Our venerable Maytag dishwasher failed today after twelve years of service. And we decided it was cheaper to replace than fixing it, as it was getting to a state of multiple failure disorder. My grand ambitious goal was to have a functional dishwasher again by end of the day. And that is easier said than done in these pandemic times.
First off picking a model. This was easy as several of the models were eliminated due to the fact that we decided we needed a garburator in it. So the choice was whittled down to LG and Maytag (again). LG might be the market leader in TVs, Washers/Dryers, and refrigerators in North America, but not so much for dishwashers. So we ruled them out with the support of Consumer Reports evaluations (we have a paid service that has proven quite useful over the years), so back to another Maytag, it was.
We are also not finicky about the structure and order like some people are. We support diversity so our kitchen has a Maytag dishwasher, a Kitchenaid gas stove, a Panasonic microwave with trim kit, a GE oven, and a Samsung fridge. We are truly multicultural in the practice of appliance inclusivity.
Then, the buying process. Lowe’s, Home Depot, and Best Buy all said delivery was between three and eight weeks. The reality of the supply chain impacts due to the component shortages. Apart from the car industry, the appliance industry has been hugely impacted and things are expected to come back to normal only in 2023. Still wanted to get this done today. “No” was not an option.
Finally, I found availability at an appliance dealer who said could deliver at home on Thursday for a hundred bucks extra or for free for pickup at their nearby showroom on Saturday. Still, this was not today. So, the next option was to drive to their warehouse. A 60 km drive each way and after a two and half hour trip later, I had a dishwasher sitting at the back of my minivan.
Next step, installation. Get someone right away. But that was a challenge. Most installers wanted a few days and wanted $250 for an install. One-fourth the cost of the dishwasher. So, is doing it by myself an option? Perhaps. Then started the afternoon.
First is the removal. Not really bad, had more unexpected water inside the old dishwasher which led to extensive cleaning up, but figured out how to safely unhook the power, water and drain.
The second was to move and unpack the new dishwasher. This took a while. But then when I tried to install it, the waterline and power cables were short in length than required because this new model had these on the opposite side to the previous model. Bummer. Now I had a disheveled kitchen. So, time to give up. Yes, it was. I had done my best doing what I could take it to. And time to get a professional now. The art of getting something done is to switch tracks when the need arises. So, found a handyman from my old connections and begged him for assistance since I was in a dire state. And finally, he agreed to come in later in the evening to get it done. And for a steal, $125 - half an installer’s price to boot.
And he did. The job got done. And I could not have done it the way he did it. He addressed the shortness of the power cable and water line by installing the dishwasher first and working under it (by lying down on the floor) to connect the power line and water connections. And this required dexterity as well as small tools that could be used in that short space below the dishwasher. And experiences do count a lot. I wasn’t even a journeyman in the dishwasher install, I was an absolute novice as this was my first time. I took it as far as I could and I knew when to fold. I was proud it still got done, and on the same day as I promised myself.
I ran a test load of dishes to see that the new washer works and then I saw that handyman had forgotten to install the insulation and soundproofing liner which was lying on my dinette table. He will come back tomorrow to fix it, but that thankfully does not impact the workings of the dishwasher.
But was it a job well done? Perhaps. Did I get it done the same day? Yes. Did I learn a lot from the experience? Yes. But I forgot to tell you that while doing this install work earlier, I bumped my head into the low-hanging dinette table lights and ended up breaking a couple of the light shades. Thankfully with no damage to me except my bruised ego and the cost of fixing these light fixtures again. But then again, chalk these up to the reality called life.
To 1st Jan 2050: 11,365 days to go.
— 11,367 days to go. https://www.1littleanthro.com/p/11367-days-to-go