Recent content by andyste

I'm looking to replace laminate with carpet, but once I take up the laminate there will be a gap of 11-12mm under the skirting. I'm guessing carpet plus underlay will be of a similar thickness, or a little more, but once it tucks down behind the grippers is it going to be enough to hide the gaps?

I'm about to refurbish the downstairs loo so need to cap off the water pipes (hot, cold, loo) for a couple of weeks while I do the work. I'll eventually be fitting flexi tails to these pipes so shall I just cap off with 15mmx1/2" valves (like these...

I put down "Krono Original" laminate in our bedroom a couple of months ago but we find it makes a lot of annoying little clicking/ticking noises when walked on, presumably coming from the joints. I used 3mm foam underlay so I'm guessing the noises are due to the laminate flexing slightly on...

I'm planning to replace the downstairs toilet in the next couple of months. The waste comes out the back of the pan into a 90 degree bend, then down into the plastic pipe set in the concrete floor (house is about 20 years old if relevant). Am I right in saying that all waste pipework is push...

A bit late to the party but it might help anyone else that comes here. I didn't need to reuse the skirting, so I located the nails then used a small (inch or so) hole saw to cut around each nail. The skirting then just lifts away and the nails can be removed with a claw hammer.

I'm replacing the central heating pump union valves. The new ones came with red gaskets so are those enough to create a seal? When I removed the old valves there were rubber seals in there, but I don't know if they were off the pump (and therefore need to be used along with the gasket) or were...

I had some pipes to replace/reroute at my mum & dad's house today. In the past I've always shyed away from soldering and used compression fittings, but thought I'd give it a go this time. I swotted up on the web (clean with wire wool, paint flux on the pipe end, fit together, heat for 15-20s at...

Answered my own question. Looking at a Drayton 3 way valve and its essentially the same wiring ("sat." means satisfied). So my last question is, any recommendations for make/model? Drayton, Honeywell, Corgi, or stick with the Danfoss?

Just found a HS3 manual and these are the wires explained: Blue: neutral White/brown: HTG call Orange: HWS call Grey: HWS sat. I guess HTG is heating and HWS is hot water but what is the grey wire for? Do all 3 port valve actuators have the same wires (but not necessarily the same colours)?

Cheers, the HS3 has a white/brown stripe wire which I assume is "heating on". It has no earth either. So am I right in saying that all 3 port valves, regardless of make/model, will have 4 or 5 wires that serve the same "purpose" but not necessarily standardised colours? And as long as I wire...

I'd like to replace our HS3 with a more reliable make/model,as I seem to be replacing it every couple of years. I realise I'd have to replace the entire unit (valve & actuator) but I'd like to know whether these valves are "universal" with regards to the wiring, and if so what model do you...

Our house is a Redrow, built in 2000, and since moving in 10 years ago have always had a problem with soundproofing. It's a quiet estate but the windows are bad enough to hear people having a conversation as they walk past outside. There are a few shift workers nearby, and we're constantly being...

I didn't want anything permanent. Once the wood starts to rot then it's not easy to replace. I suppose I could postcrete in a spike...