Amongst other projects around the town building the Sizewell A Nuclear power station was under way then and there seemed to be full employment and prosperity in Lowestoft. Lots of business at that time was grant work with several local builders. Plumbing in new bathrooms built on to many terraced houses with just an electric water heated cylinder. People started to want Central Heating and the system of the day was an Inset solid fuel boiler, probably in a mock Tudor stone fireplace. We were so busy carrying out these installations people would stop Colin in the street and say ‘ could you install a boiler and fireplace like you did Mr. or Mrs. so & so ? The reply would be not for about 9 months which the customer would find quite acceptable. Today we would not expect any customer to wait more than a couple of weeks and we endeavour to give instant service for boiler breakdowns and emergencies Many of these solid fuel boilers were then changed to gas fired boilers behind the hearth with the discovery of North Sea Gas, following on years later with wall hung balanced flue boilers leading to today’s energy efficient condensing boilers, renewable energy equipment including Solar Powered water and electrical systems, Ground source heat recovery systems, air source recovery systems all now readily available.
