We’ve had some problems lately. I posted about our power outage. After we lost our power for four and a half days, we learned the value of water. And then a couple of days later our septic system backed up and we couldn’t use any of the plumbing fixtures, including toilets. And then we learned the value of indoor plumbing.

We were without indoor plumbing for a little over two days. I called the company that installed the system the day after I found our problem, but they couldn’t come for a couple of days. When they came, it was some of the same people who installed the system, and then the next year repaired damage to the system caused when one of the contractors drove onto the leach field. So, they knew the system. I was fearing the worst, but the problem was caused by a clogged filter that keeps solids from getting into the leach field. The repair was fairly quick, and not nearly as expensive as I was fearing.

So, what else can go wrong, right? How about a microwave oven? Yes, it can. And it did. It simply died. And then we learned the value of a microwave oven. Leah couldn’t warm up her coffee and I couldn’t warm up the beef broth I put on the dogs’ food. And we couldn’t prepare frozen dinners, which we have been eating lately. Nor could I heat up the gigantic marshmallows I sometimes eat as a dessert, although they are big enough to make an entire meal. You should see them when they puff up in the microwave. OK, it’s not as serious as no water or no plumbing. But, still.

I did some online investigations and found a reference to a couple of thermal protection devices that could be reached right behind the control panel. I pulled the panel off and checked the two devices. They are like fuses, only different. One is normally closed (that is, it makes a continuous circuit unless it fails). It fails when it gets too hot. It was fine. The other is normally open; when it fails, it makes a connection and a fan comes on. It was fine, too. There are other places to check, but it requires getting into the back of the microwave, and that means taking it down from over the range. At that point, I decided that replacing a part on the oven, replacing it, and then possibly having it not work, or fail again, was not worth the effort. So we replaced it.

Installing an over-the-range microwave oven is not exceptionally complicated, but it is a little bit of a hassle. They are heavy, and it’s hard to lift them into place when you’re leaving over the range. But we did it.

Installing a new microwave from a different manufacturer means taking the old bracket out and putting in the new one. It also means drilling new holes in the upper cabinet floor to match the two bolts and power cord on the top of the oven. Drilling the holes in the right place means some fairly precise measurement and marking. That’s not my strong point. My practice is usually measure once, then cut two or three times. But this time everything was in the right place.

The microwave failure was disappointing. It’s the second appliance to fail in the three years we have been here. We put in all GE appliances, all in the same finish, when we moved into the house. The dishwasher logic board failed about a year ago, and then, a year later, the microwave oven failed. That is not a good record. I couldn’t recommend getting GE appliances at this point. We have two more GE appliances, a range and a refrigerator. So far, so good with them.

Our record with various problems at the house is making me wonder: is it me, or is this house jinxed?