Comments on: Madrid Characters #1 – The Gas Man! http://www.notesfrommadrid.com/2007/03/07/madrid-characters-1-the-gas-man/ A new look at the city of Madrid. Photos, news, podcasts, Madrid secrets, videos, bars - a real insider's guide. Wed, 17 Sep 2008 19:08:12 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: Gary http://www.notesfrommadrid.com/2007/03/07/madrid-characters-1-the-gas-man/comment-page-1/#comment-146 Gary Mon, 07 May 2007 17:29:32 +0000 http://www.notesfrommadrid.com/2007/03/07/madrid-characters-1-the-gas-man/#comment-146 Exactly the same in Barcelona - at least in Paral-lel/Poble Sec where we stay. The difference seems to be that the Butanero de Barça announces his arrival by hitting the cylinders with a spanner - always at the time you are taking a nap! Exactly the same in Barcelona – at least in Paral-lel/Poble Sec where we stay. The difference seems to be that the Butanero de Barça announces his arrival by hitting the cylinders with a spanner – always at the time you are taking a nap!

]]> By: Madrid Characters #2 - The Coal Man! - Notes from Madrid http://www.notesfrommadrid.com/2007/03/07/madrid-characters-1-the-gas-man/comment-page-1/#comment-66 Madrid Characters #2 - The Coal Man! - Notes from Madrid Fri, 16 Mar 2007 09:59:45 +0000 http://www.notesfrommadrid.com/2007/03/07/madrid-characters-1-the-gas-man/#comment-66 [...] While some people are still heating their flats with individual bottles of Butane gas, most of the buildings in our barrio have central heating - meaning that one big old boiler in the basement pumps hot water around the radiators in the whole building. The upside is pretty powerful heating, the downside is that you have no control over when the heating comes on - in our building it runs from 1 pm through to Midnight, from around November to April. [...] [...] While some people are still heating their flats with individual bottles of Butane gas, most of the buildings in our barrio have central heating – meaning that one big old boiler in the basement pumps hot water around the radiators in the whole building. The upside is pretty powerful heating, the downside is that you have no control over when the heating comes on – in our building it runs from 1 pm through to Midnight, from around November to April. [...]

]]> By: Graeme http://www.notesfrommadrid.com/2007/03/07/madrid-characters-1-the-gas-man/comment-page-1/#comment-61 Graeme Fri, 09 Mar 2007 14:09:45 +0000 http://www.notesfrommadrid.com/2007/03/07/madrid-characters-1-the-gas-man/#comment-61 It used to be almost everyone, but now piped gas is rapidly displacing butane. The bottle gets delivered and you have to hook it up to the tube. I think probably all new buildings have piped gas installed, the problem in older buildings is to get enough owners to agree to install the mains gas connection. In Madrid, getting neighbours to agree on anything can be difficult. It used to be almost everyone, but now piped gas is rapidly displacing butane. The bottle gets delivered and you have to hook it up to the tube. I think probably all new buildings have piped gas installed, the problem in older buildings is to get enough owners to agree to install the mains gas connection. In Madrid, getting neighbours to agree on anything can be difficult.

]]> By: Skip http://www.notesfrommadrid.com/2007/03/07/madrid-characters-1-the-gas-man/comment-page-1/#comment-58 Skip Thu, 08 Mar 2007 18:45:00 +0000 http://www.notesfrommadrid.com/2007/03/07/madrid-characters-1-the-gas-man/#comment-58 This is interesting, so you madridians (?) have gas or butane? delivered to the home, and you have to hook it up like a gas grill. Is this common, or do modern flats have pre-plummed gas in pipes? just a curiousity This is interesting, so you madridians (?) have gas or butane? delivered to the home, and you have to hook it up like a gas grill. Is this common, or do modern flats have pre-plummed gas in pipes?

just a curiousity

]]> By: Graeme http://www.notesfrommadrid.com/2007/03/07/madrid-characters-1-the-gas-man/comment-page-1/#comment-57 Graeme Thu, 08 Mar 2007 13:24:08 +0000 http://www.notesfrommadrid.com/2007/03/07/madrid-characters-1-the-gas-man/#comment-57 I'm still a customer of el butanero, although these days it's getting harder to find him as more people switch to Gas Natural. Even with price increases we still get our hot water and cooking gas at about 12 euros a month. The real downside is that freezing January morning when you are in the shower covered in soap....and you realize the gas is finishing! El butanero is one of the people in life that you have to treat well, a decent tip for hauling those bottles up the stairs is almost obligatory. I’m still a customer of el butanero, although these days it’s getting harder to find him as more people switch to Gas Natural. Even with price increases we still get our hot water and cooking gas at about 12 euros a month. The real downside is that freezing January morning when you are in the shower covered in soap….and you realize the gas is finishing! El butanero is one of the people in life that you have to treat well, a decent tip for hauling those bottles up the stairs is almost obligatory.

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