I need a shower :(

[Kooky]

Two days now with no hot water in 2/4 buildings in our complex. It's getting old

Apparently they stuck plasters on it yesterday, which is why we had hot water last night when we tried it, but today it has gone completely and management says it needs replacing. Could be a week or more although they are looking at alternatives, such as solar, which could take even longer

Precious I may be, but I can't imagine standing in the bath and ladeling kettle-boiled water over me for much longer. Neo's ok as his office has a gym he can shower at. Our complex gym happens to be in our building, not one of the ones with hot water.

Bright ideas, anyone? Wondering if any local gyms will let me pay to shower, or am I checking into the Westin again for a bath?

[Tas]

Pop over to the North Shore for a couple hourse tomorrow when Neo goes to Uni

[Kooky]

Don't think I haven't thought about it Or to A&L's, but if it's going to be more than a day or so I really need to find somewhere to go on the way to work. At our old office we had a shower, but we don't have one in the new place

Just glad it's not summer!

[Beesknees]

Just do what you did when you were a child - a "birdbath".

[Kooky]

Unfortunately they don't make washing up bowls big enough

[baloo]

You're English. It's only been 2 days. What's the problem ? I thought once a week in summer and once a month in winter was the norm.

[Kooky]

Whether we needed it or not.

[Lichtgestalt]

Where do homeless people get a shower Just don't be such a sissy and get a cold shower

[Kooky]

But I'm not homeless - I have a $3/4m apartment and pay a huge management fee to have hot water

I've just realised if push comes to shove I can get off the bus a stop early, go to the swimming pool in the local park and pay the $4.80 entrance fee, use the showers, then walk to work

[Tack]

Sounds grim. But just realised that means you don't control your own hot water. Is that normal in Aus or is there some brilliant eco system that could only work if shared eg solar/ground heat/wind turbine. None of the bazillion flats we looked at in London had a shared system. Is leccy also shared?

[BoD]

Well I hope you will be asking for a reduction in the management fee

Then of course you will have to pay extra to top up the coffers after the repair work

[Kooky]

I've no idea how it all works but I do know it has to be a hefty system to feed all the apartments in two blocks, so is not something you can just go out and replace in a matter of days. There were two, apparently, and on Friday they patched one up but of course it was the same age as the other one and quickly gave up. Or so the exec of the committee, our next-door neighbour, told us.

BoD - yeah, my thoughts were in a similar order to yours; the first being quickly forgotten. We're still paying extra for a couple more months for the swimming pool renovations as it is. Or is it the new security system in the car park? I can't remember.

I do know I'm going to get involved in the committee at the earliest opportunity. Shame the previous owner's position didn't get passed on with the apartment (but at least she passed on the storage cage).

[Fat Bob]

A centrally managed heating system? How inefficient! Well, if they do go to solar, then it will be at least worth it, but won't that just cost more?

Options? Get a plumber to get an electric system put in your shower. Probably quickest and most reliable.

[Bender]

get an electric system put in your shower...

Are you thinking of one of these? Forget it - they're virtually unknown, although some similar units are available, in Oz.

K, if you're on a communal hot water supply, how is your water and energy usage metered and charged? Or do you subsidise the family next door, with 3 teengers who spend hours in the shower and wash 3 hot water loads of washing in a toploader each day?

[Fat Bob]

So backward lah!

OK, you're buggered, K. After which, you will need a shower.

[Spike]

I've no idea how it all works but I do know it has to be a hefty system to feed all the apartments in two blocks, so is not something you can just go out and replace in a matter of days. There were two, apparently, and on Friday they patched one up but of course it was the same age as the other one and quickly gave up. Or so the exec of the committee, our next-door neighbour, told us.

BoD - yeah, my thoughts were in a similar order to yours; the first being quickly forgotten. We're still paying extra for a couple more months for the swimming pool renovations as it is. Or is it the new security system in the car park? I can't remember.

I do know I'm going to get involved in the committee at the earliest opportunity. Shame the previous owner's position didn't get passed on with the apartment (but at least she passed on the storage cage).

