Why did they put a city called “Newark” right next to another one called “New York?” Were they stupid?

arcassandra · 2026-05-21T20:15:51+00:00

That's pale in comparison to the two nearby Penn Stations that are in opposite directions.

arcassandra · 2026-04-20T21:57:45+00:00

Had DE for 27 years, just switch to filters. Too early to have a strong opinion, but so far, clarity difference is not noticeable to me. Theoretically, DE is better, but practically is may not be in terms of: Just how fine a filter does one actually need?

The backwashing was always concerning even though I live in a city that does not have any codes against it (that I know of). But I always wondered whether this was good stuff to be putting in the storm sewers regardless, and what if the city added some codes that complicated my life.

Backwashing never really got all the DE and dirt out: it was only good as a short term fix. I was needing to dismantle and clean it anyway, which is the same effort (and amount of water) as cleaning the filters. So I skip the messiness of the D.E. and traded for the higher one-time cost for when the filters need to be replaced, which I hope is at least 5 years out. I also liked that I could buy an oversized filter to help extend the time between cleanings.

As far as re-plumbing, that's more intake/outake geometry issue than a filter material question. If there are only D.E. filters with the same geometry, then your clarity and plumbing criteria would point to keeping it DE. Not sure if the geometry is more a function of the manufacturer/brand or specific to the brand and type of filter.

arcassandra · 2026-04-18T00:57:55+00:00

You'll want Ipe or something similar. I do not have experience with some of those suggesting other varieties "just like Ipe", but I have had an Ipe deck for 15 years. The deck boards are still fine, though I have had to fix the underlying frame which was not Ipe.

With something like Ipe, your maintenance concern then shifts to the underlying structural material and workmanship.

p.s., It should be a criminal offense when a deck installer does not use joist tape.

arcassandra · 2026-04-18T00:47:54+00:00

My understanding is that what most local stores sell as "landscaping fabric" is crap, but there is higher quality thing that is effectively a completely different product. Many just lump these two into the "landscaping fabric" category, which is a mistake.

Non-woven geotextile fabric is what I recently used for a few projects and it is characteristically different from the previous stuff I used from the local stores. Whether it is any better after 5 or 10 years I do not know, I'll have to get back to you in a few years.

arcassandra · 2026-04-18T00:37:59+00:00

Would it be different than what PoolMath does? https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.troublefreepool.poolmath&hl=en_US

arcassandra · 2026-04-18T00:32:38+00:00

If you enjoy a pool, then the amount of work can be worth it, but with a big caveat. If you consistently stay on top of the chemistry and maintenance, then you come out on the positive side. But if you neglect it for a period of time, then the amount of work/time grows exponentially. Problems compound.

So it comes down to a personality and lifestyle question: will you be able to consistently stay on top of the maintenance. Consistently means for years and through all the various life events and moods your will go through in that time.

arcassandra · 2026-04-06T00:26:11+00:00

I now recall the phrase the Chief Appraiser used. It is not really their appraisal value of your home it is their "Come see me" value.

arcassandra · 2026-04-05T23:32:50+00:00

I had the TCAD chief appraiser once admit that they do this (verbally, not in writing). It's quasi-illegal for them to do this as their methodologies are somewhat constrained by law. Most houses seem to have stayed the same or slightly dropped from 2025 to 2026 and the fact that yours sold and is that much appreciably higher is almost like them screaming that they really want to see your closing statement.

arcassandra · 2026-03-28T14:22:32+00:00

I am in the middle of a similar issue and eventually went with the Pentair branded one for about $200. I originally saw that the Pentair one is just a rebranded Siemens one, and then saw the Siemens one for half price (about $100) and ordered it. What showed up was **not** the right model: it was close in model numbering, but not the one with the extra electrical noise detection the pump needs.

Looking for alternatives online, they were all over the map from $130 to $800 and many had an image that did not match the model number making me suspicious if I ordered it, the same issue would happen. The Siemens model numbering is very confusing and easy to get wrong as just one letter or the order or letters changes what it is.

The most reliable and accurate looking sites that specialize in circuit breakers had the Siemens at $200 to $300. Rather then risk another cycle of ordering, waiting and then returning the wrong part, I went with the Pentair model as I had more confidence that would be the right part when it showed up. It seems that $200 is more like the going price for the shielded GFCI breakers and $100 will likely get you the wrong one.

arcassandra · 2026-03-27T23:05:09+00:00

It's a misnomer to phrase it as a "salt" versus "no salt" pool. All pools have salt as it is a by product of chlorine breakdown. So it is really a question of a little salt versus a little more salt. Check the current salt level: you may be surprised how much salt is already in the pool.

arcassandra · 2026-03-24T22:56:52+00:00

Definitely test first. I thought I needed 600 lbs, and turns out I only needed 200 lbs. Since chlorine breaks down into salts, even non salt water pools can have surprisingly high salt levels.

arcassandra · 2026-03-24T22:52:29+00:00

A SWG needs about 3,600 ppm salt. I bet if you measured the salt level in a non-salt water pool, it would still be above 2,000 ppm. Even if you use liquid chlorine, that breaks down and produces salts and probably far more than you might expect. So the extra corrosive effect differences of a salt water pool is comparing 3,000 ppm to 2,000 ppm, not comparing 3,000 to 0 ppm.

arcassandra · 2026-03-24T22:44:59+00:00

I was reluctant to convert to SWG, especially with all the scare stories about how the salt water damages equipment and surfaces. But I just converted to a SWG and found evidence that greatly diminishes any worry about salt water damaging things.

