Recent content by Captain Mike

Thanks for your continuing guidance PrenticeBoy. I guess that, stating the obvious, the first thing to try is to screw the boards in the noisiest area and see if that brings about any improvement. Watch this space!!

You can probably tell that you're dealing with a novice here!!. I cannot identify the nails. They are all driven well home with only the heads showing; the heads are approx 7mm diameter. There is no apparent spring in the joists and the creaking is only apparent when I tread on a side joint in...

The boards are nailed down and appear very secure.

I am trying to stop very creaky bedroom floors and hoped to do so just by screwing down the chipboard panels. However, most of the noise is coming from along the T&G and the boards are generally well secured to the joists. So plan B is to replace the chipboard with plywood. To make this...

I am planning to screw chipboard floor panels to joists in an attempt to stop squeaking and groaning. What size and type of screws should I use and do I need pilot holes in joists or just through chipboard?

Following on from my earlier post about noisy bedroom floors, the consensus seems to be that chipboard is not a very good as a flooring product. So I plan to lift the existing chipboard flooring, scrap it and replace with plywood. So I would be grateful for help with what spec the ply should...

To avoid the problem recurring if I use new chipboard again, would it be better to use floor-grade ply?

I live in a detached conventional brick-built house, constructed 13 years ago. We experience unacceptable levels of noise in downstairs rooms, when anyone walks across the bedroom floors above. The noise is a combination of creaks and squeaks together with footfall noise. I plan to lift the...

Thanks very much everyone. I'll now make sute that boxes etc are not touching anyn of the walls and have bought an electronic gadget to get rid of the bugs - I hope!!

Is that a design problem then. I don't want to live in a house where I have to keep the back door open all the time!! :D

Thanks Mason A but I think that with all the gaps around the up-and-over doors there should be adequate ventilation.

I live in a conventionally brick built detached house, constructed 8 years ago. It has taken me until now to notice that the concrete floor of integral double garage is one course of bricks below the DPC. This bottom course leeches salt out of the bricks and conducts dampness through to...

Thanks Malc It looks like 30mA

I'm not an electrician but I do have a problem with an RCB that keeps tripping. The RCB is incorporated in an MEM LB6301 Consumer Unit. In the last 6 weeks, we have suffered sevaral trips of the RCB during the time when the washing machine has been operating. Having reported the fault to our...