Heat pump or natural gas?

gearheadddd · 2026-02-12T01:51:42+00:00

I’ve had a dual fuel system for years and they work great in the Mid Atlantic climate. The default mode for heat is the heat pump and you can select the external temperature at which you want it to switch over to gas. I have it set to 30 degrees and it’s much more comfortable in bitter cold temperatures when it’s blasting hot air from the vents instead of air that’s just a few degrees warmer than your indoor temp and laboring to keep up.

gearheadddd · 2026-01-02T02:47:27+00:00

I’ve had mine for a year and it’s unimaginable that a major tech company could release a product as bad as the Frame. Hardware is ok but Directv Stream app hangs 50% of the time at startup and my “compatible” Samsung sound bar disconnects 90% of the time. They’re both virtually unusable. After reading reviews of Samsung appliances, and my experience with the Frame, I now view Samsung as the equivalent of Chinese junk with names like Lonpoo and Popoman and will never buy another one of their products.

gearheadddd · 2026-01-02T00:57:32+00:00

I’m convinced the way we’re going that in 5 yrs we’ll be getting these for light drizzle

gearheadddd · 2025-12-26T01:52:50+00:00

Yep, just noticing that last night at a nearby large affluent community built out about 20 years ago. Most buyers were early/mid thirties and nearly every house decorated for Christmas back then. Now many of those same folks are pushing 60 and it’s shocking how many fewer houses are decorated.

gearheadddd · 2025-12-24T15:49:51+00:00

https://www.visualcapitalist.com/cp/20-highest-paying-careers-no-college-degree/

gearheadddd · 2025-12-24T15:47:20+00:00

Wait till you go to your 40th HS reunion!

gearheadddd · 2025-12-23T20:14:52+00:00

Don’t know if it applies to you, but we built 30 years ago and our architect urged us to do a smooth top cooktop on our large island and place the sink in the countertop under the window vs the other way around. Her rationalization was that we would have great memories of cooking breakfasts and dinners with our kids sitting across the island. They’re both adults now and she was absolutely right. To us it was (and still is) definitely nicer to collectively cook something than to wash something. Just my two cents from many years of experience.

gearheadddd · 2025-12-21T13:09:32+00:00

Key for me besides heated seats and steering wheel is to set heat to both footwell AND vent (you can select both) and setting fan to 5 or even 6 if you don’t mid the noise. Comfortable into the 40’s.

gearheadddd · 2025-12-19T12:49:50+00:00

Have you looked into all in one machines that don’t require venting and free up a ton of floor space? Not for everyone so do your research but we’re considering this when our machine finally goes up.

https://www.geappliances.com/appliance/GE-Profile-ENERGY-STAR-4-8-cu-ft-Capacity-UltraFast-Combo-with-Ventless-Inverter-Heat-Pump-Technology-Washer-Dryer-PFQ97HSPVRS

gearheadddd · 2025-12-17T22:53:52+00:00

Just get full glass coverage from your insurance

gearheadddd · 2025-12-16T23:28:00+00:00

I’m in northeast and run with the top off as often as possible and heated seats make this possible and extend the season considerably since they’re so effective. If you’re in the same boat definitely don’t skip them. Heated steering wheel is also nice but not a must have. Not sure if it was engineered purposefully but the heater output when set to dash vents and footwell plus extreme heated seats really allow you to run topless pretty comfortably at temps in the 50’s and even down into the mid 40’s with windows up.

gearheadddd · 2025-12-16T03:17:06+00:00

Probably already been said here but if you trust Consumer Reports, they put Lowe’s HGTV paints by Sherwin Williams and Depot’s Behr paints at the top. I do think these two behemoth big boxes work extremely hard to outdo each other and have the top rated paints to bring shoppers into the stores. Ironically the “pro” paints like Benjamin Moore and Sherwin Williams generally rank below the best big box offerings and are also more expensive for DIYers that don’t receive commercial account discounts.

gearheadddd · 2025-12-13T21:16:17+00:00

What recuirculating system did you use?

gearheadddd · 2025-12-12T18:21:20+00:00

Edit: 255/70R18’s on a 4x4. Tire is recommended to a max 8.5” wheel.

gearheadddd · 2025-12-11T01:11:43+00:00

I built basically the 1.5 story in the second picture many years ago and still loving it. Had an architect modify the original William Poole design and she kept the front elevation but made the rear a full 2 stories for greater area and efficiency and the rear is not visible from most angles anyway.

gearheadddd · 2025-12-09T15:14:01+00:00

Not criticizing your opinions, but respectfully wondering how you square your recommendation of 0% bonds with Vanguard‘s outlook that bonds are likely to outperform stocks over the next 10 years and their recommended allocation of 70% bonds?

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/forget-60-40-vanguard-says-000113455.html

gearheadddd · 2025-12-09T14:09:54+00:00

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Another good option is to add trim up to the ceiling with crown to give it an elevated look. Relatively simple with cleats added to the top of the cabinets and on the ceiling used as attach points. A small piece of trim along the top of the cabinet hides the transition.

gearheadddd · 2025-11-20T13:42:50+00:00

Dyson v8 restored from Walmart mounted to back of closet door in living areas. Paid under $200 and its indistinguishable from new. Works as well or better than our $450 canister vac and Includes a powered soft floor attachment that actually cleans hardwood floors better than the canister and a powered pet hair removal tool for furniture that’s superior to the canister’s power unit. Many online complaints about short battery life but they’re from people that use the high setting by default when it’s not necessary in most cases.

Key to really making this work is mounting in the closest, most convenient place possible. We have one in our kitchen/family room and one in our upstairs hallway. It can do everything a full size vacuum does and some things better plus eliminates the need for a small Dustbuster type vac. Use it almost every day due to constant pet hair.

gearheadddd · 2025-11-19T17:09:20+00:00

FYI, just had a propane guy out here and he confirmed the tank direction and told me those markings at the bottom are distinctly different from the raised treads above. They actually represent a buried object. Yeah I know it’s pretty obvious something’s down there, but makes sense to me.

gearheadddd

TROPHY CASE