Recent content by Alan51

I've just checked and it fires only after the cold tap is turned off, I'll fit the single check valve, to be honest nothing surprises me with this house, it was a rental for decades and I don't think the landlord spent one penny more than he had to. It must have broke his heart when the boiler...

Yes nice and hot.

First time living in a house with a combi. When I run the cold tap it triggers the combi hot water setting, I've checked the pipes and they are all connected correctly. The combi is just over a metre from the cold tap, is this just the slight pressure drop triggering as the boiler is so close to...

. Been reading about these old type of tiles and they could contain asbestos. Heating seems like a good option as less chance of the breaking into multiple pieces. I'll get them tested just to be sure.

Anyway if lifting vinyl tiles of an asphalt floor other then scraping. Going to be here all year.

Actually I've now discovered that a steamer and a mountain of scraper blades does the job. Well that and elbow grease, sweat and blisters

Why did people ever put thick textured goo on their walls? It's there any way to get the stuff off. I've got solid stone walls with lime plaster, in one area there's been some damp and it's pealed off in sheets but the rest is rock solid. It has been tested for asbestos.

I've replaced my old radiators and rejigged where they sit in the rooms (two smaller spread apart rather than one huge). The existing system now has a 4m length of 22mm that feeds two radiators and just doesn't need to be that size. Would the system run better with the pipe reduced to 15mm or...

Thanks, I might do the same in my bedroom. The existing radiator is only 400mm high but a ridiculous 2.4m long.

Got an old system with a few weeping 10mm joints and a real mismash of 10, 15 and 22mm pipe. I have access to all the pipework due to renovating house and plan to renew the rads and pipework (plastic sorry). Lounge is a 4.5 x 4.5 x 2.5 high with a stone exterior wall. Online calculators give...

Ultimate plan is to update all rads and pipework but as an immediate job I'm putting a new rad on the landing and a towel rad in bathroom which currently has no heating. Photo shows the connection to existing landing rad, would it be reasonable to remove the narrow pipe and connect new probably...

Got an old stone house, other than getting a micrometer what clues give away metric or Imperial pipe. The copper looks really clean but it's been under the floor so that might mean nothing. House is like an onion, I really need to stop peeling, pulled a load of lead pipe or so at least I'll get...

Artex is about the only solid thing in the whole house.

Yes it's flat enough, I'll have to do lots of cuts along the back for the curve down to the wall. Built in 1854, so yes fairly old.

Plasterboard ceiling that has water damage in one place. Better to board over or replace with new board. One section has crumbled away. Attic has the usual fibreglass insulation and this strange stuff between the joists that's like a cross between wool and ground up cardboard. I've had the artex...