8 September 2010 (Wednesday) - New Boiler

The boiler man called last night to say he’d do us today (oo-er!). And so I lay awake most of the night worrying about all sorts of “what-ifs”, and having visions of it all going horribly wrong, and us being without water for six months. The chap arrived promptly this morning and I left him installing our new boiler and I set off to work perhaps somewhat earlier that I needed to. I spent most of the day with visions of unforeseen problems and catastrophes in my mind. I suppose I was worrying because I don’t know the first thing about plumbing.

I came home to find the new boiler in place and it seems to be quite happily doing whatever it is that boilers do. (Boil, presumably?) I suspect it will take me a while until I am confident that it has settled in and that it won’t go berserk. Admittedly there must be a limit as to how far amuck a new boiler can run, but I do worry.

Paranoia is something I might manage to ignore. A more tangible concern is paying for the thing. In retrospect I suppose I could have taken out boiler insurance. I could also have taken out insurance on the drains, the household electricals, the fish pond filter, the double glazing… There is only so much insurance one can take out, and after all is said and done, if the insurance policy isn’t (eventually) more expensive than a new boiler anyway, then they wouldn’t be offering it.

I’m hoping I’ve managed to scare up the cash to pay the boiler man. He hasn’t actually asked for payment yet, but he will do soon. I did have money earmarked for car services and road tax, TV licences and gas bills. Not any more. I’ve also grovelled at the bank to see about overdrafts. But what bothers me most is the economies I’m going to have to make over the next few months. The Brick Lane curry festival, the Eastbourne ice-cream extravaganza and at least one of the fireworks parades are likely candidates for savings I probably should make. And although it’s still three months away, I’m already thinking of dropping out of a couple of planned Xmas parties. I suppose that one of the advantages of excessive ale consumption as a hobby is that it can double up as a (relatively) easy economy to make when economies are needed. And wasting whole days in NeverWinter or at the fishing pond are cheap enough things to do instead.

But I can’t complain really. ‘er indoors ^TM assures me that we have had the old boiler serviced at least once. I can’t remember that. The thing was installed nearly twenty years ago, and has done its job flawlessly during that time. I *could* have run it to destruction; it might have had another year in it. It might have exploded tomorrow. I just need to remember to get the new one serviced regularly. And if I bung ten quid aside each month, when its time comes the cost of replacement shouldn’t be anywhere near the shock I had this time…