Recent content by diyjamesk

Hi, The 3 port valve on my heating has failed for the second time in a year. It was making a very loud buzzing/grating sound and then it failed completely. I bought a new motor head for today and attempted to replace it, assuming it would be a simple job as it has been before. However, there is...

I'll get some pictures up at the weekend and do a quick sketch of the layout. I wouldn't say it was distinctively mushrooms, more just earthy and damp.

The cellar goes under one half of the room for the whole width. All of the joist tails are visible sitting on the RSJ and then disappear over the wall to the other side of the room (where the problem is). I have noticed a smell in the room for quite a while, a sort of faint, earthy smell.

Okay, I'll get that done as soon as I can. It might not be until the weekend as I have work all week but I can hopefully get a bit done before then. The panelling under the window is a bit of a problem as it has a large radiator attached to it. I'm not quite sure what to do with it. The joists...

I'm thinking of calling in a surveyor as he may find it easier to find the cause. Your advice is, of course, very much appreciated. I can post more pictures as needed. Thanks, James

I've now had time to have a look under the floor. I've found what I think is dry rot. The wood is dry and crumbling like a biscuit and there's a white powdery substance all around the area. Two of the joists and four of the boards are rotted in the area but there's no obvious sign of water...

The purpose of the mastic was to seal up the large cracks around and near the window where water might have been getting in. By 'solved' I mean that I'm trying to work out whether they were the root cause of the damp in the first place by seeing if the wall dries out with them sealed up. If it...

Stephen, how did you start out with the plastering? Did it take you a lot of attempts before you got something usable or were you able to take your time and get it right? I've been having a look at training days too as another option to getting into it. I'd like to be able to do it as there are...

I'll make sure to trace that pipe back to wherever it comes from, it's very badly corroded so it would be a liability if it is a dead-leg. Is that 3:1 sand and hydraulic lime that should be used? What about buying the plaster ready mixed like this...

Stephen, had you worked with cement render before you did the lime plastering? I haven't got any experience with either. Thanks for your reply!

I had a look at the cracks outside today and there are several places where damp could possibly be getting in. The mortar around the window frame was cracked, the bottom of the frame has rotted quite badly and there is a gap in the concrete window cill. I dug out any loose mortar and cleaned out...

I've now hacked off the render and it's revealed what seems like quite a bad problem. The render all came off just by poking with a screwdriver along with q few chunks of brick and mortar. Some brick is crumbling and has turned into what resembles wet clay and one whole brick seems to be...

Hi, Thanks for the reply. The walls are solid and there is 4' of hardboard panelling around the room. I'll get some pictures of the outside as soon as I can. Before I start hacking off render though, is it going to be possible to re plaster at this time of year? The house does have central...

Hi, My house has got various cracked or crumbling bits of render both inside and out (mainly just cracks outside, a couple of crumbling bits inside). I can't afford to get builder to fix them so I'm going to have to attempt it myself. I've attached a couple of pictures of one bit that needs...

I cracked a pane of glass with a chisel recently while chipping out old putty to be replaced. It was so firmly stuck in that I had to smash it out. I covered both sides completely in gaffer tape and then hit it with a hammer. That way it all just came out in an easy to manage piece. Why do you...