Or so I thought.
Did you know that Whirlpool dryers can last up to 30 years before they crap out?
Neither did I.
Ours seemingly bit the dust last week after a relatively short 13 years. I'm sure it was original equipment in the house, along with the crappy dishwasher and the washer. Builder appliances. No big deal, right?
That is until you have no dryer and are forced to hang a clothes line in your living room. Not really something you want to do.
Trust me.
We came back from a very nice weekend in Greensboro, watching Justin graduate from college, to a dryer that would not start. You could actually hear the electricity going to the motor, but the drum wouldn't turn and the heat wouldn't come on.
I did the usual things, like checking the belt and flipping the switches on the breaker box. After doing so it actually sounded like it might work again, be brought back from the dead.
But alas, no. No spinny, no heaty, no dry-y.
Kelly actually crawled in the back, took the cover off and poked around. I crawled back there, too, but not being a dryer guy I didn't really know what I was looking at, especially since there are about three inches back there in which to live and move and do your thing.
So, call in the real dryer guy.
Three hundred and seven dollars to replace the motor.
Three hundred and seven dollars? Can you say "Ouch" with me, neighbor?
So, now I'm $307 lighter than I was this morning and the guy says to Kelly, "Did you know you were supposed to vacuum out from behind here every year?"
Um, no.
Did you?
"You're lucky you didn't have a house fire."
A house fire?
"The number one cause of house fires is dryer lint. It backs up in here very quickly."
I guess the motor was covered with dryer lint and only the tender mercies of the Lord saved us from being crispy critters in our own home.
Literally.
Believe me, I'm THANKFUL!
Now I know.
So do you.
Now get back there and vacuum it out already.
And don't make me tell you again.
Please?
