How to Fix Central Heating Problems

How to Fix Central Heating Problems

admin

Like most householders, you probably take your central heating system very much for granted. You assume that everything is fine, as long as it comes on when it is supposed to and the cylinder is full of hot water when you want a bath. But problems and faults can develop as time goes by. Since calling out a plumber can be expensive (especially at 10 o’clock on a Sunday night), it pays to learn how to tackle the most common minor faults yourself. Here are some of the basics jobs you may need to undertake at some time or other.

Minor Repairs and Leaks

Most central heating systems work by pumping hot water around a series of metal radiators. From time to time you may notice that one or more radiators are becoming cool at the top. This is caused by one of two faults. The system may be losing water as a result of evaporation from the feed-and-expansion tank in the loft, or because of a pinhole leak somewhere in the pipework (probably below the ground floor, where such a leak may go unnoticed). Air is drawn into the system and collects in the radiators, causing cool spots. Alternatively, corrosion somewhere in the system may be producing hydrogen gas, which collects in the same way.

The cure is to ‘bleed’ the affected radiator(s). All you need is a radiator bleed key, which you can buy from DIY stores and plumber’s merchants. On some modern radiators, the air vent can be opened with a screwdriver.

Locate the air vent in the top corner of the radiator, then insert the bleed key or screwdriver tip and turn it to open the vent. You will hear air or gas hissing out. Keep the vent open until water (which will probably be very dirty) starts to emerge. Catch it with some kitchen roll or an old towel before it drips down the edge of the radiator. Close the air vent, using the bleed key or screwdriver. Repeat for the other affected radiators if necessary.

After bleeding the radiators, check that the feed-and-expansion tank is at least one-third full of water. It should be topped up via the ball valve in the tank, but if filling is not needed regularly, this valve may have jammed shut through lack of use. Depress the float arm so that the tank fills up to the required level, and check to see that it shuts off again.

Minor Repairs and Leaks

A leak from the central heating is not a very common occurrence, but if it happens you need to know what to do to minimise the mess and disruption it can cause. The leak may occur at a fitting (commonly at a radiator connection), at a radiator, or somewhere on the system pipework. Because the contents of the system are often heavily contaminated by brown or black sludge, it is essential to contain the leak and fix it promptly.

How to Fix a Squeaky Stair

How to Fix a Squeaky Stair

admin

Staircases are a great indicator of the build quality of a house. The grander the house, the more detailed the staircase. The reason? Once inside, the staircase is one of the first features you see, so it is important to make a good impression.

Noisy stair treads are caused either by the wood rubbing tightly together or by simple wear and tear. Sometimes, simply puffing a lubricant such as talcum powder into a squeaking joint will cure the problem, but if it doesn’t, you’ll have to try something a bit more technical.

Treads (the horizontal parts) and risers (the vertical bits) are usually reinforced by triangular blocks, which are screwed in place. If any screws have worked loose, just tightening them may solve the problem. If this doesn’t work, insert thicker screws of the same length, or remove the block and refix it with wood glue and the thicker screws. If there are no blocks, cut some from 50mm (2in) square timber, and glue and screw them into place.

In some staircases, tapered wedges fixed both vertically and horizontally hold the treads and risers together. If they are loose or worn, remove them and clean away the old adhesive. Apply new adhesive, then hammer the wedges back into place – the vertical one first, then the horizontal one. If necessary, cut replacements to match the old ones.

If the joint between a tread and riser is loose, you can screw up through the tread and centrally into the riser (or through the riser into the tread, depending on your staircase) to force them together by screwing. Use No 8 screws that are long enough to sink about 12mm (Min) into the second piece. The joints between treads and risers can also be reinforced by squeezing glue into them prior to screwing.

If you can’t get underneath the stairs (or if the underside of the stairs is covered with plaster), remove the stair carpet and drive screws down through each tread into the riser underneath, again squeezing some wood glue into the gap ‘ first. Or secure the back of a tread to a riser using L-shaped steel brackets recessed into the wood, so that both brackets and screw heads are below the surface.

If the front of a tread is loose, drill two or three holes through the front of the tread and centrally into the riser below. Use No 8 screws that are long enough to sink about 12mm (14in) into the riser.

