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Re: Home and garden projects
Originally Posted by petitefrancaise
(Post 12296360)
...
Then I realised that when we lived in the south of France, we coped quite happily with indoor temps of 76-78F, no air con there. So I slowly put the temperature up on the thermostats and no-one seemed to notice. If I have guests I lower the temperature for them. I hate being in overly air conditioned environments being blasted with cold air. It seems ludicrous that when I go to a mall, cinema or restaurant I have to take a cardigan or at least a scarf with me.
Originally Posted by Pulaski
(Post 12296336)
It might be possible to poke around behind a light fitting in the ceiling to look for insulation, but you would need to take the light fitting down.
Otherwise there isn't a certain way without poking a hole through from one side or the other, but if you tap the garage ceiling and it will sound hollow, echoy if the void above is empty and kinda dead/dull if there is insulation up there. Try comparing the sound to tapping on a ceiling that you know has insulation above, and hear how different it sounds from a ceiling that you know isn't insulated e.g. any room downstairs with a room above. |
Re: Home and garden projects
Originally Posted by petitefrancaise
(Post 12296360)
I hate being in overly air conditioned environments being blasted with cold air.
Originally Posted by petitefrancaise
(Post 12296367)
ot of interest, what temp do you heat your house to in the winter?
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Re: Home and garden projects
Lots of posts here about pools recently. We are looking at buying another home (replacement) in Scottsdale, and a lot of homes have pools. We have no interest whatsoever in a pool, and yet it occupies a significant portion of many back yards, so my question is - is it practical to 'cover' a pool semi-permanently without having to completely remove / destroy / fill it in, such that when it comes time to sell, you can restore the pool to usable condition? I can imagine building some kind of structure that would present a level surface, suitable for walking on/landscaping/etc, without having to fully fill the pool ... but i can also imagine it would be impractical. Can it be done?
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Re: Home and garden projects
This afternoon's job is to fix the brakes on my 30 year old "Londoner" road/touring bike.... anyone else have one of those? Fantastic light reynolds frame, a dream to ride. This bike has been all over Europe with me. I bought as a student and it cost me about 2 months' food (drink!!) allowance. Little bits needed to be replaced over the years but a good bike that has lasted. It has drop handlebars and the gearing is suited to covering the miles on a flattish road. In France I bought a different bike (MBK) more suited to having a kiddie seat on the back and doing boulangerie runs!
Now, eldest has had the Londoner at UT for the last 2 years to get around campus. Apparently, no one will want to nick it because well, it's 30 years old... FB has given her money towards a new bike so she now has a swish new one. And youngest has just gone off to Colorado with the french MBK. |
Re: Home and garden projects
Originally Posted by Steerpike
(Post 12296402)
Lots of posts here about pools recently. We are looking at buying another home (replacement) in Scottsdale, and a lot of homes have pools. We have no interest whatsoever in a pool, and yet it occupies a significant portion of many back yards, so my question is - is it practical to 'cover' a pool semi-permanently without having to completely remove / destroy / fill it in, such that when it comes time to sell, you can restore the pool to usable condition? I can imagine building some kind of structure that would present a level surface, suitable for walking on/landscaping/etc, without having to fully fill the pool ... but i can also imagine it would be impractical. Can it be done?
try asking on troublefreepool.com to see if anyone has done it? I LOVE my pool, mostly. It makes living in a hot climate bearable. |
Re: Home and garden projects
Originally Posted by Steerpike
(Post 12296402)
Lots of posts here about pools recently. We are looking at buying another home (replacement) in Scottsdale, and a lot of homes have pools. We have no interest whatsoever in a pool, and yet it occupies a significant portion of many back yards, so my question is - is it practical to 'cover' a pool semi-permanently without having to completely remove / destroy / fill it in, such that when it comes time to sell, you can restore the pool to usable condition? I can imagine building some kind of structure that would present a level surface, suitable for walking on/landscaping/etc, without having to fully fill the pool ... but i can also imagine it would be impractical. Can it be done?
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Re: Home and garden projects
https://www.troublefreepool.com/thre...in-Any-options I would argue with some of the figures from deckover video about pool running costs. $2500 pa?? Maybe if you brought in a pool company for maintenance. I budget $25 a month for bleach/muriatic acid/bits and bobs. Water and electricity? maybe $50-75 extra. My pool doesn't get winterised either because it hardly gets cold enough here. |
Re: Home and garden projects
Originally Posted by petitefrancaise
(Post 12296360)
Then I realised that when we lived in the south of France, we coped quite happily with indoor temps of 76-78F, no air con there. So I slowly put the temperature up on the thermostats and no-one seemed to notice. If I have guests I lower the temperature for them.
I hate being in overly air conditioned environments being blasted with cold air. It seems ludicrous that when I go to a mall, cinema or restaurant I have to take a cardigan or at least a scarf with me.
