Our heating unit has been making a soft, high-pitched whining noise for some time now. What once was a weird once or twice a week thing is now several times a day. Maybe 20 times per day? All day, all night. It's driving us batty!
We originally attributed it to a baby monitor. Or electrical issues. Or...well, we weren't sure. But I remember recently thinking "that baby monitor is driving me NUTS!" I then realized that we'd stopped using a baby monitor at least 9 months ago. Huh? (No, I'm not crazy, but we'd had one continually running for 7 years, so it's kind of easy to just think it's there when it's not.)
I didn't realize how bad it was until my 7 year old said that he thought he had an ear infection. It turns out that the sound is exactly the sound he hears when he has ear infections. He never even told us he was aware of the noise up until recently. Even the 2 year old will stop what he's doing and say, "Mom...what's that noise?"
Ok. Enough is enough. Google, here I come!
My solutions for said malady were 1) replace the air filters to help increase the air going through the air return, or 2) get a service guy out as it could be a blower motor. The first remedy would cost about $3. The second one is something like $350 probably.
I opted for solution #1. Which seemed a little far-fetched being as I just replaced the air filters last fall. Right? Er, uh...no.
In my uptightness, I write the date on the air filters when I replace them. I opened up the returns and was surprised to find that the filthy filters read 7/09. Ok, fine...whatever. It's only been 6 months or so and one of them is a 3 month filter. We've certainly done worse than that. But man, they're really, really, REALLY grody.
Wait a minute. '09? As in 2009? As in A YEAR AND A HALF AGO?????
How in the world is that possible? Just another piece of evidence that time is passing by way too quickly.
The chances of this truly being a $3 fix is pretty reasonable. Here are some pictures of the nastiness - just for my friends - because that's what friends are for. To lift up those who need it, and to let them know they are not alone in their home-maintenance neglectedness, be it inadvertent or purposeful. Trust me, my friends, you are not alone.
I love my life.
Old on the left, new on the right. (Like you had to be told.)
The old one used to look *just like* the blue one.
This is a 30 day filter by the way. Oopsie!
Old. New. Old. New. We should be fired as homeowners.
2 comments:
EWWWWWW and LMAO LOL LOL
...and that should fix the issue, hope so!!
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