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    Polycarbonate rooflight leak - sealant?

    Hi all, 2 issues: 1. There is a small hole/crack in the top layer of polycarbonate, water has seeped in and made a lovely black stain. 2. The metal border holding the polycarbonate in place has pulled away slightly from the polycarbonate in several places, causing a gap. There is a...
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    What type of tradesmen to repair joist/lay DPM?

    I need a rotten joist spanning my upstairs hallway (and some creaky soggy floorboards) to be replaced. I also need someone to lift my extension suspended wood floor and check if a DPM exists (don't ask, cowboy builders) and if not, to fit it. What type of tradesmen do I seek? I'm...
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    Boarding/blocking up chimneyplace / airvent ?

    My little boy sleeps in the front side bedroom (i.e flanking the side of the house). There is a chimney on that side. When we moved in 3 yrs ago the builders boarded up the chimney place (or perhaps it was just an opening, not an actual chimneyplace - I forget details) and also a wall vent...
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    Are new rads better than old rads?

    thanks seeing as the existing one is much longer, how big a job is it to fit a shorter rad?
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    Are new rads better than old rads?

    Our master bedroom currently has an old double radiator measuring approx 390 x 1450. Although it gets very hot to the touch all over, during the past few winters the room just doesnt get very warm at all, it remains mild. Online BTU calculations indicate the room should need 4100-4500 BTU...
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    LABC regularisation *after* chimneys have been removed

    No, just concerned that everything should have been done properly.
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    LABC regularisation *after* chimneys have been removed

    We had 2 chimneys removed completely (ground floor, first floor, loft and above roof) approx 2 years ago from our semi-detached house. The builders removed my half of the stacks, so the 2 shared stacks are now half thickness (and only on neighbour's side) Part of the reason we removed...
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    Being efficient with hot water

    thanks for the suggestion, although it sounds too laborious and finicky for a perfectionist like myself... we'll see...
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    Being efficient with hot water

    Thanks a lot for your detailed response If I recall correctly, my cylinder thermostat is set to 55-60. Is that correct practice?
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    Being efficient with hot water

    It is cold fill only. The cylinder is self-insulated from what I understand - I lagged the pipes in the loft myself so relatively little heat loss there. From what I understand you have your HW for 5.5h a day - a lot more than my 3 - and there i was thinking I can get away with less...
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    Being efficient with hot water

    Currently we run the hot water every 8 hours daily, for an hour each time. I'm wondering if this is unnecessary and inefficient. We need enough daily water for 1 bath, 2 showers, a couple of washing machine and dishwasher loads (although am I correct that these machines take in cold water and...
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    Radiator problem - sludge or broken?

    I too suspected this. I only wish I had known these before taking on the contractor. (This was only one of a number of things he messed up). Tony - I'm in NW London as I believe you are - would you be able to visit and advise (if it would be beneficial)? I'm sick of trying to balance the system...
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    Radiator problem - sludge or broken?

    Boiler and cylinder fitted 2 years ago along with 3 rads downstairs and ++some++ pipework replaced - also 9 old rads left, so 12 altogether Even with CH thermostat up to high, all the new ones only get hot at the top third or so - but the old ones are all fine (Also, the flow pipe on the...
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    Quick query from balancing rads

    Actually, we do have 12 rads ! (Two of which are approx 2m length ) Boiler is vaillant ecotec 630 and at times I have wondered if it is powerful enough ...
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    Quick query from balancing rads

    Been trying in vain for ages to balance and getting frustrated by failures. Please confirm if I should leave all TRVs on flow side on fully open and attempt to balance only through adjustment of LS s on return side. And if yes, can I then adjust TRV s after wards without unbalancing the...
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    GGF Insurance Backed Guarantee: but no guarantee from glazer

    Had double glazing done a while ago by a Fensa-registered Co. (I did not hire them directly but through a building contractor [part of house renovation], so I have no paperwork from the glazing firm. Fensa cert arrived successfully, albeit a year late. ) I then received a letter from GGFI...
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    How long afterwards can a job be registered with Fensa?

    Our windows were fitted about 1.5 years ago. Not yet recd Fensa cert as in dispute with builder - I checked the website and nothing been reported/registered yet for our property. However builder says he can provide it now (if we agree in our negotiations). To my mind this smells very...
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    Cistern not filling unless press button repeatedly

    Cistern fills very tempermentally- occasionally it fills normally, most other times have to press button repeatedly to kick into action (then fill 'normally') Does it sound like the filling mechanism alone is broken, or is there another cause? BTW brand is banyo (I think may be a...
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    Balancing rads - black tape..?

    I read that black tape reduces the risk of incorrect temperature readings off the pipes. Hope not a silly q, but only having blue tape at home, wondering if this will do the same trick (as will present same surface on all pipes equally) Thanks
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    No Fensa cert; is LABC fee worth it?

    We had about 20 windows fitted last year by our contractor and still not rec'd FENSA cert (still in dispute with him about some other issues and he claims to be witholding the registration). I am not looking to sell house for a long time. However, I want (a) peace of mind that installation...
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