OT - Quirky Features of Your Home

SaltySam

@caliking If those are in bedrooms, it’s typically a switch for a fan/light combo.  Construction companies will wire it because it’s relatively inexpensive, but they won’t install a ceiling fan.  If the owner ever wants to add one later, they can.

I love this thread.   

JohnInCarolina

Also - bowling alley with only two lanes.  It’s nice but when we have lots of guests over it can get a little awkward!

GrateEggspectations

JohnInCarolina said:

Also - bowling alley with only two lanes.  It’s nice but when we have lots of guests over it can get a little awkward!

Only two?!? You’re really slumming it, John. 

TEXASBGE2018

Uncle Don likes alot
of gold it’s kinda quirky.

JethroVA

caliking said:

We’ve lived in this house for 10yrs. 

The first 4 of which were spent trying to figure out what the switch on the left operated. Still no clue. 

Depending on the location in the house, sometimes there is a "Christmas light switch" that powers outlets beneath the front window. 

JethroVA

Prior house so no pic.  Center of dining room floor was a button to push on the floor with your foot.  Also, in master bedroom there was a original 1930 nurse call type button.  Pressing either resulted in a bell ringing in the basement where there were servant quarters.  

Canugghead

JethroVA said:

caliking said:

We’ve lived in this house for 10yrs. 

The first 4 of which were spent trying to figure out what the switch on the left operated. Still no clue. 

Depending on the location in the house, sometimes there is a "Christmas light switch" that powers outlets beneath the front window. 

Our house has a config just like that, shame on @caliking IF he hasn't figured out something like that in ten years 

Canugghead

In our case I'm the guilty one that created this dummy switch. When we moved in this switch on the right, located on the hallway wall opposite the stairs leading down to the basement, was the only switch that controlled the light at the bottom of the stairs  , the builder took short cuts I guess. I dummied out the switch and rewired it with 3-way switches at top and bottom of stairs. Didn't bother hunting for a double plate with a dummy half, do they even make one?


Next owner will have fun trying to figure this out.

Botch

caliking said:

We’ve lived in this house for 10yrs. 

The first 4 of which were spent trying to figure out what the switch on the left operated. Still no clue. 

I lived in a small one-room apartment for one semester at SDSU, and one light switch was clear red plastic, and lit up when flipped; cool, a nightlight, I thought.
Towards Xmas break I plugged my car's block heater into my assigned outlet in the parking lot, but it didn't work.  Spoke to the property manager about it, and he asked, "Did you turn it on?  The red switch in your apartment?"
 
Oh.  

Botch

Dumbshit owner installed a fancy range hood without checking the cabinet door clearances.  
Fortunately I  Fortunately he learned that the other door cleared the hood by 3/8".  
 

 
Fun thread!  

Gulfcoastguy

ColtsFan said:

caliking said:

We’ve lived in this house for 10yrs. 

The first 4 of which were spent trying to figure out what the switch on the left operated. Still no clue. 

We have one too. No clue what it does

If your house was built in the days when living room didn’t have ceiling lights there is a answer. One light switch near the entrance controlled power to one or more power outlets that had floor lamps plugged in(or occasionally sconces) and the other controlled the outside porch lights.

caliking

Canugghead said:

JethroVA said:

caliking said:

We’ve lived in this house for 10yrs. 

The first 4 of which were spent trying to figure out what the switch on the left operated. Still no clue. 

Depending on the location in the house, sometimes there is a "Christmas light switch" that powers outlets beneath the front window. 

Our house has a config just like that, shame on @caliking IF he hasn't figured out something like that in ten years 

Did y'all miss the part where I mentioned spending 4 years trying to figure it out??  

The switch on the right operates the ceiling fan/light. Checked all the outlets in that 2nd floor TV room. And the rest of the house. Checked the attic. No basements in Houston. Checked all the outside lights too. No dice.

Now, I just flip it on or off occasionally, when I walk past it. Just waiting to see what blows up. @Canugghead - now I wonder if the previous owner did what you did!

Now that I think of it, that switch on the left may be there  to operate the fan independently from the light, but both were connected to one switch instead. 

frazzdaddy

JohnInCarolina said:

Also - bowling alley with only two lanes.  It’s nice but when we have lots of guests over it can get a little awkward!

They have one at the Biltmore just like that.

JohnInCarolina

frazzdaddy said:

JohnInCarolina said:

Also - bowling alley with only two lanes.  It’s nice but when we have lots of guests over it can get a little awkward!

They have one at the Biltmore just like that.

I don’t believe it.  We were told ours is one of a kind!   Next you’ll tell me our library looks just like the Vanderbilts’!

ColbyLang

JohnInCarolina said:

frazzdaddy said:

JohnInCarolina said:

Also - bowling alley with only two lanes.  It’s nice but when we have lots of guests over it can get a little awkward!

They have one at the Biltmore just like that.

I don’t believe it.  We were told ours is one of a kind!   Next you’ll tell me our library looks just like the Vanderbilts’!

I personally liked your pantry better. Library is a little too gaudy

johnmitchell

caliking said:

Canugghead said:

JethroVA said:

caliking said:

We’ve lived in this house for 10yrs. 

The first 4 of which were spent trying to figure out what the switch on the left operated. Still no clue. 

Depending on the location in the house, sometimes there is a "Christmas light switch" that powers outlets beneath the front window. 

Our house has a config just like that, shame on @caliking IF he hasn't figured out something like that in ten years 

Did y'all miss the part where I mentioned spending 4 years trying to figure it out??  

