Recent content by oldbutnotdead

The relative cost of timber vs loft legs will have changed somewhat. Fixing 4 x 2 to existing- you can screw straight through (treat yourself to an impact driver and Torx head screws). You could use twist steels. You can use bits of 2 x 2 as corner posts. As for coring the 4 x 2- modern 4 x 2 is...

You could do with finding your local councils' planning policy docs relating to your area. One trap might be length of driveway- up here they dislike more than 25 metres from road to dwelling. Apart from that the width is adequate, as long as you own the land up to pavement (or have a vehicular...

Surveys aren't (imho) helped by the modern tick-box apps everyone seems to use. Room 3 has a surface crack in the plaster- surveyor ticks box marked Crack- report comes out with 4 paragraphs about how that crack could be anything from a bit of shrinkage to structural instability and imminent...

The theory of your plan is fine but how well it works depends on the rad sizes. Have a Google for thermal capacities of copper tube but you need to be a bit careful if your system runs at condensing temperatures (ie 50-odd deg c at the rads).

Morning. Ta for that lot, detailed response to follow (tonight probably) :)

Existing setup is a Chinese 8 channel analogue DVR with a variety of cameras hanging off it. It is mostly OK for my purposes EXCEPT I cannot view live images off site on my phone (the manufacturer has vanished, the Android/Apple apps won't run on anything I currently own (Ipad 2 to give a clue)...

Amazon link to follow, they come in their own charger (runs off USB) which is handy for storage. Amazon I paid £25 so probably won't break even for about 5 years.....

Currently testing a pack of lithium rechargeable batteries - their charged output voltage is 1.5 rather than the usual 1.2 for NiCads so usable in all sorts of low-drain devices. 2 Drayton Wiser wifi TRVs and a chip-reading catflap running on them at the mo, been running since Oct 1, all still...

Depends on your skill level and what tools you have access to. Easiest will be buy a pair of pushfit tails of the correct length (Screwfix or Toolstation the usual source, use their website to select the appropriate type). Better would be to buy a pair of 15mm compression isolating valves (get...

Loading valves (some of which have an integral pump) can be used in the primary circuit from an uncontrolled heat source)- they all have some sort of thermostatic bypass to prevent the very real problem outlined by @muggles .

Gravity flow isn't that inefficient if 28mm or larger tube has been used. Gravity flow also has the advantage of always working even if power fails. You can fit a loading valve (these come with a pump and thermostat and are specifically designed for your application).

Your neighbours are taking the mick a bit- presumably the wall of their new extension is right on the boundary so eaves etc will overhang by 300mm or so. This would obviously affect your ability to build a similar extension. Building control approval is meaningless here- they look at technical...

The time for contemplating this cunning plan was BEFORE you changed your boiler etc. A retrofit is going to be expensive and probably not ideal. Some safety questions first. Is the back boiler on the fireplace still wet (ie is it still connected to live F & E tank). You say the back boiler is...

Its not really up to the digger driver to determine the appropriate repair (unless you're employing him directly). The main contractor is responsible for what gets handed over to you, you need to be talking to him. If this was a diy job i'd be thinking yes glue the top of the pot back on (if it...

Has the system ever worked properly? As above posters have mentioned, a multimeter will be useful- first job is draw up a rough schematic of what is actually connected to what. You can get problems with latching if the switched live from the thermostat is used on the microswitch on the motorised...