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OT: Fridge/Freezer for garage

We recently bought a secondhand fridge/freezer to put in the garage and use as an overflow to the main kitchen one. Unfortunately I've just found out the hard way that it's no good for the garage and...

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Egyptian walking onions?

Hi All, Any of you grow "Egyptian walking onions"? Fun, Wonderful, to be avoided? Your thoughts. I like the "perennial' part and the cold-hardy part. Plus they seem fun to grow. Best grown from sets...

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Great Stuff won't leave (new) the can. Tried cutting the tube 3 times. Looked at bottom "best by 4 months ago" I bought yesterday without looking. Is that the problem?

Tried cutting the tube 3 times. Looked at bottom "best by 4 months ago" I bought yesterday without looking. Is that the problem? It's the kind for fire resistance

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Do you take care of deep cleaning yourself or call in help?

I’ve noticed that keeping a house clean is an ongoing job. The day-to-day stuff like vacuuming and wiping down surfaces is manageable, but when it comes to bigger deep cleaning jobs like carpets,...

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What’s the Best Alternative to a Traditional Septic Tank?

Hi all, I’ve been looking into alternatives to the regular septic tank because of the frequent cleaning and overflow issues. Recently, I came across the concept of a bio septic tank (biodigester...

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Best front load washer, expert recommendations to choose

I am in the market for a best front load washer and I want to use some advice before pulling the trigger. My main priorities are reliability, energy efficiency, and good cleaning performance. A large...

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Coastal Roof Replacement Case Study: Costs, Permits & Ventilation Wins

Last month I wrapped up a full tear‑off / re‑deck on a 2,030 ft² 1990s asphalt roof a few blocks inland from Torrance Beach. The job turned into a crash course in coastal code nuances and...

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Frequently Asked Questions All FAQs »

How to fix broken fridge door seal?

I hope I can describe this well enough... My circa 2009 Kenmore (made by LG) refrigerator door has a plastic "hook" on both side-by-side doors that helps draw the door fully closed and sealed when it...

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Smoke detectors

Never mind solving global warming issues! How the F.. do I get the covers off? Yes they are electrically disconnected, yes I have put a variety of screwdrivers in the slot as instructed. All I want to...

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Hot melt glue sticks replacement

I recently bought a Loctite glue gun, rated at 15w(70w), temp 170degC There are a lot of replacement sticks available at far lower costs than the Loctite variety. Some say 40w min. Any reason to pay...

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Grab Bars

Grab bars for the bathroom have come up here in the past. Many of the regulars here are getting older, so, think about it! When we moved to this house a bit over six years ago, my wife was having some...

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How to get rid of houseflies?

For some reason we are suddenly inundated with houseflies. I have been swatting them as fast as I can, but they are staying ahead of me. Is there some easy way to get rid of them? Houseflies have been...

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Water heating question: how to integrate hot water supply, radiant floor heat and solar? (2025 Update)

OK, I have a larger project in mind. I want to dig out the thin slab in my on-grade basement, put proper drainage in, insulation and vapor barrier, pour a concrete slab with PEX tubing in it for...

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Trimming a door

I'm looking to install a pattern 10 internal obscure glazed door but am going to need to trim the usual 1981 x 762 x 35mm size down to 1960 x 760 x 35mm. A couple of suppliers I've contacted say I...

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How to legally degas a freezer

I have an old chest freezer that seems to be giving up the struggle to cool its contents and given its age I strongly suspect it’s losing its refrigerant. I’m actually using it as a fridge with an...

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Home Office Deep Skirt

Can somebody remind me….. What is the purpose of HODS bulb holder skirts? To stop fingers coming into contact with any part of the lamp cap? Or something else?

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Prevention of theft of flowers

So, we have a regular walker that goes in front of our house and helps himself to, usually, roses from our garden. These can be accessed from the path so he doesn't need to enter our property. Yes,...

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I need help because I've never drilled into concrete.

I need help because I've never drilled ten inches into concrete. Nothing fits! https://i.postimg.cc/rFzn7ft5/20250506-203549.jpg https://i.postimg.cc/HL16cHvt/20250506-203556.jpg...

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A GFI Outlet Problem

GFI keeps tripping off when I turn off portable fan heater I have a small electrical portable heater in one of our bathrooms. It sits on a small stand by itself. For some time it has been tripping off...

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Solved Issues All Solved »

lubrication for garage door? (2025 Update)

A couple weeks ago I was advised here to try lubricating a garage door that stuck when cold. I put some triflow on it and the difference was dramatic. However triflow seems too thin to be the correct...

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How to remove sticks stuck on doors?

I have a few stickers on my interior door and I can't get them off with my nails. Is there a trick to remove them without damaging the door?

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Installing ceiling fan with 10" joists (2025 Update)

I bought a Westinghouse Saf-T-Brace (Model 01400) for use in installing a ceiling fan. Unfortunately, I have discovered the ceiling joists are only 10" apart (edge to edge) in the spot I want to...

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Looking for 1/4" impact driver bit recommendations

I'm looking for some 1/4" hex bits which are genuinely suitable for use with an impact driver. I have a 1/4" driver capable of up to over 200 Nm and it snaps ordinary bits too easily. I'm particularly...

