I live in coastal georgia, with wind threats from tropical cyclones. Does anyone know if we get discounts for homeowners insurance based on specific factors? For instance, we're looking at getting an IBHS Fortified roof for wind damage.
I knew we had lost the ability to set step hour begin and end hours via Google Health Settings, but as a work around, I could set the hours using the Google Health reminders and alerts in the device settings.
Now, this no longer works.
I realize that Google is trying to force us to buy their Pixels or some such thing, but I have a perfectly good watch that I can now no longer control because of the incompetence, or deliberate malfeasance, of Google.
Just received a letter from Discover telling us they're dumping our IRA CDs to an Axos bank if we don't take another option.
At least they're giving us the ability to take a full disbursement now, without penalty, so we can figure out what to do with the funds. We can also transfer the CDs to another bank, but we're losing the long term higher interest rate if we do this. And I'm not sure if Axos will honor the terms of the original IRA. (Edit: checked, and by law, it has to.)
Worst thing ever: Discover selling out to Capital One.
We're pretty excited. We come from families that believed in driving a car until it dies before you get a new one. Well, with our 2006, the only thing holding it together is the rust (Missouri winters for several years).
We're picking up a new 2026 CX-30 Select Sport tomorrow. It's my preferred Ceramic metallic/greige interior. Now that we live in hot Savannah, we wanted a light colored car.
I've been reading the manual, since there's a whole new world of driving differences in the 20 year car age gap. I know enough of the important bits to get it home safely, but did have a question.
I'm assuming if you go from Park to drive, you just hold the selector button the entire time? You don't have to do something strange like, hold the button until R and then release it to go to D? Sorry if this sounds stupid, but I have no idea how picky these things are.
I'll figure out how to pair my phone with the entertainment system when I get home. Hopefully, it's simple. Mazda doesn't show my Google Pixel Pro 8 as a compatible device, but I know it is.
Push button start. That will be novel.
Rear view camera! Wonderful.
Power seat and mirror positioning, and then memory for two drivers is also wonderful.
I won't be putting anything in the cup holder so I'll avoid the accidental seat warming thing ;-)
As soon as we're past hurricane season, I'm bringing in at four roofing companies (minimum) for replacement quotes. However, we have some issues we need quotes on and I'm trying to decide ahead of time what to ask for and how.
First of all, we have a sealed attic, and according to the experts I've read, with open cell spray foam on the deck, we should have a vapor diffusion port on the roof, as well as a small HVAC air supply into the attic. The current roof has no port, or gap of any kind, or air supply, and they cut an entry into the sealed area to allow access to the HVAC—all of which means we'll likely have decking that needs replacement (Savannah, very hot, very humid).
How familiar are roofing companies generally with vapor diffusion ports? These are required by code for permeable insulation in climate zones 1-3, and the vapor-permeable open cell foam is generally treated as air permeable because of humidity. (Took me a long time to find this one out, thank you Building Science folks.)
How much of an issue is this going to be? It's really not much different than a ridge vent, other than the gap is covered with vapor-permeable wrap. Are we likely to be charged the same for a vapor diffusion port as a ridge vent? What warning signs should we look for in the company responses to this?
Also, we have a nonworking kitchen vent. Do you think it would be cheaper just to have this removed rather than do the flashing? Would it be better, regardless? In tropical storm zones, anything like this is considered a point of failure, but how much?
Same with dryer vent. We're going with a heat pump dryer, we have had a leak from this vent during really severe tropical weather, and I don't care what the people do when we're dead and gone from the house. They can put the vent back. But are we just making things overly complex having this removed? Or again, would it be better to remove it rather than deal with flashing?
Finally, we have a dormer. We have a hipped roof and that dormer is completely unnecessary, and architecturally ugly. And it's not a decorative one, either, it actually has an opening into the attic. Why or why they didn't just do a decorative one, I don't know. We're not at risk of flooding where we're at where a dormer gives access to the roof.
We are considering asking them to quote removal of the dormer, as a separate line item. Its foundation is not tied into the roof foundation, so primarily the issue would be removing it, replacing the missing decking, and than doing the shingles.
But by even asking for these 'elimination' items (dormer, dryer and kitchen vent) are we making the job too complicated? That it would be better just to leave these items, have them flashed, and focus on the vapor diffusion port being the only 'oddity'?
And if we add these in, is it unreasonable to ask for a separate quote for each rather than folded into the whole?
Like I said, we already expect decking to have to be replaced because the sealed attic was not properly done and it's humid as heck in the attic (we have a monitor in it now).
Are we asking for trouble by asking for the extra items?
