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Hi all - I have a water softener with a bypass/isolation valve, but it is plastic and old, and has a crack in it, so needs replacing. I've been given a new metal one which I'd like to fit myself. However out of the box, none of the fittings seem to be tight after screwing it together. I can just...

Hi all, I’ve recently moved into a flat - about 5 years old. It has a dishwasher in the kitchen below the sink, as well as a bathroom. The water pressure on the bathroom taps is fine, but the water pressure on the kitchen tap is so low. It’s practically a trickle. And the dishwasher won’t...

The wife used an abrasive cleaner which has tarnished the chrome plug cover in our sink. I tried to remove the whole plug unit as I thought it could be replaced, but it doesn't seem to come out. I then tried to remove just the chrome plug cover, and it does come off. But I can't seem to find a...

Hi all, I consider myself to be a competent avid DIY-er., even in terms of electrics. I've changed sockets, light switches, and ceiling light fittings. However, I was well an truly stumped today. I purchased some lightwave smart switches before lockdown, and thought a nice bank holiday...

I've just moved into a new build flat, and am looking at getting a water softener installed. I don't have enough space under my sink, but I'm not that fussed about having a drinking water tap, so I was looking at maybe putting it in the utility cupboard. However, my understanding with water...

I've just moved into a new build property, which came with a new Siemens standalone washing machine installed within a utility cupboard (just on its own, not in a housing). When I moved in I tested it to ensure it was working, and found that it just moves around when it gets to a fast spin...

I've changed most of the sockets and light switches in my house, and am pretty confident when doing it. However, I've never changed a 3 way light switch before - and to make it more confusing, I'm trying to change it to a 2 way. The middle switch is defunct - after talking to a previous owner...

I've just sanded the oak floor in our lounge/hallway, it having been caked in a horrible thick, dark brown stain the past 30 years. I love how its come up, and have been testing with some finishes to protect it. I purchased some Ronseal clear, satin water-based varnish in the hope it would keep...

We're currently in the process of redecorating our lounge and hallway, which currently has a real wooden floor in. However, we hate the current colour of it. It is far too dark, and we're really looking for something lighter. Here is a photo of the current finish: I've sanded back a sample...

My wife and I recently moved into a grade II listed cottage, which has timber casement windows, with secondary glazing attached to each glass pane internally. When we moved in, the majority of the windows had been neglected for 15-20 years - all mouldy and black. I have recently embarked on a...

Hi there, We've looking at repainting the rendering on our cottage as it hasn't been done in a while, but am unsure of what to use to fill and chips or holes in it. I'm not really sure of what the rendering is - it's a brick cottage, with a render on the bottom half of the house, which has been...

Hi there, We had a new kitchen installed when we moved in, and we (regretfully now) decided to keep the existing cooker (ie: oven and hob). It was fairly old, but due to budget constraints at the time, we kept it, and I (naively) assumed it would be easy to replace at a later date. A photo of...

Hi there, I'm in the process of replacing a load of mismatched light and electrical switches in our flat, but I'm a bit confused what one of them is. I have attached a photo - it looks like a lightswitch, but has 'on' printed on it, which makes me think it is some other type. Usually I've seen...

Hi there all - we've recently moved into a new house, and the previous occupier left a water butt in the garden. However, it's not any ordinary water butt - it's a huge one. I've attached a photo below. It looks like a pretty hefty one, and can't have been cheap. The problem is, it doesn't seem...

Hi there, I've recently sourced a neon light fitting, but it doesn't come with a power supply or transformer. Googling seems to reveal that there are all sorts available, and I don't have a clue which one would fit it. Photos below - anyone have any ideas? It looks a similar fitting to a...

We are currently in the process of replacing the interior doors in our house, and have opted for some cottage style Oak Veneer ones like these: http://www.diy.com/departments/cottage-panelled-oak-veneer-internal-door-h2040-w826mm/176345_BQ.prd These are fine for most doors in the house...

Hi all, I've recently renovated the porch (my first large-ish DIY project :)), and have come a bit stuck on one part of it. Essentially, I have ripped off some old terracotta tiles that were mortared (badly) down on top of a brick wall, which formed the window sill of the porch. I would...

Hi all - we're moving into a listed building in a few weeks, and one of the issues the survey pointed out was some degradation of the beam that runs across the living room ceiling. I have attached some photos below, and it looks like the end has rotted in some way, so there is a large chunk...