Category: Do It Yourself
-
Changing A 3-Port Valve Actuator in A Central Heating System
Over time valve actuators may develop faults which are easily fixed by replacing them. I have just had to do that with the one in my central heating system. I last changed it on 12th December 2017, so, it had run for nearly five years without a fault.
-
How To Vent Portable Air Conditioner Exhaust
I’ve been thinking of obtaining some air conditioning equipment for the last few years since 2018. But this year (2022), with exceptional heat forecast and my son taking similar action to cool his London flat, I went ahead and bought an AEG CHILLFLEX portable air conditioner.
-
A Sturdy See-through Gate Keeps My Passage Protected
In 2016 I constructed a see-through gate to keep the public out of a passageway I share with a neighbour. I’ve written about it here so that anyone needing a similar see-through gate can take my ideas of how I built it and use them when building their own.
-
Using A Milk Bottle As A Plant Pot Reservoir
Introduction If I water plant pots in dry weather the water runs over the top of the soil to the edge of them. Then, because the dry soil in the pot has shrunk, the water runs down a gap between the soil and the pot side. When the water gets to the bottom of the…
-
My Office Chair Cylinder Was Dragging On The Floor
Introduction In November 2019 I noticed a problem when I tried to wheel my Office Chair along the floor. There was exceptional drag. I took a look at the five castors and they were all OK. Then I noticed the Office Chair Cylinder (the tube supporting the seat) had completely penetrated the base. It had…
-
Draping A Christmas Garland Over A Mirror or Picture
Introduction It was a few Christmases ago when my wife and I first draped a Christmas Garland over the mirror in our lounge and another over the mirror in the hall. The garlands we bought were fashioned very much to our liking. They just looked like Christmas and became one of those purchases made without…
-
How I Hung My Vertical Radiator In The New Lounge
Introduction I hung my vertical radiator in the new lounge while the builder of my extension and his plumber were busy doing other work. They let me do this because I explained my concerns about its weight and agreed to try fixing it by their method. I explained what I planned to do if, when…
-
Fixing A Close Coupled Toilet Leaking Fresh Water
Post Description How I renewed the coupling kit which joins my toilet cistern and pan. I did this to repair a Close Coupled Toilet leaking fresh water between the cistern and pan. Water was leaking from the coupling joint when the toilet was flushed.
-
Extending The Door Bell In My Home
Post Description I’ve been extending the door bell in my home so it can be heard in the house extension and shed. It’s been done by incorporating wireless technology, while retaining my original 1980s “DING-DONG” door chime which had a great sound and an illuminated bell push.
-
Converting A Bell Push Light To LEDs
Post Description How I replaced an incandescent bell push light with LEDs. The bell push operates a door chime powered by AC from a bell transformer.
-
I Built A Riven Patio Extension For My House Extension
Post Description How I extended an existing patio in front of a new ground floor house extension. I talk about matching the the new slabs with the originals and keeping the pattern random. It also tells how I put a curved wave in the edge to match other curves and create a pleasing shape to…
-
A Twin Towel Rail System Prevents Towels Slipping Off
Preface This post describes: How a Twin Towel Rail system with towels wrapped around two rails parallel to each other will not easily fall off onto the floor.
-
Restoring A Remploy Stowaway Wheelchair
Preface This post describes: How I restored a Remploy Stowaway Wheelchair whose tyres and arm rests had deteriorated with time in a hot loft atmosphere. The rest of it was in excellent condition and it now functions like it did when it was new.
-
A Fireplace Alcove Coloured Lighting Scheme
Introduction Here I will describe how I created a Fireplace Alcove Coloured Lighting Scheme using multi-coloured LED lighting. This article isn’t about lighting a small niche in the wall of a large Ingle Nook fireplace or anything like that. It’s about converting a modern domestic fireplace into an alcove where ornaments or a plant could…
-
How I Repaired A Dualit Milk Frother Model DMF2
Introduction My wife pressed the start button on the Dualit Milk Frother (Model DMF2) one day in the summer of 2017 and it no longer worked. This persisted so we had to heat the milk in the microwave oven for a week or two until we got a new frother. Of course, me being me,…
-
Removing Block Paving Moss From My Driveway
Introduction I recently spent half a day removing block paving moss from my driveway. The paving, laid in 1993, has been cleaned more than once but moss soon grows under damp conditions. Because the blocks have a chamfered edge there is a V shaped recess at the junction between blocks. This is a space where…
-
Unblocking A Blocked Toilet
Preface This post describes: How to clear a blocked toilet and includes how to remove the trap water so it can safely be disconnected from the sewer without spilling anything. As you can see I’ve censored the featured image for this post. I decided somethings are best left to the imagination. Imagine the water level…
-
What Is A Retractable Clothes Washing Line?