We applied for prequalification for an auto loan, and were preapproved, but that's all the info we received. We wanted the prequalified check sent to the branch, but assumed we'd get loan docs via our Navy Federal account. But evidently you can't find out _anything_ before going down?
I can't believe they at least don't make the loan docs available online so you can see at least a tentative interest rate. I don't know if I want to waste my time going down to pick something up if the interest rate is crap.
Is this really how auto loans work at Navy Federal?
We moved to Savannah (climate zone 2a) six years ago, and bought a good home (built as model home in 2009, occupied in 2011). When we bought it we noticed that the attic had spray foam on the roof deck, but there was a 3 x 4 access square cut into the wall between the garage and the rest of the attic for HVAC access. We also noticed a 13" by 63" gap cut into another wall, near a join.
We asked the inspector about it. It's nothing, we're told. When we replaced the HVAC we asked about it, and it was no biggie we're told.
It wasn't until an HVAC maintenance person a few months back that we found out that a sealed attic should be sealed. That there should have been a vapor diffusion port. Those openings should have been closed.
So we've spent the last few months trying to get up to speed so we can figure out what needs to happen as soon as the weather cools enough for people to work in the attic. This meant reading a WHOLE lot at buildingscience.com and everything Joseph Lstiburek (who is a wonderfully fun to read writer) has written on the topic.
So, here's the situation:
Spray foam is open cell, at least 6 inches for the most part. Some gaps, and we will be having these filled in. Open cell is common in the hot, humid southeast. The R value is R-21 with that depth, which is allowed according to Georgia amendments and code when the home was built, but that was dependent on a blower test, which of course, it would fail now with the big gaping holes.
The roof sustained both hail and wind damage in the last few years from Helene and other storms. Though we have architectural shingles, we've had to replace some, and we've had significant granule loss. So though this type of roof should last at least another few years, we're planning on having the roof replaced this fall.
Inside the attic, there is no indication of mold or mildew on the rafters, most of which are visible. Of course, with what we know now, there's likely rotting on roof deck, particularly near the openings. Interestingly enough, it seems like the original builder wasn't sure what he was going to do, because the spray foam was sprayed AFTER the drywall, ducts, plumbing, and wiring were installed. According to the spray foam person we had out, this is unusual for a new home. But there is no indication there was any other type of insulation in the attic. The attic is actually quite clean.
My preference would be to hire folks who know what we're talking about when it comes to sealed attics, but we're not getting reassured from responses we've had. So, we're having to go it on our own.
My plan
I am considering getting a homeowner general permit, to ensure not just the roof is inspected, but the entire attic assembly and roof is inspected when we're done...just to make sure we didn't miss anything.
We have to do the ductwork regardless, because when they installed the new 3 ton unit to replace the 2.5 ton, they didn't bother to do a static pressure check to ensure adequate return air supply. One burned out blower later (this last winter) after hundreds of static pressure faults (only found when we dug into the service menu of the smart thermostat), was when we discovered this. I set the 5 stage to max out at 3 stage for now, to prevent pressure faults. Will adjust back to 5 stage when we add the additional return and new attic duct.
And that's the plan.
Sorry for the long post, but I feel it is important to be thorough.
In people's opinion, is this a sound plan? Am I missing anything I should be considering? Appreciate any and all feedback.
Update: I did want to add that one area of confusion we had is what 'air permeable' means when it comes to insulation. Open cell spray foam is not air permeable at a certain thickness but is vapor permeable. Normally, air permeable is a term applied to fiberglass or wool insulation.
At the same time, I'm getting mixed readings on what we should do in the attic because open cell spray foam was used, and to treat it like air permeable with the diffusion port, and the air supply.
Believe it or not, with all the writing on this, there is no sweet spot, no junction of climate zone/spray foam type/sealed attic requirements that fits our situation. Not to a degree that gives me confidence that we're doing things the right way.
Other than close the gaps. That one we're 100% sure about.
I have several purchased MP3 albums from Amazon, which supposedly I can play on Alexa.
When I try, though, most of the time I'm getting "Sorry, I can't reach Amazon music".
Is Amazon deliberately undermining our ability to listen to our music unless we have an Amazon Music subscription?
I knew I had blood pressure issues last year (151/85, many times spiking to 170/90), but was dealing with eye surgeries. Just went to a new PCP this week and she prescribed 50 mg Losartan. Since I was a chronic Aleve user, I took 3 days to get that out of my system and took first dose of Losartan.
I already know it's working because I can 'hear' it work. Those of you with tinnitus will know what I'm saying. But yeah, I'm also getting that tired/dizzy feeling.
