Wednesday, February 20, 2008

Hoping David Skips This One

Well the winter BLAH's are still in full force- we had wind chills of MINUS 50 here last night. I loved hearing what you all do- the music, getting enough exercise, buying spring-y or other fun things... I have to say that the music idea is one that I should have mentioned. Nothing- NOTHING- makes us all feel better than cranking the tunes and dancing around like fools. Even Marin can shake her hips. Oy.

So, here's a story about the Green Family Furnace- (and this is also the part you should skip, David):

We live in an old house. See:




It is also a big house. Our furnace has 3 zones, so that we don't have to heat all of the house equally.



Also, I have a very jack-of-all-trades husband. He's a farm boy- the youngest of eight kids. He is very smart about math and computer related things, and knows a little about just about anything/everything else. He's also a wonderful father and respectful husband. He's a good friend, kind person, and patient to the core.



But back to how he knows a bit about everything? And about how he's very smart? Weehelll, this sometimes leads to him thinking he knows more than he actually does. Because he knows a little about everything, NOT everything about everything... which can lead to some problems.



Ok, now go back to the picture. See those dormer windows? That's our finished attic (aka: the guest room), which we don't heat unless we are going to be up there. Usually, on these really cold days, it's quite cold up there... but this winter we've noticed that it's not. Huh. Weird, since it hasn't been above zero since approximately October 3rd.



David did some investigating and found the problem with our furnace- whenever any of the zones were heating, it was also heating the attic. Since we already go to the gas company each month and open our veins, this is not exactly great. After spending an evening or two puttering around with it, he came up with a solution. I could tell immediately that our 2nd floor was much warmer.



We were warmer and happier.



Until I found out how he "fixed" our problem. He stuffed a pillow in the attic vent.



HE STUFFED A PILLOW IN THE ATTIC VENT.



Oh, yes, he did.



Fire hazard, carbon monoxide issues, fucking with the furnace's airflow and perhaps causing more issues that we can't even speculate about b/c we don't know enough about furnaces?



You guys, seriously, sometimes he drives me completely up a tree.

16 comments:

Katie said...

Oh lordy! I have no idea if that is bad or not, but it certainly sounds funny (and possibly cheaper!)

I never think to turn on music...that really is a great idea!

Anonymous said...

We are married to TWIN BROTHERS. I am sure of it.

Kelsey said...

Fire!!!

That was the first thing I thought. Since we are not handy at all, we don't have the same problem. Our problem is how to keep paying the experts for all the things we can't figure out how to do ourselves.

Marie Green said...

I really have no idea if it is a fire hazard/carbon monoxide issue, but that's the point, right? THAT WE DON'T KNOW and therefore should not take chances....

Seriously, I'm so glad I ASKED him about his solution, b/c otherwise he would have just went on his merry way, never thinking twice about it. I love that man, I realy do. *sigh*

Marie Green said...

Also, Katie- yes, put on music and DANCE! That, and sticking the kids in the tub can cure most funky moods...

And swistle- I have wondered before about how similiar our husbands are... seperated at birth, possibly? =)

Cass. Just Curious said...

This is my father....at least you found out BEFORE a fire started.

Flibberty said...

I asked my "know-it-all" man about this remedy, and he thought it was perfectly appropriate. Therefore you've got two men who know nothing about furnaces agreeing that stuffing a pillow in the vent is surely the correct procedure.

Astarte said...

Men!!!! My husband likes to pretend he knows all kinds of things too, like Electrical Stuff that he knows zilch about. He can't find the spare light bulbs, for chrissakes. I'm glad you didn't have goosefeather raining down on you in your sleep!

d e v a n said...

Oh dear. That sounds like something my dh would do (and I would then shriek at him to STOP DOING!).

Kristin said...

WOW. WOW. WOW. WOW.
I don't even know how it could be justified in someones mind...that jamming a flammable ball of animal feathers in a heating vent is an acceptable solution to this problem.
WOW.

Tess said...

Oh, man, I love your house.

This is funny to me, because BR is a TOTAL know-it-all, but he is also Fire Marshal Bill, so he wouldn't have done the pillow. But he WOULD have spent thousands of hours talking to every dude at Home Depot, and calling 50 different furnace places.

Erin said...

Glad you're using the music and dancing to fight the blahs. It seriously DOES help!

The pillow story is classic. I can SO TOTALLY relate. My husband knows a lot about very little, and nothing about everything else. If something were wrong with our furnace, it would be 100% up to me to fix it.

clueless but hopeful mama said...

Oh man, the pillow?!?! That sounds like one of our solutions to things. I can totally imagine his thought process....

It absorbs really well! It'll stay in place! It's easy and free and RIGHT HERE!

BINGO! (minus the whole fire hazard issue, of course.)

Sarah said...

Wowsa... That scares the crap out of me. I am really dreading the whole furnace issue altogether; we have electric heat right now, and while it is dry and questionably efficient, at least you don't have vents and ducts and POSSIBLE FIRES.

Kristin.... said...

Just what you need in -50 degree weather... I always joke that my husband is NOT HANDY and thank the good lord every day that his father is our furnace man!

i'll keep an eye on your blog (my twins are only 1)

LoriD said...

Your house is awesome!

Yeah, I would have been the pillow stuffer and my husband (who we call Elmer the Safety Elephant) would rescue the family from my antics and tease me about it relentlessly.