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Hi guys, I'm about to remove a 20 year old immersion heater. I have the spanner and the tank is partially empty. Any tips of the trade to stop me damaging the tank?

For structural reasons, I am demolishing a poorly built extension to a property I own in Scotland. The extension incorporated a socket ring and a lighting circuit. I have to submit a Building Warrant for the demolition. In addition to other Certificates of Construction relevant to the...

Terry and Suarez have both been accused of racial abuse on the pitch during football matches. Suarez was found guilty by the FA and subjected to an 8 match ban. Terry was investigated by the FA, who then handed the investigation to the police, who in turn handed the results of their...

Hi guys, The lagging on my pipes in my loft (2 bed bungalow, N Scotland) is the old brown felt stuff and needs replacing. On the racks in my local supplier I noticed 3 different thicknesses of foam insulation for 15mm and 22mm pipes. Before I commit to buying the insulation, is there any...

The subject title says it all, but to simplify: If the dual controller switches either the CH or DHW on, while the other system is off, the the associated zone valve opens and, stats permitting, the boiler then fires up and the pump runs. The required system then operates as normal. When...

Although I am quite experienced in plumbing, as a DIYer, I am about to install a power shower for the first time. It is an Aqualisa pumped shower, that permits installation of the (supplied) dual pump in the loft (provided that its below the bottom of the CW storage tank). Having read through...

Hi guys, I'm thinking of buying an Aqualisa Quartz Digital pumped shower. What is the normal flow rate and how much does it increase when the Boost button is pressed? Thanks

Namsag, on the face of it, it sounds great to have the bank look after your deeds for nothing, but its not so good, in reality. When I paid off my mortgage, it took months to get the deeds back. Also, if you choose to sell the house, you have to pay a solictor to remove your bank's name from...

Hi Guys, I have a workshop attached to my house. There is a 2.5mm2 spur from a double socket on the downstairs final ring passing through the wall into the workshop. The ring is a standard 2.5mm2 cable, but without RCD protection. In the workshop the cable was, until recently, connected to a...

Hi Guys, I'm renovating an old house for sale. Currently, in the bathroom there is an old Dimplex electrically heated towel rail. It is oil-filled with a 150W load which is switched by a fused (3A) DP switch, with a neon light. The problem is that the flat twin and earth cable into the...

Yesterday, in the first few minutes of the match between Birmingham and Arsenal, Edwardo (Arsenal) was subjected to a brutal assault by Taylor (Birmingham), which resulted in Edwardo's ankle breaking. The incident was later shown on Match of the Day and the TV pundits (Hanson and Lawrenson)...

I have been doing my annual tax return online, between Christmas and New Year, for some years now. As I only go to the IR website once a year I always forget the URL, so I store in the usual place ..... There's got to be somewhere better than the "Favourites" folder, surely :-(

Hi guys, I recently had an extension built with a radiator fitted inside. Due to the location of the extension and the number of windows it has, it is the first room in the house to cool down when the CH is off. I've noticed that in the mornings, before the timer switches the CH to ON, the...

I've just bought a few bags of general purpose concrete (just add water) from the local DIY store. I learned a few things about them and I thought I would pass on a couple of tips for other DIYers: 1. Always use the complete bag in one go. Don't make the mistake of using a partial bag...

I have a garden lamp which is powered by an underground swa cable carrying 230V. I now want to change the style of the lamp. Can I do this myself, here in Scotland, as a DIY project? Or must it be done by a qualified lecky? I won't tell you how much a lecky has quoted to do the task, but I...

Does anyone have any idea how to set up this kit? I've tried without success. The instructions are appalling. For those interested in what this is, it is a wifi broadband range extender that uses the mains electric ring inside the house as the conduit for the signal. An adaptor receives...

I want to fit two double sockets into my new conservatory. I suppose the best way to do this is to add them to the ring circuit. However, I'm having trouble routing just one cable into the conservatory, let alone two. So, if I am able to only route only one cable, would it be OK to run it to...

I've just asembled a new conservatory at the back of my house. Adjoining it is an old ground floor extension that I'm tidying up, which includes putting on a new roof. The old roof was made of corrugated metal sheets nailed down onto the supporting battens. The nails were the ribbed type that...

Hi Guys, I have a 100 yr old house with a small extension (downstairs loo) built many years ago. The existing roof above the loo is corrugated metal and is now rusting and leaking onto the ceiling. Its time to change both the roof and the ceiling. The roof pitch is approx 15 degrees leading...

A tip for any DIYer contemplating buying a workshop saw: Having owned a combination saw for quite some time, I recently bought a table saw. Together with the stand, it cost just under £180; brand new. It does everything that the combi saw can do, except that the cut is not quite so high (or...