How to Fit a Simple Radiator Shelf

admin

A radiator cover is a substantial item. What it does effectively is to completely conceal the ugliness of a steel panel radiator and replace it with a styled structure, fitted with holes and grilles to allow the heat through, which can be painted or otherwise decorated in any way you want.

Most radiator covers are made from MDF (medium density fibreboard), which is easy to paint and does not rot, warp or split. Because they can reduce the amount of heat given out by the radiator, they should be installed together with reflective insulating foil fitted on the wall behind the radiator. It is essential to have a gap at the bottom of the cover to allow cold air in to be warmed by the radiator and sent on its way by convection.

You can make your own radiator cover or buy one ready made. Either way you will need to measure the radiator carefully first.

Measuring Your Radiator

You need to take three dimensions from your radiator: Height: from the top of the radiator down to the floor. Width: from the outside edges of the two radiator valves. Depth: the distance from the wall to the front of the radiator. Add 25mm (1 in) to each dimension, these will be the minimum internal dimensions of your radiator cover.

A Radiator Cover Kit

You can buy ready-made radiator covers either from a DIY store or on the Internet through one of the specialist companies. From a DIY store, you will be choosing from a range of standard sizes, selecting a cover equal to or larger than your minimum size; from a specialist company you can also get a made-to-measure radiator cover.

Fitting a kit is simple; you just join the pieces supplied together. Some radiator covers are simply pushed into place; others, with removable or hinged panels for access to the radiator valves and bleed screw, are fixed to the wall.

Fitting a Radiator Shelf

As well as somewhere to put things down, a radiator shelf can be used to display pictures or ornaments which can take away from the starkness of the radiator. There are also radiators that come ready-made with a seat – just right for those cold mornings! The shelf will help to direct the heat out into the room. There are several designs of purpose-made shelves available.

You could, of course, make your own radiator shelf with two wall brackets and a length of wood. A neat way to finish it off would be to run an extension of a dado rail around the shelf so that it becomes part of the decorating scheme. Place the shelf above the radiator and mark the position for the brackets. A simple tip is to fix the brackets to the shelf then fit the shelf to the wall. Screw in the shelf and first bracket (use a wall plug for a solid wall). Fix the dado rail to the wall, then fit the side pieces, you will need to mitre the corners and glue the pieces. Fix the second bracket, then fit the front piece to the shelf using wood glue. Finally, nail everything in place using lost-head nails.

How to Fit a New Front Door Lock

admin

You can improve the security of your house considerably by adding new locks and other security devices to your front door – and adding a letterbox and a doorknocker are both worthwhile improvements, otherwise how will you know when the postman’s delivering you a mysterious parcel or letter?

Fitting a New Door Lock and Letterbox

If you only have a simple Yale lock on the front door (technically known as a ‘nightlatch’), it is easy to replace it with a secure door lock. What you need is a surface-mounted replacement ‘rim’ lock and you should choose the type that is designed to replace an existing nightlatch. Check its rating – for full security, you want a lock made to the British Standard (BS3621).

Unscrew the old lock from the door. Normally, you unscrew the lock body first, undo the screws in the plate below and take out the cylinder lock from the other side. Also remove the striking plate from the door frame.

Clean and sand down the paintwork just around the lock and fill any scratches (you can repaint later if necessary). If you have bought the type of lock designed to replace a nightlatch, this should be straightforward, though a bit of fine chiselling may be necessary to fit the end of the lock snugly into the door. Full instructions are provided with the lock, but you already have the most difficult part – the large hole in the door. You will need a hacksaw to cut the flat connecting bar of the lock to match the thickness of the door. Don’t cut it too short or the lock won’t work.

Fit the new striking plate to the frame. With the lock in place on the door, close the door so you can mark the position of the lock on the frame. Then hold the new striking plate against the frame in line with your marks, so you can work out whether you need to chisel away any wood in order to fit it.

Where the new lock is smaller than the old one, there may be some gaps left. These can be filled with plastic wood, or, if you have the time, with small bits of wood glued into place, which you can then chisel down to give a smooth finish.

