Recent content by fatty

Ok. Thanks very much.

Around the perimeter of my house (apart from the side which contains the driveway) there is an 8 inch section which contains stone chippings (to no significant depth). Does this serve any purpose? Will it be a problem to lay a patio right up to the house (below the DPC of course)?

Thanks for that. I've fixed all the leaks (I think) and apart from the paint having peeled off, the plaster board seems to be ok. Cheers.

The previous owners of our house appear to have had leaks from everything upstairs that could leak (bath, shower, HW cylinder, ...). Consequently there are loads of stains in the paintwork / plaster. What's the best way to cover these stains so that they don't show through the new coat of paint?

Hi. The paint on the ceiling above our shower cubicle has bibbled and peeled off. It's a new house (to us) and I think the previous owners/builders just used a standard white paint. Can any of you guys recommend a useful paint for the ceiling which won't bubble or peel due to the warm...

I notice that all my radiators have what appears to be earth cable attached to them (I assume that's to dissipate any charge built up by the water as it passes along the pipes). What is this earth cable connected to? Is it the same earthing line as the electrical circuits in the house?

Is there any regulation preventing the spur cable running horizontally in the wall to the new fused switch and then from the switch vertically to the light?

With the way standard cables are designed isn't it quite difficult to make the mistake of wiring things (e.g. lights) in series? How much work is allowed under the "accessible" heading? In other words, is it "accessible" if the floor boards above need to be lifted? Is it "accessible" if a...

Thanks for the replies. Taking out a strip of plaster on the ceiling is something I'd not thought of. Interesting. I was planning to wire the lamps in parallel (but thanks for the confirmation anyway) but what about the junction box, may I replace the ceiling rose with it and then screw it to...

I am planning to replace 3 radiators (of the 10 on my system). Two of them will be replaced by towel warmers and the other by a new, bigger radiator. Do I need to consider my boiler? Will a bigger radiator cause the boiler to have to work harder, meaning it will (a) die sooner or (b) be...

Thanks very much for your time. Most helpful.

Sorry. Perhaps I'm being a bit vague (or perhaps I'm using the wrong terminology). My argument is as follows: 1) A spur is made by connecting one end of a cable into the back of an existing socket and the other end to the new socket. The new cable is then buried in the wall, the result...

Thanks for the reply. What I meant was, whilst one is portable and the other fixed, the electrical connections are essentially the same (though one hard-wired to the back of a socket and the other plugged into the front). Yes?

My Dad and I are having a dispute. I said that a fused spur is essentially the same thing as a trailing socket. He says they are different, but can't explain how. Could someone please resolve our dispute? Thanks.

Thanks for the replies. Does cutting a 4 inch hole really give enough room to get your drill, bit and hand in to drill through the joist in the right place? I'm sure it does for those who've done it before, but I'm just trying to visualise the job before doing it. Also, what's the best wiring...