Home DIY

Boast post - I’ve managed to remove, dismantle, clean and reassemble a lever tumbler lock that wouldn’t work. It is now smooth and clicky.

our kitchen tap has worked it's way loose to the point i think it's nearly about to fall off the sink.

I want to replace with one that has a pull out hose, but a cheap amazon job for now.

i assume swapping them is fairly straight forward but any pitfalls i should be wary of (weird non standard/ mismatching sizes i should check for on connectors, special tools i'll need to tighten etc)

it's a real faff getting to it as the sink cupboard door opens so it gets in the way of accessing the part you need (esp when you're a fat lump like me) so i'll need to remove it so i'd rather just get the bits and only have to clear out the cupboard and do it all once if i can.

In my limited experience, they are straightforward until they are not. Any issues I've had I couldn't know about until I started the job. For pull out taps, they usually have a counterweight that hangs down inside the back of the unit, so making sure there is space for that would be my first check.

Random size connectors seems to be the main ball ache. Make sure you start early enough that you've got time to get to somewhere selling plumbing supplies halfway through the job.

Just to add. A proper plumbing supply place not Screwfix.

This should mean you can get actual help from the staff.

I’ve just noticed this on my house. There’s no damp anywhere else, nothing appears to be leaking. The one thing I think it could be is there is a part of my guttering that has become I clipped and it drips a lot when it rains. Or could this be something more sinister???

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thanks all.

I'm an amazon vine reviewer and this just popped up at the end of todays review items drop so i nabbed it just in case.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0CQ2KJ7CG

Could be guttering related, could be hose pipe related? Whether it is or isn't, get the gutter fixed.

It could just be a section of wall that doesn't get much sunlight or is in shadow from the hose holder thing and so moss will more likely grow there if it doesn't dry out. A wall with moss on it will possibly retain more moisture as that is was moss does. You can get rid of moss with vinegar.

Do the slippers have some sort of chameleon abilities?

This problem is everywhere this year, damp warm (seasonally) air, if the area doesn’t get full sun to dry out a bit. Unless there is a visible reason for it don’t worry.

You get nearly everything from screwfix and Toolstation that say city plumbing have. Saves me so much time when I’m working as there is a screwfix everywhere now!

They are my painting clogs 😉

Crocs x Little Green?

It's never what they have in stock, I find a decent plumbers merchant I can take thing A in and they can tell me what I need. The 18 year old in Screwfix generally can't. YMMV based on what you know about what you want.

I read this as just splashback from rain encouraging algae.
The joys of solid surface floors right up to the building

Yeah that's not really the issue I have usually I know what I need, one thing i hate about Screwfix is the new computers, they are fucking shit.

Screwfix app is good tho!

App all the way. Turn up and get what I ordered

a penny for your thoughts on my lean-to bike/stuff covering plan:
red line is back yard, green is 2.5*1.5m bit where we currently have the bikes and some tools in boxes, covered by a tarp at the mo

plan is to attach a length of timber to the yard wall, then build a two-section roof from timber and polycarbonate twin-wall sheet. one c.1.8m section for bikes, one c.0.6m section for the toolboxes

the roof will be attached to the timber on the back wall with hinges, alongside having legs on the front, also hinged (green/grey blobs) so they fall against the underside of the roof when that's lifted up - then having hooks/eyelet screws to be able to lift the roof up and hold it up against the wall to get to stuff.

anything i'm missing? idea is wholly foolish?

behold my artistry:

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can't think of anything better, always the option to chuck a tarpaulin over when closed for the snow

Any south Londoners got some drain rods I could borrow?

Just had my hand down the drain to have a feel and was a little fatty so reckon a prod around might help it drain quicker

If you can, I'd try and get hinges with a reasonable amount of of slop and movement to make sure you can get a decent amount of greese in there and prevent them ceasing.

I think if the legs are hanging free they will swing down, bash the bikes and be more annoying than you anticipate. Might be best off with fairly stiff hinges and a crossbar thing across the feet so you can move all legs from one end rather than 3 independent legs.

This stopcock-type tap is leaking from the gland nut.

It's on the incoming hot water pipe into my flat (the boiler is in an outhouse).

Before I repack the gland with PTFE tape, I'm wondering about another strange thing. Fron fully off, as I turn the tap anticlockwise the water begins to flow. Then as I turn it a bit more, the water stops again. Further turning in the same direction allows the water to flow once more.

Why is it behaving like this, and does it indicate something broken or unusual that I should be aware of?

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Plasterboard fixings. Something I don't know a lot about, I've used Gripits a few times before, but I have a feeling they're not ideal for these rail brackets I need to put up in an alcove cupboard, with the two screw holes close together.

I have some Fischer duo-power plus already which I believe can be used that way. One side is an external wall but seems to be boarded, the other a very hollow sounding partition to the stairwell.

The rail will be for kiddy clothes so not massively heavy.

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