We’ve never been entirely satisfied with the gas boiler in our house since we moved in and, although it has been regularly serviced, it seems to more often need the pressure topping up for heating and for lots of water to be run to get it hot. After we had it serviced at the start of September we decided it was time to have it replaced. Of course, early autumn is a busy time for boiler folk, so we’re just having it fitted this week.

We’ve reached the point where the new boiler is installed, plumbed in and the gas is back on. However, our installer will have to return tomorrow to do the flush and fill that lead to its final commissioning. Fortunately we’re out for dinner with friends tonight, we’ve got an electric shower in the bathroom and a kettle downstairs. I suspect our trusty oil-filled electric heater will also get a little service to take the edge off the morning chill.

We can survive that although I’m looking forward to enjoying some improvements to heating and hot water once the process is complete by about lunchtime tomorrow. Maybe it would have been better to get it done back in the summer but, then again, would we have been able to test the heating when the ambient temperature already felt like the inside of an oven?