Granchildren and floor vents, help needed

[travelover]

........The hamster down the vent story is the worst, tho. i may have nightmares over that post...........

The hamster was saved, but not with out dis-assembly of the heating ducts.

 

[MichaelB]

Whew. Good to know the hamster was rescued.

No updates yet on DDs predicament. She doesn't have a putty knife but does have an art spatula, even with a bit of WD40 was unable to dislodge the vent cover. The reason appears to be years of accrued crud buildup. No doubt about the difference in cost between the iPod and a new cover. Yesterday was her DHs b'day, so I think they will take this up again today. I shared all the suggestions in the thread, for which she was extremely grateful.

 

[ERD50]

.... No doubt about the difference in cost between the iPod and a new cover. ....

I would check first. If those registers are not readily available, you might need one custom built to fit. That won't be cheap. And how easy will it be to stain/seal it to match an existing (aged) floor?

I have no idea if our built in ones are a stock item, I don't recall seeing them in the big box stores. The flooring company put them in, I might need to go back to them for replacements?

OK, so I got curious and measured, and mine are 5 1/2 x 11 1/8, and that does not match the sizes I found on a quick google search. Though a deeper search might turn something up. Proceed with caution!

But I think you will be able to get it out, just be careful not to tear up the edges. Go slowly. I was going to give up on mine, for fear of scratching it, it seemed really locked in, and then just like that, it popped lose.

-ERD50

 

[omni550]

If there is a concern about humidity possibly having caused the wood to swell, thereby making removal difficult, what about using a hairdryer to possibly dry out that area?

omni

 

[HFWR]

Hamsters sure face some interesting hazards...

 

[MichaelB]

But I think you will be able to get it out, just be careful not to tear up the edges. Go slowly. I was going to give up on mine, for fear of scratching it, it seemed really locked in, and then just like that, it popped lose.

-ERD50

Alas, that wise advice, which I gave, was not followed. After coaxing with the spatula proved ineffective, pliers and muscle did it, removing, but splintering, the vent. Not badly enough to render it unusable, but it will need to be repaired or replaced.

DD reports that the ipod was recovered, along with many other items, some beyond description, dating back many years and in different states of decomposition. Yuck. She is reviewing all the suggestions for under-vent screens and filters and has promised to report back on that.

 

[ls99]

Alas, that wise advice, which I gave, was not followed. After coaxing with the spatula proved ineffective, pliers and muscle did it, removing, but splintering, the vent. Not badly enough to render it unusable, but it will need to be repaired or replaced.

DD reports that the ipod was recovered, along with many other items, some beyond description, dating back many years and in different states of decomposition. Yuck. She is reviewing all the suggestions for under-vent screens and filters and has promised to report back on that.

Applied archeaology. At least they did not find coprolites.

 

[brewer12345]

Applied archeaology. At least they did not find coprolites.

Heh, I keep a coprolite on my desk at work. If someone picks it up to look at it, I enjoy the reaction when I tell them what it is while it is still in their hand.

 

[ls99]

Heh, I keep a coprolite on my desk at work. If someone picks it up to look at it, I enjoy the reaction when I tell them what it is while it is still in their hand.

Need photos of expressions.

 

[travelover]

Applied archeaology. At least they did not find coprolites.

Yea, coprolites - the same old sh!t.

 

[HFWR]

Yea, coprolites - the same old sh!t.

But shouldn't it be named "corp-olite"?

 

[Sesq]

Hamsters sure face some interesting hazards...

Reminds me about the south park episode related to the gerbil lemmiwinks.

Moderately offensive should one decide to google it.

 

[imoldernu]

3/8 in drill hole, electric jigsaw with fine blade, flexible snake wrapped with stickum mouse trap paper. Replace vent , backed with rabbit wire, and fill in with plastic wood.

.... but, in truth, the actual solution was probably best.