thanks for the replies...now i am really worried.
it is still snowing. and sleeting. and raining. there is nowhere for me to go so that i can be indoors to remove it. if i do it outside now it will probably get worse. as soon as a nice day comes along i am going to take her out and inspect it from the warmth of my own room. i just hope it doesn't start ****ing up the voice coils before then....