many nearby houses and telephone wires. I want to climb up
there and chainsaw it down piece by piece with a few helpers lowering
the pieces down by ropes. good plan?
3) one of the gas stoves is broken, I'm planning on calling a
professional about this though. It isn't the pilot light and the gas
connection is still working.

Thanks much in advance to everyone that replies... this is very
humbling not having a clue what to do living out on my own for the
first time.

Adam


Did you have a house inspection before the sale went through? If not,
consider finding the best, most thorough inspector you can. It may cost
you a few hundred bucks but it will be well worth it. Follow him around
as he goes through the house, bring a tape-recorder, and ask him tons
of questions.

The inspector I hired not only told me what was broken, but recommended
how I would go about fixing it. He told me which items were simple DIY
projects ("Just go to Home Depot, tell them you need to do XYZ, and
they'll show you how to do it"), and which items were best left to a
professional. He even gave me estimated cost range to fix each item.
And told me when I needed to service or replace what, so I had a
maintenance schedule. He gave me a buge binded print-out with all the
information afterwards, but it still would have helped to have a
tape-recorder because he made a lot of "off the record" advice comments
that weren't in it.

No question was too stupid for him. I think he enjoyed all my silly
questions. Kinda like having a big protective parent giving you advice.
He was very patient with me.

jen

(HopelessStudent) wrote in message . com...
Hello google group. I just bought my first home and I have a few
problems to finish up but I haven't got much of a clue what to do.
Here are the main problems:
1) the claw-tub faucet doesn't turn off despite the nozzle's being
turned as far as possible (with a wrench) it still drips. The other
noticeable problem is that when it is on, more water sprays out where
the shower attachment meets the faucet then comes up to the shower
head.
2) i've got to take down a tree but all of the information online is
about falling a tree. I can't do this because the tree is far too
big, too many nearby houses and telephone wires. I want to climb up
there and chainsaw it down piece by piece with a few helpers lowering
the pieces down by ropes. good plan?
3) one of the gas stoves is broken, I'm planning on calling a
professional about this though. It isn't the pilot light and the gas
connection is still working.

Thanks much in advance to everyone that replies... this is very
humbling not having a clue what to do living out on my own for the
first time.

Adam

1. Turn off the water supply. Start taking the leaky faucet apart.
Most likely there is a worn rubber washer inside that you can easily
replace. Go to the hardware store with your old parts and get a new
washer. If you have a shower attachment on that faucet that could be
atached in various ways. If it screws on then tighten it or put some
teflon tape on the threads.

2. Think again about the tree work. I believe tree trimming/cutting is
the highest workman's comp trade in my state. I have done this work
and it is very dangerous and 50X more dangerous for an amateur. Saws
can maim you, falling can kill you, and unexpected limb movement can
do either. Damage to the nearby homes is very possible. Approach this
work carefully and in small chunks. Liability on breaking that
telephone line includes all the lost revenue over the line by the way.
"A man has to know his limitations."

In article ,
HopelessStudent wrote:

1) the claw-tub faucet doesn't turn off despite the nozzle's being
turned as far as possible (with a wrench) it still drips. The other
noticeable problem is that when it is on, more water sprays out where
the shower attachment meets the faucet then comes up to the shower
head.

Call a plumber or handy-person to fix it. Watch what they do.
Take notes if needed. Then next time, you will know how to fix
it yourself. If you are more adventurous, go to Home Depot or
Lowes and buy the big think book that they have on how to fix
everything in your house. Start reading the chapter on plumbing.

2) i've got to take down a tree but all of the information online is
about falling a tree. I can't do this because the tree is far too
big, too many nearby houses and telephone wires. I want to climb up
there and chainsaw it down piece by piece with a few helpers lowering
the pieces down by ropes. good plan?

Good plan for getting someone killed. A fall could be fatal.
Trees are heavy, and a mistake or gust of wind could be fatal.
Hitting a power line could be fatal. Getting cut by the saw
could be nasty. Hitting another building could be a mess.
I'd suggest just calling a tree service and let the professionals
who know how to do this get the job done.

3) one of the gas stoves is broken, I'm planning on calling a
professional about this though. It isn't the pilot light and the gas
connection is still working.

