Two Small DIY Projects

Two minor issues cropped up this week. It’s embarrassing to even call them projects, they were so small.

The first was about a closet light switch off the master bedroom. It’d become unseated or something. The switch is a Decora rocker type, and the rocker wobbled when pressed and sometimes didn’t turn on the lights. More than once, it seemed like the rocker was about to fall out.

I bought a new unit, turned off the circuit breaker, removed the plate, and then the switch. The wires were disconnected from the old and connected to the new, faceplate restored, circuit breaker put on. Ten minute job. Voilà, success. Most of that isn’t due to my prowess but the standardization and refinement the housing industry has brought to modern light switches. It’s a DIY effort that’s satisfying because it’s so dang quick and easy.

The second effort involved my Fitbit Charge 5. I use the alarm each day. It recently ceased working right. Although it would show the alarm as on for ‘Today’, it wouldn’t go off but instead would show that it was now set for ‘Tomorrow’. For the alarm, tomorrow never came.

I set to work on it. The first thing I did was turn the Fitbit off. Next, I turned it back on. Voilà. Fixed and done.

The day’s final project was replacing the HVAC filters. We have two returns with filters. One is in the master BR. It’s smaller but hard to change because the bedroom has a vaulted ceiling and the filter is up toward the top, above an overhang. The other is in the hall by the HVAC controls. I’ve taught myself to do these at the end of any month with an equinox or solstice in it. That’s about three months. Having clean filters is good for our health because the filters get nasty and quit filtering, and also helps keep the furnace and air conditioner from straining.

Between the three efforts, it took less than twenty minutes.

Victory is mine.