Wednesday, I had GOLF, and get home to discover that the basement has a minor flood. It took a while to discover the leak was coming from the bottom of the water heater, and even longer to clean it up to a satisfactory point.
Thursday, was spent shopping around looking for a good price on a water heater. Finally, in the afternoon - one was discovered at LOWES for $340.00.
The rest of the afternoon was spent trying to locate someone to install it for under $300.
When the individuals came out Friday morning, it was discovered that, the water heater was the wrong type. What we have is a gas 48" Power Vented water heater. What I purchased was a 58" gas water heater. After discussing at length with the servicemen the proper water heater needed, I began to look.
And look and look.
I was unable to locate a 48" Power Vented hot water heater (in fact, LOWES doesn't even carry them). HOME DEPOT and MENARDS had the taller ones (58"-59"), and MENARDS even had them on sale (and one that was considered an 'open box'). But alas, it was Friday afternoon and were were bound for Wisconsin.
Eventually, a rep from SEARS informed me that retail does not sell 48" Power Vented water heaters. Well, the person that modified this place was a contractor (and from what I am discovering... a cut-rate one too. The only water supply we have is the garden hose and the cold water from the kitchen sink) which is how the 48" came to be installed. So now, we have the decision to make....Get a non-power vented water heater and re-do the duct work, or get a power-vented water heater and re-do the piping. Since there is no time with the schedule at that moment to review and test any decision, off we went ti WIS, with the issue unresolved.
While in WIS, the Memorial weekend was more of a chore-based visit. The major task at had was the dock. A few years back, the ice had shoved the dock under the steps, and now, due to the lack of rain, the end of the dock was in water too shallow for the pontoon to rest at its usual spot. So, the dock was extracted from under the stairs and moved forward about 8'.
Now...to get reach the dock, you need to jump approximately 24" onto the sandy/rocky slope. Not good for the 3 senior citizens up there.
So, a 4-step riser (three pieces; for Left, Right & Middle) were obtained and mounted, followed by the planks to extend the walking surface to the ground.
Next came the railing, and finally leveling them. (Well, they were made closer to level. I wouldn't call them 'plumb').
We arrive home Monday night after 10PM...kids asleep. We got the kids put into bed, the car emptied, and some of the items put away. Then my wife goes to bed and I research water heaters. I see HOME DEPOT is offering a sale on appliances (although hot water heaters are pictured, the sales rep & LOWES told me that water heaters are not considered "appliances" when it comes to the 'free installation'), I am not sure about MENARDS because their advertisement doesn't 'come out' until tomorrow (Tuesday JUNE 1st).
At HOME DEPOT.COM, I price a Power Vented water heater on-line and in referring to my notes from last Thursday = it is the same price. Hmmmm..... I reckon tomorrow might give me a better idea.
So, just before I go to bed, I decide to measure the height from floor-to-ceiling. Should we go with the 58" power-vented model, I want to know if we have enough room.
Naturally when I get down there, I am disagreeably surprised to discover a mild flood.
Again.
(sigh)
It is now 12:15 AM on Tuesday, June 1st. I've used the dirt-devil to vacuum up most of the water out of the carpet. I also have the dehumidifier running and the box fan on. I've checked the MENARDS add, and there is no water heater sale. I've made the measurements I need. My plan is simple, take some Ibuprofen, floss m teeth and hope tomorrow will deliver unto me the answers I need.
Here endith the blog...
Monday, May 31, 2010
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
AAADD = Know the symptoms!
I was recently diagnosed with A.A.A.D.D. = Age Activated Attention Deficit Disorder.
And I happen to know some other folks that have this as well. Due to the sensitive nature of this disorder, I won’t mention any names. However, in order for you to realize that you have it, here are the clues as to how it manifests itself:
In the morning, I return from bringing my daughter to school, and see that the lawnmower and can of gas are still sitting in the driveway from when I mowed the lawn last night. As I put them away into the shed, I notice that I had also left the door to the shed wide open last night. Putting the lawnmower and gas can away, I see the flag down on the mailbox and I realize that I didn’t get yesterday’s mail. So I head down to the end of the driveway, and see that I need to water my lilies. I grab the mail, bring it up to the house, drop it on the front steps and turn on the hose. I then remember I wanted to wash the car yesterday, and so as I head back to the garage, I notice the mail on the front steps, and decide to go through the mail first before I wash the car.
Walking inside, I put my car keys on the breezeway secretary, drop the mail on the kitchen table, and see several notices for collections. I may as well pay the bills, so I walk over to the wall organizer next to the phone and grab the cheque-book. I return to the kitchen table, sit down and as I open it up, I notice that there is only one cheque left. The extra cheques are in the desk below the phone. So I get up, and as I pass the kitchen island, I find (for the 3rd time) the cup of coffee I'd been drinking .
I grab my coffee along the way and discover that it is cold. I can drink cold coffee, but feel I need a new, fresh cup. Next to the coffee maker is a vase of flowers on the kitchen counter that I was going to water. I turn around, put the cold cup of coffee on the island, and see my notebook computer on the kitchen table, with a blinking message. As I head over to see who is trying to contact me, I discover my reading glasses that I've been searching for all morning next to the computer. I know I need to put them back in their case, and put the case back up on the counter top, so the kids don't get to them.
As I reach for the case for my glasses on the other side of the table, I spot the remote control for the TV; someone had left it on the living room floor last night.
