During the recent severe cold spell, our furnace was not keeping our home as warm as it should. A couple trips by the repairman solved the problem and it is working as it should now.
The problem was an air filter that, while it had been cleaned, was still plugged enough that there was insufficient air flow. Once that was fixed, the house became warm again and we came out from under our blankets.
It provided a lesson in how much we take for granted the machines that keep our homes clean and comfortable. It is not until they quit or don't work properly that we learn how important they are.
I believe the most important appliance is the dishwasher. If the dishwasher and television both needed repairs at the same time and I only had enough money for one repair, the dishwasher would be fixed first.
The clothes washer is not too far behind in importance after the dishwasher.
Then there is the stove, refrigerator, followed by the water heater and the water softener, all sitting quietly doing what we depend on them to do until there is a problem.
Usually, we buy them new, and when they need repairs we realize it has been 10 or 15 years since it was new. Where did all that time go?
Sometimes I feel confident enough to attempt the repairs myself. Once the parts are installed, the repairs made and the machine is working as it should, but why do I have several screws or nuts and bolts left over? Oh well, put them in a drawer until later.
Our dishwasher has performed faithfully for around 20 years, outlasting the clothes washer and dryer. By writing this, I will probably have jinxed it and it will stop in mid-cycle with no chance of revival.
I especially enjoy the automatic features they all have. Once the start button is pushed it is just a matter of time until they complete their duties.
The furnace even decides when to turn itself on and off according to the thermostat setting. How cool is that? Or maybe warm depending on the season. But you know what I mean.
The water heater and water softener, as long as it has salt, are ignored until troublesome.
The television, on the other hand, is not that much of a necessity. Daytime programming is an abomination and there are only one or two shows each week that I really want to see. Everything else is optional.
There is my viewpoint on appliances. They range from essential to almost non-essential. As long as they perform properly, we forget about them and leave them alone, turning them on and off as needed.
But it is the dishwasher that has a soft spot in my heart, especially when we are serving meals to a large group and the machine is run twice the same day.
Just load it up, put in the soap, shut the door, hit the start and walk away. What a feeling of power!
While the dishes are being washed, a person could even watch television. Naaah.
Clayton Rye is a farmer from Hanlontown, Iowa. He can be contacted by email at crye@wctatel.net.