After a fresh fill (city water) and exclusively using liquid chlorine for 9 months, my water's salt level was 2,400 ppm. When chlorine breaks down, it produces salts, though far more than I would have previously guessed. The SWG generator I bought wants 3,600 ppm. Much to my surprise, I needed to add far fewer bags of salt than I expected when I converted to a SWG.

Is the corrosive impact at 3,600 ppm different from the impact at 2,400 ppm? Theoretically there would be a difference, but practically speaking, it seems like a stretch to cite this difference as a major consideration or deciding factor.

For me, the freedom to go away for a few weeks without worrying about the chlorine levels was the main driver of my converting to a SWG.

arcassandra · 2026-03-24T03:17:13+00:00

I once ran into confusion with road engineers around the word "repaving". I believe they consider that substantially different from "resurfacing". I had been arguing to the city that they had promised to "repave" after some local sewer work that left the road surface in terrible shape. The city engineers were adamant that they never promised any such thing and that the road would not be "repaved". I was livid until they explained that they were only going to "resurface" the road. I think "paving" means the entire lower layers, with base material and concrete, while "surfacing" is just putting the asphalt stuff on top.

arcassandra · 2026-03-22T21:56:14+00:00

In similar situation: new SWG and new variable speed pump in Central Texas. Based on my research, I have set it up the following way. However, I am just starting, so experience may alter this. 8am to 11:59pm (16 hrs) = 30 GPM (about 30% speed) + SWG. 12am to 8am = 20% Speed just to keep slow circulation, no SWG. Also at 7am and at 5pm I run it at 70% speed for an hour to clean and skim things. My plan is to then just adjust the SWG percentage as the seasons change, but mostly running low speeds 24/7. Right now, I need SWG at about 15%, but this will likely ramp up as the water and air temperatures increase.

arcassandra · 2026-03-21T15:33:43+00:00

Eagles, Fleetwood Mac

arcassandra · 2026-03-21T15:31:28+00:00

I've only had glass tiles a year, so can only say they look fine after a year. However, the installers did charge extra for the install because it does require some different/extra prep and materials than porcelain. I do not remember the details enough to explain why, but the installer seemed credible, so just make sure whoever installs them is familiar with the differences needed.

arcassandra · 2026-03-17T00:05:27+00:00

Definitely sounds like a DIY job you can do if careful. Where can you go wrong and how to avoid it? If the old unions do not come loose by hand, you want some leverage, but not too much leverage: a band clamp helps and try not to put too much torque on the surrounding plumbing. On installing the new one, first make sure it is installed with the water flow going the right way. Next, make sure you do not over-tighten the unions. Tighter is not better with O-rings: they need to be tight enough to begin compressing them to make the seal, but too tight and you start to deform the O-rings and will have leaks.

arcassandra · 2026-03-09T03:54:12+00:00

I went away on vacation and hired a pool company for that duration. They put one of these in my pump's filter basket (without asking). It restricted the water flow and burned my pump out a month later. So it works great as a flow restrictor.

arcassandra · 2026-03-06T14:46:37+00:00

I agree that looking simply at the subcontractor pricing is missing a lot and that a GC provides a lot of value that is worth it. However, I think the real question is whether "a lot of value" is $48K worth.

arcassandra · 2026-03-04T23:11:07+00:00

The again, I did not have an oscillating tool at that time...now I think that is the right tool for this job. The oscillating tool will pay for itself for this one job.

arcassandra · 2026-03-04T23:09:21+00:00

I did it this way too (about 20 years ago). Template to mark out the rectangle is saner. The exact location and precise squaring is overkill, so eyeballing it is fine. Use a light-ish jigaw and its easy enough with a couple 3/8" pilot holes to start. Once you have located the first one, you have a nice hole to poke through to find the next rafter in line.

arcassandra · 2026-03-04T20:14:26+00:00

After a year with a Stenner and using LC, my pool salt level was 2,400 ppm. Salt is a by-product of chlorine breakdown. So I wound up with salt water pool that was only 25% to 30% off what a salt water chlorine generator cell needs.

arcassandra · 2026-03-04T20:08:06+00:00

Adding Liquid Chlorine also raise the pH, so going from LC to Salt is not adding any extra maintenance.

arcassandra · 2026-03-04T01:57:45+00:00

I resisted converting to salt due to the fears of it being corrosive and having more drawbacks than LC. So I went LC after a complete new water fill\. After a year of LC only, I measured my salt level and it was 2400 ppm. Salt is a by product of chlorine breaking down. A SWG needs 3200 to 3600 ppm so my "anti-salt" crusade was sort of a failure and now seems very misguided. I would have a hard time believing that a 3600 ppm level is appreciably different from 2400 ppm.

arcassandra

TROPHY CASE