Introduction Consider the benefits of having a retractable clothes washing line: Coiling it up in a box keeps it clean. If you have a nice vista you won’t want it permanently scared with one or more lines cutting across it.
-
Retractable Clothes Washing Line Repair
Introduction What is a retractable clothes washing line? Find out here. Generally I have found retractable clothes washing lines very useful. They mainly keep the line clean so that it doesn’t dirty the washing pegged out on it. My problem has been breakage. I have had them break because they are not capable of taking…
-
Radio Controlled Wall Clock In My Shed
Introduction I have for some time wanted a reliable time piece outside my house. I don’t actually require an exact time outside anymore than I do elsewhere, but I do need to get the grass cut by teatime. So, I have acquired a Radio Controlled Wall Clock for my shed. I have had the difficulty of…
-
Securing Shed Doors
Introduction In 1997 both of my sheds were burgled. I thought I’d made them secure enough. I’d used hasps with the thickest staples I could find on the market (similar to these) and disc padlocks with hardened shackles. But the burglars cut through each staple in two places making a gap through which the padlock shackle…
-
Making A Condensation-free Bathroom Mirror
This post describes how to make a condensation-free bathroom mirror using an automatic mirror heater. Without a heater it would be impossible to use the mirror without first wiping it with a cloth. With an active mirror heater, it’s possible to get straight out of a bath or shower and use the mirror immediately.
-
Making An Insulated Loft Trapdoor
Introduction I recently had a ground floor extension built which required access to the loft space in the pitched roof to provide and service pipes and cables. So I asked the builder to create an insulated loft trapdoor. I made it clear that it should not just be a sheet of MDF or plywood. It must have thermal insulation…
-
Replacing A Toilet Fill Valve
Preface This post describes: Replacing a Toilet Fill Valve with a new one. I have also written another article about How A Toilet Silent Fill Valve Works which is appropriate to a specific type of fill valve.
-
Preventing Office-chair Castors Damaging Carpets
Introduction When I first had a Microsoft Windows personal computer I put it on a computer desk in the lounge and bought a typical office chair with five castors. Over the next few years wheeling that chair around the desk area with my weight on it seriously damaged the carpet in that location. So I had to…
-
Repairing Rotten Garden Seat Legs
Preface This post describes: How to repair garden seat legs that have gone rotten where they come in contact with the ground. The basic method is to remove the rotten wood and replace it with polyester resin. In particular: See the update for 3rd October 2019 entitled, “Replacing The Cap On A Leg.”
-
Kitchen Appliance Connection Points
Introduction Everyone has to design their kitchen or utility room to suite their circumstances but when my kitchen came up for renewal in 2003 I made specific use of the considerable space behind my pan drawers. I discarded my pan drawer carcase back panel and brought together many of my kitchen appliance connection points onto this large area…
-
Mira Shower Thermal Switch Replacement
Introduction This article advises how I have replaced a Mira Shower thermal switch in a MIRA Sport 9kW Thermostatic Shower on several occasions. Originally I installed a MIRA Sport 9kW Thermostatic Shower as part of a new bathroom and had it tested and certified by a qualified electrician on 1st May 2007. I was very pleased with it…
-
Tiled Bath Panel Construction
Preface I could write an article about Building A Bathroom or Tiling A Bathroom but I have decided to just cover a Tiled Bath Panel in this article even though some detail of the tiles on the walls is mentioned. Bath panels can easily be made from painted hardboard or plywood, or boards, but a tiled panel…
-
Dishwasher Rinse Aid Dispenser Catch Repair
Introduction It must be nearly two years ago that I first had a problem with my Dishwasher Rinse Aid Dispenser Catch. The tab that has to be pushed towards the top of the door to open the rinse aid dispenser, so that more rinse aid can be added, had somehow broken and disappeared. I found I could continue…
