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My built-in microwave has just died. The lead from the microwave is joined to a PVC mains cable somehow (I assume a connection block), wrapped in electrical tape. The mains cable is fed from a FCU which is just to the right of the housing, and "within reach of the person operating the...

Both bulbs failed at exactly the same time, and there was a bit of a "pop" sound when they did. There's another fitting on the same circuit, on the same switch, which works fine. I've just put a meter across the leads feeding the fitting and got 241 volts. So I'm assuming that the ballast is...

We have one of these. Fitted Feb 2006. Many parts have been replaced, several about 5 years ago. Off the top of my head: Head Exchanger Pump Gas Valve PCB PRV Metallic Pad (whatever that is) And probably diverter valves, and others that I can't remember. I've got a feeling that the only...

One of my rooms was dry-lined and plastered. I wish I'd insisted on browning/skim, but too late now. The dry lining was fixed with board adhesive, and behind that is brickwork. I need to fix lots of things. Some of them fairly heavy - shelves, loudspeakers etc. When I've fixed a couple of...

Our kitchen is 7 years old. On the edges of the cupboards over the hob there's a tiny bit of delamination. We use the hob to boil water, in open pans, for tea/coffee, and the extractor fan doesn't always come on. Though I did notice that just now, even with the extractor on full, after boiling a...

I've just bought one of these: https://www.toolstation.com/sterling-wall-shed-anchor/p64819 It came with two countersunk M6 rawlbolts. I can't find any longer bolts (they have to be countersunk, I think, because of the way the cover plate works). Any ideas how to make it as un-pulloutable as...

Caveat - I WON'T be doing this myself. I just want to have the knowledge to talk to electricians. I would like an 13 amp socket on the outside wall facing the garden. The physical layout of the house means that getting a spur onto any of the downstairs mains rings will be tricky. To be precise...

We've got a Vaillant EcoTec Plus 831. General opinion seems to be they're OK. But nothing lasts forever. For planning purposes I'd like to get a rough idea how much it would cost to fit another one. Given that the supply pipework, flue, condensate and overflow holes are all in place I'm...

About to (maybe) do some soldering, on 15mm pipework, using solder-ring fittings. I've done a bit of soldering before, the torch is a nice Rothenberger. But I'm not vastly experienced, so I think that I tend to use too much heat (though I could be wrong). The only joint that's leaked was joining...

I'm just about to fit a pair of new taps to an upstairs basin. While I'm at it I'll take off the flexible tap connectors and replace with soldered copper. There aren't any isolating valves at the moment. But is there any point? This is the highest water in the house. I did one tap last night...

I've just bought a couple of new basin taps, off the ebay. They look new, the packaging wasn't open. They are these: http://www.pegleryorkshire.co.uk/EN/Brands/Performa/Domestic_and_Utility/Performa_Extended_Lever/product/Basin_Taps They've got brass backnuts (nice) but don't seem to have a...

Need to fill a small area of existing patio where there used to be a pond. 1m x 1.6m. But the hole is deep. It varies but in some places there will be 300mm depth of sub-base (plus 50mm mortar, plus 50mm Yorkshire flags). This is a patio at the back of the house, it'll never have vehicles on it...

I am not an electrician, but I'll get one in. In the meantime, for safety and to see if I can use them: Had a (bit) of a flood in the laundry (overflowing sink). No more than a couple of mm on the floor. More a very big leak. Moved tumble dryer and washing machine out to mop up. When pushing...

My house - 1920s semi. Timber ground floor, space under floor about 4 feet. I can get under there, but it's not a cellar. Just a crawl area. I'd like a central NAS for the various computers in this house. NAS = backup disc storage. Under the floor would be un-nickable. That's my reason. But it...

Our kitchen units are 2 years old. One by one the handles are failing. The thread on the inside of the handle just seems to collapse. They were cheap and I wouldn't be surprised if the fitter used a power driver to screw them in. Who makes decent quality handles? Thanks.

Just had a SS screw (3.5 x 20mm) break on me. Drilled pilot hole, into oak. Pain in the neck getting the stub out. Had to drill round it and will have to fill. The way this project is I can't just move the holes anywhere else. So I don't want this to happen again. It felt a bit tight, but not...

Vaillant Ecotec Plus 831. We've had a few problems. See previous posts. Under a service contract we've just had the HE and pump done. Like the engineer said, 'you've got a third of a new boiler'. Boilers like this seem infinitely repairable, and we've just had 2 of the most expensive...

Boiler is an Ecotec Plus 831. House is a smallish 4 bed 1920s semi. 10 rads (counting the 3 small ones round a bay as 1). No huge radiators. Pipework mainly 22mm and 15mm copper. Some plastic. Fair bit of boiler work done recently: 1. New heat exchanger. 2. New pump. 3. Some internal...

Vaillant Ecotec Plus 831. 2005. Engineer changed the pump today. At least the electric motor and impeller (?). But not the plastic body at the back of it. The one with the connections and the AAV. I know he didn't because he left the new one behind, along with the old motor. As far...

We've got a Vaillant EcoTec Plus 831. I know they come highly recommended, but for us it's been very unreliable. In terms of the supply, are all boilers laid out the same? The pipes on this, going from left to right are: Flow, DHW, Gas, Cold Supply, Return. Flue goes up, 90 degrees...