After a lot of people suggested I get a UBS at least to deal with the router and modem, I went looking on Amazon and realized I don’t know anything about what I need. Nothing at all. I used to rely on APC, but their ratings have dropped precipitously. So now, I have no idea what would be a good buy.
Home
Owen says he has a friend who may have some answers, so I await information. The problem is that the UPS doesn’t give much power. Twenty to 30 minutes for things I can afford which would at least avoid the mini outages we get from our internet provider.
If we want to be really SAFE, we’d need a generator — and that’s big money. The generator isn’t expensive, but its installation is a major event and definitely not a DIY job. Something that would keep the water pump, refrigerators, lights, boiler, and maybe the TV running is a medium-home-sized unit, but by the time you get it installed, you are looking at thousands of dollars. Hospitals and other life-and-death places use huge generators.
Small, medium, or big, it is not happening. First, we need a boiler, a new deck, and a few replacement windows. And a big dehumidifier for the lower level to keep the mold away.
I feel as if we are buying the house a second time. I know it sounds stupid, but I somehow thought that once you fixed something, that was it. Done.
The new hot water system attached to the old boiler.
Who knew we’d still be living here when the roof we put in when we moved here started to deteriorate? Or when the 12-year-old boiler would suddenly (and startlingly) be a 31-year-old boiler 20 years later? Who imagined we’d still be living here 20 years later?
Who expected to need three hot water heaters, new pipes, three new well pumps — not to mention a new well. Life goes around, comes around. The problem is the money doesn’t necessarily show up at the same time.
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Categories: Architecture, House and home, Marilyn Armstrong, Photography
SERENDIPITY: SEEKING INTELLIGENT LIFE ON EARTH 
17 years ago we spent extra for 25 year roofing shingles.
About 7 years ago we put solar panels on our roof. Both seemed like smart moves.
But the material the shingles were made of was defective and the roof needs to be replaced.
We’ve been told there is no recourse with the shingle manufacturer, their warranty is worthless.
But to replace the roof we have to have the solar panels removed and re-installed. This will cost about 75% of the lowest price I have received for a new roof.
So much for warranties and so much for saving money with solar panels.
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Some how a generator sounds like a very good idea…
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So does a boiler. I think the boiler needs to come first. It also gets a 7-year 0% loan from the electric company (but it’s an oil furnace). 0% is as good as it gets, so I think we’ll take it.
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I wonder when they’ll come out with a more ecological and efficient furnace?
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I’ve had the same thoughts, although I hope I die before 20 years is spent in this home. I couldn’t afford another one in any case, so it’s learn to live with the problem. IF I’d been wiser (and older) in 2013 when I bought my house, I’d have opted for a unit in an assisted living commune somewhere. But I was ‘too young’ to qualify to go to such a place IF I’d wanted to then (I didn’t). Now the cost of even a studio apartment in such facilities is beyond what I can afford even if they do provide nutritious meals and one has their own space. I’m sure my dogs wouldn’t adapt to apartment living very well and then the largest problem is what to do with all my stuff? Pros and cons to renting (leasing or whatever) versus owning one’s own space. Pro to the owning is that one is (theoretically) free to enjoy life on one’s own terms. Con to that? Exactly what you’ve described. Things wear out and deteriorate, and who is responsible for fixing all that? The owner. It’s a young person’s game.
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I’ve seen what really living in those places is like and I think unless someone forces me to do it, here is where I’ll stay. But houses need work. They all do and it never ends. That is why they are called “money pits.”
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A generator would be handy here too now that if the power goes out I lose water as well as light and heat but it’s not going to happen. Too many other things need to be done. The UPS would at least tide you over those stupid short power outages that switch everything off for a few minutes. At least with laptop computers, they just go to the battery but if you still use a desktop for anything it would give you time to save your work too.
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I wanted one when we moved in, but we ran out of money before we ran out of good ideas.
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Isn’t that always the way?
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A generator is really the only way to go. UPS/APC power supplies are only designed to give you time to shut down those devices that would be harmed with a sudden loss of power.
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Got a few thousand in spare cash? As it happens, I don’t.
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And Jesus thinks a big hole has opened up under my bedroom ad maybe more.. contractor coming tomorrow.. always something. Good luck.. xoox
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Is it an old basement or water storage area? Be careful because we had those in Israel and you could be standing in your backyard and suddenly, the ground opens up and you drown in sand and dirt. Seriously, be really careful.
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I think the ground shifted after the big avalanche nine or ten years ago..that was when the cracks started to develop. There is nothing under there.. just earth, supposedly.
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I bought my house new.. so no hidden rooms underneath.
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Sink Hole.., has the potential to swallow both you and your house if serious enough. Not good.
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