The biggest issue I have is arthritic pain without my Aleve, and for some reason my feet started swelling up. Is the foot swelling thing normal with Losartan? Also, a bit of an upset stomach...is this normal, too?
About how long will it be before my body adapts and I don't feel so washed out taking the med?
If I decide to switch from morning to evening, do you just skip the AM dose and start that evening?
Had a blood test with a new doctor. Some surprising results. I'm Vitamin D deficient, and I have subcliminal hypothroidism.
My TSH was 5.70 and my T4 was 1.23. Since this is all new to me, not sure if I should be looking at something else in the test.
The nurse called with the results, so I couldn't chat with the doctor about them. The nurse said I didn't need to take anything unless I have symptoms, but what?
In the last year, I've had several eye surgeries so I've been sedentary, and yes I gained about 25 pounds. And I'm having a hard time getting rid of it, but I'm also dealing with some mobility issues, too.
My overall blood pressure really spiked, and the doctor just put me on BP med (Losartan). My recent readings are all over the place, ranging from 133/75 all the way up to 167/95 and 170/85. (Before med, which I just got yesterday and haven't started yet.)
Questions: could the subclinical hypothyrodism account for the weight issues, or is it too minor for this? Same with blood pressure?
My mother actually had hyperthyrodism when she was younger, to the point of needing part of her thyroid removed. I know there's a familial connection when it comes to the thyroid, but does it account for an opposite issue?
Sorry for all the questions. I'm still trying to figure it all out.
We're going for a new Mazda CX-30 this year (we've had a Mazda 3 since 2006), and had been looking at 2026. However, it seems like color choices are black and black.
This is the first I've seen mention of the 2027 CX-30 in the US, and with the late fall rollout, we might wait for a 2027.
Still a bit concerned reading about the CX-30 blind spots. Are they really that bad?
I am older, overweight, quite tall, and female.
I have mild toenail fungus and evidently some bacterial infection in my toenails. OK, not uncommon. And my podiatrist prescribed Terbinafine HCl 250 MG Tablet and Ciprofloxacin HCl 500 MG Tablet.
Though the latter antibiotic has black box warnings, the issue isn't with me taking them orally.
No, the doctor's instructions are to dissolve one pill of each in water and soak my feet in the solution for 20 minutes every day.
I'm not a doctor but I do some understanding of how oral medications work. They're created so that stomach acids break the pills down, and the medication is absorbed into the bloodstream via the stomach lining.
I've searched everywhere for anything on using these oral pills as a foot soak. I can literally find nothing anywhere.
Does this treatment make sense to anyone?
I'm literally not sure what to do at this point. I can look for another podiatrist, but doctors are fairly scarce where I live, and I'm not sure how long it will be to get an appointment.
Edit: I found a way to make the change. I uninstalled the app, thinking this was the problem. But after installing it again, I went into the watch settings to make sure it was syncing with the app and there's a way to change move reminder stop and start in the watch settings. So, the Google Health Settings->Activity->Hourly Activity changes don't work...you have to set in watch settings.
Click the watch battery icon in upper left->click the watch->click Google Health reminders & alerts->click Reminders to move, and then set start and stop time.
This may have been there all the time, but I never needed it until now.
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I looked at the 'known' bug list, and it's basically a joke. I've tried reporting a bug with the new Google Health, and there's absolutely no way to do so. That 'report feedback' in the phone app obviously is not a bug reporting functionality...it's a way for Google to trash can your concerns.
Simple: be able to set the start time for hourly activity (i.e. 250 steps an hour). I can't. I haven't been able to since Google Health rolled out. They broke one of the most basic functions for the watch.
And there is literally no way to report this as a bug. One of the main reasons I have this watch, and now, it's useless.
Edit: broke as in, you try to change the start hour, and the app ignores your change. There's no way to change the start hour.
One thing I'm noticing is that I have Lionsgate movies I've bought on Prime and Vudu that aren't syncing with Movies Anywhere. When I look at the retailers page for the movie, it's showing only 4K, but I own HD.
Does this mean I'm out of luck because I bought the movie before 4K was available and haven't upgraded?
Examples: Now you See Me and Now You Seem Me 2
I have HD copies. They say they are Movies Anywhere compatible in the movie page at Vudu. But I don't see them at Movies Anywhere, and when I look at the Retailer page, they only show 4k availability.
Edit: others have these movies in HD format and they're syncing, so it's just a matter of waiting. That's a relief because a LOT of my movies are HD only, not 4K.
Long story short: our attic is unvented, with open cell spray foam on the roof deck. This works in Savannah. What doesn't is a) not providing supply air to control humidity, and b) cutting an access path between the ventless attic space and the vented attic space over the garage to maintain the HVAC.
