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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...

I have been replacing the rotten fascia board and guttering at the back of my concrete sectional garage. It has a corrugated asbestos concerete roof that slopes to the back. The roof overhang at the back is not large, and the replacement timber I have used is slightly thicker than before. After...

What to use to fill a void between the bath seal and the wall? The gap is large tile width + plaster coat width. When I initially fitted the bath seal I used silicone sealant. But the seal became mouldy over time and now when I come to replace the seal I have a terrible time removing not only...

For the past few years every October/November I have been hard-pruning my rose bushes. Chopping them back by at least 50%. However, they have put on new growth every year and are now about 10 foot tall and impossible to manage, with long branches. I can't reach the top to deadhead the flowers...

Found the other day that I was getting HW but no CH. I was able to get things working by moving the lever on my Honeywell 2-way valve into manual override mode. Just checking that it is OK to leave it like this for a couple of weeks. I will be limited to HW+CH mode only. But that is no hardship...

My telephone line comes from a nearby telegraph pole and is attached externally at my roof eaves via a plastic junction box. The junction box has blown open in storm Doris, with wiring spilling out and open to the elements. Phone line is fine, though. Is this something that BT should fix? As I...

Wasn't sure which section to put this one in... My up-and-over garage door doesn't stay up in windy weather. The frame isn't quite square and there are gaps at the side. When driving my car into the garage it sometimes slides down a couple of inches. There is a danger of scraping the car roof...

My Zanussi under-counter fridge with small freezer compartment has an acceptable noise level during the day. I have had the fridge about 3 years. It hasn't got louder since new. But as I sleep in the adjacent room to the kitchen, the fridge often wakes me when it switches on during the night...

I have a lot of moss in my lawn. I plan to try a moss killer product, then rake out the dead moss. Question: My lawn is overdue for it's first cut now. Can I give it a trim now, before proceeding to attack the moss? Or should I go for the moss while the grass is still long?

Manual valve in airing cupboard is turned to Radiators only. But the water is always very hot, HW tank gets hot. Any ideas? The manual 3-way valve seems to be working OK. Options for 3-way valve are HW, CH+HW, CH It doesn't seem to be a motorised valve, and the spindle works pretty...