The switch on the right operates the ceiling fan/light. Checked all the outlets in that 2nd floor TV room. And the rest of the house. Checked the attic. No basements in Houston. Checked all the outside lights too. No dice.

Now, I just flip it on or off occasionally, when I walk past it. Just waiting to see what blows up. @Canugghead - now I wonder if the previous owner did what you did!

Now that I think of it, that switch on the left may be there  to operate the fan independently from the light, but both were connected to one switch instead. 

I am not going to be able to sleep until you chase the wall to find out where it goes!!

Canugghead

caliking said:

Canugghead said:

JethroVA said:

caliking said:

We’ve lived in this house for 10yrs. 

The first 4 of which were spent trying to figure out what the switch on the left operated. Still no clue. 

Depending on the location in the house, sometimes there is a "Christmas light switch" that powers outlets beneath the front window. 

Our house has a config just like that, shame on @caliking IF he hasn't figured out something like that in ten years 

Did y'all miss the part where I mentioned spending 4 years trying to figure it out??  

The switch on the right operates the ceiling fan/light. Checked all the outlets in that 2nd floor TV room. And the rest of the house. Checked the attic. No basements in Houston. Checked all the outside lights too. No dice.

Now, I just flip it on or off occasionally, when I walk past it. Just waiting to see what blows up. @Canugghead - now I wonder if the previous owner did what you did!

Now that I think of it, that switch on the left may be there  to operate the fan independently from the light, but both were connected to one switch instead. 

One way to find out if previous dumbshit owner did what I did... pull it out, if switch is bypassed and you see two wires capped together for no apparent reason, disconnect them and see if anything stops working?

Canugghead

Botch said:

Dumbshit owner installed a fancy range hood without checking the cabinet door clearances.  
Fortunately I  Fortunately he learned that the other door cleared the hood by 3/8".  
 

 
Fun thread!  

Easy fix, cut a slit in the door to accommodate the glass 😂

GrateEggspectations

JohnInCarolina said:

frazzdaddy said:

JohnInCarolina said:

Also - bowling alley with only two lanes.  It’s nice but when we have lots of guests over it can get a little awkward!

They have one at the Biltmore just like that.

I don’t believe it.  We were told ours is one of a kind!   Next you’ll tell me our library looks just like the Vanderbilts’!

Pretty sure this is Professor X’s study in the X-Men. Nice try, John. Nice try. 

Botch

GrateEggspectations said:
Pretty sure this is Professor X’s study in the X-Men. Nice try, John. Nice try. 

When I saw his Billiard Room, I thought "we're paying our profs too much"... took me awhile.  

ColtsFan

JohnInCarolina said:

Also - bowling alley with only two lanes.  It’s nice but when we have lots of guests over it can get a little awkward!

Meh, needs better lighting and where’s the kegerator? Even IU professors have well lit, 4 lane alleys in their homes. I expected more for a Dook prof

Gulfcoastguy

caliking said:

Canugghead said:

JethroVA said:

caliking said:

We’ve lived in this house for 10yrs. 

The first 4 of which were spent trying to figure out what the switch on the left operated. Still no clue. 

Depending on the location in the house, sometimes there is a "Christmas light switch" that powers outlets beneath the front window. 

Our house has a config just like that, shame on @caliking IF he hasn't figured out something like that in ten years 

Did y'all miss the part where I mentioned spending 4 years trying to figure it out??  

The switch on the right operates the ceiling fan/light. Checked all the outlets in that 2nd floor TV room. And the rest of the house. Checked the attic. No basements in Houston. Checked all the outside lights too. No dice.

Now, I just flip it on or off occasionally, when I walk past it. Just waiting to see what blows up. @Canugghead - now I wonder if the previous owner did what you did!

Now that I think of it, that switch on the left may be there  to operate the fan independently from the light, but both were connected to one switch instead. 

It goes to the Bat Signal.

lkapigian

caliking said:

We’ve lived in this house for 10yrs. 

The first 4 of which were spent trying to figure out what the switch on the left operated. Still no clue. 

frazzdaddy

Somebody toured the House of Vanderbilt, The Biltmore.

JohnInCarolina

frazzdaddy said:

Somebody toured the House of Vanderbilt, The Biltmore.

We did.  Somewhat against my better judgment in the middle of a pandemic, but the wife and kids have long wanted to see it during the Christmas season. 

 They were quite good about setting everything up with masks and social distancing and whatnot.  I’m glad we went.

frazzdaddy

JohnInCarolina said:

frazzdaddy said:

Somebody toured the House of Vanderbilt, The Biltmore.

We did.  Somewhat against my better judgment in the middle of a pandemic, but the wife and kids have long wanted to see it during the Christmas season. 

 They were quite good about setting everything up with masks and social distancing and whatnot.  I’m glad we went.

I am a big fan. The engineering alone is amazing.

Kayak

Someone on another thread posted about replacing two prong outlets with three prong standard outlets. Imagine the fun of the next owners. "We've lost three kids to electrocution! What's going on with these grounded outlets? If only someone had used GFCI's and put the little stickers on them!"

CornfedMA

@nolaegghead Dumps should always be discouraged at dinner parties. I’ve been known to let a buddy or 2 sneak off to play a “road game” and use the master bath at a few of our dinner parties. I’ve known these guys since college and many are still savages when it comes to such things. 

JohnInCarolina

CornfedMA said:

@nolaegghead Dumps should always be discouraged at dinner parties. I’ve been known to let a buddy or 2 sneak off to play a “road game” and use the master bath at a few of our dinner parties. I’ve known these guys since college and many are still savages when it comes to such things. 

dmchicago

"road game"?