I feel pretty lucky to live in a house with a good heating system. Not to say that it doesn’t have its downsides (gas bills among them) but it undeniably makes life a lot less of a battle over winter. I live on what locals like to call ‘the cold side of the mountain’, which sounds made up but is really a thing. It doesn’t get anywhere near as much sun, and in winter it’s especially slim pickings. It’s an old house, too, which doesn’t make for an easier time of it.
Fortunately for me, I’ve never had to deal with ducted heating repairs. For Melbourne homes built in the 50s, I’m told, this can be a bit of a hassle, but I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it. Besides, it’s not like I even use it that often. I appreciate it too much to blast it with abandon. Along with that, I don’t cut corners on servicing. I get the thing looked at every two years, without fail. Some say it should be done annually, but hey – I live life on the edge.
When it comes to central heating service technicians, Melbourne has its fair share, but not all of them are going to tell it like it is. I know this, and I’ve made it clear to my guy that I need a heads up if something’s on its way out. I don’t like nasty surprises, and let’s just say that a spontaneous heating breakdown is not a surprise I’d be keen to come home to.
I wouldn’t say it’s heating or bust, because I believe that heaters are a luxury rather than something anyone should be entitled to, but it can get pretty close at times. That probably sounds pretty soft to any northern hemisphere readers out there, but it’s all relative. So, on those grounds, I won’t deny that I greatly appreciate being able to make the house warm at the touch of a button. That’s something not to be taken for granted.