Heat and the A/C
OMG, I just tried to add the "/" in my post subject heading, but my pinky went to the upper left side of the keyboard where it is on my phone's keyboard, instead of the lower right on my computer keyboard which I'm typing on. I must be tired or something.
So, here's the deal: Our a/c compressor is basically shot to shit and not coming back. It was only a couple of weeks ago that the last ARS guy came to fix the problem, which turned out to be a short in the power going to the compressor - someone had stripped/damaged the wires. At that time, he recharged the system with freon since the level was low and our system wasn't cooling as efficiently as it should have. Today, we had a guy come out - he was supposed to be here at 10, but showed up at 8:30, causing Mom to scramble - and he gave our system a bad prognosis. All of the freon has leaked out since the last recharge two weeks ago (sorry Earth/atmosphere! We didn't know!). This means that either we can have someone come out once every couple of weeks or so and recharge the freon at $300 a time, or replace the compressor. This decision is handled by Richard, our landlord, however. The ARS guy let Richard know this, and Richard told him and us that he needed time to decide. I hope he finally realizes that it would be cheaper in the long run to replace the compressor now for $1500 or whatever, instead of going to the hassle of getting someone out here and paying $300 per visit. Because 5 visits would make up what he would pay for a new compressor. I think he just doesn't want to pay that much for a rental property. However, this is still his and we're still renting, so he needs to do this. And we certainly need it. Day before yesterday, the air conditioner was only able to bring down the inside temperature to 80 when the outside was 100. Not good at all. So we're waiting to either hear back from Richard or have the ARS guy just show up again.
That causes problems because Mom and Sis have errands they have to do today. Mom needs to get new registration stickers for her and Sis (the reason I got a ticket a couple of weeks ago was because of the expired registration). Then they're going to look at carpet, because Sis says she won't move into her room unless there's new carpet and padding installed. I can kind of understand, since the three little cats have been living in there for a year, and Abby pees on the carpet at the baseboards all the time. She can't really help it too much because the poor thing only has one kidney, but it's also just a big fuck you to us. Mom and I are going to fence in the back patio at some point, which will allow the littles to live our there and Abby can pee to her hearts content. However, that project is probably not going to happen before Sis moves in in late July. We just have too many big expenses before then to deal with - the new carpet and movers for her stuff. Mom seemed to think that carpet replacement could be done room by room. Sis's room is only 120 sq ft. I tried to explain to her that most places either charge per sq ft for installation, or have a minimum number of sq ft to do before they'll throw in installation for free. OMG I JUST HAD A GREAT IDEA. We can maybe do the replacement ourselves. Not of regular carpet - we'd have to rent too many gadgets (stretchers, gluers, etc) - but carpet tiles. We can buy a new pad and then lay down carpet tiles instead. That shouldn't be too hard for us to do. And it'd work out to the same price of doing one room, and this way Mom wouldn't have to shell out $400, but maybe only half that. Must do research.
Back to the weather and a/c: I'm really thankful that today won't get as hot because we have decent cloud cover and a 20% chance of rain. It's only getting into the mid-90s unlike the mid-100s all last week. I'm praying for rain. If I knew how to do a rain dance, I would. I told mom she should go wash her car, because that always triggers the rain.
So, here's the deal: Our a/c compressor is basically shot to shit and not coming back. It was only a couple of weeks ago that the last ARS guy came to fix the problem, which turned out to be a short in the power going to the compressor - someone had stripped/damaged the wires. At that time, he recharged the system with freon since the level was low and our system wasn't cooling as efficiently as it should have. Today, we had a guy come out - he was supposed to be here at 10, but showed up at 8:30, causing Mom to scramble - and he gave our system a bad prognosis. All of the freon has leaked out since the last recharge two weeks ago (sorry Earth/atmosphere! We didn't know!). This means that either we can have someone come out once every couple of weeks or so and recharge the freon at $300 a time, or replace the compressor. This decision is handled by Richard, our landlord, however. The ARS guy let Richard know this, and Richard told him and us that he needed time to decide. I hope he finally realizes that it would be cheaper in the long run to replace the compressor now for $1500 or whatever, instead of going to the hassle of getting someone out here and paying $300 per visit. Because 5 visits would make up what he would pay for a new compressor. I think he just doesn't want to pay that much for a rental property. However, this is still his and we're still renting, so he needs to do this. And we certainly need it. Day before yesterday, the air conditioner was only able to bring down the inside temperature to 80 when the outside was 100. Not good at all. So we're waiting to either hear back from Richard or have the ARS guy just show up again.
That causes problems because Mom and Sis have errands they have to do today. Mom needs to get new registration stickers for her and Sis (the reason I got a ticket a couple of weeks ago was because of the expired registration). Then they're going to look at carpet, because Sis says she won't move into her room unless there's new carpet and padding installed. I can kind of understand, since the three little cats have been living in there for a year, and Abby pees on the carpet at the baseboards all the time. She can't really help it too much because the poor thing only has one kidney, but it's also just a big fuck you to us. Mom and I are going to fence in the back patio at some point, which will allow the littles to live our there and Abby can pee to her hearts content. However, that project is probably not going to happen before Sis moves in in late July. We just have too many big expenses before then to deal with - the new carpet and movers for her stuff. Mom seemed to think that carpet replacement could be done room by room. Sis's room is only 120 sq ft. I tried to explain to her that most places either charge per sq ft for installation, or have a minimum number of sq ft to do before they'll throw in installation for free. OMG I JUST HAD A GREAT IDEA. We can maybe do the replacement ourselves. Not of regular carpet - we'd have to rent too many gadgets (stretchers, gluers, etc) - but carpet tiles. We can buy a new pad and then lay down carpet tiles instead. That shouldn't be too hard for us to do. And it'd work out to the same price of doing one room, and this way Mom wouldn't have to shell out $400, but maybe only half that. Must do research.
Back to the weather and a/c: I'm really thankful that today won't get as hot because we have decent cloud cover and a 20% chance of rain. It's only getting into the mid-90s unlike the mid-100s all last week. I'm praying for rain. If I knew how to do a rain dance, I would. I told mom she should go wash her car, because that always triggers the rain.