It is going to cost at least $100 to get someone out and fix
this stove. Unless it is something great, I wouldn't invest that
in fixing it. You can get new gas stoves for $300. You can
probably get a new one at a scratch & dent appliance outlet store
for $200 to $250. Given that the new ones have sealed combustion
burners with automatic ignition (ie, no pilot lights), they are
a whole lot better than an older stove. I'd make the investment
in something new.

-john-

--
================================================== ==================
John A. Weeks III 952-432-2708
Newave Communications http://www.johnweeks.com
================================================== ==================

On 26 Oct 2004 05:40:38 -0700, someone wrote:

Kinda like having a big protective parent giving you advice.

Not everyone wants that. If they wanted a parent telling them what to
do, they would be living at home.

On 25 Oct 2004 23:47:03 -0700, someone wrote:


THIS IS NOT A GOOGLE GROUP.

2) i've got to take down a tree but all of the information online is
about falling a tree. I can't do this because the tree is far too
big, too many nearby houses and telephone wires. I want to climb up
there and chainsaw it down piece by piece

If you don't know WTF you are doing, the last thing you need is to be
climbing with a chainsaw. As a beginner, climb with a handsaw. Do a
little. Then re-evaluate whether this is something you really want to
take on. BTW, if you get a cheap bowsaw stuck in a collapsing cut,
its a much cheaper problem than if you got a $400 chainsaw stuck up in
a tree. You will need quite a bit of gear to climb, saw and lower
safely. Do you want to invest in all that?

Why ever did you buy a house if you are that clueless, and how did you
live the rest of your life? Even if you rent, you could try fixing
little stuff yourself rather than calling the LL for every little
thing, it's good practice if you plan on home ownership.

Good luck.

-v.

Christopher Green wrote in message . ..
On 25 Oct 2004 23:47:03 -0700,
(HopelessStudent) wrote:

Hello google group. I just bought my first home and I have a few
problems to finish up but I haven't got much of a clue what to do.
Here are the main problems:
1) the claw-tub faucet doesn't turn off despite the nozzle's being
turned as far as possible (with a wrench) it still drips. The other
noticeable problem is that when it is on, more water sprays out where
the shower attachment meets the faucet then comes up to the shower
head.

Time to learn how to fix a faucet. If this is really old-style
plumbing, you probably have worn-out washers, and the shower head may
need to be re-seated with a fresh wrapping of pipe tape. Any basic
home repair book should have decent explanations.


Yeah, every home owner should know some basic plumbing. It's one of
the easiest things you can learn to save some money. If you're not
sure what you're doing though, don't start the project on a weekend or
after hours. Just in case you make a mess of it and have to call a
plumber.
I once started a bathtub faucet replacement on the 4th of July that
turned into a disaster. I don't think the plumber was thrilled to be
there and charged accordingly.

First, go to Home Depot and get a book on Home Repairs. We have one that has
an orange cover, and it is a good all purpose book.
Second, listen to what the others said re the tree. My husband is just plain
stupid when it comes to home repairs, and risk taking, and even *he* had
enough sense to call a professional when we needed a tree cut down in our
backyard.
Next, an 'appliance repair' person isn't going to touch a gas line. Odd as
it sounds, the people that work on gas lines are licensed plumbers.
Best thing you can do is ask your neighbors for references. Go with
neighbors who have lived in your neighborhood for years. Then, check out
those referrals with the Better Business Bureau.
And last, you will learn most of what you need to learn about home ownership
the way most of us have, through the school of hard knocks.
Good luck to you,
lucy

"v" wrote in message
...
On 25 Oct 2004 23:47:03 -0700, someone wrote:


THIS IS NOT A GOOGLE GROUP.

2) i've got to take down a tree but all of the information online is
about falling a tree. I can't do this because the tree is far too
big, too many nearby houses and telephone wires. I want to climb up
there and chainsaw it down piece by piece

If you don't know WTF you are doing, the last thing you need is to be
climbing with a chainsaw. As a beginner, climb with a handsaw. Do a
little. Then re-evaluate whether this is something you really want to
take on. BTW, if you get a cheap bowsaw stuck in a collapsing cut,
its a much cheaper problem than if you got a $400 chainsaw stuck up in
a tree. You will need quite a bit of gear to climb, saw and lower
safely. Do you want to invest in all that?

Why ever did you buy a house if you are that clueless, and how did you
live the rest of your life? Even if you rent, you could try fixing
little stuff yourself rather than calling the LL for every little
thing, it's good practice if you plan on home ownership.

Good luck.

-v.