While we were washing up last night, the water began to run cold. Although the pilot light still showed in the boiler, the radiators also started to lose their heat and, turning on the hobs on the cooker, there was a distinct lack of the customary sound of escaping gas.

There was no gas-leak smell in the house or outside, and the neighbours were unaffected, but we decided that it was a case for calling the British Gas emergency line. A lack of pressure in our house could suggest a dangerous build up elsewhere. British Gas advised turning off the supply lever at the meter and promised someone round within an hour.

Much sooner than than that, an engineer arrived and got to work. He efficiently identified the problem (something to do with an insect and a regulating diaphragm or something), fixed it and run some tests to establish that service was restored.

British Gas do not get a lot of good press but this engineer was a credit to them. Furthermore, he put everything neatly back so, unlike the Flanders and Swann song alluded to in the title, there is no need to wait for the carpenter to come and fix a mess today.

Technorati Tags:

british gas

gasman

flanders and swann