Popular home items you never want to have?

[Tyga11]

Originally Posted by bagekko

Cost is relative to each, what one person thinks it high/low may not be same to another.

In 4yrs after replacing my safety cover this summer, I am looking at $15k+ over those 4 years. Financially not a money pit to me but surely some might disagree.

My friend who just built a pool asked the company what to expect for maintenance, they we're told $1500 avg a year not considering abnormal heating, asked me about this I said electricity, water, heat are variable depending on how much you want/need. $1500 avg a year is best case, in a 5-6 month use your almost $300 a month.

I have cheap electricity and I suspect my pump costs $50-75+ a month to run, in many high electricity areas that would be 2-3x more.

All things considered there's no way a pool is $100/month in total costs for a typical person. My costs may be high and yours low, so many factors you are not considering.

My electric bill in the winter months (2400 sq ft house in Phoenix) is like $120 a month...the pool pump is minimal cost.

Water is also cheap out here believe it or not...

A new pool pump is $3000 depending on which model you pick (that's installed)

So if you have a lawn and maintain that - a pool is the same price.

[infinitekidM2C]

solar panels
pool
bbq
alexa things

[bagekko]

Yeah water, electricity, and NG are surprisingly cheap in Utah also. If nothing went wrong for me and all I needed was utilities plus chemicals I could be at your 100/month. But I know many areas in the US have much higher utility costs, friends in MA, CT, NY, RI are paying about 200/month in utility costs to run their pool for 4-5 months.

Originally Posted by Tyga11

My electric bill in the winter months (2400 sq ft house in Phoenix) is like $120 a month...the pool pump is minimal cost.

Water is also cheap out here believe it or not...

A new pool pump is $3000 depending on which model you pick (that's installed)

So if you have a lawn and maintain that - a pool is the same price.

[tranquility]

Originally Posted by sygazelle

For me, it's a home security system.

That's an interesting one, did you explain why besides you don't think you have any expensive stuff lying around and are insured?

Originally Posted by Tyga11

Why doesn't it fit your lifestyle? You don't like the idea of a refreshing swim on a hot day? It's really something you consider.

Like I said, it is very cheap and easy to maintain. There is a lot of misinformation in this thread.

Well, I'm just not into swimming and sunbathing

Did you see post #53 and others? Seems like there are varying opinions on what it actually takes to maintain a pool.

Originally Posted by bagekko

In 4yrs after replacing my safety cover this summer, I am looking at $15k+ over those 4 years. Financially not a money pit to me but surely some might disagree.

I think it's a money pit if those are the numbers. Holy moly.

[DocL]

Originally Posted by dreamingat30fps

...Also have 2 of the inflatable hot tubs...

However these inflatable ones are awesome. No mechanical maintenance. Just throw a cap of chemicals after we use it, change the filter every so often and done. If it gets too dirty just drain it and fill it again. Plus if it does break or just starts to fall apart not to concerned at under $200.

Which one do you suggest. Costco has one for a few hundred bucks. I really want an outdoor hot tub, but I'll be the only using it at my house and don't need to spend $5k if possible.

TIA.

[dreamingat30fps]

Originally Posted by bagekko

Sweet will tell the wife we'll get an inflatable hot tub for the new house we will be building in NC. Don't want to maintain both a pool and hot tub there.

Plus depending on where it's located you could use it even when it's cold out because it's heated. I love it and would take it over a pool anyday. At least a pool in NC.

Been dreading having to get a pool heater. I saw this one thing that supposedly uses the heat coming off your AC unit to heat the water. So it's basically practically free heating, at least for as long as the AC is running.

[dreamingat30fps]

Originally Posted by DocL

Which one do you suggest. Costco has one for a few hundred bucks. I really want an outdoor hot tub, but I'll be the only using it at my house and don't need to spend $5k if possible.

TIA.

I've only owned the coleman so can't comment on anything else. My first was around 2019 got the big green coleman for the FL house. Was the best thing I bought especially at the start of covid. I think I paid like $300 for that one and during covid that shit jumped to over $600.

Got a smaller newer model coleman for the NC house for around $200. Works pretty much the same, just slightly smaller, not green, better design for the control panel.

