Friday, October 15, 2010

Cross boarder shopping

We are leaving the kids at home with my sister and heading with another couple down to Erie, PA to do some low tax shopping! We have been going down to Erie for the last 4 years and we enjoy it for Christmas shopping and with no tax on clothing you can't beat it. 6% tax on everything else which beats 14% in Ontario!! It will be a fun weekend and we will be checking out the great deals and having some drinks. We have bought many Christmas gifts over the years and they have things in the malls we don't have here. It is a small town but very good for shopping. Most people go to Grove City which is a little farther down the highway but Erie has the same places to shop so we save a little gas.

Anyway, with our dollar so close to the American green back, it is the best time to buy those items you can't find at home or are just cheaper than what we are used to paying. Plus it is a nice getaway for the parents to be goofy and have fun. I love my girls so much but it is nice for mommy and daddy to have some us time!!

Cheers!

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Mr. Fix-it

Well I would like to say I can fix most problems around the house when they arise but I can't fix them all. My family thinks I can and I love them for that. Recently (Last Friday) our dryer blew a fuse. I replaced the fuse and tried the dryer again. It fired up and began to spin and everything look good. Nicole called me at work and asked me if I had checked the laundry lately. I told her I didn't have a chance to but it should be good. She told me it was musty and stunk. I told her to wash it again and dry it. She called back an hour later and said the dryer was not blowing hot air and wouldn't heat up. I had no idea what to do but hit up google for any information I could find on trouble shooting no heat from the dryer.

I found so much info on this and actually learned tons of new information. Like how to use my multimeter properly, how the dryer works and not to touch it when you still have it plugged in! The last part was because I was checking a connection and accidentally touched the live wire. Anyway, I found a step by step on how to remove the heating element from your dryer to have it tested at a store or repair shop. I did get it tested and it turned out to be okay...that's what I was told. The woman showed me a picture of what it could be and I went home to do some more testing. After watching Youtube videos on fixing dryers, I found out that I must have placed a dead tube fuse back into my fuse panel and since my dryer runs off of two tubes and I guess I flipped the case they are in upside down and got the drum rolling but not the heating element. So now I know I need two fuses to make this thing work but ended up breaking a thermal cutoff which you can't buy seperately but in a kit for $42.95. I have since had someone at work solder the piece I broke so after I buy my fuses tonight on my way home from work, I hope to have heat again in the dryer and put the dryer back together properly! I will let you know how it goes with an update tomorrow!

So if there is something you don't know how to fix or have an idea but aren't completely sure, I recommend searching everything you can and then hit the project full on. If this fuse thing doesn't work I will also be searching Kijiji for a used dryer!!

Cheers!

Update: It was the stupid fuse and lucky for me the soldering job held up and laundry has been caught up!! Check the fuses first before ripping your dryer apart. Important tip from me!!