This will be an iconic image in years to come.

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When I saw this on the news last night, it made me go Wow! Who would ever believe that Britain could look like this? And still the big freeze goes on.


My boiler stopped working this morning. British Gas (with whom I have a service agreement) won't send anyone out until Sunday. They won't guarantee Sunday. It is 'busy'. I know they're busy; lots of people have problems in the winter, that's what we pay for. I got very Margot on the phone to them, but it was still only Sunday that was available.

Then I did what I should have done in the first place. I spoke to my Dad. And he said, "Check your water pipe leading out of the boiler and pour a kettle of water over it. Your brother's did exactly the same yesterday." So I did, and guess what? It's fixed! So no gasman on Sunday. Yippee! Apparently it's quite common on condenser boilers, especially Worcesters. If you have problems with the boiler turning off, check it, too. Any thing to save three days of freezing and a workman going 'tsk' and shaking his head. Off for a cuppa now in front of a toasty warm radiator. Have a good day!
Post script;
What I should have added is that I told British Gas I would contact an independent fitter and bill them; only to be told by the young man at the other end that they wouldn't pay, that my chances of getting someone were slim to none existent and that they would charge me horrendous odds.
Not so. Barry the Gasman's wife took my details and said he would ring me back and possibly visit me 'today' (that is, the day the boiler broke) and he would ring me... which he did. He was pleased that I'd cured the fault myself, told me he would have given me that advice over the phone himself, didn't know why BritGas didn't, and that he could have come by that afternoon rather than have me freeze. Barry also said he's always at the end of a phone for me. I can feel a stand coming on; the end of paying for a useless service agreement and a relationship with a small, independent gasfitter. Is this another example of the small being beautiful?

Comments

  1. silverpebble8 January 2010 at 18:51

    I just hopped over here from Kristina's - good GRIEF! I had no idea we looked like that at the moment. It hardly looks real does it? I hope you manage to keep snug xxxx

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thimbleanna9 January 2010 at 01:41

    Sheesh! You'd think the gas company could have told you what your dad said -- surely they've run into that with others. Maybe they wanted your money for a service call? Hope you're all warm and toasty now!

    ReplyDelete
  3. aline9 January 2010 at 19:08

    I read about this boiler trouble on money saving expert. It's saving people a lot of money by not havibg to get out a repair man.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Jo10 January 2010 at 03:22

    Like you with the confusion over my cucumbers, your weather map is a real novelty for me! Tomorrow we are expecting 42 degrees celsius in Melbourne. I'm guessing the only thing we do have in common is that our kids will all be inside watching DVD's !! Good luck!

    ReplyDelete
  5. French Knots10 January 2010 at 08:43

    Aren't Dads the best!!
    That picture is amazing, no wonder the country's ground to a halt!

    ReplyDelete

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