Search results

I have recently had a log burner installed into a chimney breast. The block chimney was opened up and lined with a flu liner. The chimney breast was then made good and skimmed with multi finish. They used SBR on the blocks where backing plaster was needed and then used blue grit over...

I'm opening up a fireplace so that a stove can be fitted. The chimney is concrete blocks. I've started removing the red bricks which I though were just decorative as they sit in front of the wall and also line the opening. I have got to a concrete lintel behind (picture 2) but it only has...

I'm trying to replace a faulty gate valve on a 22mm copper hot water pipe from a vented hot water cylinder. I've drained it down and undone the compression fittings but there isn't any play in the pipes (all welded joints except for the compression joints on the gate valve). In order to remove...

How can I dispose of an old tarmac driveway? I don't think my local amenity centre (in Cumbria) will take it and am struggling to find out how to get rid of it. I'm sure last time I had a skip they told me no tarmac.

I have just spent the day scraping moss from a large area of block paving. There doesn't appear to be any sand left in the joints - just mud so I'm wondering what best to do with it to make it look nice and deter the weeds? My thoughts are : 1. I could try pressure washing the mud out then...

Does a copper hot water cylinder with an immersion need earth bonding? All pipes to and from it are plastic and there is a single immersion element. Appologies if the answer is on here somewhere, had a look but couldn’t find it. Thanks.

Can any plumbers please help me? What is this component (see pic) on the vent pipe of my vented hot water system? It is a very simple system, just an immersion with hot water cylinder on the ground floor and cold tank in the loft. This piece is just before the hot water pipe (from the top of...

I have dot and dabbed an external wall and chimney that I thought was dry but it is showing some damp patches where the dabs are. I think it's probably due to condensation as I covered the wall with 2 coats of SBR slurry mix before dabbing as a precaution against penetrating damp. I realise...

I need to plasterboard this ceiling (see pic) which was once lath and plaster. I did one before and put wooden noggins at the joins of every board but it took ages. Is this really necessary? The only unsupported joins would be at the ends of the boards where joist spacing is every 38cm. I...

I'm bricking up an old fireplace and was wondering if getting a core drill and going down through the old hearth into the floorspace underneath would be ok as venting for the chimney stack (to avoid venting into the room)?

I'm going to dot and dab my living room (1920's semi with cavity walls) which were lime rendered and are now back to brick. Although I don't think there are any damp problems, a builder has advised as a precaution to paint a slurry coat of SBR / Cement on, then paint on a tanking, then...

Hi, I need to tile an external corner (chimney breast) where the tiles on one side go up the wall much higher than on the other. If I use a standard tile trim it would stick out above the level of tiles on the lower side. Can anybody advise how best to do this? Thanks.

Hi, Is it OK for an LED driver that runs under kitchen cupboard lighting to be powered from a fused spur off a kitchen power socket (ring circuit) or does it have to run on the lighting circuit? Thanks.

Can anybody help me with this - need to resolve asap as it's holding up my kitchen install and I can't get through to Stoves for an answer. Can this hood use 125mm ducting without degrading the performance? The manual only mentions 150mm but it is supplied with a 150-125mm reducer so I assume...

Hi, Can anyone please help me check on what would be required for a new 45A circuit to feed a pottery Kiln. I will get an electrician to do this work but want to double check on here (before buying the kiln) to make sure it is done safely and correctly. Thanks. Currently my house has a 60Amp...

I want to put in a cooker hood that ducts to the outside but the only option is to go through a wall that is very near to the neighbours decking area. He isn't very happy about it when I spoke to him and I was wondering if I can go though the wall in the same place and duct externally to get...

Can anyone help with this one? New concealed cistern fitted into the cabinet as supplied but now I can't fit the inlet connector on without taking the pipework outside of the cabinet. The cistern has to be central for the flush pipe to go into the pan. I've bought the smallest tap connector I...

I'm trying to install a new toilet (not done one before) and have got a McAlpine (MAC-1) 110mm straight pan connector. When I push this on to the back of the toilet should it just stay in place? Looks like the outlet on the pan is tapered slightly and the connector just pops off no matter how...

I am fitting a new toilet and pre installed the waste pipe through a 50cm stone wall. I set a small drop off from inside to outside and then sealed the gap around the pipe with cement. Unfortunately it seems to have dropped on the inside before it set and is pretty much level now (if not a...

Had a quick look but couldn't find the answer on here but apologies if this question is repeated. I'm going to have a go at dot and dab (never done it before). The walls are 2800mm high and my 12.5mm plasterboard is 2400mm so there will be a 400mm horizontal join. I think having the join at...