So I was getting ready for work this morning, actually I was ready and sitting at my computer doing some pre-work, when I heard a really odd sound. The best way I can describe it is that it sounded like the compressor on my refrigerator kicked on, but it was at least ten times louder. So, naturally, I got up to check out what it was. When I got to my kitchen, however, I could plainly see what and where the noise was coming from…the two fire trucks outside my building. Apparently one of them was a pump truck and I was hearing the pump engaging. Obviously this was not a good sign, and seeing a hose going from the truck and into the building next to mine (which is actually connected to mine, they share an exterior wall) was an even worse sign. I had heard the sirens for the trucks but seeing as they were not blasting and lasted only a moment I had thought it was coming from the main road that I am right next to, apparently I was wrong. I am so used to hearing the sirens, seeing as we live next to a main road and less than a mile from the fire station, that I didn’t check to see where it was coming from when I did hear it. The issue was resolved rather quickly as the trucks left in under an hour. I later found out (from talking to one of the maintenance guys on my way out to work) that someone had a small grease fire in their kitchen and there was not a whole lot of damage. It did however make me realize that I have been meaning to look into getting renters insurance for a very long time. Seeing as we don’t have any, if that fire had been more serious and spread through the building we could have lost everything with no means to replace anything. So while I was on my lunch break today I got a couple of quotes and once I got home I promptly purchased my first renters insurance policy. It doesn’t actually go in to effect until February 1st, so now I just have to hope that in the next week no one burns down the apartment. Surprisingly, I do feel better knowing that I have this policy, especially after this mornings activities.
Tag Archives: Apartment
Michcon Repair
Last week I got a letter in the mail from Michcon, which is my gas supplier, stating that they needed to come out and repair my gas meter and that i should call them at the listed number to arrange a time. I called them and set the time for today, but honestly I had forgotten about it. While I was on the phone with the person setting the appointment I asked what the problem was, to which she replied she didn’t know only that the meter had been flagged as having an issue.
Fast forward to today at about 10:30am. I am sitting at work when my phone rings and the caller ID shows a number I am not familliar with. I answer and it turns out to be the guy from Michcon. He says “As I am sure you are aware of, your meter was broken and I have just finished replacing all of the gears. This should allow the meter to read correctly and you will notice new starting numbers on your bill.” To which I replied, “Oh, was that the issue? Honestly we did not know as we have not used the heat yet this winter and that is all our gas is used for.” This got a few seconds of silience to which the repair guy then replies, “Oh. Well maybe I just did all that for nothing then. Your meter was flagged as broken because the meter reader noticed the numbers had not changed for a few months.”
Ahh…needless work. What makes this funnier is that when I was on the phone making the appointment I had told the woman that we had not used our heat yet, and as such where unaware of any problem with our gas. I wonder how may service calls could be avoided if they asked questions (or listened to information freely given) first?
Iced Window
We haven’t turned the heat on in the apartment yet this winter, other than for a few minutes to make sure it was working and remember which vents the heat comes out, but it has not dropped below 64 degrees in here (and only once that low, normally it has been hovering around 67). When we have gotten cold we have just put on a warmer shirt or used a light blanket while sitting on the couch. I am not sure how much, but I know this has saved us a good bit of money so far this year.
That being said, today I was sitting in bed reading a book when I heard what sounded like water dripping, but I couldn’t figure out where it was coming from. Then Princess jumped up into the window and started acting a little odd. I noticed she kept pulling her paw back and shaking it like it was wet, so I got up and went to take a look. What I saw was rather shocking:
That is Ice, and water from melting ice, on the inside of my bedroom window. Earlier in the day I had noticed frost on the inside of my kitched window, but this is actual ice build up on the lower portion of the window. Last year in preperation for winter we had put plastic up over this window, and when we took it down in the spring I found mold on the windowsill and the paint pealing. I had no idea why this had happened, but I think I have finally figured it out.
I called the mangement office and made them aware of this situation and they told me to just chip the ice away. The woman I spoke to in the office (Kelly) said that the windows are old and tend to not be sealed all the way, she also stated that she has been trying to get corporate to replace the windows, but considering how corporat works this hasn’t been done yet.
I took the above pictures, along with a few others, as a sort of insurance plan to make sure that when the water damage on the window sill comes into question when i move it (whenever that is) I can say “Wait a minute, I pointed this out.”