Home DIY

I call it a challenge. Have you finished yet?

Want some tips to accurately find the angles?

I do built ins but not in Catford. I have a mate who is very good who is based in Epsom but he's just taken on a job renovating 3 houses, so he will be busy for a while.

When looking for any tradesperson my advice is always to look for someone who comes recommended for the type of work you're wanting to have done. Check references, I'm always astounded when I'm doing remedial work after a cowboy bodge job when I'm told the cowboy came highly recommended with great references, I then ask if the client checked the references, queue sheepish look and there client meeting "no, no I didn't". MyBuilder is also good as all the feedback is verified by them.

Edit. @6pt guy sounds like a very good starting point.

Yes please, although its too late for this time...

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I'd be interested to see how they fit Arc Fault Detection into a standard size mcb!

I've seen it in intake switch rooms isolators but they are about three times the size of a consumer unit.

Just read this https://www.which.co.uk/reviews/wood-burning-stoves/article/wood-burning-stoves-what-you-need-to-know/stoves-and-pollution

Also read a guardian article who paints a much gloomier picture. Hardly any facts or links to resources, just the usual blah feeding the worry amongst people.

Conclusion is that most pollutants comes from burning wet logs or coal in inefficient stoves. No shit Sherlock. As usual, learn how to do it properly and use the right kit and it’ll be fine.

Yeah, pretty much eh. Even the uber-long report the Guardian article references is a bit vague and waffly and hand-wringing. Lots of ifs and buts and particular circumstances

Also looked up the efficiency of the squirrel, 74-something percent so well over the mandated 65.

Just don’t forget to wring your logs out before you burn them

Heh. My Dad was in London during the Great Smog event.

Smoggy

He couldn't see his hand in front of his face at the time.

So they banned cheap coal.

Now we have the problem that houses that have full gas fired central heating systems have to have a wood burning stove because it looks good on Instagram.

Blimey, that sounds horrible

It’s not all Instagram though is it? We’re gone use ours to save on electricity. Well keep the thermostat on 12 degrees or so, then light a fire each morning. Hopefully one or two fires a day will keep the studio warm. But yeah, you have a point.

I know the circumstances are different but the overuse of wood burning stoves in the French Alps has lead to children not being allowed to exercise outdoors at points in recent years.

Grim reading.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-39115829

OK. Is the studio electric/ storage heaters only for heating/DHWS then? No gas supply?

It’s just two rooms so just electric radiators , no boiler or anything

Needed to blank off a socket as it's in the hot zone of a new cooker that's being installed. Got some wago connectors, opened it up and discovered a novelty collection of wires.

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Looks like the older type of aluminium wiring. Quite possibly not used any more. Would be worth checking though!

Lick them and see

That's horrible, looks like they need some legislation to either stop it completely or enforce more efficient stoves.

I always thought the alp valleys looked quite grim when I've been through them, but this is on another level

I need to find something that could make it easier to turn the flow control on a shower. Does such a thing exist? I'm imagining a large rubber band with grippable lugs.

For this shitterly designed shower where the flow control has no 'handle':

I've exhausted all other avenues apart from total replacement of the entire unit at £££. Shower is 15 odd years old, replacement parts unavailable, nothing new fits it etc.

Descale and regrease the flow control valve with silicone?

On the handle, what about surfing wax? Might look a bit like someone's spunked on your shower but meant to be quite adhesive I think.

Do low pressure bar mixer showers make an appreciable difference to water volume?

FWIW, yes, it has. I now no longer fear 6am showers, crying under a slow lukewarm dribble of water.

Descale and regrease the flow control valve with silicone?

Went down that route, got the controls off, took a big wrench to the retaining nut, couldn't shift it. It's in my 'other' flat so it's not something I can play the long game with.

On the handle, what about surfing wax? Might look a bit like someone's spunked on your shower but meant to be quite adhesive I think.

Interesting, will look up. Ta.

It was all wired into the socket that was there previously so, after a bit of cursing as the stranded wires wouldn't fit into the connectors I originally had with me, I connected them all back up again behind the blanking plate.

On the handle, what about surfing wax? Might look a bit like someone's spunked on your shower but meant to be quite adhesive I think.

Thinking anti-slip tape might be a good and removable alternative?

anti-slip tape

Is that like skateboard grip tape? Depends how adhesive it is, I tried to use some on TT bars and couldn't get it t stay put. Was probably using cheap stuff though.

Is that like skateboard grip tape?

I guess so, yes. The surface would need a bit of prep before application I reckon; rough it up a bit then drown in tar remover to degrease and clean it.

If you go down the pax route and need doors made, I could do it for you.