 |
| Our old microwave proved reluctant to leave home. (I guess it liked us or something). |
A few years ago, our over-the-stove microwave packed up. As we had never gotten around to selling our old
countertop model from our previous house, we carried it in from the
garage. The countertop microwave took up
a lot of space. Soon, we vowed, we would
replace our old over-the-stove model.
Last November, we headed out to Home Depot on Black
Friday. We were going there to purchase
a new dishwasher, as our old one had given up the ghost a few years before the
microwave. Assured by the sales staff
that all microwaves were all the same size, we also purchased another
over-the-counter model, along with a three-year extended warranty. We would be leaving the following weekend on
travel, and had lots to do before we left.
We set the box containing the microwave on our living room floor, and
vowed to install it when we got back.
The following week, we got our dishwasher, but they couldn’t
install it, as the company or service responsible for delivering it hadn’t
realized they had to hardwire it. So it
was back to Home Depot, when, after several consultations, we were able to
arrange for its installation, but only after we returned home in December. Finally, in the middle of December, the
service man hardwired our dishwasher, and we no longer had to wash our dishes
by hand anymore. As Christmas was just
around the corner, we were running around like dinosaurs who have just
witnessed a massive meteorite impact.
Installing the microwave was consigned to the following year.
In January or February, we tried to remove the old model. We unscrewed the bolts supporting it from
above, but couldn’t get the machine to budge.
Whatever we did, it remained stuck fast, as if Superglued to the
wall. We decided to do some research,
and decide how best to tackle this problem later.
In April, I decided to pull the oven out from the wall. Then I used a wood chisel to chip away the
caulking on the wall between the tiles and the microwave. I also took off the bottom of the old
microwave to see if anything else was holding it up, but saw nothing. So I removed the top bolts again and pulled
down on it. I banged the top of the
microwave lightly with a hammer. I tried
to be careful, as I didn’t want the machine to fall down, but I also tried to
be forceful, as I really wanted it out of there. No luck.
 |
| Cleaning out the old beast's nest. |
I had decided to give up when I changed my mind and gave the
machine one last go. I decided I didn’t
care if it fell down and injured me, or damaged the gas line protruding from
the wall. I just wanted it gone. So I grabbed hold of the microwave and lifted
myself completely off the ground. I
bounced up and down, each time with greater force. Finally, the microwave came loose. It was a heavy beast, and I needed my wife’s
help to lift it off its support frame and carry it out of the kitchen. Then I measured the new microwave, and the
wall space between the cabinets and the tiles.
All the microwaves that Home Depot sold may have been the
same size, but our new one was over an inch taller than its predecessor. I removed the old metal support frame, and two
pieces of plywood that had been used as spacers between the old microwave and
the shelf above. I wasn’t sure if that
would leave enough room, but at least it was a start. Hey, I had only had the new microwave for
three-and-a-half months. What did it
matter if it took a little longer?
To be continued,
Dragon Dave
No comments:
Post a Comment