Originally Posted by Nutmegger
(Post 12296392)
The first thing I learned when I came to the US was, do take a sweater everywhere in summer, or you'll freeze.
Originally Posted by Steerpike
(Post 12296398)
Wow, I'm not alone! I'm in Scottsdale at the moment, and the daytime temps are hitting 105-110 every day. I have my thermostat set to 78, and I love it. Anything lower than that is too cold. And like you, I carry a spare jacket in the car so I can cope with restaurants that seem to think everyone wants to sit in 58 degree air (my theory is, the temp is set by the workers who are running around, without regard for patrons who are dressed in next-to-nothing due to the heat!).
We have no whole-house AC system here, but rely on two small window AC units for our 3 bed house. Summer temperatures outside usually only go up into the high 80sF (and that never lasts) here in New England anyway. We find our house stays perfectly comfortable even with the indoor thermometer showing mid-80's. We have a few mature trees shading the house at all times & almost constant ocean breezes (humid as they can sometimes be). So we do fine with a few fans blowing, & we barely use the window AC units...since they're such a pain to put in & take out, & then block up the natural light/air of the windows they're set into. Sometimes our American house guests complain a bit about the summer heat, but we tell them to visit us next time during the "shoulder seasons" instead of in the height of summer. :lol: :D |
Re: Home and garden projects
Originally Posted by petitefrancaise
(Post 12296482)
yeah, also mentioned recently on tfp
https://www.troublefreepool.com/thre...in-Any-options I would argue with some of the figures from deckover video about pool running costs. $2500 pa?? Maybe if you brought in a pool company for maintenance. I budget $25 a month for bleach/muriatic acid/bits and bobs. Water and electricity? maybe $50-75 extra. My pool doesn't get winterised either because it hardly gets cold enough here. |
Re: Home and garden projects
Originally Posted by Steerpike
(Post 12296402)
Lots of posts here about pools recently. We are looking at buying another home (replacement) in Scottsdale, and a lot of homes have pools. We have no interest whatsoever in a pool, and yet it occupies a significant portion of many back yards, so my question is - is it practical to 'cover' a pool semi-permanently without having to completely remove / destroy / fill it in, such that when it comes time to sell, you can restore the pool to usable condition? I can imagine building some kind of structure that would present a level surface, suitable for walking on/landscaping/etc, without having to fully fill the pool ... but i can also imagine it would be impractical. Can it be done?
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Re: Home and garden projects
Originally Posted by Steerpike
(Post 12296600)
I'll certainly keep that in mind! Does it address the concern expressed by Petite regarding internal pressure on the pool walls?
What temp do you keep the water at? I would have thought heating the pool would drive you above those costs in all but the very hottest months. If the water temperature gets low enough (?16F) then you can add winterisation chemicals that will stop algae for just about the whole winter. Then you just forget about the pool until you are ready to startup again. We did this in France. Here in Austin, it's only low enough temps to do this for maybe 3 months so it's not worth it. I just keep the chlorine at the right level which is no chore at all since it hardly gets through it in the winter. I did heat the pool once, my son said he'd like a pool party for his birthday. In January! Well, 26k gallons in January took 2/3 of the tank of gas. About $250 to heat. Hmm. |
Re: Home and garden projects
Originally Posted by petitefrancaise
(Post 12296614)
I don't heat it at all.
If the water temperature gets low enough (?16F) then you can add winterisation chemicals that will stop algae for just about the whole winter. Then you just forget about the pool until you are ready to startup again. We did this in France. Here in Austin, it's only low enough temps to do this for maybe 3 months so it's not worth it. I just keep the chlorine at the right level which is no chore at all since it hardly gets through it in the winter. I did heat the pool once, my son said he'd like a pool party for his birthday. In January! Well, 26k gallons in January took 2/3 of the tank of gas. About $250 to heat. Hmm. |
Re: Home and garden projects
Originally Posted by Nutek
(Post 12296401)
That feeling you get when you walk through the department store door... I want that in my house. ;)
I think the house is set to 72 right now. That will go up a bit in winter. My car is at 68, as is my office |
Re: Home and garden projects
Originally Posted by Steerpike
(Post 12296627)
so doesn't that answer your question about the figures presented by the site above - I think the 'average' Pool owner heats their pool for comfort reasons, so that may explain why their figures are more than double yours!
Certainly not around here and the figure quoted on their website was for this person living here in Austin. My water is warm enough to swim in end April until Mid October. |
Re: Home and garden projects
Originally Posted by Steerpike
(Post 12296630)
So you are one of those strange folk who have a higher winter temp and a lower summer temp?! If you can take something higher than 72 in winter, why not in summer ...? You are certainly not alone I'm sure!
Mrs. N. likes it a bit warmer than I do. |
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