Other Door Furniture

Door knobs and knockers are easy to fit, especially with a helper. Just mark the position on the door, drill holes for the securing screws and fit at the back.

A letterbox is slightly more complicated. Using the new letterbox as a guide, start by marking out the size of hole needed on the outside of the door. Drill a 10mm hole in each corner of the marked outline large enough to take the blade of a padsaw or a jigsaw. At the same time, drill the two extra holes needed to take the securing bolts of the letter box. Cut the four sides of the rectangle. A jigsaw makes the job a lot easier, but needs great care in use. Fit and tighten the securing bolts at the back of the letter box and fit it in place.

Keeping the Weather Out

Not all doors have a weatherboard – a curved moulding on the outside bottom of the door to shed rain. Fitting one is fairly simple – just cut the board to length (if necessary) and drill three screw holes through it. Fix the weatherboard to the door using rustproof screws.

How to Decorate Children’s Bedroom

admin

Unlike adult bedrooms, a child’s room is a place where he or she will spend a great deal of time, so it needs to be adaptable to cater for multiple daytime activities as well as night-time sleepovers. From about the age of five, children will begin to show a distinct preference for certain colours and it is important to involve them in the decorating decisions.

More Than a Bedroom

Keep in mind that this is your child’s room and if it isn’t to your taste, then comfort yourself with the thought that in a relatively short time he or she will have outgrown it.

Decoration

So that you do not have to redecorate at every stage of your child’s development, stick to a background of plain colour that can be easily updated and resist expensive themed bedding and accessories. While you may feel more at home surrounded by neutral colours or soothing pastels, children get a greater kick out of stimulating colours and patterns.

Gender specific designs – ballerinas or footballers -quickly date, so instead opt for bold checks, stripes or spots. Peel-off borders and stick-on motifs are ideal for jazzing up plain walls, while luminous shapes create a wonderful ‘night sky’ on the ceiling. Try to include somewhere that young artists can express themselves – transform an area with blackboard paint, and for older children turn this area into a pinboard.

Window treatments are also best kept simple so that expensive replacements aren’t needed each time the decor changes. Blackout blinds are useful in rooms where the early morning sun intrudes upon sleep.

Shared Rooms

In a shared room each child should feel that they have their own space. Using one colour for two adjacent walls and a contrasting colour for the others, each with bedding to match, is a simple way to give a child his or her own ‘corner’ without fragmenting a small room. In larger rooms, furniture can be used to form a partition. Modular cube storage systems are ideal or you could hang a large, colourful fabric screen from the ceiling so that it can be raised or lowered as required.

Flooring

Children’s bedrooms usually double as a playroom, hobbies area or a place to entertain friends, so the floors need to be warm, comfortable and, above all, easy to keep clean. A carpet with a short synthetic pile is easy-care, but carpet tiles, rubber, cork or cushioned sheet vinyl provide a smoother surface for play; remember that small toys tend to get lost on highly patterned surfaces. Older children and teenagers may prefer a more grown-up treatment with ‘metallic’ or funky printed vinyl tiles. Wood laminate is easy to clean but can be noisy and create echoes, so it should be softened with rugs.

Lighting

Make sure that everywhere is well lit, especially for older children who use their room as a study. Spotlights fixed to the wall and adjustable desk lamps are a good solution. Clamp-on spotlights can be moved around as needed. In toddlers’ rooms, make sure all fittings are tamper-proof -touch-sensitive lights are a safe choice – and that bedside lighting can be dimmed to a low level when required. It is now possible to buy radiator covers for children’s rooms with a cutout pattern that can be illuminated by a night light after dark.

How to Create a Personal Space in Your Bedroom

admin

Although you spend comparatively little of your time in the bedroom, it’s the one place you can truly call your own. Here you should feel completely at ease, so don’t be afraid to indulge yourself. Make sure that the room is a reflection of your own taste and personality and a place where you can switch off and relax.