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water in gas tank

My kid dumped a jug of water into the gas tank thinking it was gas. I disconnected the fuel filler hose and used the opening on the tank to pump everything out where the last gallon was 90% water &...

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Phurnacite in a dual-fuel stove

Anybody using this in a dual-fuel stove? After finally using the last of the logs, I'm down to using the 200 - 300kg of Phurnacite left by the previous owner. It's very different from logs! Leaving...

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Covering worktop with Fablon (2025 Update)

Hi there, We are renovating our house as we go along, we have put new doors on the existing carcass of our kitchen, and they look great. One problem we have is the worktops, really out of date and naf...

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Successfully fixed Drayton Tempus 7 (2024 Update)

The usual press time+ and select wasn't working, the battery inside would prevent a full reset so this procedure does a total system reset. Mains off Unscrew with flat screwdriver the holding screw at...

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worcester filling loop key problem (2024 Update)

I have a Worcester 24i junior combi boiler with an integral filling unit. When repressurising, I had a vague idea about inserting the key in, turning it in some direction, and then turning the white...

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Are threads on brass bolts the same as on steel?

Are threads on brass bolts the same as on steel? And can I use steel wingnuts on brass bolts or will that cause a thermonuclear pile or something as bad? Some kits come not with hexnuts but with...

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Underwear flushed down the toilet. What should you do next

My Sons underwear just got flushed down the toilet.( he's new to being potty trained and thought cleaning in the toilet, then flushing was ok) they actually flushed and the water went down, then...

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Delta single handle faucet either hot or cold no warm

I have a single handle Delta faucet in my kitchen that dispenses water either all hot or all cold- no warm. I have replaced the springs and washers and the ball that attaches to the handle. Have I...

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Categories

Featured more »

Odd Radiator Behaviour | The radiator in the attic room only gets slightly warm in the bottom third. Bleed it while the heating's on for about 3 or 4 seconds, until water comes out, and it heats ...

Odd Radiator Behaviour

Well, it may not be odd, but I'm not sure what's happening . . . The radiator in...

Garage roof | I have sealed my roof with gorilla roof sealant and sealant tape over the metal corrugated sheets. Underneath I have plywood. There is still a lot of water on the garage ...

Garage roof

I have sealed my roof with gorilla roof sealant and sealant tape over the metal...

Notes on Desoldering via Hot Air Station, WAS Anyone in here interested in electronics | I had another similar drive, and by experimenting with different combinations of driver controller board, and drive 'body' (with platters and heads etc) decided that it w...

Notes on Desoldering via Hot Air Station, WAS Anyone in here interested in electronics

Hi all in the recent "Anyone in here interested in electronics" thread there was...

Cleaning mortar from brick | I've tried washing down with water and a wire brush, but it's slow going and doesn't completely remove the mortar Any top tips to clean up the bricks?

Cleaning mortar from brick

I had the external walls repointed with a cement/lime mortar (5:1:1 I think)....

Rusty charcoal burner stove | A member of the family has a 1930's charcoal/wood burner over which a plate and a lid sit for basically bbq'ing food. It's been handed down but the burner itself, whilst ...

Rusty charcoal burner stove

A member of the family has a 1930's charcoal/wood burner over which a plate and...

Can my refrigerator be cooling, but just not enough? | That's about when the milk was spoiling early (but I didn't think it was the fridge. I thought I'd left it out, and once blamed the supermarket.), but 3 days ago the temp...

Can my refrigerator be cooling, but just not enough?

Can my refrigerator be cooling, just not enough? It was working fine until a...

Covering rotten decking. | I have a large flat area[3.9m x 4.8m] of standard decking which has patches of rotten boards. The underframe is still in good condition and structurally sound. This decki...

Covering rotten decking.

I have a large flat area[3.9m x 4.8m] of standard decking which has patches of...

Extension cables. | I understand it is bad practice to concatenate extension cables. Why?

Extension cables.

I understand it is bad practice to concatenate extension cables. Why?

Building Control!!!!! | We took delivery of the kitchen just before Covid but were unable to proceed owing to the wife’s cancer treatment forcing us to shield throughout the pandemic so everythi...

Building Control!!!!!

Back in 2019 I applied for Building control to approve a change of CU and...

Small blow-torch recommendation | I looked online for a small butane-powered torch, and selected an Amazon product. It is a disaster: the instructions, such as they are, are in some strange Chinglish dial...

Small blow-torch recommendation

I have a soldering job for which my usual 25W Weller iron is way underpowered....

Suggestions about odd kitchen smell. | Over the past few years, on occasion, we've noticed a slight smell in the kitchen. It is certainly not drainy or foul. It's much more musty and dry.

Suggestions about odd kitchen smell.

Over the past few years, on occasion, we've noticed a slight smell in the...

Will 6" of water on the floor damage an older kenmore whilrlpool washing machine | Will 6

Will 6" of water on the floor damage an older kenmore whilrlpool washing machine

Will 6" of water on the floor damage an older kenmore whilrlpool washing machine...