In reply to A newbie all over again! by Annec
In reply to A newbie all over again! by Annec
I understand your frustration.... we asked the geometra and the gasfitter to do the necessary in November 2007. All the necessary piping was done, but it took the Gas Company until last June to have the meter installed (we even had to provide them with a metallic box for that purpose). We left everything in the hands of the gasfitter who had to drill an extra ventilation hole... and then, I think everything will be solved and we will finally have the gas installed when we will return in October. But you have to be patient.....
I found this for you, if all what you have is the "numero verde" 800509509124 try this number: 0554380552
Their address is Via dei Neri 25 - 50122 FIRENZE
There is also an email address (but the Website does not work): [email]info@fiorentinagas.it[/email]
I hope that you will be able to do something :yes:
In reply to A newbie all over again! by Annec
I also found the same number Charles gave you 05543801
In reply to A newbie all over again! by Annec
Well having no happiness from phone calls and a returned email 'unkown address' from that link Gala, I have just had a call to say the gas meter still has not been connected. I did find out that Fiorentina Gas were owned by Italgas and sent an email through their website but no reply. :rollingeyes:
I arrive in Italy on Thursday and have been told it should happen a week later but we've all heard that one before.
Also it seems that Aug 13th my third appointment for the telephone line to be connected came and went with another no show.
Well this is Italy, can you really expect anything else? :no::bigergrin:
In reply to A newbie all over again! by Annec
Do you have the outside box installed so that they can fit the gas meter? Apparently that is the way to do it. Yes, it is frustrating. We are returning in October and they said that everything should be ready by then......"La santa pazienza!!!!!!"
In reply to A newbie all over again! by Annec
Yes indeed everything all already installed.
Pipes from street to metal box on outside wall. Pipes from metal box to boiler room in cantina and kitchen.
It's that void in the middle that means no hot water and no cooking with my new cooker which has stood idle for two months.
There are six of us staying this week! :eeeek:
Oh well with no stove and as we are in Puccini country I will have to make do like the poor students in "La Bohème". :bigergrin:
In reply to A newbie all over again! by Annec
Let's hope you will not have to sing "Che gelida manina".
Best wishes.
In reply to A newbie all over again! by Annec
Well I now have the luxury of gas at my home in Barga.
Warm water and a gas cooker are fine but the central heating expert would not do a test until after I had left. :veryconfused:
One has to be suspicious as it is Italy but I'm sure there is a reason.
I only hope he doesn't leave it on full blast as I won't be back for a few months. :eeeek:
In reply to A newbie all over again! by Annec
Congratulations! We are still waiting to see what is going on when we go there towards the end of this month.
Central heating is a complicated thing, so leave the key with the installer.... Also, if you are not going to be there in the middle of winter ask him to put the special product in the radiators against freezing. You do not want nasty surprises.
In reply to A newbie all over again! by Annec
I did ask the plumber to put anti-freeze in the system Gala and he told me he had already thought about that. I will have to trust that he has.
My heating is supposed to be state of the art but I didn't notice a frost setting as an option. :veryconfused:
Should I be surprised if I have a burst pipe or a heating bill for €2000 when I go back in January? :eeeek:
Hope your gas is up and running when you arrive end of the month. :smile:
In reply to A newbie all over again! by Annec
[quote=IRITALIA;96882]I did ask the plumber to put anti-freeze in the system Gala and he told me he had already thought about that. I will have to trust that he has..........:[/quote]
You should be able to do a check on this by bleeding some water out of a radiator - if it's clear - probably no antifreeze. [my radiator water (with antifreeze) is a whitish colour]
[quote=IRITALIA;96882]..............................My heating is supposed to be state of the art but I didn't notice a frost setting as an option..........[/quote]
the boiler probably has an in built anti frost setting that will fire up the boiler, to protect it - but it won't [I believe] turn on the pump to the radiators.
Also - if there is a room thermostat [there usually is], that will also probably have a Winter setting - if not, turn it down to about 3C - 5C.
However, when we leave the house after our last stay before winter [next month this year] I'll turn off the gas, water and electrics and drain the hot and cold pipes [but not the central heating - antifreeze] - so no freeze up problems at the house when we return in Jan/Feb.
.
In reply to A newbie all over again! by Annec
Many thanks for that info Alan.
Here in Germany I realise I have made the mistake for many years of manually turning my old boiler on to the frost setting whilst away thinking that would turn on the heating pump as well if needed. :eeeek:
I now feel so lucky that the milder winters have helped me to avoid a domestic disaster due to my own ignorance.
That is why I couldn't find a frost setting on the remote control for the heating system in Italy, it doesn't exist. The vacation setting which turns the heating off whilst away and on again the day you come back warns of no frost protection in winter.
I will now have the heating in Italy set at the mimimum temperature you recommended to start the heating when nessesary, thanks again. :smile:
Now I have to work out how to set the old system here in Germany after all these years. :bigergrin:
In reply to A newbie all over again! by Annec
As futher explanation on my comment about integral frost stats in boilers not necessarily operating the pump.
I looked at the Instructions for a modern gas boiler [on the net - its pretty easy to Google your boilers service/installation brochure] and found this statement - which is pretty self explanatory
"4.17 Frost protection
The boiler has an integral frost thermostat which is
designed for protection of the boiler. To protect remote
or exposed parts of the heating system or property additional
frost protection measures must be taken such as
the installation of an external frost thermostat. This
frost thermostat should be connected across the boiler
terminals ...., in parallel with any external heating
controls."
.
You could try : 05543801. That Florence number should be diallable from outside Italy 003905543801 (though it might be corporate head office rather than customer service, I just got it from a google search).