The design of the bed will stamp its style on a bedroom and the bed itself will take up a considerable amount of the space. Try to ensure that there will be enough room to walk around it and plan where storage will go in relation to the bed. For comfort, buy the biggest bed you can afford but ensure that the design is in proportion to the room and doesn’t overwhelm it. Where space isn’t an issue, ornate beds and those with heavy, dark frames can make a striking style statement, but in smaller rooms head and footboards tend to fragment the space. Exceptions are contemporary designs in painted metal and brushed steel that are so elegantly understated they manage to maintain a streamlined look. If you have a choice as to where the bed can go, consider the view as you walk into the room – the larger the area of floor visible, the bigger the room will seem.

Decoration

In theory, a bedroom colour scheme should be restful, but how you achieve this will depend on your personal taste. For some this will be achieved with a palette of cool, understated colours, for others with a rich, cocoon-like canvas of warm shades. The key to comfort is to use a single sweep of colour around the room, so there are no visual interruptions to jar the senses, and to keep the colour of curtains or blinds similar to that of the walls.

Storage

Space that is free from clutter will establish a mood of calm. The simplest way to provide lots of bedroom storage is to enclose one end of the room with wall-to-wall wardrobes, which can be customized to suit your needs. Allow an internal front-to-back measurement of 600mm (24in) for fitted wardrobes with enough space for doors to open easily. In small rooms, neat bi-fold doors may be a better choice, whereas sliding mirrored doors will minimize the impact of the structure and make the room seem bigger by reflecting light. If you prefer separate pieces of bedroom furniture, look for individual items that provide the right combination of hanging and folding space for all your clothes and shoes.

Flooring

Flooring in adult bedrooms usually gets very little wear so you can afford to economize and know that your choice will look good for years. Pure wool feels great underfoot but a Tigressa carpet with a soft synthetic fibre like polyester will feel just as sumptuous for less cost. Wood laminate with rugs is another good choice. Painted floorboards have an artless quality that opens up a space.

Lighting

Accent lighting creates atmosphere and a feeling of comfort, so it is especially important in a bedroom. Wall lights are bright enough for dressing by and provide a more pleasing light than ceiling fittings, but bedside lamps will be needed to create restful pools of light for when you want to relax. You will also need good directional lighting by a dressing table or mirror. If you like to read in bed, shaded wall lights fixed about 750mm (30in) above mattress level will provide good illumination.

How to Choose the Right Paintbrushes

admin

Having paintbrushes in a range of widths means you can always lay your hands on a paintbrush to suit the job. Paintbrushes come in a range of sizes, and a standard kit of brushes 25, 50, 75 and 100 or 125mm (1, 2, 3, 4 or 5in) wide will cover all painting jobs around the home. Use a narrow brush for painting fiddly areas, such as short sections, mouldings, or the glazing bars on windows. For whole walls, one of the larger sizes will cover a greater area per stroke. The sizes in between are for doors, skirtings, window sills and so on.

You might want to add a couple of special brushes to your collection. A cutting-in brush has bristles cut at an angle for painting window frames without smudging the glass. (The alternative, unless you have a very steady hand, is to cover the glass with masking tape.) This type of brush comes in widths of 12, 18 and 25mm. A radiator brush has a long handle for reaching down behind radiators, so they don’t have to be taken off the wall. A paint kettle allows you to decant large tins of paint.

Most paintbrushes are made of natural animal bristle. Treated with care, these will last forever. They are the professional’s choice – in fact I feel that, like men, they improve with age, giving the smoothest possible finish.

Brushes made with synthetic fibres are fine for water-based paint. The bristles of the most expensive synthetic brushes are made from polyester and nylon, and produce a better finish than cheaper types. Since they hold oil-based paint less well, synthetic fibres are only for rough work.

A paint roller consists of a handle and roller cage fitted with a sleeve, which applies the paint. Most sleeves are about 180mm (7in) long, though you can get wider ones which require more elbow work to drive them. Fibre sleeves may be natural or synthetic, but the type of fibre is less important than the length of pile, which is chosen according to the surface. Short pile sleeves are for smooth surfaces, medium for slightly textured surfaces and long pile for uneven and deeply textured surfaces. Plastic foam sleeves are cheap but absorb a lot of paint and can cause splashes. You also need a roller tray into which you pour the paint. Load the roller by running it backwards and forwards in the paint.

