Boilers

We have a shiny new combi boiler. It became clear in the first few days of being here that the existing boiler was old, and very noisy. And probably very inefficient. So we decided to dip into our savings for a new one, and combi seemed the best choice because space is at a premium and taking out the old hot water tank would free up a bit of cupboard room.

The first guy that quoted dismissed out of hand the idea of putting it in the coal-hole/outside store. Not so the next, who seemed to treat it as a bit of a challenge. Putting it somewhere different to the old boiler would also mean that much of the work could be done without switching off and removing the old boiler. So although his quote was highest we decided to go with it.

It took three and a bit days to get a working boiler, including one overnight without any boiler at all - see Buzz hugging the wood-burner - and four days for it to be fully commissioned. So now we're nice and snug. We seem to be getting a steadier, more consistent heat in the house, partly perhaps because the wireless thermostat is in a more sensible place than the old one on the landing.

So now the tumble drier is where the old boiler was. This is a very small house and find somewhere to put everything we own is a bit like one of those puzzles with just one empty space, where you have to keep moving the empty space around until you complete the picture. But we're getting there.