Friday, July 5, 2013

Mercury retrograde

It's hot in Maine. 80, maybe 90. Humid and still. Quite uncomfortable.

So of course I turned on my air conditioner, the big box in my kitchen window. For 3 years it's cooled my kitchen and living room, for those 2 months/year of a Maine summer. Yeah, July and August. Summer in Maine.

The room wasn't cooling as usual. The AC unit was moving air, but it wasn't cold air. Did this have anything to do with the gush of water on the floor last week? So much it warped the floor boards. Hmm.

It was too hot to move so I bought a room AC for $288. A colleague recommended it, "I can lift it myself! It doesn't go in the window!" Bought it, brought it home, assembled it. Had to rearrange room and didn't care for that.

Stuck a hose out a window and jammed a pan under the outlet that "might drip when interior collection unit is full." Had to empty that foil cake pan 3 times in 3 hours. The unit put out cold air in front and hot air in the back. The hose was hot. Overall, no change in room temp.

I hate to return stuff. How could I get rid of this room AC unit? Who would like it? Could I put it on the street?

This morning I called around to see about AC repair for the expensive (over $300 3 years ago) window unit.  No answer, leave a message, closed, OH finally: a real person. Yeah, "A service call starts at $300," Dawn told me. "You should just go out and buy a new one." Ok, a definitive answer is good.

So I called Home Depot to see if they would take back the room unit I bought yesterday. Took half an hour, talked to a few people. They would, and it would be helpful if I had the receipt. I probably had the receipt. Dragged my sweaty self across the room and found the receipt. Oh. bought it at Lowe's. I always get those 2 stores mixed up. Called Home Depot to confess. Called Lowe's. Got the same answer: bring it in for a return, no prob. Love that.

Disassembled, packed back in box, hot & sweaty, loaded into car. Returned room AC and bought a new window unit. Back home I managed to drag the old window unit out to the street. Free! Maybe someone will take it home. If not, hopefully the trash guys will pick it up on Tuesday. Assembled and installed the new window unit. It was blasting cool air before 11 am.

90 in Maine is too hot.