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My neighbour offered to water the greenhouse while I was away. When I got back I found the outside tap gushing - it had been left 'live' attached to a hose but the fitting had blown. I specifically asked him to turn off at the tap when he was leaving each day. He admits that it could possibly...

I tried to turn my main stopcock (under the sink) and it is impossible to move. I am hoping to have a new electric shower installed and I assume that the mains will need to be off when the plumber comes - I don't think that there's any other way to isolate it, is there? Anyway, I've watched...

Thanks Wayners - that certainly looks like it could be the answer. The large stain doesn't look too bad in the photo but it is visible from the living room and all of the upstairs windows - it just gives a messy impression to visitors too.

I noticed this paint stain on the road outside my house when I got home last Wednesday (warm and sunny weather). I followed the trail down the road and about 10 doors down they have almost identical staining to the tarmac (the drips go on all the way too). My neighbour suspects a builders'...

Thanks everyone - very useful advice!

This tiny shelter has been hidden for most of the year by Russian vine which spreads from the adjacent garden. I use it to dump stuff that I accumulate in the winter and then forget about it as it's invisible. Anyway, the local foxes have been using it as a landing area when they jump the...

I won't hear a word of criticism against VM installations (a few years ago, admittedly)! Mine goes through a lovely green plastic corrugated duct which emerges at odd intervals from a border before revealing its full aesthetic beauty for a few feet before connecting to the external wall box...

Presumably plugging one into an extension lead is much more dangerous. When I was a student I had one of those two-bar electric heaters (presumably 2KW) which I had plugged into a socket via an extension (along with various other things). I often left it on all night in winter. The plug did...

I was postulating a theory that many of those 'occasional backup' immersions are plugged into a ring main somewhere and don't have a dedicated feed. I might be wrong, of course. (It would be interesting to see what any plumbers who read this think).

My one issue is that a plug can be put into an extension cable, as I once saw at the home of a neighbour of my mother many years ago. The immersion had originally been wired into a connection unit (red switch, fuse etc.) on the wall beside the airing cupboard. Decorators had removed this and...

The engineer is coming next week to replace the motorised valve. Can you advise what exactly he'll need to drain down so I can be ready. I'm particularly keen to know if he'll need to access the little F&E tank in the loft - a bit of clearing up this weekend if he does! (It is a 'he' by the...

All very interesting and informative - thanks everyone! The one with wifi connection mentions interference from other networks; my wireless thermostat controller (Honeywell) would be about 75cm away on the adjacent wall in the airing cupboard so that might be an issue. (I've never understood...

There are several older replies on the forum to my question so I'm looking for updated data. I have a single socket in my airing cupboard on a spur on the upstairs ring. I'd like a permanently installed immersion timer (rather than the plug I use now, which I know I shouldn't). Is there...

The insulation has been removed and the thermostat is in direct contact with the metal side of the cylinder.

Thanks, Terry. How would a faulty valve stop the boiler - just interested to know really? From April I could turn it off completely and just use the immersion heater so I suppose that's an alternative. This could all have happened in November, so I suppose I can't complain too much.

The engineer came and tightened the air vent nut, which stopped the leak. He then tested the valve and confirmed that it was letting through the boiler water and that it needs to be replaced. He said that this involved draining down (top floor) so I was wondering if, as the warmer weather is...

Terry - you're spot on with the leaking air nut. I got my torch and it was then very obvious. Is that the cause of the dodgy valve, do you think?

Cheers, everyone. I have a servicing and repair contract with the company that fitted the system so I'll give them a ring.

Thanks, Terry. Would that also cause the small leak through the nut above it? I was tempted to get my spanner and give it a turn - not recommended I suppose, especially if it's the valve that's the problem.

Yes, three pipes. The lower box is the electrical supply to the various things in the cupboard (pump, water timer etc.) . The one on the wall is the controller for the wireless thermostat. The immersion is top left - a plug that is definitely off. (I leave it in disconnected as the wire...