Thursday 17 September 2009

Mustn't grumble

I am one step closer to having a working central heating system, not sure if I really want it, but it is free. The gas men came today to fit a new boiler, thanks to the government's concerns that I might freeze to death this winter.

The lady on the phone said they would be here at 8.30, they arrived at 9.45, but I mustn't grumble. After closer inspection of suitable places to position said boiler, it was decided to ignore the first inspectors report which recomended it go in the airing cupboard in my bedroom. The kitchen wall which is an outside wall was a far better choice, logical I thought.

Once the plan had been established they set to work, moving furniture, taking carpets up, pulling floorboards up, removing the gas fire in the front room and sealing off the back boiler behind it, then replacing the fire. When I cleaned up afterwards I noticed that the carpet was wet, someone obviously hadn't been very carefull, but mustn't grumble.

My three cats made a hasty exit when the deafening noise of the drilling started, there was dust everywhere, but mustn't grumble. The hot water tank was too big to fit in the space in the airing cupboard where the old one had come out, so at this point they stopped work to make a phone call to order another one for tomorrow. Another error by the first inspector, I can't remember seeing him measure it up, but mustn't grumble.

So tomorrow they will be back to finish the job. They plan on power flushing the radiators out, that sounds fun, lots of swishing water.

4 comments:

  1. I'm in the US and understand most UK terms, but what is an airing cupboard? And why would you have one in the bedroom? It sounds like something to do with laundry.

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  2. I remember all the mess and upheaval when I had central heating installed in my last house...horrific. Wish I could get a new system installed in this house for free though...sigh. Bt the time I draw my pension they will have scrapped it no doubt lol. Having a boiler in a bedroom is pure madness!! I had one in my last house, it gave me alot of worry about letting people sleep in that room, just in case of a carbon monoxide incident. The kitchen on an outside wall is where I have one and would choose to have the next boiler also. You will be as warm as toast this winter then Ilona....oh that is if you will switch it on lol :oP

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  3. You made me laugh, ladyhawthorne, sorry. My house is about 60 years old, and they had an airing cupboard built into the bedroom to house the hot water tank, with shelves above it for the bed linen, it keeps the sheets and towels nice and warm. As my heating has not been working for a couple of years, it hasn't really been doing it's job.

    There is a chimney in my house, which is central on the inner wall, the airing cupboard is situated to the right of that. I am dreading all the mess to clean up, but it will give me the opportunity to have a sort out and de clutter. Sharon, I am going to resist the temptation to turn the heating on, I'll let you know if I give in, if I find icicles on my nose, ha ha.

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  4. Hi Ilona... you have reminded me of the upheaval I had when we had our boiler replaced (and it cost a fortune!) Took weeks to get rid of all the dust! so joy to you! But it was worth it... and a little snippet of information I learned the other day that might interest you... apparently in the 1960's when most people did not have central heating the average indoor temperature in the UK during winter was 13 degrees C. Now its 19 degrees C. I can believe it since my over-riding memory of my childhood is being freezing cold! Not sure I could go back to that though.

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