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Another weekend gone...
Dec. 17th, 2012 02:27 pmAll too quickly, needless to mention, but I got to spend more quality time with the plumber...
Not that I'm blaming him in the least, mind you. Now that he's found the root of the problem with the heating, I have to say that a less imaginative (let alone tenacious) plumber would probably have given up.
The root of the problem was this:
My building has a central heating system, currently unused because there are too few occupied flats to make using it worthwhile. So every flat has its own individual heating, which of course uses the pipes the central heating would be using if it was on.
Ouside every flat, there's a kind of niche in the wall, where the heating pipes are accessible, i.e. the main pipes and the individual ones branching off them. This niche is (insufficiently) closed by a small metal door, for which there are no keys etc. Inside the niche, there are valves, which may be opened or closed, so as to include the flat in or cut it off from the central heating.
Since it's not possible to close the niche effectively so nobody can tamper (out of stupidity, lack of kowledge or with harmful intent) with the valves, even a child can play around with them. If they are opened, air from the main system -- unused and therefore filled with air, not water -- can freely bubble into the individual pipes, which happens whenever the water temperature goes down, so the pressure decreases and there's room for the air.
Problem solved. I'm considering pulling an Irene Adler on anybody who dares fiddle with the door (meaning the Vatican Cameos bit, not spanking them clad in black lace).
I also got my second rabies shot on Saturday. The doctor was mildly shocked to hear that I'm exercising -- apparently you're meant to impersonate a mummy for the duration of the treatment. That's not going to happen, because 1) I'd go mad, and 2) I'd put on weight if I didn't exercise for almost four weeks, but I cancelled tennis till January 15 and will be limiting myself to Pilates and gym, because there I can measure my heartrate and go slower, if it climbs towards 140. I'm not very disheartened, because playing in this cold with insufficient heating isn't much fun anyway, and also because Gorjan was beginning to get on my nerves a bit -- he needs to understand that not being able to do something right is frustration enough in and of itself, without an annoyed, "Oh, come ON!" from one's coach. So that's sorted.
Must catch up on the exchange. Blame Philipp Pullman for my negligence -- I got three Sally Lockhart novels on Friday and am unable to put them down. Will catch up over the holidays, though.
Which reminds me: only four days to go till the five-day weekend!!!!!
Not that I'm blaming him in the least, mind you. Now that he's found the root of the problem with the heating, I have to say that a less imaginative (let alone tenacious) plumber would probably have given up.
The root of the problem was this:
My building has a central heating system, currently unused because there are too few occupied flats to make using it worthwhile. So every flat has its own individual heating, which of course uses the pipes the central heating would be using if it was on.
Ouside every flat, there's a kind of niche in the wall, where the heating pipes are accessible, i.e. the main pipes and the individual ones branching off them. This niche is (insufficiently) closed by a small metal door, for which there are no keys etc. Inside the niche, there are valves, which may be opened or closed, so as to include the flat in or cut it off from the central heating.
Since it's not possible to close the niche effectively so nobody can tamper (out of stupidity, lack of kowledge or with harmful intent) with the valves, even a child can play around with them. If they are opened, air from the main system -- unused and therefore filled with air, not water -- can freely bubble into the individual pipes, which happens whenever the water temperature goes down, so the pressure decreases and there's room for the air.
Problem solved. I'm considering pulling an Irene Adler on anybody who dares fiddle with the door (meaning the Vatican Cameos bit, not spanking them clad in black lace).
I also got my second rabies shot on Saturday. The doctor was mildly shocked to hear that I'm exercising -- apparently you're meant to impersonate a mummy for the duration of the treatment. That's not going to happen, because 1) I'd go mad, and 2) I'd put on weight if I didn't exercise for almost four weeks, but I cancelled tennis till January 15 and will be limiting myself to Pilates and gym, because there I can measure my heartrate and go slower, if it climbs towards 140. I'm not very disheartened, because playing in this cold with insufficient heating isn't much fun anyway, and also because Gorjan was beginning to get on my nerves a bit -- he needs to understand that not being able to do something right is frustration enough in and of itself, without an annoyed, "Oh, come ON!" from one's coach. So that's sorted.
Must catch up on the exchange. Blame Philipp Pullman for my negligence -- I got three Sally Lockhart novels on Friday and am unable to put them down. Will catch up over the holidays, though.
Which reminds me: only four days to go till the five-day weekend!!!!!