Tonight, when it is time to watch TV, I'll be looking for the remote where it belongs, next to the TV (I won't remember that it's on the living room floor). So I decide to put it back where it belongs, but I suddenly realize I have my glasses in one hand, and their case in the other. I put them in their case, and as I bring them to the kitchen counter, I see the flowers need watering.
As I pour water in the flowers, and remember that the hose is still running outside. Distracted my this thought, I spill some water.
I set the glass I was using to pour water in the vase in the sink, grab the vase, place it on the kitchen table, then get some paper towels to wipe up the spill.
As I wipe up the spill, I hear that the hose outside is still running. I leave the paper towels to soak up the water and as I head towards the door, I see my coffee cup on the edge of the counter.
At that point, the buzzer goes off on the dryer and I head downstairs towards the laundry room.
Once I reach the bottom of the stairs, I stand there wondering what I came down here for.
At the end of the day:
-The car isn't washed,
-The hose is still running,
-The bills aren't paid,
-There is a cold cup of coffee sitting on the kitchen counter,
-The garden didn’t get watered,
-There is still only 1 cheque in my cheque book,
-I can't find the remote,
-There is a pile of paper towels on the kitchen counter near the coffee pot,
-I can't find my glasses,
-And I don't remember what I did with the car keys.
Then, when asked what I did today, I'm completely baffled. I *know* I was busy but can’t think of what I’ve done, nor do I have anything to show for it~!
I realize this is a serious problem, and so I figure it is best to document what seems to be happening and maybe see of there is away to get some help for this. But first I'll check my e-mail. As I answer/reply/delete the emails, I realize I’m squinting, and need my reading glasses. As I get up to retrieve them, I see my coffee cup is still sitting on the kitchen counter…
And I happen to know some other folks that have this as well. Due to the sensitive nature of this disorder, I won’t mention any names. However, in order for you to realize that you have it, here are the clues as to how it manifests itself:
In the morning, I return from bringing my daughter to school, and see that the lawnmower and can of gas are still sitting in the driveway from when I mowed the lawn last night. As I put them away into the shed, I notice that I had also left the door to the shed wide open last night. Putting the lawnmower and gas can away, I see the flag down on the mailbox and I realize that I didn’t get yesterday’s mail. So I head down to the end of the driveway, and see that I need to water my lilies. I grab the mail, bring it up to the house, drop it on the front steps and turn on the hose. I then remember I wanted to wash the car yesterday, and so as I head back to the garage, I notice the mail on the front steps, and decide to go through the mail first before I wash the car.
Walking inside, I put my car keys on the breezeway secretary, drop the mail on the kitchen table, and see several notices for collections. I may as well pay the bills, so I walk over to the wall organizer next to the phone and grab the cheque-book. I return to the kitchen table, sit down and as I open it up, I notice that there is only one cheque left. The extra cheques are in the desk below the phone. So I get up, and as I pass the kitchen island, I find (for the 3rd time) the cup of coffee I'd been drinking .
I grab my coffee along the way and discover that it is cold. I can drink cold coffee, but feel I need a new, fresh cup. Next to the coffee maker is a vase of flowers on the kitchen counter that I was going to water. I turn around, put the cold cup of coffee on the island, and see my notebook computer on the kitchen table, with a blinking message. As I head over to see who is trying to contact me, I discover my reading glasses that I've been searching for all morning next to the computer. I know I need to put them back in their case, and put the case back up on the counter top, so the kids don't get to them.
As I reach for the case for my glasses on the other side of the table, I spot the remote control for the TV; someone had left it on the living room floor last night.
Tonight, when it is time to watch TV, I'll be looking for the remote where it belongs, next to the TV (I won't remember that it's on the living room floor). So I decide to put it back where it belongs, but I suddenly realize I have my glasses in one hand, and their case in the other. I put them in their case, and as I bring them to the kitchen counter, I see the flowers need watering.
As I pour water in the flowers, and remember that the hose is still running outside. Distracted my this thought, I spill some water.
I set the glass I was using to pour water in the vase in the sink, grab the vase, place it on the kitchen table, then get some paper towels to wipe up the spill.
As I wipe up the spill, I hear that the hose outside is still running. I leave the paper towels to soak up the water and as I head towards the door, I see my coffee cup on the edge of the counter.
At that point, the buzzer goes off on the dryer and I head downstairs towards the laundry room.
Once I reach the bottom of the stairs, I stand there wondering what I came down here for.
At the end of the day:
-The car isn't washed,
-The hose is still running,
-The bills aren't paid,
-There is a cold cup of coffee sitting on the kitchen counter,
-The garden didn’t get watered,
-There is still only 1 cheque in my cheque book,
-I can't find the remote,
-There is a pile of paper towels on the kitchen counter near the coffee pot,
-I can't find my glasses,
-And I don't remember what I did with the car keys.
Then, when asked what I did today, I'm completely baffled. I *know* I was busy but can’t think of what I’ve done, nor do I have anything to show for it~!
I realize this is a serious problem, and so I figure it is best to document what seems to be happening and maybe see of there is away to get some help for this. But first I'll check my e-mail. As I answer/reply/delete the emails, I realize I’m squinting, and need my reading glasses. As I get up to retrieve them, I see my coffee cup is still sitting on the kitchen counter…
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