Oola
20-08-2008, 09:11 PM
Our house is quite old, built around 1919 ish and has it's fair share of 'period' features - floorboards, working fireplace, terracotta tiles straight onto earth, rattling sash windows etc.
However, the wiring is a law unto itself. A few years ago we had problems and got an electrician who couldn't work out what the hell was going on with all the different circuits and rings. He disconnected the cookerhood and the conservatory plugs and then never came back.
But yesterday we had some more flickering in the kitchen. I went and turned on the utility room light and poof, no lighting in the dining room, kitchen or utility room now. Rich tested the fuses which all seem in order, but we're now looking at a lengthy wait to get it all seen to now the regulations stipulate that we can't fiddle with our own electrics. I don't think my ethos that worked with the car radio (thump it, and it starts to work again) will work in this instance. So we have a few weeks of living in semi-darkness. Thankfully the plug sockets are working so the freezer and cooker are fine, we've got a big old lamp in the kitchen but Rich still automatically walks in and switches the light on, then says "mnarrrrrrgggghhhh why does nothing ever WORK in this house?!".
It's because it's attack of the tumbledown cottage. Next week I expect an old pipe will burst again.
However, the wiring is a law unto itself. A few years ago we had problems and got an electrician who couldn't work out what the hell was going on with all the different circuits and rings. He disconnected the cookerhood and the conservatory plugs and then never came back.
But yesterday we had some more flickering in the kitchen. I went and turned on the utility room light and poof, no lighting in the dining room, kitchen or utility room now. Rich tested the fuses which all seem in order, but we're now looking at a lengthy wait to get it all seen to now the regulations stipulate that we can't fiddle with our own electrics. I don't think my ethos that worked with the car radio (thump it, and it starts to work again) will work in this instance. So we have a few weeks of living in semi-darkness. Thankfully the plug sockets are working so the freezer and cooker are fine, we've got a big old lamp in the kitchen but Rich still automatically walks in and switches the light on, then says "mnarrrrrrgggghhhh why does nothing ever WORK in this house?!".
It's because it's attack of the tumbledown cottage. Next week I expect an old pipe will burst again.