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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?

    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

    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

    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?

    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

    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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    Balancing rads - 2 queries

    1. Do I need to remove the cap of the LSV in order to adjust it? A lot of articles advise to do so, but I can't see any point. The cap seems to adjust the valve fine. 2. Do I measure the temperature of the (vertical) pipework leading to the LSV/TRV - or the valve/pipework between...
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    Help with balancing rads

    I'm having trouble identifying the radiators closest to the boiler. We have 6 upstairs and I can't run around the rooms in time to see which heat up first. Any suggestions?
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    Can I withhold some payment if no retention in contract?

    My contractor has not finished the job of renovating my house ... plenty of o/s points still to take care of. He has been very evasive at the best of times.. charges a lot, does poor work, hopes no-one complains, when I do then he insists it is fine, eventually if I am very lucky begrudgingly...
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    Who gets the Completion Certificate

    Having recently had a single story extension done, my builder has refused to give me the engineer's calculations (for rsj's) that i believed i needed to get the Completion Certificate from Building Control, until I paid him what he believes was outstanding payment. To his dismay, the...
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