if i don't come back...you'll know what happened...

**sabrelvssammy** · 02-18-2009, 05:25 PM

well i finally did it...i jumped to the next level...i have run out of things to unplug in the house so i unplugged dh's cable box...i can't help myself...the little lights and numbers were taunting me...i heard little voices in my ear..."do it...do it..." so with a grin on my face and a heavy hand i grabbed that cord and 'yanked it out of the wall'.... it went dark and silent...(i even think i heard a small whimper as it went down)....and then i sat back in all my glory and said aloud "who's the boss now huh????" and it was then that i clearly heard the box say "you have really done it now sister..."....

but i won't let that box win...oh no....it thinks it can outsmart me like the water heater tried to do...i heard the same 'tough-guy' remarks when the water heater saw me approach clutching a screwdriver...."dh is gonna KILL you if he gets stuck in a cold water shower...." it screamed at me as i twisted my screwdriver in deeper...

but so far....i have managed to make it down to the waterheater each morning and have it turned up before dh gets up (going on a month now)...my new goal is to make it to the cable box about 20mins before i think dh will be home so i can get it back on and it can reset itself....ah...the things i have to do to create harmony in this house....

so...if some day i disappear off the streets of the village...you'll know what happened....i either overslept or was stuck in traffic....
but i enjoyed myself thoroughly while i was here......

**mom23boyz** · 02-18-2009, 05:34 PM

LMAO!!!! We will send the search party after you I promise!!

**Debbie-cat** · 02-18-2009, 05:36 PM

Ha!!! Too funny!! I might have to try some of your tricks!

**Sassyclass** · 02-18-2009, 06:13 PM

That's funny. Does this mean you/we need to learn Morse Code?

Cat

**Lady_V** · 02-18-2009, 06:15 PM

I have dixie cups... who has strings?

**MomToTwoBoys** · 02-18-2009, 06:15 PM

Haha that's great!

I wish I had as much willpower as you do.

Hey, at least I beasted the thermostat...and the heat settings on the dryer...and the oven (well sort of).

I went back to shutting off the power strips when I leave the house, except for the TV/Cable Box/DVD-R one. DH just about bit my head off when I messed with it.

**sabrelvssammy** · 02-18-2009, 06:28 PM

yea..that's why DH must never know about the cablebox......

**Monner 1** · 02-18-2009, 06:36 PM

You are just too funny. Hope we hear from you tomorrow.

Monner

**sabrelvssammy** · 02-18-2009, 06:41 PM

me too....me too....

**Thevail** · 02-18-2009, 08:10 PM

I put TV, cable box, DVD, PS2 etc..on a power strip..and turn it off at night and again after DH and DD get done turning it back on in the morning for whatever.

I also unplug my microwave at night..

DH says I have to leave the stupid alarm clock plugged in though

I said..we can get a rooster..they eat bugs...he just kisses me and won't let me keep talking. I love fights at my house

**3LittleMonkeys** · 02-18-2009, 09:04 PM

What exactly are you doing to your water heater? If you are turning it down, I would be very careful about this. By doing this you are causing bacteria to grow in the tank. This bacteria will produce rotten egg smelling water. Once that happens the only way to get rid of it is to completly drain the tank and then bleach it.

http://www.uldrinkwell.com/drinkwell...egg_smell.html

Also, I mentioned this to me husband he said by fiddling with the temp everyday you might burn out your thermocouple.

http://www.temperatures.com/tcs.html

A better solution is to use a hot water tank blanket.

So again, what are you doing?

**sabrelvssammy** · 02-18-2009, 09:25 PM

well because its gas i can never turn it completely off only turn it down...don't worry it won't go below 120 degrees (i think that's the lowest anyway before bact growth)...it it a high-eff lochnivar which i paid close to a grand for...(i wanted a whole-house tankless and was talked out it by out h/c contractor and dh after we did extensive research)...so we researched and settled on this one....its a darn good one too coz there has been a couple of mornings where i have forgotten to 'bump' it up and the water has been plenty hot for showers...(that means it has been on lowest setting for over 24 hrs and still hot) i am beginning to think i might just be able to leave it on this lowest setting all the time (i am still experimenting with that one)...i have a heat booster on the dishwasher and i wash in cold water only so i do not need the 'high' temps... i e-mailed lochnivar this afternoon about putting a blanket on it coz it is in the basement and it is freezing down there (vents closed of course)... but i believe if i remember correctly they don't want their heaters 'blanketed'...i'm waiting to hear.....i think they will void the warranty....as for the themocoupler -the pilot never goes out on it so the coupler should be fine...i have had to replace MANY of those darn things on my rental properties heaters coz of the constant turning on and off of the gas by the utility co (move ins/outs...non-pmts of utilities) ugh.... at least i know how anyway....it seems like i have bought enough of those things in the past few years to send a good majority of their employees on vacation...i even keep 2-3 out in the garage at all times coz i never know when i will need one...(well-yes i do....sunday night's at 10pm)......that's the thermocoupler 'witching hour'....

and i have been using the water heater when i need 'hot' water...instead of waiting for it to heat up at the tap....just go to the heater, drain yourself a bucket and you have solved 2 problems...(no wasted water waiting for hot...and i've got my 'draining to prevent sediment build-up' done....

**sunnysky24** · 02-18-2009, 09:47 PM

i have started turning appliances off also, but not the hot water heater (propane).

**sabrelvssammy** · 02-19-2009, 01:22 PM

well i just got an e-mail from the good people at lochnivar (the people who made my water heater) and so fast...it was less than 24 hrs....TALK ABOUT GREAT SERVICE ! (or they had nothing else to do....bad economy...no sales....free time....)

they have informed me i don't have to blanket the water heater and it has a 'specially' high r-value and that's why it stays so warm...and what i am doing is A-ok......

YEA for me and YEA for my utility bill.....

now as for the cable box....got away with it ...(day 1).....and its off as we speak....

and i have now come to realize that the only thing plugged in at my house at the moment (other than power strips-turned off) is the refrigerator.... and the water heater (but it is down low) and the furnace (down low)...everything else....off by either unplug/power strip/breaker...... i have done it......

now we sit and wait....(for the bill that is)..... and YES people, i still use utilities..... at night.... (not much though).....

**amanjud** · 02-19-2009, 03:37 PM

Very funny, i've been tempted to unplug mine a time or two...one of these days i just might. Hubby already gets tweaked when he gets home from work there's only candles burning for light!