Home DIY

It turns out our whole kitchen seems to be on a spur - at least if there is a return I can't find it - which is well dodgy as you should only have one 2 gang off a spur, not your whole kitchen, but it hasn't spontaneously combusted..

Are you sure it's spurred? Does the kitchen circuit actually have a ring at the fuseboard or is it a radial?

If it's a radial then 2.5mm cable is allowed if fused at 20A or 4mm at 30A or 32A.

that's a rule of thumb, but without seeing the installation site it is unwise to absolutely state cable characteristics

It's more the question of is it a spur, radial or ring. Once that is determined then we can worry about the amount of insulation covering the cable.

Back to the anti-damp and heating theme, does anyone want to buy one of these rather nice towel rails/radiators. We bought one that we don't need any more. It's pre filled (unlike the one in the link) so it can be used with an electric element or it can be plumbed into your central heating. Great for taking the chill off your bathroom (or any other room), £100 anyone?

Wasn't sure where to ask about this, but there's been a fair bit of fireplace/chimney talk recently, so here goes:

We rent a flat in an old victorian building with a fireplace that has not been used by us before. We were told by the previous tenants that they had used the fireplace.
In order for us to not breach any terms in our tennancy agreement, we thought it would be best to get the chimney swept so that it's safe to us.

The sweep checked the chimney and informed us that it can't be used in its current state as the chimney pot has a cowl coverring it and it would need to be removed.

Now I thought that the point of a cowl was so that you could use a chimney, and that it will prevent downdraughts and offer some rain protection. Is it more complex than this? Can I buy another type of cowl and just get someone to fit that instead?

#ChimneyChat

Ah, we may have one of these:
Dangerous Chimney Cowl! SweepTV - YouTube

I with he'd explain why it shouldn't be used.

When I got my chimney swept, the sweep took the cowl off the top of the chimney. Basically they can reduce the draft in the chimney, potentially leading to incomplete combustion and CO poisoning. Obv. back in the day no-one gave a monkeys but in these health and safety times can't be too careful. The sweep took ours off all part of the price.

I would imagine it's because the chimney relies on air moving across the top to draw the air up and out. That kind of cowl would eliminate this for wind in all but two directions, massively reducing the amount of draw.

Sparkes Snr has very, very, very kindly offered to come up and stay at my place for a few days this week while I'm on night shifts and do some DIY. He's painted the hallway - such a subtle difference but it really looks so much neater and cleaner - and is now on the living room. What a legend. He's also going around filling cracks, repairing curtain rails that appear to have been fitted using a pneumatic drill, that sort of thing. Fantastic.

Good man

We've got a cowl on both our chimneys the bedroom one is bricked up and will never be used the other we may have as a open fire until we get the funds for a wood burning stove.

Sparkes Snr has very, very, very kindly offered to come up and stay at my place for a few days this week while I'm on night shifts and do some DIY. He's painted the hallway - such a subtle difference but it really looks so much neater and cleaner - and is now on the living room. What a legend. He's also going around filling cracks, repairing curtain rails that appear to have been fitted using a pneumatic drill, that sort of thing. Fantastic.

Good man

'Dad It Yourself'

This pully uppy thing doesn't change to the bath only shower. Can I mend it or call the landlord to get a new one?

It pulls up which I think is to divert to the shower so it isn't reverting to bath

Go internet handy people

PS I just moved here so that's not our grime in the sealant / grout

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'Dad It Yourself'

Brilliant. He left today. Hallway and living room are painted. I just need to do the bedroom and the study now. He also put together some flat-pack furniture for me, and is coming back next week to install new lights in the hallway as the lampshades get smacked when you open cupboard doors.

A brilliant Christmas present is called for. Thinking cap on...

http://www.thedecoratingcentre.co.uk/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/p/r/prudy-monarch-elite-brush-set.jpg

If he enjoys decorating, a quality set of brushes makes a world of difference and the brush box will keep the brushes ready to go for months with no cleaning. Just hang the brushes in the box, put the lid on an forget it. I've got brushes still soft 3 years after last using them.

http://www.trade1st.co.uk/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/700x600/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/b/r/brush_mate_trade_4_.jpg

Or perhaps a helicopter flight over London. I did this recently from Elstree Aerodrome and can thoroughly recommend it.

@WVM I think he's probably sick of the sight of brushes after the last couple of days, and I think my bank would disown me if I tried to buy a helicopter flight right now - much as I like the idea.

This pully uppy thing doesn't change to the bath only shower. Can I mend it or call the landlord to get a new one?

It pulls up which I think is to divert to the shower so it isn't reverting to bath

Go internet handy people

PS I just moved here so that's not our grime in the sealant / grout

I would just leave it to the landlord/agent, they'll most likely get a plumber round to fit another cheap mixer unit. We had the same problem at our last flat. Wish these people who carry out the fucking inventory actually *tested *the facilities on initial inspection.

He also put together some flat-pack furniture for me

What? Assuming that you are a bloke you have just lost the 'man' card. It is a man's mission to assemble flat-pack, correctly or not, and brag about it in the pub to mates.

And the good Lord said on the 4th day let there be flat pack.

First rule of flat pack - don't talk about flat pack.

Second rule of flat pack - Don't read the instructions.

Are you sure it's spurred? Does the kitchen circuit actually have a ring at the fuseboard or is it a radial?

No, I suspect so, but not sure. That's a good question.

Is the kitchen fused at the CSU?

I think so? I've hardly been home recently so I'll try and have a proper look tonight. Thanks for the pointers.

Sparky it's very kind of Sparky Snr but if you let him do everything you'll never learn!

Could you book some time off? We booked two weeks off work after we'd got the keys to our flat and went at it hammer and tongs, got loads done in that time (although we were knackered by the end of it!).

Ikea, just look at the pictures.

Bah, nonsense.

;)