Recent content by mike004

The manhole is in the front garden and is a combined waste/rainwater drain. No road traffic on it, though I tend to park the full green waste bin on it. If I can lever an edge out of the hole and slide onto some battens, I should then be able to slide it fully across. The manhole is built using...

I need to lift up a 1970s rectangular concrete manhole cover. The lifting handles have long since rusted away, and there are a couple of thin cracks across the surface. What's the best technique to lift this up -- shove a garden spade at one edge and lever up? I am a bit wary of the cracks...

Is there a correct angle for a top-mounted plastic diverter spout on a pt2 flow valve for a water tank in the loft? I fitted a plastic sheet over the cistern recently and I think I managed to nudge the position from 3 O'clock to 4 O'clock, so water input is nearer the brass valve.

I had my rads replaced recently. The edge (about 5 inches) of the kitchen rad now runs under the worktop. Clearance between rad top and worktop underside is 2.5 inches. Is there any danger of scorching the worktop? It is a 1980s chipboard and plastic laminate type. I have selotaped a section of...

Is that the same as domestic bleach? Or stronger stuff?

Gave it a good hard brush over with washing up liquid + hot water, with lots of bubbles. Used a yard brush. Left it for 10 mins. Then rinsed and brushed with cold water. Looked promising -- some browny fluid was going drown the drain. Then we had a surprise thunderstorm, where it p*ssed it down...

Had my radiators replaced yesterday and there are large brown stains (several square metres) on my concrete drive. Near where the old rads were stacked and also where they drained the CH into the house drain. Tried last night with bleach + water and a stiff brush. But it has not had much effect...

This turned out to be caused by a worn out pump. A replacement pump was fitted.

Thanks. That confirms I was correct in assuming that the old split collar is used for the lead/vent pipe union. Just need to borrow a standoff for my ladders so I can reach the top of the vent pipe. The vent pipe cowl is not larger than the pipe diameter, so I should be able to slip the new one...

WARNING: 70s bungalow. Previous owner has at some stage painted the original grey plastic piping black. Also the lead flashing! Of course it is now all flaking off and looking awful. The soil vent pipe connects through a top hat lead slate. I noticed a cracked rubber collar hanging loose round...

Hose pipe ban in Yorkshire at the moment :( Managed to empty some big stuff with my hand, then used a soft brush, followed by a flush with a watering can. The muck was only deep at the end opposite to the fall pipe.

Do I need a special tool for clearing out my square profile roof gutters, which are caked up with soil? My small trowel is too wide. Maybe I could use something else in my toolkit? Started the job today and just scooped out as much of the soil with my hand as I could. Then went along the gutter...

The way I see it, the warranty runs in 12-month periods from the initial registration date. Which was very soon after the installation date. So an early service does not reset the warranty expiration date.

My Ideal Logic boiler was installed in 4 Aug 2023. I had the 12 month service at 10 July 2024 (I was away on holiday later in the month). Next service is at 15 July 2025. Could not get one earlier. Am I out of warranty? Question: Are service periods calculated from the initial install date? If...

Ideal Logic Max Heat boiler (heat only). Installed 18 months ago. It is now making a loud "helicopter" noise during warm up to operating temperature. Water temperature is set to 65 deg C. Switch on boiler, then at about 60 deg C the noise starts. When boiler reaches the target temperature, the...