Gubbins piled on gubbins

I remember when central heating (OK, not very hot heating) meant a coke boiler, a smallish hot water tank in the kitchen, a cold tank in the roof, and circulation happened because hot water rises. Only a couple of pipes to and from the hot tank, and space for an airing cupboard.

Fast forward to today. Our (very effective) heat pump demands internal pumps, pumps serving those pumps, other cylindrical things which are probably pumps too; and enough pipes for a cats cradle.

Airing cupboard? What's that? But at least we don't get ice on the inside of winter windows nowadays.