Then recently Walmart had that same smaller coleman for under $200 so I picked that one up to replace the big coleman that was starting to look a bit run down and the older control panel design was starting to peel off in the FL sun. I like this latest one because it has wifi so I can up the heat from anywhere if I feel like using it later that day or night.

I believe it's this one:
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Coleman-7...e&athbdg=L1103

But they are all pretty much the same I think. Wait for a sale I see them all the time for $200ish or less.

[bagekko]

If you have a pool house or shed close there are solar options to do cheaply, friend did this, only good if its not shaded. For our next house I may find other options especially if I can't get a NG line, my current 400k BTU heater uses a lot, if propane I would need a massive tank for the house or weekly delivery fills.

Originally Posted by dreamingat30fps

Plus depending on where it's located you could use it even when it's cold out because it's heated. I love it and would take it over a pool anyday. At least a pool in NC.

Been dreading having to get a pool heater. I saw this one thing that supposedly uses the heat coming off your AC unit to heat the water. So it's basically practically free heating, at least for as long as the AC is running.

[dreamingat30fps]

Originally Posted by bagekko

If you have a pool house or shed close there are solar options to do cheaply, friend did this, only good if its not shaded. For our next house I may find other options especially if I can't get a NG line, my current 400k BTU heater uses a lot, if propane I would need a massive tank for the house or weekly delivery fills.

Unfortunately nothing around the pool and the house is kinda far and pretty shaded. How much propane is a lot? I have been debating about electric or propane since we could do either.

[Alfisti]

Originally Posted by bagekko

Right, which is why its best to think about the average over many years. In a magical year perhaps I could be at the mythical $100/month, I have had just about every possible thing go wrong, everyone I know gets hit with at least one major thing every few years. My buddy in NY his winter cover which doesn't last more than 3-4yrs is over $1000 for a new one. Screened in pools in AZ, TX, FL, etc sure are cheaper than those north of the mason dixon. Where I am in Utah, my retractable saftey cover saves evaporation, the wind can also take a 1" off the pool in a week, plus the dust would make cleaning it a constant hassle, that cover is $5000 to replace every 5-7 years.

Interesting, my cover looks in fantastic shape, just got through it's 4th winter in Toronto. It's one of those FUCK OFF covers that can support an adult male.

[bagekko]

My house has NG for tankless water, grill, 2 kitchen cooktops, furnace, fireplace, & pool. August my NG usage was 50 CCF, Sept 225, Oct 230. Definitely did not have the house heat on in Sept/Oct so the majority of that was pool heater. 1 CCF = 100 cubic feet = 1.2 gallons. So lets say I used 200g of NG in Sept & Oct, google says propane can provide double the BTUs per CF, so maybe its not as bad as I thought. Sept & Oct would of been maybe 100 gallons of propane each month.

I definitely run the pool heater more than I should, but will be more cognizant of it this year not believing the family when they say they will be in it a lot during Sept & Oct as those gas bills last year were scary.

Originally Posted by dreamingat30fps

Unfortunately nothing around the pool and the house is kinda far and pretty shaded. How much propane is a lot? I have been debating about electric or propane since we could do either.

[Alfisti]

There's the issue, wife says to heat it then its a few degrees colder than forecasted and she still won't get in. She makes great money but fuck me she can waste it.

[2008M36MT]

A war room.

[dreamingat30fps]

Originally Posted by bagekko

My house has NG for tankless water, grill, 2 kitchen cooktops, furnace, fireplace, & pool. August my NG usage was 50 CCF, Sept 225, Oct 230. Definitely did not have the house heat on in Sept/Oct so the majority of that was pool heater. 1 CCF = 100 cubic feet = 1.2 gallons. So lets say I used 200g of NG in Sept & Oct, google says propane can provide double the BTUs per CF, so maybe its not as bad as I thought. Sept & Oct would of been maybe 100 gallons of propane each month.

I definitely run the pool heater more than I should, but will be more cognizant of it this year not believing the family when they say they will be in it a lot during Sept & Oct as those gas bills last year were scary.

We have a 350 gallon propane tank for stove, water heater, grill and furnace. We are in FL most of the winter so the furnace rarely gets used. I don't think we've used those 350 gallons in the 2 years we've owned it. However at $3.28 a gallon which is what Google says is average price of propane in NC... that's $328 for 100 gallons... $328/month is kinda steep. That's higher than my entire electric bill and water combined.

