[Subversive_plot]

. . . is  new water heater.   

[AndyRVTR]

Oh dear..   

[mumofstig]

I thought people were supposed to get 'good news' for Christmas, not bad luck 

[Lardman]

Guessing you don't mean a kettle either, there's never a good time for things like that to die but sometimes they really do pick their moments.

[rowlandwells]

I never know what I'm getting for Christmas and I always get the wife something after Christmas in the sales well she calls me scrooge at Christmas so I mite as well live up to it 

[Subversive_plot]

Well, between 1970s-era plumbing that is not up to code, a faulty pressure relief valve (PRV) on the water main, the water heater, and some damaged interior plumbing (caused by the failed PRV), I'm up to $3643 (£2845).

Clearly, I am too "high-maintenance".  I'm making a New Years resolution to never give myself such expensive presents during future holidays!   

[mumofstig]

OUCH!! That is really bad news 

[Lardman]

Ouch. You see this is what happens when you insist on have all the modern luxuries like hot and cold water on tap.

[Hampshire Hog]

Don’t worry Lardman if Putin gets his way you’ll be washing in cold water from the local stream in the new year. Hot water is rapidly becoming a luxury along with heating and cooking.

[rowlandwells]

your so write Hampshire hog we maybe back to the old days of cooking on the open fire 

[Goosegirl]

We recently had to have a new combi gas boiler as ours was well past it and had to replace four radiators as well. At least it's a lot more energy efficient.

[Subversive_plot]

Don’t worry Lardman if Putin gets his way you’ll be washing in cold water from the local stream in the new year. Hot water is rapidly becoming a luxury along with heating and cooking.

That has me curious.

The UK is well known for it's coal deposits.  Does the UK also produce coal bed methane?  It tends to not be as abundant as the deep natural gas deposits, but nearly all coal beds give off methane (possible exception might be anthracite coal), I was just wondering if it was used over there.

[mumofstig]

It's too much like fracking for the UK to 'like' it  The title of this article gives you a clue .....
https://frack-off.org.uk/coal-bed-methane-the-evil-twin-of-shale-gas/
While your country takes advantage of every power source available - ours seem to insist on shutting down coal mines, as well as blocking anything else we have available 

[Lardman]

seem to insist on shutting down coal mines, as well as blocking anything else we have available 

Not that it's going to matter soon as the installation of a gas central heating systems wont comply with the required carbon footprint for new builds in 2025.

[Subversive_plot]

I consider myself a fairly "green" person.  Here is why NOT using coal bed methane could actually be worse than the potential carbon footprint.

Methane is a more potent greenhouse gas than methane (about 80 x worse).  The coal bed methane, for shallow coal deposits at least, is likely leaking to the surface and escaping anyway.  My thought process is capture the methane, burn it to beneficial use, and you are left with CO2 instead of methane.