How to Choose the Right Curtain for Your Windows

admin

Windows are often the most eye-catching aspect of a room and the feature that gives the most scope for creativity. Curtains can dress windows beautifully and the way in which they are hung can make all the difference to the overall effect.

Tracks

Curtain tracks provide unobtrusive support for curtains. As they are not designed to be on show, they are best hidden behind a curtain heading, valance or pelmet.

Plastic tracks are suitable for light to medium-weight curtains. They come in standard sizes that can easily be cut to length and can be curved to fit bow or bay windows. Tracks are available with combined hook gliders; those with concealed gliders require separate hooks but look much neater. Corded versions and two-in-one tracks with an integral valance rail are also available.

Metal tracks will support curtains of medium to heavy weight. They are usually corded, telescopic and often have a central arm that neatly overlaps the edges of the curtains when closed. Steel track will support the heaviest of curtains but is suitable for straight runs only, whereas aluminium track can be shaped to suit bow or bay windows, though it is most suitable for curtains of medium weight. Curved metal tracks can be specially made to order.

Accessories -  Clip-on valance rails are available separately, as are extension brackets for mounting a track away from the wall, which is useful for very thick, heavy curtains.

Finishing Touches

Pelmets and valances outline a window, defining its shape, and help to conceal any fittings, while curtain tiebacks can provide that final decorative touch. Traditional pelmets – A pelmet can be made from wood or MDF and finished with varnish or paint. A straight board 75-150mm (3-6in) deep with end returns is the simplest to construct; a box pelmet takes a little more effort and looks very stylish with a decorative scalloped edge, but this can restrict natural light.

Fabric pelmets – Traditionally made with buckram (a size-stiffened cloth), the easiest way to make a fabric pelmet is to use self-adhesive stiffening that comes with a choice of design templates. Once you’ve cut the stiffened fabric to the required shape and length, secure it to the edge of a pelmet board with velcro fastening.

Valances – Made from fabric drawn into flounces with curtain header tape, a valance creates a softer effect than a pelmet. Valances can be attached to the edge of a pelmet board or hung from a valance track positioned above, or clipped on to, the curtain track.

Tiebacks – A tieback holds a curtain away from a window, allowing in more light during the day. It also softens the overall effect of curtains by drawing the fabric into soft pleats. Ready-made tiebacks are available in a variety of designs, including ropes and cords, or you can make your own with fabric. You can also buy metal ‘hold-backs’ which are fixed to the wall at the sides of the window.

How to Choose the Right Blind for Your Windows

admin

Blinds create an impression of neatness and space while at the same time controlling light. They work particularly well on small and narrow windows but are equally at home on big windows, and can be combined with curtains or used alone to make their own style statement. There are many types of blind and it’s best to let the overall style and purpose of the room guide your choice.

Roller blinds are the simplest of all. They suit all sizes of window and work well with curtains. For privacy and light control, they roll up and down on a spring mechanism. On wide windows, hanging two or three narrow blinds side by side provides greater flexibility in controlling light and shade, while perforated blinds, which allow pinpricks of light into the room, are the most versatile. Roller blinds come in a huge choice of colours and patterns as well as wipe-clean finishes and blackout material, which is ideal for a child’s or night-worker’s bedroom.

Pinoleum blinds are made from split bamboo or thin slats of wood, woven together. They roll up and down using a system of cords secured around a wall-fixed cleat. When lowered, soft light filters through the slats and the blinds offer total privacy. Pinoleum in fashion shades is perfect for any fresh, modern interior, whereas plain bamboo has a distinctive look that is most at home with earth colour schemes, plants and natural flooring like wood or matting.

Reef blinds are made from fabric, like roller blinds, but they roll up and down in the same way as pinoleum blinds, using bold contrasting decorative ties instead of cords. The overall effect is less neat than either roller or pinoleum blinds, so they can look untidy on wide windows, but they have an artless look that gives a room warmth.

Ruched blinds pull up into soft ruffles and create the look of curtains but use far less fabric. Festoon blinds are permanently gathered into ruched swags, whereas Austrian blinds hang like a curtain when down. Both types can be hung from a track or a curtain pole, or can be fixed on a rail. Although the blinds can be washed, the folds trap dust and also obscure a large part of a window even when raised, so they are best made from fine sheer fabrics to allow light to filter through. As the joins are visible, ruched blinds are best used on windows that are narrower than the average fabric width of 1.2m (48in).