I'd strongly advise not getting onto the committee. I'm Chairman of our condo committee and it's the most thankless task on Earth. Whatever you try to do for the general good of the residents a proportion of them will be pissed off and will complain about you and to you. And it's the professional complainers that never come up with an idea or suggestion to improve things, they just continuouly whinge. I'm resigning from the committee at the next AGM. I don't need the aggravation!

[Bender]

So backward lah!

Not really. To raise the water temperature enough for a comfortable shower in the tropics is easy, so those little units are fine. To do it here you'd need a 3-phase heater.

Speaking of backward, why so little solar (water/power) in Singapore?

[Kooky]

Wot Bender says. The instant gas heaters make most sense to me but I don't know anybody with anything other than the bog-standard metal shower head sticking out of the wall, that feeds off the hot water system and general water pressure. Mira power showers they ain't but then, being a tree-hugging hippy, if I had one I'd probably put one of those gizmos on it to slow down the water flow.

Maybe those that build or renovate houses have fancy showers?

There's a water meter under the sink.

[Lili Von Shtupp]

So backward lah!

Not really. To raise the water temperature enough for a comfortable shower in the tropics is easy, so those little units are fine. To do it here you'd need a 3-phase heater.

Speaking of backward, why so little solar (water/power) in Singapore?

They're moving in that direction, Bender, but it's a slow process. The Building Construction Authority has a certification process for green buildings, with grants for incorporation of green construction practices and sustainable design into both new buildings and retrofitted into old ones. HDB is working sustainable design, including solar, into future projects - retrofitting will be tough, though. A lot of construction companies are signing up because sustainable urban development has been identified as a potential industry for growth, export. Basically Singapore wants to become the global example of sustainable urban development so it can get contracts for overseas projects.

Water power isn't something I think they can incorporate here. Trying to keep the people and industries supplied with a reliable supply of clean water is probably their #1 energy sucker, I'd think.

[Fat Bob]

So backward lah!

Not really. To raise the water temperature enough for a comfortable shower in the tropics is easy, so those little units are fine. To do it here you'd need a 3-phase heater.

Speaking of backward, why so little solar (water/power) in Singapore?

I've lived in the UK, I've used those and they worked quite well. Wasn't sure, but don't think it was 3-phase.

No idea why so little solar power. Probably costs a shit load to get ship the things here.

[Tack]

Electric and gas shower heaters are common in Uk, they work fine here so guess would there too.

"Single point water heater:

Single point water heaters come in both gas and electricity "flavour" and are sited, generally, next to the point they serve. In the case of an electric heater (an electric shower is an example) They must be wired to the mains via an isolating switch. A heater up to 3kw can be plugged into an ordinary 13 amp socket, but that socket must not be in reach of the water outlet. Above 3kw, the heater must be wired directly to the fusebox with a double pole isolating switch in the circuit. In the kitchen, this switch may be wall mounted, again, out of reach from the sink, but in the bathroom it must either be a cord operated switch on the ceiling, or an isolating switch outside the room. Differing cable sizes are needed for differently rated heater and checks should be made for the particular heater you wish to install.

Single point gas heaters of the old "Ascot" type are based on a thermostat sensing the arrival of cold water into its reservoir when water is asked for from a tap. As soon as the tap is open, fresh cold water comes in to replace that being drawn from the tap. This triggers the ignition of the burners which heat the water. The hot water rises to the top and is available immediately."

Kooks, is there a separate meter for hot and cold water? I guess there must be. So this shared thing isn't the norm there either?

[Kooky]

Been trying not to bore you all silly but would just like to say, Day Seven. Day bloody Seven without hot water.

They've put in a temporary heater but it's only taking the chill off the water - colder than what comes out of the cold tap in Singapore.

Westin's looking attractive for the weekend.

[Bender]

Been trying not to bore you all silly...

Quite the contrary...!

[Lichtgestalt]

Been trying not to bore you all silly but would just like to say, Day Seven. Day bloody Seven without hot water.

They've put in a temporary heater but it's only taking the chill off the water - colder than what comes out of the cold tap in Singapore.

Westin's looking attractive for the weekend.

Must be the most expensive shower ever but then as an expat wife What happened to the swimming pools and gyms? Or friends?

[Kooky]

Darling Lichty, you know well that I am no longer a kept woman.

It's just a hassle to go elsewhere first thing in the morning. It's winter.