So last fall we had our annual boiler cleaning and inspection, a service offered by our oil company. Being in the northeast, oil-fired home heating is an option, and it's actually competitive with natural gas (which is also available in the house; our stove, dryer, and water heater are gas-fired). The tech told us he'd measured the efficiency and it was down to 70%, which could be greatly improved with new equipment. So we got some bids.
Then the roof was leaking, so we got that fixed first.
We made it through the winter, though there wasn't all that much heat upstairs, and we could hear the water trickling in the radiators (they're a hot water system) so I figured maybe they needed to have the air bled out of them. We were due for a plumbing inspection (a service of our favorite plumber and their "copper club" which offers great discounts and prompt attention even on holidays), so I asked the guy about that. Turns out the water inlet thing was rusted shut, so no new water could get in (well, some, but not enough). He could replace it, but if we were having the boiler replaced anyway...
So, yeah.
A couple weeks ago there was a record-hot day, in the 90s. (For those of you in communist countries) So we turned off the furnace. And it began to leak mineral-laden water on the basement floor. We vacuumed it up a couple times, having inherited a shop-vac from a friend a while back. But we didn't dare turn the furnace on again.
It's been down to the 50s or less overnight sometimes since, so we got out another blanket, called the plumber, and the last two days, they were here, installing a new boiler.
So toxicfur worked from home yesterday, and I today, and they finished about 2 in the afternoon. And the house is a livable temperature for the first time in a while now. It hasn't been all that cold; but chilly and worth wearing a sweater indoors. Now we can add to our carbon footprint again.
And yes, I did manage to accomplish some stuff today, once i figured out how X11 on OS/X hid the middle mouse button (you hafta configure it to work at all). Maybe I should buy a physical 3-button mouse. Making plots and other graphical stuff is a bit slower, but it's almost like being there. Without the meetings and the drop-in questions.
We haz a heat!
Then the roof was leaking, so we got that fixed first.
We made it through the winter, though there wasn't all that much heat upstairs, and we could hear the water trickling in the radiators (they're a hot water system) so I figured maybe they needed to have the air bled out of them. We were due for a plumbing inspection (a service of our favorite plumber and their "copper club" which offers great discounts and prompt attention even on holidays), so I asked the guy about that. Turns out the water inlet thing was rusted shut, so no new water could get in (well, some, but not enough). He could replace it, but if we were having the boiler replaced anyway...
So, yeah.
A couple weeks ago there was a record-hot day, in the 90s. (For those of you in communist countries) So we turned off the furnace. And it began to leak mineral-laden water on the basement floor. We vacuumed it up a couple times, having inherited a shop-vac from a friend a while back. But we didn't dare turn the furnace on again.
It's been down to the 50s or less overnight sometimes since, so we got out another blanket, called the plumber, and the last two days, they were here, installing a new boiler.
So toxicfur worked from home yesterday, and I today, and they finished about 2 in the afternoon. And the house is a livable temperature for the first time in a while now. It hasn't been all that cold; but chilly and worth wearing a sweater indoors. Now we can add to our carbon footprint again.
And yes, I did manage to accomplish some stuff today, once i figured out how X11 on OS/X hid the middle mouse button (you hafta configure it to work at all). Maybe I should buy a physical 3-button mouse. Making plots and other graphical stuff is a bit slower, but it's almost like being there. Without the meetings and the drop-in questions.
We haz a heat!
| < sky watching | Well, this couldn't possibly end poorly. > |
