Appliances in Cahoots
 

Sometimes I think our appliances are in a conspiracy to conk out at the same time.

My computer died, then our son's TV quit, and now our microwave oven is acting weird and not heating things properly.

All I can say to that is - you're right! All of our appliances except the washing machine, AC and fridge have died within months after the end of their warranty. So after 7 years in our 8 year old home, we have all new appliances except the washer, fridge and AC. I hate the fridge, so of course it won't quit working...and I probably just cursed the washer. AC will probably conk out the first hot day of 2015.

Oh, well.

Ooh, you are so right! One summer I had the dishwasher die, not big deal, we can wash our dishes by hand for a while. Within a day or two the clothes washer also died, (I was not going to the laundry mat - this has to be repaired or replaced) and I then get a call at work that afternoon, the microwave died. All three items were over 10 years old, so off I went to Sears to place my order. All three items were replaced and I made a salesperson very happy. Of course this happens before we were having company, so i was happy all were installed before they arrived. The morning the guests arrived my eldest daughter tells me she doesn't like the new washer because it used up too much hot water. How could that be? Yup, the water heater was doing something it was not supposed to do and my favorite plumber said it had to be replaced. I have learned not to ask, "What next?" because it doesn't take long to find out.

There's definitely something in the air! In the last few weeks, our home A/C went out, DH's truck A/C went out, our water heater went out (which caused a TON of other plumbing problems), our washing machine had a switch to go bad, and we accumulated $400+ in vet bills, milk, and supplies for a newborn kitten that was abandoned on our doorstep (I couldn't just leave it to die). We're still picking up the pieces of where DH's hours had been significantly cut over the summer, which totally wiped out our savings, so we're really struggling right now. :(

I'm sure it'll all work out in the end, but good grief! :shock:

I'm saying prayers for all of you. :)

Ah...home ownership! Always something!

sandy

Maybe Moonrise is right--something's in the air. My stove, dishwasher, and fridge are all "dying" as we speak!

Of COURSE they are in cahoots !!!

And while we're talking about it ...NEVER NEVER mention that you are about to make your last car payment ANYWHERE within hearing distance of the vehicle !!!!!

Not only do they all quit together, they do it at the worst possible time.

When DH were newly married, we volunteered to host Thanksgiving for his family. Small gathering, just about 10 people, but naturally our oven AND ancient hand-me-down microwave both died that morning. No heat at all from the oven, and terrifying sparks and buzzing from the microwave. We ended up doing the cooking at a nearby friend's house, who was out of town but gave us permission to "break in" (she told us where to find a hidden key) and use her kitchen. Thank goodness for sharing friends!

I made sure to "forget" an "extra" pie in her 'fridge as a thank-you!

It can happen to rentals also. So many tenants have to provide their own appliances. I am going to leave it at that. I don't want to jinx a thing.

The well went out the day of my son's wedding. 70 people, no water, luckily I had ordered venue style port-a potties. I didn't trust the septic. We finally ran a couple hundred feet of hose to the neighbors tank. We knew how to do this because their water went out once and they ran hose to our tank. I'm a city girl living in the country and I sure don't love it. As Woody Allen said in some movie or other... "the country is too noisy"

Once, our gas heater blower and automatic flame ignition went out -- exactly one day after the warranty expired! Talk about getting frustrated!

All appliances are made to expire within 7 yrs........iPad died 7 days after warranty! Even electronics are created that way now! Should have replacement showers every 5-6 yrs!

I'm now 62 years old and remembering when my mothers appliances would conk out.....she said always in 3's!! At least it wasn't the washer, dryer, and ice-box together!!

Funny. We just replaced our dishwasher. It died a month or so after the microwave. I don't use that appliance, but the family did. We have not replaced it, to my dd disappointment.
Hopefully we won't have anything die, although my washing machine is acting funny. I wouldn't trade home ownership for renting. We just left a rental. But it stinks to have to pay for everything ourselves.

My dishwasher quit working. The one I wanted came only in stainless and my other appliances were white. I bought the stainless dishwasher and after it was installed the fridge and oven looked like second thoughts. End of story, I got all new appliances at the same time. Any electrical appliance that is 10 years old or older uses much more energy compared to the new ones so you are saving by replacing.

Any of you see the movie where the hamsters (gerbils? Whatever...) had to foil a plot to take over the world through appliances? Yeah, and we thought it was just a movie...

It started small as in size and price tags. $6 can opener - every electric kitchen gadget followed suit it finally ended with a $600 water heater. From start to finish 6 wks to the day. During this I kept hoping the old ugly green fridge would croak, but nooo it survived. Which turned out good in the end. My DH's Aunt put my name in on a drawing at some appliance store. They came out and traded me a brand new Amana fridge with bottom freezer for my ugly fridge and small chest freezer- I no longer was using. My electric bill went down just shy of $70 a month with the E fridge and E water heater. And of course the savings was spent ''smartly'' A trip to Hancock's during their Spring Fling sale. So you see there is a silver lining to follow the black clouds. : )

Wow - what a difference in electrical costs!

Yep, it's something in the air......solar flares!! :D :D
http://www.vox.com/2014/9/12/6140209...xt-time-we-may

Jan in VA

I so agree with you. I haven't been able to use my microwave for about a month because of water leaking thru the roof due to crappy work from my ex and no money to fix it yet. My cabinets are coming off the wall so unusable. Then my little freezer, only a few yrs old crapped out and I lost all of my food. Now my washer is messing up and the warranty has expired. Its so bad that I went to buy a yogurt maker and had to make three trips to the store to finally get all the parts that came with it and that I needed to run it. I just ordered a new microwave that will be here in a week so I'm praying it'll be ok. Oh yeah, my electric lawnmower also died and I hadn't been able to cut the grass in two weeks due to the heat and rain so I get a notice from the city. He said someone with too much time on their hands complained. That was the first time in over 20 yrs. Really hard keeping the faith when it all seems to be going the other way. Good luck to you and I hope it gets better.

Didn't happen recently but I was on crutches and my husband in a body brace when the air conditioner went out then the stove developed a gas leak and had to be replaced. That was the summer from heck! We buy a water heater when the one being used gets to be 7-8 years old so when it decides to conk out we aren't frantically looking for a new one. That worked well about 2 years ago -- it died on a Sunday afternoon and we already had a new one in the garage!

They just don't make appliances to last anymore. In 1973 I went to Sears and bought a microwave (they were quite the new thing back then) It was big and heavy so in the early 80's I bought a new more compact one for my kitchen and took the old one to my beauty shop to warm up lunches etc. Well guess what? It is 41 years old and still warming up our lunches every day!! I have lost track of how many replacements we have had at home since then. Everything is made to be throw away now days:(

I totally agree. My first washer lasted for over 20 yrs. It would still wash when I retired it. I only retired it because when it was moved to build in my laundry closet, the outside cabinet broke loose from the frame. It made a big noise when you used it but it worked great. My first microwave I used for over 20 yrs. I too bought it in the 70 and paid a fortune for it. About 15yrs into it, we replaced the number pad and eventually I gave it to my son when he got his new apt. Things are made to be exposable today. Even if they last like computers, the software gets outdated and not supported but the new software isn't compatible with the old machine so you are kind of stuck. Most things I buy additional warranties if given the option, unless its under 100, then I don't bother.