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Hi all. Got a leaking hot water tank (around the immersion element) and wondering what is best for the long term. It's 30 years old (very soft water area!) in a one bedroom flat with no gas and an electric shower (no bathtub either) so the large hot water tank and similarly large header tank...

We replaced our banister but the new hand rail is wider and now fingers can’t fit between it and the ceiling/floor at the top. As a result my aging mum has nothing to hold on to. Is there a tool or technique to take 1/2 inch off the side of the hand rail so close to the wall? Thanks all

A leak has appeared through my kitchen ceiling which is directly under the back of this toilet/cistern, which appears impenetrable! Anyone know which panels should come out first to access the offending area? Praying it’s the cistern rather than the waste pipe!

A little fencing advice please... one of our fences has started to lean (no doubt the 25 year old posts are giving up) but they're in the middle of a long run that we'd rather not replace (yet). I can easily push it back to upright - about a foot of movement - and am looking to prop it back up...

Storm Ali has wrecked my shed's felt. Well, to be honest its been needing attention for a year or two and the roof's OSB board under the felt has rot/damp so I guess a proper job is to replace the whole roof. Are there any better alternatives to using board and felt I should consider? clear...

I tiled the bathroom floor 5 years ago (upstairs, onto 6mm ply screwed onto the chipboard flooring) but have since had an extension which required an RSJ being fitted just below the bathroom, in which the floor dropped a couple of mm (see dodgy sealant along wall joint). I'm guessing this is the...

Hi, mechanical numpty here... A vibration has recently developed in my engine bay (Mondeo 2008 1.8 TDCI). It sounded like a blowing exhaust/manifold but when I got underneath it I found that its the air filter box (centre in the picture) that is resonating and knocking against a neighbouring...

After removing the virgin box in favour of an Amazon fire tv stick I'm getting sound drop- outs of a second every 20 seconds or so, and also slight picture pixelation every minute or so. The two issues don't appear to happen together. When hooking up a different TV to the same inputs/cables i...

Wiring a plug at the end of a long day, I thought I'd just test it worked before screwing the back on. Of course its the back-plate that pushes the pins into the socket, so having left my brains elsewhere, I used my thumbs to first push in the earth and then the live and neutral. Actually went...

Hi all, I've laid a patio of flags (Tobermore Historic) on a dry sand/cement base, leaving 10mm jointing gaps. Am I OK to simply use kiln-dried sand on the joints, or is that only appropriate if setting the flags close-jointed? The patio is framed within a perimeter of walls. Any suggestions for...

Our back garden was only useable for sledging by the kids in winter. We decided to place a larger/higher patio by the house, then a retaining wall with steps, a flat lawn, and banking up the sides and back to the fences. After getting quotes of around £12k I decided to take on my first ever DIY...

Hi all, Planning a dry stone retaining wall in the garden and bought a bargain load of reclaimed sandstone where a local railway bridge is being demolished. However, some of the blocks that were dropped in the garden are nearly a cubic yard in size! Any ideas on how I can split these into...

Hi all, I've bought myself a 2nd hand (more like 22nd hand!) Erhit wacker (an old brand that was apparently bought by Belle many years ago). It started alright when I picked it up but could probably do with an oil change - any idea what oil I should use, and approximately what quantity? (there...

Hi all, My garden levelling project is moving fast and we are having fun with an excavator digger. We've dug out a few trailer loads and cut embankments around the garden perimeter at approx. 45 degrees (after leaving half to one metre undisturbed so as not to compromise fence post stability)...

Perhaps a stupid question, but I'm building a free-standing brick wall in the garden and wonder if putting a damp proof membrane is of any benefit? Thanks for any advice

Hi, Would anyone know of a lock or customisation that would enable these windows to be locked in an open position? Its a ground floor flat and uncomfortable on hot summer nights. The frames are metal and hinged at the top. Thanks for any advice!

Hi, I'm planning a free-standing brick wall 1.4m high x 3m long single brick width. It'll actually only be 1.1m high on one side due to a raised patio. There wont be any gates or fences attached. How deep & wide should the foundation be (its a well compacted gravel sub base previously been...

Hi all, I've built a garden retaining wall (quite proud of the result too, being a novice!) and am now going to place a patio between the house and the bottom of the wall. The patio will 'fall' away from the house so I'll have channel drainage running along the base of the wall. My question is...

Hi all, I'm digging a foundation trench in the garden today (for a retaining wall) and wonder if the sides and bottom of my trench need to be pretty and straight? I appreciate the top of the concrete definitely does, but as long as it's firm, would a 'wobbly bottom' affect stability when...

Silly question but what does the L/W mean? It makes for a higher price so must count for something! I'm buying for use in a low retaining wall out of sight. Thanks :?