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Hi, I'm in a new build and there's an arrangement behind the hand basins I've not seen before with a valve that actually connects between the hot and cold feeds. I can't work out what this valve does. See pics. I'm assuming it's a more recent regulation as I've never had it in any older houses...

Hi, Why are wall insulation rockwool slabs sized at 400mm / 600mm etc when that is normally the measurement of the centres? Wouldn't it make more sense to be 355mm / 555mm or something? If you put 400mm slabs in a 350mm gap is it going to bowed too much and not a neat fit? Thanks, M

Hi all, Just wondered if anyone has any views on using a Wood Hardener (Tetrion, Ronseal etc) as a cut end grain treatment for decking boards? It seems like it would be more effective even than a water based end grain treatment but that might just be my feeling! Thanks

Hi, I'm planning a decking patio. 6.5m wide (decking running across the width), 2 to 2.6m long (joists running this way). The joist spacing will be 400mm so there will be 14 joists wide. I'd considered using risers/pedestals - the really low ones - as I have a level access patio door (new...

Hi, I'm laying paving in the yard and am tidying up the surface water drainage. The existing clay gully that feeds into this clay trap was badly cracked and leaking. Have cleaned out and inspected the trap and there are no cracks so that will save me digging up more than I need to. However, are...

I reckon I'm usually pretty good at figuring this stuff out but I'm completely stumped with this. So here's a water inlet conundrum for anyone who can give me a clue(?)! I am getting the kitchen prepped for a delivery whenever this lockdown ends. Next to the working stop tap I've found an older...

Hi, My new kitchen cabinets will have a 40mm service void. Perfect for 1.5" waste pipes? Well yes, except that all the pipe clips I find have about a 15mm standoff. Are clips that hold flush tot eh wall available? Thanks

Hi, I'm replacing the kitchen and the old one had some damp issues behind the units. It was a very very old kitchen and it was fully sealed, no gaps at kickboard level or anything. A small part of it is external wall (9" solid). Was thinking of installing an extractor fan behind the units (with...

Hi, I am planning on installing a new kitchen. As part of it I will be blocking up the old door and making what used to be a window into the new doorway. I'll also be putting in a lintel to open up the kitchen and utility room- this is going to need structural engineer calcs and building...

I'm making some marquee-type light-up letters like this:http://bit.ly/2avcDhJ. I'll be using a DC current with little MES bulbs like this: http://bit.ly/2aKpIVr (table of current/power/voltage at bottom of the page). Want the highest wattage ones practical and all bulbs to be the same...

Hi, I'm making a display light set up like this kind of thing: There will be 104 bulbs in total so I have opted to use 12V G4 DC LED bulbs in G4 lampholders. It doesn't need to be super bright so was going to use 1W LEDS rated at 12V. Obviously will wire them in parallel. Just...

Hi! I'm putting a roof over a garage. The double pitch roof spans 5.7m with 35° pitch. The rafter length is therefore around 3.5m. The purlins will be around 1.5m from the apex and around 2m from the base of the rafters. The purlins span 4.2m between the supporting walls. They will be made from...

Hi! I'm planning a lean to extension on the back of the house. However, the lintels over the exterior doors and windows have cavity trays and weep holes; as does the bottom of the wall. Surely when water trickles down the inside of the cavity it's going to weep into my new inside space! How...

Hi all! Right, about a year ago I had to replace the diaphragm on my boiler (Ravenheat CSI/HE) because the water was running hot then cold (and eventually just cold). It worked and I've had hot water to this day! However, just recently the water has been only warm - warm enough for a bath...

Hello! I'm building an open porch which will have oak cladding on top of the rafters so that when you look up it's look nicer than looking up at tile underlay. I'm then having french tiles on top. Obviously I need the battens to hold the tiles but should I have battens running down the slope...

Hi! I have a 2.5mm SWA cable to the shed to power a double socket (for leccy mower, drill etc) and a fused light spur. I want to connect it to the ring in the kitchen rather than go all the way back to the consumer unit. The consumer unit is a recent split load unit so all circuits have RCD...

Hi! I have a Ravenheat CSI/HE range combi. Recently it started running cold water after a few minutes, and then back to warm for a bit, then cold again etc. Even more recently it sometimes won't even start running warm at all. The heating has been off for months (summer) but I tried...

Hi! Just bought my first thermostatic shower to install (done electric ones before... easy) and I'm totally at a loss of how I'm supposed to mount this thing. I assumed it would come with brackets for the shower arm and the shower body but no! There are threaded elbows and a straight to...

Hi! I'm having solar panels fitted soon and to make the most of the power during the day I'll be fitting a low power immersion heater and water tank in the loft. Having a combi boiler that means I'll have two forms of hot water supply. I'd like to have a "selector" valve wall mounted above...

I have a combi boiler with the heating off but when I run some direct hot water a little hot water sometimes goes through to the first radiator (on the ground floor - directly below the boiler on the first floor) and leaves it a little warm at the top. Any ideas why? Cheers!