Recent content by TheHandyAndy

I had them installed about 6 months ago, no issues at all so far. They have helped reduce our bills too. Everyone will have to have them in the end anyway...

Wire brush, brush with vegetable oil, then bake in the oven at 200c for 30 minutes.

I also have an extension build over a sewer with a sealed manhole under the floor. No issues whatsoever in the 10 years or so it's been up.

I'm not an expert, I wouldn't fill it with expanding foam. Cladding in PVC won't give you 30 minutes fire protection. What we did on our extension was cut cement board to fit slightly oversize to allow you to fasten the cement board to the wall, then paint it with masonry paint.

Do concrete fence posts have steel reinforcement bars in? I have a fence post right in the middle of the top of my drive that I'd like to get rid of; it's surrounded by tarmac, so digging it out isn't really an option. I thought about either cutting it with a stil-saw (but will be too dusty)...

What about the insurance side of things? If a burglar broke in through the conservatory and stole everything of value, I doubt the claim would be paid, because you've removed the exterior grade doors. What about if your house were flooded? Would that be paid out too?

Did it look ok when it dried though?

I've been told that some smooth masonry paint will work wonders on a wall that ideally should be skimmed. Wall in question isn't in great condition, has a lot of scraper marks on, which will be filled and sanded, also some areas where paint has come off with the wall paper, but been reprinted...

You'll probably find that an electrician can get hold of cable and fittings etc... far cheaper than you can. Why not let him quote to supply as well? As far as what you say about the SWA, I'd say, and bear in mind I'm not an electrician, that it's definetly not recommended that you use the...

The boiler shout have an on / off switch somewhere? If not, is it on it's own electrical circuit at the consumer unit?

I'm not a plumber, but you could try switching the hot water off too. Then if the radiators gradually cool, it might be that a motorised valve is stuck. these are easily replaceable.

Just in case anyone wanted to know.... The Halifax sent round a local heating engineer, turns out the fan is dead. Couple of days to wait now, then should be back up and running.

Indeed. Times getting on now. Do you know of anything else I can do? The wife and our 18 month old lad are currently huddling round a fan heater...

No idea. Have domestic emergency insurance with the Halifax, boiler won't start, called them at 18:30, they said wait for a call back from a local company. They're supposed to call within 4 hrs of my call.

Hmmmmm. Thanks for that. At least it made me smile :lol: