Nordic Design

Many homeowners view their plumbing as being complicated or even dangerous to maintain; many people choose to ignore their plumbing completely, which can lead to potentially serious problems later on.  Here is a list of things that you should check on a regular basis to help ensure that your plumbing is working at peak efficiency, and help to avoid expensive repairs down the road.

•    Check for leaks in outdoor pipes.  The pipes in older properties may be particularly susceptible to cracking and need replacing.

•    Make sure your pipes and fittings aren’t corroded.  Look for green stains around copper and brass pipes/fittings.  If left untreated this corrosion can lead to leaks.

•    Check every sink, shower, and bath drain regularly for signs of clogging.  There may be a blockage and water will take longer to drain.

•    Make sure toilets flush properly and all the parts are fastened securely.

•    Check the washing machine pipes and hoses regularly for signs of wear and leakage.

•    Open up showerheads and ensure there is no loose sediment or clogging.  This can be a major cause of low pressure, causing water to flow slowly and potentially damaging the showerhead.

•    Make certain that the boiler flame is blue.  If it is yellow, it could be a problem with the jets, which may need cleaning.  This could affect the hot water supply if not taken care of quickly.

Wall stickers come in many shapes, sizes and designs.  They can be a great way to change a room’s look and feel without having to totally redecorate it.  Most large DIY stores will sell these stickers and there are many outlets online that have a wide range of them available as well.

Before you start you must make sure that the surface is clean, dust free and dry.  Any dirt, grease or dampness will hinder the adhesion of the sticker.  If you are using multiple stickers, carefully plan where each will go, you can do this by using a little bit of blu-tack and attaching them to the wall.

Once you are happy, carefully remove the backing paper and apply the sticker to the wall, or chosen surface.  Next smooth it out using a soft clean cloth; this is to ensure there are no air bubbles trapped underneath.  Once you are satisfied, you can move onto the next one.  If you are not happy simply warm the sticker using a hairdryer and peel off and replace.

Repairing a wall is relatively straightforward as DIY jobs go, and most such repairs will take no longer than a couple of hours.

The first step is always to prepare the area of damage. For this, use a club hammer and a bolster chisel to remove all the material that has come loose as a result of the damage, and also from around the immediate area affected, and undercut the edges as well. Then use a sturdy wire brush to roughly brush the underlying brickwork to remove the last vestiges of loose material.

The next step is to mix the new plaster. Use the manufacturer’s instructions to do this, and use a gauging trowel to sprinkle powder onto the water whilst at the same time stirring the thickening mixture with an old stick. When a thick, creamy mixture has been achieved, turn it out onto a dampened board.

Dampen the area that you are going to plaster, and use the plastering trowel to get a decent amount onto the plasterer’s hawk.

As you stand close up to the damaged area, tilt the hawk slightly towards you and use a continuous movement to lift about half of the plaster onto the trowel.

As you hold the trowel horizontally, press plaster firmly into the patch and at the same time move the trowel up the wall to give a flattened finish. Try to avoid flattening it too aggressively as this will cause a suction effect and the plaster will be lifted off the wall as you remove the trowel.

Keep repeating this process until the patch is a bit overfilled and then smooth it off flush with the surface. Allow to set for about an hour, and when dry sand it down with emery paper, starting with the roughest grade and working to smoothest.