Pleated blinds are made from stiffened polyester pressed into crisp, narrow pleats that concertina together as the blind is raised with cords. They come in plain colours or simple patterns, often with a light-reflecting finish, and diffuse, rather than block out, light when closed. Pleated blinds have a neat appearance that suits small windows and can be used for privacy with simple curtains.

Roman blinds are made with wide, horizontal pleats that fall into deep, neat folds as the blind is raised and lowered by cords. The overall effect is smart and plain fabrics or vertical stripes show off the beautiful symmetry best of all. Roman blinds create an illusion of width so are perfect for tall, narrow windows and can be used on their own or with tailored floor-length drapes. Venetian blinds come in many colours and metallic and mirrored finishes, as well as wood and wood effects. They offer complete privacy without necessarily blocking out light. Many ranges offer a choice of slats – standard 25mm (1 in) slats suit most windows, although 15mm slats look neater in small windows and chunky 50mm (2in) wooden slats are best for large windows. The slats can be adjusted to control light levels or the blinds can be drawn completely clear of the window.

Vertical blinds are made from stiffened strips of fabric, or ‘louvres’, attached at the top to a track and chain-linked at the bottom. Standard louvres are 90mm or 127mm wide and pivot open and closed to control light, or can be drawn across a window like curtains. The slats can also be graduated in height and made to fit odd-shaped windows, or hung on a curved track in a bay. The semi-commercial look of vertical blinds suits contemporary homes and is best used floor to ceiling or in tall, narrow windows.

Fitting Blinds
Blinds can be fitted outside or inside a window reveal, provided the mechanism does not obstruct the use of the window. Where modern tilt-and-turn and pivoting windows are installed, blinds should be fitted outside the reveal. If you are fitting a blind inside the reveal, measure its width at several points and use the narrowest measurement to ensure that the blind will fit comfortably within e recess.

How to Arrange and Hang Pictures

admin

Pictures, prints, photographs and mirrors personalise our homes, and we can use them to add interest to a boring wall or to help bring a room alive. The difference between a successful, eyecatching arrangement and a dull, random display lies in choosing the right spot and hanging the pictures in the best way. Here are a few tips to help you get it right.

Very large pictures make a statement and are best used on their own or to enhance a focal point, such as a fireplace. They also make a perfect accent for large furniture like sofas and sideboards but look most effective if they are no wider than seventy-five per cent of the furniture’s size. Several large landscapes hung in a horizontal line create the illusion of width and make a narrow room look wider than it really is. Smaller pictures are ideal for narrow areas or for hanging in groups; portrait-style frames used in strong vertical lines, or simply hung one above the other will also bring a sense of height to a room.

Groups of pictures work best when sharing a common theme, for instance snapshots of family and friends or botanical or architectural prints. In general, symmetrical layouts look fairly formal, while asymmetrical layouts create a relaxed feel. Always try to think of a group of pictures as a single unit. A simple technique for achieving a balanced arrangement is to imagine the perimeter of the layout as forming an invisible ‘box’. The secret to hanging a picture is not to hang it too high – its centre should be at eye level or about 1.5m (5ft) from the floor. With a group of pictures, make a favourite frame centrepiece of the arrangement.

Hanging Mirrors

As the most important consideration when hanging a mirror is the image it reflects, it makes sense to choose a view that makes an impact when you walk into the room. Large framed mirrors can create a stunning focal point but to be most effective a mirror should be unobtrusive. The trick is to pick a spot where the edge of the mirror is not obvious – in an alcove or either side of a chimney breast, for example – and can be concealed by furniture, drapes or plant foliage. Unframed mirrors are ideal for this and you can buy one in a DIY store or glass merchant at a reasonable price. A range of standard sizes is available, though a glass merchant will cut any size you want. Mirrored glass 4mm thick is adequate for areas up to 900mm (3ft) square, but for anything larger use 6mm thick glass.

« Older Entries
Newer Entries »
Powered by DIY Guides | Great Home Improvement Blog.