Not my day today.

Siemens Chappie came around yesterday to replace our gas meter (they go
out of calibration). Harmless action - we joyfully let him in, he fixes
the new meter - cheerfully reignites the boiler, and refuses the coffee
(says he is allergic to caffine).

Today we noticed a wiff of a leak.

So Transco guy comes within the hour of an emergency call, finds and
fixes the leak. The leak is on our side of the meter, somehow made worse
by the meter refitting but since he is such a nice chap he does the
magic and the repair is free. Great. I offer him coffee. He declines
(what's wrong with my coffee?), and asks directions to the boiler for
reignition.

Ah... a problem. Not all the burners are lighting. Some of them are
covered in soot, says he. This boiler is a disgrace, it should not be
allowed to operate. Illegal. He'll have to cap it. We'll have no baths
'til it's fixed. Doom time. It's pub time in about an hour from now, and
my wiff will be more of an issue down there than the smell of gas. Cold
bath awaits electric kettle.... Arggghhhh! ;-(

The question. What's the chance a fifteen year old rarely serviced
(probably never since new) will need replacement? The boiler is a
Potterton Kingfisher II CF80. It's used all year for hot water and
heating as necessary through a standard heating header loft tank /
cylinder setup for a three bed house. Or will I get away by a Corgi
engineer cleaning and renewing parts?

Thinking back, if I laced the Siemens guy's coffee with something (and
made him drink it), the meter wouldn't have been compulsory changed and
I wouldn't be in this mess. :-(

--
The Wiff guy (allegedly Adrian C)