Tackle it Tuesday – Replacing a Dryer Cord

This wasn’t the tackle I was meant to do, but it was too good to pass by.

I finally got my washer and dryer out of storage and was ready to commence operation laundry. I hooked up the hoses to the washer and ran the water to it and was ready to go. I then went to plug in my dryer — big problem. I have a four prong plug, and the wall was a three prong outlet.

I stood there, plug in hand staring at the four prongs and then the three holes in the wall wondering what on earth I could do. Did I need a new dryer? Did I need a new wall?

I ran to my office and got on my computer to find a solution. Surely the internet would be able to tell me what to do! Apparently, I needed a screwdriver, and a new dryer chord.

I go to our local Home Depot and ask for the chord. The man said I could not do it. Immediately, I smelled a challenge. He was an older man, an electrician prior to retirement and he told me to tell my landlord that I needed a four prong outlet, and we would need an electrician.

Thanking the man for his help, I corralled the kids and headed to the other Home Depot in town. I walked up to someone and asked where I could get a replacement dryer chord with 3 prongs. The young man escorted me and gave me the cord. I then found the tool section and bought a 98 cent screwdriver and a monkey wrench (It was an impulse buy).

I get home, and look at the about.com article one more time before I start. The boys were napping on the couch and it would be the perfect time to concentrate.

I unscrewed the back panel of the dryer and put the screws into the detergent measuring cup by my feet.

I stared at the exposed wires and took a deep breath. I always get a little scared of wires, and thought about my husband who is a bomb expert and ran a “blue wire, green wire” cutting scenario in my head — Enough! I thought. Its just a dryer, not a bomb.

I detached the four colored wires and had successfully taken out the silly four prong cord that was halting operation laundry.

I reached for the new cord, so pretty in its bag and ready to bring life to my dryer. I lined up the wires to the connectors and screwed everything in nice and tight.

I closed the panel and fastened everything back in place, pushed the dryer back against the wall and took a deep breath. I made sure both my feel were firmly on the ground and placed one hand on the wall to electrically ground myself — this prevents getting shocked, something I am always phobic of…I even do this at the gas station.

I plugged in the dryer, turned the knob and pushed start. SUCCESS! I never thought the sound of my dryer would make me so deliriously happy.

So Operation Laundry has commenced, and dare I say has not stopped all day. Today I have Tackled my way into my own Hero’s list.

What about you all? What are you tacking today?

What are you tackling this week? Link up your Tackle it Tuesday post…

Tell us what you’re up to with all your other tackles… housework and otherwise… add your link to your tackle in the MckLinky below!

Each week on Tuesday, we are posting before and after pictures of a project or trouble area that we tackled this week.

Find out more about Tackle It Tuesday here.
The project can be little or big – whatever you want.

Basically, Tackle It Tuesday is about giving ourselves incentive, deadlines and satisfaction in getting our household tasks done.

(It doesn’t even have to be housework… just whatever is on your To Do list.)

If you tackled a project this week, just add a comment and add your link below.

Here is a fun thumbnail style linky…

If the thumbnail Linky doesn’t work for you — or you prefer the old style, you can enter in the linky below.

*Tackle it Tuesday is sponsored this month by ARM & HAMMER® Power Gel Laundry Detergent, America’s first gel detergent!

Written by 5 Minutes for Mom editor Carmen. You get our feed, right?

Also, did you know that Susan and Janice sell amazing pedal cars? They are the perfect unique gift for Christmas.