Last wisps of gas

We have now been living in our new home for a little over six months... so perhaps we should no longer refer to it this way. But part of the reason it still feels new is that there is so much we want to change about the place to make it feel like it is ours. Decoratively we have stripped the paper from a few walls, opened up some internal spaces we had no need for and of course we have completed The Bathroom Project. Redecorating the whole house to our own taste is definitely going to happen at some point but  something prevents us doing more at this juncture. It is the heating system, the LPG gas boiler, which we want to change to an air source heat exchanger. Having been through this process in our previous house (in that case discarding an oil boiler) we know that this will mean some serious disruption as the new pipework and radiators are installed so it would be premature to decorate any rooms before this is done.

The tank of gas that came with the house has served us well by providing hot water and central heating for over six months. But then one day, inevitably (25th March to be precise), we drew off the very last gasp of propane. We had already decided, believing that the long process of getting a new heating system would soon deliver, that we would not top up the tank with more gas when this happened so that was the moment our taps ran cold. No more hot showers and with cold radiators our house became one in which we suffered chilly mornings until our small multi-fuel stove could be lit and our tiny electric fan heater started blowing warm air. Getting out of bed from under our warm duvet became a challenge as this was winter, spring was weeks away, and whilst our high-on-the-hill position might give us the best view for miles around it is also a windy spot, heat being sucked quickly away when the wind blows. So we developed coping mechanisms to get us through. We apologised to our visitors for the lack of comfort, we threw more logs on the fire and when a hot shower opportunity elsewhere did come our way we grabbed it with both hands. Fortunately there were sunny days and we discovered the house had a bonus feature, the south facing conservatory, which traps the sun's rays and converts them into heat. Open the connecting door into the house and some of this warmth changes places with the colder air inside, bringing relief for a few hours until the sun drops behind the hill for the night.

April brought the first traces of spring and longer days brought warmth too, not every day, but often enough for us to carry on. Thermal vests and thick jumpers do work, so we discovered. Then finally we had a visit from our heating installer, something we'd been pushing for, and the words that came out of his mouth caught us completely by surprise.

"We can do you next Tuesday," he said. "Would that be ok?"

At first we thought we might have misheard him but then we realised he was serious. Perhaps our sorry state had rang his sympathy bell but whatever it was we could hardly believe that in just a few days our lives would be changing, for the better.

So it was that exactly one month after the last wisp of gas squeezed its way out of the tank in our front garden there was a line up of vans outside from which emerged more plumbers and electricians than you could shake a stick at. Large white packages (our new radiators) were carried up the steps through our front door and lengths of shiny new copper pipe disappeared into the space beneath the house. Before we knew it our present heating system was disappearing out the door, the boiler included (I didn't even get the chance to wave it farewell) and rumbling noises from beneath the house pointed to the old pipes being cut out. 

We tried to keep out of the way; it was a cool and breezy day so with the house doors open to allow access we hunkered down in front of our stove to preserve our body heat.

It took four strong men to lift the new air source heating unit up from the road and onto the prepared base at the rear of the house but once this was connected up it did at least look like we might have heat by the end of the day. However it was then we were told that the wrong cylinder had been ordered, too big to fit in our kitchen cupboard space, so by close of play we had new (bigger) radiators in every room, loads of shiny new copper plumbing but still no hot water. For this we would have to be more patient. 

Two days later the plumber returned, and he brought with him a fresh set of muscles.

 These were soon deployed to lift the water cylinder up from road level.

It is hard to believe that this is the smaller, slimline model, but when we see it installed in our kitchen cupboard an hour or so later we realise why the bigger one would not fit.

The cupboard that was once home to a nice looking gas central heating boiler now has a tall insulated cylinder, a couple of expansion vessels (squashed into the top) and a control panel that looks like it could run a starship. There are also several interesting looking white boxes, one of which seems able to talk to my phone using the house wi-fi. Naturally this is the first gadget I am keen to get working as soon as the new heating system is up and running and couple of hours later, after we say farewell our workmen, I am communicating electronically with the new beast.

More importantly though, for the first time in over a month we have heat in the house and a bathroom shower that delivers hot water. We can't wait to get under it.