[Yoda]

A little over an hour ago while watching Netflix in my office I smelled smoke. I thought my son had overcooked something and food was burning but no, not that. When I opened the door to my bedroom I saw smoke and smelled a strong odor (the fireman later said it smelled electrical). They could not find a source of fire anywhere. I had already turned my heat pump off and now am scared to turn it back on. The firemen used sensors to detect heat through the walls but could not find anything other than the smell.

I have had electrical problems for several years. I had an electrician redo my electrical box. I don't have power in a bedroom and the bathroom; was going to bring the electrician back to fix but my disability income never leaves me any extra money, in fact my mom often gives me money to help out. I have no choice now but to bring in an electrician who will take payments.

I am scared to go to sleep now. When I saw the smoke in my room I unplugged the extension cord/power surge from the electrical outlet. I have my CPAP machine and an alarm clock and a heating pad on the surge protector. The fireman said I might notice later that one of my devices is no longer working. Yeah right like I am going to plug anything into that outlet before I get the okay from an electrician.

And I cannot afford insurance so I have nothing if the house/contents burn.

I also have let the clutter get out of hand again. There are probably 25+ empty horse feed bags in the front room. My bedroom is piled high with dirty clothes, books, blankets, you name it. I am going to see if the girl who helped me clean several years ago can help me clean the house. If not I will have to resort to the so called 'organizer' to help me clear out space so an electrician can access to everything. I thought I would get a lecture from the firemen but as nicely as he could he said that because of the state of the house they would have trouble getting firemen in to fight fire it does catch fire. I was kind of scared they would declare the house uninhabitable but they didn't.

My mom got me a fire extinguisher for Christmas at my request so it is sitting in the hallway now. I have six smoke detectors but I am unable to install them without falling on my head but my son said he thought he could put one upwhere the old smoke detectors were. I hope there are screws in the kits so he can put one in my bedroom.

I am so wound up now.

[Rohag]

!!! Wound up and paranoid is what I would be!

I'm glad you all are OK. If help is needed, then help is needed. The coffee pot still works, yes?

[Yoda]

Thanks, Rohag!

As a matter of fact when I was last in the store I saw a coffee pot for $10 and bought it.

I will make a cup of coffee and then start working on the clutter. I have a couple hours before I can start calling the electrician and other help.

[kindachaotic]

Yoda's, My son put his up on a shelf & it worked but we realize it until the battery got low& started beeping. Who knew...

Just glad you are ok, but would definitely have it checked out. Hopefully the organizer can come back & help. Find a plug you know is ok so you can relax, use your CPAP machine & get some sleep.

Sending good & safe thoughts your way.

[Yoda]

I have had lots of sleep this week fortunately so a cup of coffee should keep me going until at least noon before I need to rest. I feel wide awake now but I can always tell when I am about to hit the wall from sleep deprivation and I avoid driving when I get that way.

My son just now laid down to sleep (7am here) so I may try to stay awake while he rests and we can sleep in shifts. We both have erratic sleep patterns anyway so it isn't that big an adjustment.

[KathyM]

((((((((((((Yoda and Son)))))))))))

I'm here too......hoping and praying.

[notz]

Oh Yoda, do take care. Try to work on 1 thing today. You mentioned the horse feed bags - "canter" them away!!

[Yoda]

Afraid to turn heat back on so going to mom's until I can get an electrician here. No internet there.

[Yoda]

I stayed at mom's house for five days. I got someone here to look at the heat pump. Apparently the heat pump was not kicking on because the batteries in the thermostat had corroded. I didn't even know it used batteries; also got a new capacitor.

I have six smoke alarms lying in rooms on dressers and what not. When I find or buy some nails I will hang them on the wall. No sense in putting them on the ceiling since I would have trouble changing their batteries after son leaves home.

I don't know if it is paranoia or real but about twenty minutes ago I thought I smelled something burning. It seemed strongest in the kitchen but it was only a faint smell. The microwave and refrigerator are the only electrical things on besides a light which I turned off.

The heat pump isn't blowing heat so I went ahead and just turned it off. I keep walking/sniffing through the house with a flashlight in one hand and a phone in the other.

I talked to an electrician several days ago but he hasn't been here yet. Part of that is my fault for sleeping in the daytime and missing his phone calls.

[Yoda]

EEK!

I was flipping breakers trying to get the heat pump to start again and I remembered the technician had noticed the batteries in the thermostat were corroded and he had put batteries in. I thought perhaps his batteries were old so I put in some fresh batteries and within 45 seconds I smelled something and took the batteries out and the end of one battery felt warm.

Technician is on his way and should be here within the hour.

Geez how am I ever supposed to rest with my house malfunctioning day after day?!