Recent content by vonsworld

My loft is very well insulated with the recommended thickness of glass wool roll, it is also well ventilated. To monitor the humidity I installed a remote humidity sensor and have been watching the results. The humidity seems to closely follow the humidity outside and gets quite high when it's...

Hi I have a separate toilet and bathroom in my home built around 1968. The toilet has a normal switch on the wall, no pull cord, but the light fitting is a small waterproof globe. I guess the original fitting was a pendant that has been replaced at some point, given the original wall switch is...

I've been using the Hive system with my Ecotec for several years, it's not the cheapest option, but has worked faultlessly including remote internet control via their App.

A Photo...

Hi I have a Valiant condensing boiler in an upstairs airing cupboard with a flue pipe that runs up into the loft and then across to a vent in the gable end. I am about to add extra insulation to the loft. On the vertical section of the flue pipe where it passes through the ceiling into the...

My house was built in the 60's and there are no vents in the facias or soffits. The original loft insulation between the joists goes right to the edge and meets the felt below the tiles. So it appears no air can get into the loft from under the eaves and during the winter I have noticed some...

The copper overflow pipe from the pressure release valve in my boiler has been damaged and I need to repair it. This would be a simple repair if I could use a push fit fitting but not easy to solder being in a tight spot. I know you are not allowed to use plastic pipe or fittings within one...

Adjusting PVC Door Hinges Hello These hinges are on a fairly old porch pvc door. The door is catching against the lock box when it closes. How do you adjust these to pull the door slightly in towards the hinge please?

A question for the Sparky's... My elderly Dad had his kitchen installed 30 years ago and he can't remember who did the wiring. However the circuit tripped recently and all because the kitchen sink waste was leaking and water was dripping onto some sockets underneath. Someone had fitted a fused...

Please could you tell me what type of sink waste is this in the photo since we need a replacement? It belongs on the draining board and the hole is about 30mm or 1.1/4 inches. Thanks

Hello My existing built in single oven is connected to a cooker switch using 6mm 40 amp cable a pretty standard setup. We are planning to replace it with a similar oven, but the new one is hard wired with a 13 amp plug, because it has a maximum output of 3KW. How would you connect this up...

Hello I'm going to renew the skirting board in my kitchen and wondered what gap to leave between the boards and the floor, since all the skirting in my 1960's house have a gap. So I rang my local carpet supplier, who I'll probably get to do the flooring, and they asked me to leave no gap at...

Hello I've found some solvent based varnish which suits my project made by Blackfriar. It's a coloured light oak varnish, but they only make it in Gloss whereas we would prefer Satin. However in the same range they do a clear satin varnish. Can I just apply the coloured gloss, but then paint...

Hello I've built some new shelves in the kitchen from plywood and would like to apply a veneer surface followed by varnishing. Once the veneer is stuck down, how would you go about trimming the edges? Is it worth buying a special trimmer or just use a very sharp chisel? Thanks Robin

Hello For some time I've been noticing a slight odour in the toilet and today discovered that the sealing filler on the waste pipe has shrunk leaving a slight gap. It's been there over 30 years so perhaps not surprising it's shrunk, please see photo. Which sealer do you recommend I should use...