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If I were to lay cross battens (not tied into the walls) in my loft space with chipboard on top, does the cross-battening add more strength than weight, or the other way around? What is the optimum/recommended size of the cross-batten? I was thinking about 2x2, but suspect 3x2 might be...

Thanks for that. The cable space is a useful advantage I was going to exploit. I don't really need any more insulation, even yesterday (~3 deg C outside), the heating was on for less than 3 hours. Can I get away with 2x2 and still gain more rigidity than the weight added, or would 3x2 be...

If I were to lay cross battens (not tied into the walls) in my loft space with chipboard on top, does the cross-battening add more strength than weight, or the other way around? What is the optimum/recommended size of the cross-batten? I was thinking about 2x2, but suspect 3x2 might be...

I'm sorry for being a bit thick on this issue, but I don't want to risk breaking my house. In my loft there is currently fibreglass insulation between the 4-inch joists and just felt under the roof tiles. I plan to board out the loft floor, which will inevitably squash the insulation, reducing...

Thanks for your reply. I'm not a plumber myself, but I once helped a plumber at my parents house many years ago and he just seemd to 'know' when the water had gone down below the point of interest. What if I were to drain it down to the pump? I could open the pump bleed valve, catch the...

To drain the CH/HW system I get the ideas (stop water, open drain valve, open upstairs bleed valve etc...). If I wanted to drain it partially e.g. to about a foot above the pump (I have a hole in a section of pipe about 2 feet above the pump, so plan to replace that piece of pipe), does anyone...

Not sure about the pipe size, but when I loosen the connection at the valve, water comes out quite freely, so I'm guessing (hoping) they're not blocked. If I were to add a chemical cleaning agent, I assume I just put it into the header/expansion tank, is that right? If so, how long does it...

That's very helpful, thanks. I'd often wondered about the design of radiators, whether the water had just one route to follow or the possibility of several in parallel. Thanks.

Thanks for the reply. No white carpets, just cheap, horrible, dirty blue ones left by the previous owner. New ones after the heating is sorted.

So, from 4 out of my 10 radiators I get no heat, and I mean none. The pipe is warm up to the TRV, but the rad cold (and I've tried new TRVs). I'm not a plumber, but had a fiddle with the output valves around the system (attempting to balance it), but it made no difference and I've returned all...

Thanks so much for all your advice, encouragement and warnings. I plan to start night classes next month and a friend of a friend of a ... is hoping to line me up with a bit of shadowing. Thanks again.

Perhaps there always (subconscious) thoughts of greener grass in everything and perhaps my employer isn't the most financially rewarding of places (though they did give me a lot of support in my PhD to be fair to them). Does the C&G 2330 obviate the need for 2381 and 2391 or is it a...

Thanks for the reply. My thoughts are not whimsical and I don't think it's the green grass effect. My current work is about 20 % hands-on, 40 % data analysis, 20 % writing and 20 % reading and thinking and the only art I really enjoy is the hands-on. Being a physicist is not particularly well...

Well, from what you've written, 3kw for 2 hours gives 6kwh of energy per day. 90 days of this usage = 540 kwh. If when you say 4p per unit, you mean 4p per kwh, then for 90 days the charge should be 540 kwh x 4p per kwh = £21.60.

Hello. I am a 30 year old physicist who is thinking of a career change. Any help, advice and suggestion you can make (whether new or experienced in the trade) would be very much appreciated. Having worked with loads of high voltage equipment in my current job and having enjoyed electrical...