My blogs were always meant to be about the business: the highs, the lows, the trials and tribulations of being self employed in 2026. But as they’ve gone on – and on – I’ve found myself talking about mental health more and more. It seems to resonate with people.
I’m not a mental health expert. I’m just honest. Honest about my own struggles, and honest enough to recognise the benefit of talking about them – for myself and, hopefully, for others too.
I’ve accepted that my job has become a huge part of my identity. Every conversation seems to come back to the business. And bloody boilers. Every decision I make has some kind of implication on what we’ve created. I’ve become quite dull these days. Most of my socialising is business networking, and every trip to Birmingham or Wolverhampton over the past few years seems to have had some connection to our little plumbing and heating company.
Back in 2006, I was an apprentice preparing for my ACS assessments and working towards becoming Gas Safe Registered. Side bar: I can’t even remember whether it was still CORGI back then. Was I CORGI registered? Some people still ask for CORGI registered engineers. Some people also think their two year old condensing boiler has a pilot light. FYI: it definitely doesn’t. But I digress.
If you’d told apprentice me that, 20 years later, I’d have just completed my fourth gas re assessment, I’m not sure I’d have believed you. Twenty years as a gas man. Man and boy. Or boy and man. Knee high to a grasshopper. I don’t really know what that means, but I do know this: we’re now supporting our own young whippersnapper of a plumber, Leighton, as he embarks on the same journey.
20 Years of accumulated gas wisdom
I’m not on the tools much anymore. This fourth re assessment, as I approach 40, will probably be my last. My role has changed. These days, helping people is what I care about most – whether that’s Leighton, undervalued gas engineers looking to become part of our team, existing customers, friends, family or total strangers.
I’ve never really had to worry about my heating. My boiler. My radiators. I’ve always known what to do, and I’ve never had to fear being ripped off by dreadful tradespeople or being left without heating or hot water. But I do understand how much anxiety that can cause for people. How it can live rent free in your head. How that fear can quietly consume you.
So here it is: my pledge to anyone reading this. If you need advice on anything to do with heating, plumbing – and now cooling – just let me know.
This will go out on our business page, but it will also go out on my personal page. Not to drum up work. Not because I have an agenda. Just because I’ve realised this week that, after 20 years in this industry, I know some stuff.
Some of it is interesting. Some of it is absolutely mind shatteringly boring. Some of it is genuinely useful. I have opinions. I try to base many of them on facts. And I’m more than happy to share what I’ve learned.
So, if you have a really old boiler and don’t know what to do with it, give me a shout. The advice might be to leave it alone. It might simply be to get it serviced. If you’re worried about heat pumps, ask me. I’ll do my best to break down some of the scaremongering and myths. If you’ve been roasting in your home this summer and are thinking about air conditioning for next year, drop me a line. And if I used to service your boiler, you forgot the next year, and now you think it’s too awkward to get in touch… don’t worry. Just holler. Holla? Holler. I’m never sure. “Oi” will do. “Oi oi” if you’re feeling brave.
Gas, heating and hot water doesn’t need to be on your worry list
My point is simple: don’t stress about it. Get me round. Ask me some questions. Take advantage of 20 years of accumulated gas wisdom, and hopefully you’ll feel a little more prepared for if – or when – the time comes to have something done.
There’s enough to worry about in life. David.
