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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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

The pull wire that unlocks the door has snapped in my pre-2000 Henderson up and over garage door. The wire snapped at the top connecting loop (strike plate end). I bought a replacement pull wire on ebay. No idea what the small bracket is for... It is not immediately apparent how to fit the...

Detached bungalow, two windows on the front now have several blown panels. I need advice on the cost of replacing *all* the double glazing panels vs. ripping out the whole window and installing new frame + new panels. Window A: 3m x 1.5 m (6 panels) Window B: 1.7m x 1m (4 panels) Is it...

Torbeck valves no longer include a polythene filling sleeve, which makes them noisier than before. I have an old bridge and sleeve unit from an older Torbeck valve. Unfortunately, the bridge part is leaking so I can't just clip it onto the new Torbeck valve. Wondering if I could snip the...

My Torbeck fill valve was making a screeching noise during filling. So I went to Wickes and bought a replacement (12 quid). Rather than replace the whole unit, I decided to swap out the top part containing the lever and float. I unscrewed the blue plastic nut and noticed some specks of muck in...

A couple of my internal doors have sagging levers. I presume, a spring has gone inside. How do I know on which side of the door has the spring failed? Or if I need to replace both sides? And where can I buy replacement springs? Can't see anything at Wickes etc.

The section of the cold water tank overflow pipe that is outside the house, exposed to weather, is starting to crack and break up. I am thinking of cutting back to a couple of inches of sound material and siliconing a small extension section on. I live in a bungalow, so access is not a problem...

I noticed a leak from the pan connector on my close-coupled WC. My first instinct was to get out the silicone gun and run a bead round the join. This worked for a couple of weeks, but now the drip has returned. My fault for attempting a bodge job. So I now need to remove and replace the pan...

I have an external PIR sensor light that has been turned OFF for several years. Bought at Wickes about 10 yrs ago. I turned it ON and it worked fine, as expected. But I needed to override the PIR and have the light ON always. So I turned the light OFF. Came back 2 mins later and then tried...

As a customer, is now a good time to get replacement windows fitted? On the plus side, there should be lots of firms looking for work. Maybe prices are low. On the minus side, it may be difficult to get hold of stock. What are the supply chains from the DG manufacturers like at the moment? I...

My garage roof now leaks a bit in heavy rain. So I have bought this type of IP65 external switch to replace the existing standard internal fused light switch in my garage. https://www.screwfix.com/p/british-general-ip66-20a-1-gang-2-way-weatherproof-outdoor-switch-with-neon/54649 Should have...

My garage window is rotting away. I thought I would have a go at constructing a new one out of bits of wood. What type of wood to use, though? Soft wood -- requires repainting, not great for external use Treated timber -- resists rot, but eventually cracks and warps Hard wood -- too expensive...

A couple of double glazed panes on my front window are "steaming up". Obviously, the seals have gone. My options are: - Replace the panes. Could be expensive, given they are large and have leading inside. - Some companies offer to "reseal" such double glazing. Would probably be cheaper, but is...