感染症による世界経済の変調はさまざまな影響を及ぼしてきていますが、
建築関係で直接的なことは半導体不足による各種製品の値上がりや品不足。
上の品不足情報のようにとくに「給湯器」の逼迫ぶりが顕著。

そういう情報をよくわかっていたなかで、わが家の給湯器に異変。
なんと、家の中で石油臭い異臭がしたのであります。
わが家では暖房ボイラーと給湯ボイラー両方がある。
暖房用は物置に設置していて、室内設置は給湯用の方であります。
で、メンテナンスの方に確認して頂いたら、悪夢のような結論。
「これは給湯ボイラー自体の特定部品の劣化の結果です。
確認しましたが、20年以上前の製品であり現在は製造から撤退した企業製品。
したがって交換可能な部品の在庫はありません。機種交換しかありません」
「で、現在の製品の市中在庫状況は・・・」
という悪夢のような宣告をじっと聞かされておりました（泣）。
建築を維持していく、生活インフラを維持して行くには給湯は現代生活で欠かせない。
調理やキッチンなどの用途については夏場でもあり
使用しないで多少の冷たさは我慢することは可能ですが、
お風呂についてはもう逃げ場がない状況に簡単に追い込まれる。
以下は経産省の2021年12月の発表概要。
「家庭用給湯器の安定供給に向けた要請を行いました」
〜現在、給湯器の部素材の調達難により家庭用給湯器需要に対し供給が遅延の
状況が発生しています。家庭用給湯器は暖房器具と同様、国民生活に不可欠であり、
その安定供給が求められています。特に冬季は需要が高まる時期であるとともに、
年度末に向け新築住宅の竣工数が大幅に増加していくことから、
その供給に支障をきたさないことが強く求められます。
こうした状況を踏まえ、家庭用給湯器の安定供給に向けた対応を行うよう、
経済産業省と国土交通省の連名で、関係団体に対し別添のとおり要請を行いました。
なお経済産業省においても、部素材調達におけるボトルネックの把握と
その解消に向けた取組や代替調達先の紹介など、必要な対応を図っていきます。〜

この危機以降、しかし特段の状況改善の動きは無かったのです。
そういう中でのわが家の給湯器危機の勃発という次第。
状況のきびしさは十分理解しつつ、至急の発注・設置工事を依頼。
いまのところ、九州に在庫があったという報告で最短で8/3という返答。
それまでは緊急避難として毎日、日帰り温泉施設に通う生活（泣笑）。
給湯のような設備はバックアップを確保しておくとか、
日常的にメンテナンスをして事前に修理交換を考えておくというのは困難。
機能代替手段というのはどう考えても思いつかない。
昭和前期のような家風呂のない時代からは少なくとも半世紀以上。
生活安全保障ということも思い知らされるところであります。う〜む。

English version⬇

Our kerosene water heater broke down 20 years after installation.
The harsh reality of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry’s December 2021 “request for a stable supply of household hot water heaters” has hit our home. We are forced to visit a hot spring for a day trip. …….

The global economy has been affected by various factors, including
The direct impact on the construction industry has been price hikes and shortages of various products due to the shortage of semiconductors.
As shown in the above information on product shortages, the tightness of “water heaters” is particularly noticeable.

While we were well aware of such information, we noticed something unusual about our water heater.
To our surprise, we smelled a strange petroleum odor in the house.
We have both a heating boiler and a hot water boiler.
The heating boiler is installed in a shed, and the hot water boiler is installed indoors.
When we asked the maintenance person to check the boiler, he came to a nightmarish conclusion: “This is a specific problem with the hot water boiler itself.
This is the result of deterioration of a specific component of the hot water boiler itself.
We checked, but the product is more than 20 years old and is a product of a company that has now withdrawn from production.
Therefore, there are no replaceable parts in stock. We have no choice but to replace the model.”
And what is the current stock status of the product in the market?
We were told this nightmarish pronouncement (tears).
Hot water supply is indispensable in modern life for maintaining architecture and living infrastructure.
As for uses such as cooking and kitchens, it is summer time.
It is possible to tolerate some coldness without using it, but
about baths, we are easily forced into a situation where there is no more escape.
The following is a summary of METI’s December 2021 announcement.
The Ministry has made a request for a stable supply of residential water heaters.”
〜Currently, there are delays in the supply of residential hot water heaters in response to demand due to difficulties in procurement of materials for hot water heater components.
The supply of residential water heaters has been delayed due to difficulties in procurement of materials for water heaters. Domestic water heaters, like heaters, are indispensable to people’s lives, and their stable supply is required.
Stable supply is required. Demand for domestic hot-water units increases especially during the winter season, and the completion of new housing construction toward the end of the fiscal year.
The number of newly constructed houses is expected to increase significantly toward the end of the fiscal year.
The supply of hot-water supply systems must not be interrupted.
In light of these circumstances, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) have agreed to take measures to ensure a stable supply of residential hot water units.
The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) have jointly made the attached request to the relevant organizations to take measures to ensure stable supply of residential hot-water units.
The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) is also working to identify and resolve bottlenecks in the procurement of materials for the department.
The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) will also take necessary measures such as identifying bottlenecks in the procurement of materials and introducing alternative procurement sources. ~~

Since the crisis, however, there has been no particular improvement in the situation.
It was against this backdrop that our water heater crisis erupted.
Fully aware of the severity of the situation, we requested an order and installation as soon as possible.
The earliest we could receive a response was August 3.
Until then, we had to go to a one-day spa every day as an emergency evacuation.
(Crying). We had to make sure that we had backups for facilities such as hot water supply.
It is difficult to maintain such facilities as hot water supply and to plan for repair and replacement in advance.
I can’t think of any functional alternatives.
It has been at least half a century since the early Showa period, when there were no home baths.
This is also a reminder of the need for life security. Hmmm.

Posted on 7月 27th, 2022 by 三木 奎吾
Filed under: 住宅マーケティング, 日本社会・文化研究