Yep, when you really need something, it fails to work! It hasn't been out of the high 20's this week, and down in the teen's at night with light snow blowing. The coldest and longest spell of cold weather we've had this year in East Tennessee, and mom's heat goes out!
I just happened to be there when we noticed a weird sound coming from the external heat/air combo unit, and noted that there was no air, thus no heat, coming through the vents. She immediately called her contact at Central City Heating & Air and got a planner-estimator to come out. The diagnosis was as expected, since she'd had trouble earlier in the fall and got a warning from the tech, it was dead!
There was nothing they could do yesterday afternoon, so a new Trane unit was ordered and plans were made for the crew to show up at 7 AM to install a new combo unit.
I fixed mom up with a couple of electric heaters and they kept the house at about 68 degrees. I 
wanted her to either come home with me or stay with Virginia, her next door neighbor, but she was concerned that if she left the pipes would freeze. There is no arguing with her, so I left her and called back a couple of times that night before bed. Every time I woke up I'd start thinking about her, but she made it with no problem. She even slept in her recliner...again, so the pipes wouldn't freeze.
wanted her to either come home with me or stay with Virginia, her next door neighbor, but she was concerned that if she left the pipes would freeze. There is no arguing with her, so I left her and called back a couple of times that night before bed. Every time I woke up I'd start thinking about her, but she made it with no problem. She even slept in her recliner...again, so the pipes wouldn't freeze.If anyone can figure out what difference that made, let me know. All I know it was the best for her piece of mind.
The workmen arrived at 7 AM as planned, and worked until about 3:30 today. It was 17 degrees when they arrived, but they all acted as if it was old hat to them!
So, everything is back to normal, she has a toasty 
house in every room now, and was back vacuuming and cleaning up after the workers. She'll be worn out tomorrow, just like she was when everyone came to visit on Christmas and left. She has to have everything clean and back in its place before she can relax.
house in every room now, and was back vacuuming and cleaning up after the workers. She'll be worn out tomorrow, just like she was when everyone came to visit on Christmas and left. She has to have everything clean and back in its place before she can relax.It does no good, really, to come to her house to celebrate family events, because she is left with the cleaning and gets all exhausted. But, it makes her happy...that's what counts.
Snow is predicted Thursday, so now we're all ready...hope you are too!
6 comments:
It always seems to happen at the best moment, don't it? Glad to see it was all taken care of.
And, I know how it is with your mom. I can't tell mine what to do ether. They're like pioneer women.
We still see them standing there with that switch!
Did you sing "I hear a Trane a'comin'..."???
Way to keep mommers toasty warm there Mushy!
Those oil-filled heaters are the "berries"! A lot safer, and efficient, than the radiant-types.
And, as your Mom has discovered, they make GREAT bun-warmers! There's never any risk of burnin' the top crust of 'em...!!!
(I only use either the 500-watt, or the 1100-watt switches, at a setting of 5 on the 'stat. But both combined at 1600-watts is a bit "iffy", due to the size & type of the plug & wire.)
You can use both, but watch---and FEEL of---that plug, right at the wall socket. If you can't hold it comfortably in a bare hand---it's too damned overloaded!(p.s.:The wires INSIDE the wall are equally hot as the OUTSIDE plug, too!)But on the lower settings, they are beautifully-safe to nap/sleep next to!
(No, my name isn't Mr. Reddy Watt, even though I DO tend to buy several kilos of watt in bulk!) But I DO know from past events, the hidden dangers of an in-the-wall fire from overloaded wiring.
Is that a CO-detector I see there? Good job! Give yourself a cookie! Equally as important as smoke detectors!
Now that I've nagged you enough for today, I'm gonna go practice my T.M.-exercises, so's my pipes don't freeze!(Well, THAT, and a HEATER in the pump-house helps, too...!)
Thanks, I'll check that out. I know she didn't have it on high.
No, that plugged in thing is actually her door bell! She needed one for her sun porch door, so I got her a wireless job. Works great! However, she does have a CO and a fire detector in her house.
So THAT'S what a door-bell looks like! Hain't never see'd one afore! Wel-l-l-l doggies!!!
Aw, those heaters will likely handle the high-settings, especially in a well-wired house. Most of the trouble comes about when the plug gets corroded from non-use during the off-seasons. Or the wall-socket gets worn down, and fits loosely. A "sour" connection can get hot FAST, and the more "juice" goin' through it, the hotter it gets.(DUH!)
I've actually re-fitted one of mine with the heavier commercial-grade plug, and used 12/3-guage grounded wire, instead of that stuff that came on it, which appeared to be the smaller, lightly-insulated 14/2-guage ungrounded.
You'd never believe the difference! Lights don't "dink" anymore when it comes on, and that plug only gets "spit-warm"...!
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