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We don't usually come out for that....

arogers

Entry posted by arogers

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I don't think I've ever blogged twice in one day, let alone hours after my last blog. I need to do a little venting.

 

As I write, in the background at a rate of about once every 35 seconds one of our smoke detectors lets out an ungodly beep...or is that bleep? No, the bleep comes from me. It started late last night - by late, I mean about 10 p.m. By the time I had everything settled down and attempted to silence the dumb thing it was about 10:45. My 5'3" frame just can't reach these 10" ceilings - I don't have a ladder and besides, I pay pretty big bucks for our apartment so somebody else can take care of these pesky things.

 

I called the maintenance person on call for "emergencies" but didn't get a call back. That was my first indication of who is on call this week-end. This morning I called back at about 8:45. The first question was whether I have a chair to get up and disengage the detector. I related my delemna - too short on one end to do the job. Last night I'd tried the "broom stick" routine he'd recommended before but when I attempted it the thing let out it's ghastly screetch and I was lucky I could calm it down to it's bleeping beep. His response to me was..."we don't usually come out for beeping smoke detectors"... my response to him was that I will just call the office when they open.

 

Now, I sure as the world wish I could have scheduled the malfunction of the little gem sometime between 8 and 4 Monday through Friday - but somehow the little irritations of life don't arrive on our schedule. Did I say I pay a pretty hefty price for a place somebody else owns, in exchange for a guarantee they will handle all these little irritants I understand I'd have to take care of if it was mine?

 

Venting....such a wonderful thing. I loved George's post about the 93% - but then there is that 7%, and for me, right now - a bleeping, screetching, beeping smoke detector falls flat in the middle of the 7%.

 

Oh - and another thing...Right in the middle of this post the electricity went off, I had to reboot the cable connection and fiddle with the printer that wanted to rebel about being disconnected so rudely.

 

AHHHH.......HMMMM......I'm grateful the electricity came back on, that I don't really have smoke that needs detecting, that I have the ability to analyze and repair little computer glitches......and that we have a roof over our heads because I think it's going to rain today. :blush:

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jriva

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Ann,

 

Oh, gosh, that would drive me crazy listen to that bleeping all day long!! Does the thing need its battery changed or is there something else that can go wrong with them? You've just given me a reason why I need to have a ladder in the house. When we downsized, I didn't keep a single ladder because I really shouldn't be on one in the first place. But I don't have maintennance to call for stuff like this.

 

Loved your other blog entry about enjoying the spring. We don't have things in bloom here in Michigan but the daffodils are close. We have a cold snap coming so who knows, they may be dusted in snow by mid week.

 

Jean

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arogers

 

Thanks Jean,

 

This is the 2nd smoke detector issue we've had. The last time they supposedly replaced all our smoke detectors with the battery operated kind. The other problem was even worse since all the detectors were tied together so if one went off they all did. I'm assuming it's got batteries. I can't tell though!

 

This is another advertisement for changing the batteries when the time changes. When I go to pay the rent today I'll mention they may want to add that to their "routine" to-do list!!!! I'm going to be sooooo popular.

 

I know spring is getting closer up north. We'll soar into the 80's early this week, then cool down to upper 60's for Easter week-end. I remember the little girls in their frilly Easter dresses up north - with turtle necks underneath!!! Sort of like trick-or-treaters with snowsuits on concealing their costumes. :hehehe:

 

Have a great day.

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bstockman

OH My that annoying beep>>>>>>>>>> yikes how did you sleep through it.. Think I maybe would have smashed it with the broom (lol)

 

I have a couple step stools.. as I am 5' and I know the person who put in my kitchen cabinets must have been 7'tall. We are in the process of changing out kitchen cabinets.. the bottom ones are in..

 

They have those long handles with pinchers on the end.. not sure how helpful for smoke detectors? I think next time I see them I will buy them... ( I do have a 6' tall husband though...lol)

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l_klakring
Dear Ann--You must have the patience of a saint. I would never be able to put up w/ that noise. Funny how maintenance people don't follow through when they are on night shift. I may be missing something, but the night shift hours are when they are working and therefore should fix problems as they arise during the evening shift. They do sleep during the day. That's one of my peeves; people who put other people off and avoid doing their job. Take Care. LK
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dstraugh

Ann,

 

That blasted bleeping is enough to wake the dead. I experienced something similar last week in my apartment. Our smoke detectors are electric and the wiring went bad. Fortunately for us, it was during daylight hours. Just gave the cat and I a scare everytime it bleeped until maintenance arrived.

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Phyllis4732

Um, those wonderful cathedral ceilings. Nice for a feeling of space but never thought about smoke detectors. I suppose they could have placed them lower on a wall where they wouldn't show. Surely all cathedral ceiling dwellings don't come with tall people or ladders.

 

I well knowthe beeping. My brother read the directions wrong and put ours up close to the kitchen - it wasn't a separate room. Everytime a piece of bread got a little well done, the alarm went off. So first the exhaust fan had to clear the air.

 

The big "selling point" of rentals is maintenance. Yeah sure! :Tantrum: :Tantrum: :Tantrum: , I did it for you. Hope it feels better now.

 

Phyllis

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arogers

Thanks all!

 

Just an update on my bleeping beeping situation....I thought the dumb thing would have died by now, but no, it is still beeping.

 

I went to the office yesterday and sure enough - they don't have listed in the "emergency" calls list beeping smoke detectors. They just don't say anything about it so there is an "out" for the maintenance people. This particular man may be in a little hot water anyway. The property manager tried to reach him all day Friday and he wouldn't answer his page - and she is on vacation this week. Apparently she needed some help with something Friday and maintenance man #2 was on vacation all last week. Sounds like a soap, doesn't it?

 

Anyway - my patience (no, I'm no saint) is worn to a frazzle. I slept by taking an Ambien, shutting the office door and our bedroom door and even placing a blanket next to the door - funny how those things are made to wake those who are comatose, isn't it?

 

Anyway, today is Monday - MONDAY - and the thing should be fixed. I tried the broom thing, by the way. The thing started screetching........however I hit it again and it went back to bleeping beeping. Thank God for small favors - beeping is better than screetching.

 

I'm so thankful for trivial problems.

 

Love you all -

 

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