Yes, we have an extreme humidity issue we didn't know about until finally one of our HVAC people mentioned it.
Did a ton of research, including out at buildingscience.com, and have a decent understanding of what to do. We have people coming out next week to give us quotes, and we're re-roofing this winter.
Just out of curiosity, I thought I would see what some of the AI models had to say about our situation. I checked with both Anthropic's Claude and Google's Gemini. You can share links to both, so I thought I would post both here. If nothing else, you all might find it interesting.
Not advocating for AI, just sharing.
Claude
https://claude.ai/share/f8917997-aa2f-48b7-811c-d61c5d9d8607
Gemini
I was going to use Costco to print checks for my account, but I noticed that the formatting of the account information at the bottom seems to be different than the formatting from the checks ordered at Navy Federal.
I would order at Navy federal, even though they're more expensive, but we have a joint account and the system refuses to put my partner's name on the check.
Anyone here order checks through Costco or other services and have no problems with them working with a Navy Federal checking account?
I have a Titan Plus Luxe and it isn't working out. I am looking at going for a Saatva Latex hybrid. And I don't have a spare bed, so I need to have a mattress.
How do you all handle timing et al with this type of situation? Do you get the new mattress and when it's delivered, just move the trial mattress to the garage or something for pickup?
I don't have the impression any of the mattress companies can guarantee delivery on a certain day, so I can schedule a pickup.
Trying to figure out best approach
Our home has a conditioned ventless attic, with blown insulation applied to the underside of the roof decking. In our area (Savannah), this isn't common but isn't uncommon either.
The issue is there is a big gap with one wall from the attic space over the garage, which isn't insulated, and the rest of the roof. In addition, a doorway was cut into the wall between the garage and the rest of the attic to provide access to the HVAC system.
We noticed it when we moved in, but home inspector said no big deal, and all the HVAC people we've had haven't seen it as a problem...until the latest. He noted it right away, was surprised no one said anything, because literally what we're doing is dragging in hot moist air into the attic space. And he couldn't figure out why there was the one gap, but the passage to the HVAC made sense.
OK, so we know this needs fixed. But we're also planning on replacing our roof during the cool season this fall/winter.
Question is: the attic has been this way for five years. Should we wait until we re-roof before we screw around with doing anything with the attic, in case the roofing uncovers issues? And would the roofing company be one that could fix this? Or should we bring in an insulation company now and get it fixed?
Also, what happens when you have blown insulation on the roof decking during re-roofing? Does it get knocked down by the hammering?
Anyway, appreciations for any and all advice on this one.
Still working through the HELOC. I had to contact the processor because of requests that made no sense (IRS forms when we live off retirement income, etc).
The app has gone to whatever is the loan approval process. We estimated our home value at 317,300 based on county appraisal, which is the only thing we have approaching an 'appraisal'. Real estate AVMs range from 308,000 to 328,000. It came back with an AVM of 311,945. We're cool with this, we're only tapping about 43% of our equity and this wouldn't make a difference in interest rate.
But Navy Federal stated because of this, they want to do an exterior inspection.
Stuff like this just annoys me with the company. For one, a few thousand off? And we're only tapping about 43% of available equity. For another, part of our home equity loan is for a new roof, as ours was patched from Helene. It's a solid roof, but needs replacement because well, it looks ugly patched, and there was granule loss from the repair crew crawling on the shingles. I'm concerned now that a sloppy drive by is going to tank the home value because of it.
Why on earth would a company demand an in-person appraisal because you're about 4000 off on your guesstimate? Especially when you're going with a low CLTV?
I've had the Titan Plus Luxe for about two months, and it's not working out. The problem with the edge support being poor hit me right away but I learned to drag myself into the bed (the platform frame is a bit high). But I'm having real issues now with pressure support.
It seemed decent at first, but now, it feels worse. I've developed lower swollen legs and other issues seemingly from poor pressure support. No, I didn't have these until I got this mattress.
I am heavy, (5'11" 290 pounds), but this mattress is designed for heavier people. It does feel like the springs are holding up, but the memory foam is questionable. My back support is great, but the pressure on my legs, shoulders, hips, and even heels, is painful.
I hate having to return it, but I'm afraid it's just not working out. And putting on a topper when I'm already having an issue with the height of the bed isn't feasible.
So, I'm looking for a new mattress that has the firm support of this mattress, but must, must have better pressure relief. I'm desperate for better pressure relief, and edge support. I'm tired of trying to drag myself into bed because the edge doesn't hold up.
Suggestions?