This is what I was talking about that's suppose to use the heat from your AC unit.

https://www.hotspotenergy.com/pool-heater/

[sygazelle]

Originally Posted by tranquility

That's an interesting one, did you explain why besides you don't think you have any expensive stuff lying around and are insured?

We live in a low crime area for both violent crimes and property crimes. In our lives we've never had an incident. We've never had a neighbor have an incident that we know of. For us, the chance of having a problem is not worth the hassle and the stress of running a security system. If something does happen, that's what insurance is for. In the unlikely event of a violent crime, it's not clear to me that a security system would make the situation safer anyway.

Others may have a different position on this matter. That's okay.

[bagekko]

Our wives might be identical twins lol

Originally Posted by Alfisti

There's the issue, wife says to heat it then its a few degrees colder than forecasted and she still won't get in. She makes great money but fuck me she can waste it.

[Tyga11]

Originally Posted by sygazelle

We live in a low crime area for both violent crimes and property crimes. In our lives we've never had an incident. We've never had a neighbor have an incident that we know of. For us, the chance of having a problem is not worth the hassle and the stress of running a security system. If something does happen, that's what insurance is for. In the unlikely event of a violent crime, it's not clear to me that a security system would make the situation safer anyway.

Others may have a different position on this matter. That's okay.

There is crime everywhere. Not having a security system opens you up for extreme risk (and also lowers your home owners insurance)

I have 3 panic alarms in various places...all hardwired and encrypted.

[Tyga11]

Originally Posted by tranquility

That's an interesting one, did you explain why besides you don't think you have any expensive stuff lying around and are insured?




Well, I'm just not into swimming and sunbathing

Did you see post #53 and others? Seems like there are varying opinions on what it actually takes to maintain a pool.




I think it's a money pit if those are the numbers. Holy moly.

I saw the posts and they are wrong...there is no varying opinion. You can pay a max of $150 a month for maintenance and electric is minimal.

[bagekko]

We'll you'd prolly use 1/2 or less than my bad use case. If you knew you were going to use it on a weekend could just run it starting on Friday at $5-10/day. I am really lazy about optimizing my systems use, everything automatically starts at 8am and runs till 9pm, think the heater is set to 84-86 so it runs until that temp. Even when its 100 degrees days on end the nights in July are usually 60s, so the heater runs in the morning even on the hottest days. I really should manage it better.

Thanks, will have to add that AC unit thing to my wish list for next house build looks like a great idea, with my current house the pool equipment & AC condensers are on opposite ends, connecting would be a nightmare.

Originally Posted by dreamingat30fps

We have a 350 gallon propane tank for stove, water heater, grill and furnace. We are in FL most of the winter so the furnace rarely gets used. I don't think we've used those 350 gallons in the 2 years we've owned it. However at $3.28 a gallon which is what Google says is average price of propane in NC... that's $328 for 100 gallons... $328/month is kinda steep. That's higher than my entire electric bill and water combined.

This is what I was talking about that's suppose to use the heat from your AC unit.

https://www.hotspotenergy.com/pool-heater/

[tranquility]

Originally Posted by sygazelle

We live in a low crime area for both violent crimes and property crimes. In our lives we've never had an incident. We've never had a neighbor have an incident that we know of. For us, the chance of having a problem is not worth the hassle and the stress of running a security system. If something does happen, that's what insurance is for. In the unlikely event of a violent crime, it's not clear to me that a security system would make the situation safer anyway.

Others may have a different position on this matter. That's okay.

Tx, I've lived in low crime areas also and since I live in condos, the break-in rates are supposedly much lower vs houses. Anyway, there are varying degrees of how sophisticated a security sys is....in the past I just relied upon my built-in basic door one that came w the condo and now I just have cameras. I suppose that I don't and won't need a full-fledged security sys beyond that. *knock wood*

[tranquility]

Originally Posted by Tyga11

I saw the posts and they are wrong...there is no varying opinion. You can pay a max of $150 a month for maintenance and electric is minimal.

How are they wrong? They are just reporting what costs they incurred. Just cuz you somehow have low running costs doesn't mean that *everyone* must have them too.

[Mason Hatcher]

Originally Posted by diirk

Alexa or any similar appliance
Smart thermostat that allows the govt to remote acces

Smart thermostat only allow anyone else access if you specifically authorize it.