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In My Home MoneySaving sticky
Please be aware of the MSE Forum rules, notably that you mustn't post personal information. Take extra care when uploading photos and make sure that they don't contain personally identifiable information. 🏠 Here are some Forum threads you might find useful: * Please ensure your electrics are up to date * Find Instruction…
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Upgrading downlights
I've got three downlights in my ceiling that I'd like to replace with Ansell Prism Pro Downlights or something similar, preferably integrated led. Attached is an image of one of the old ones that I snipped out earlier. Above is the loft, I can get up there but no idea what to look for. Can someone talk me through the…
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New bathroom in apartment - sound of air / wind and water being sucked out of u-bend
After having a new bathroom installed in my 20 year old 5th floor (of 6 floors) apartment, I can now hear a constant sound of air / wind in the plug hole of the basin, and after I run water, all the water is sucked out of the u-bend (you can hear it happen) and the air sound resumes. The n bathroom fitter hasn't yet…
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Help pl toilet blocked after number 1
I have tried every suggested on you tube and cannot unblock my toilet. I had a good No 1 but afterwards noticed the toilet is blocked. Any advice please, have washing liqui method, and plunger no success. Last resort calling the plumber. Thanks
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Are Burglar Alarms Worth It In 2026?
Curious of what peoples thoughts and opinions are on this. We are planning on doing a fairly extensive renovation over the next few years and one of the things I've been looking at is home security. We will be having cameras and such but is it worth bothering with an alarm system? The reason I ask is that shortly after we…
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Bonkers Q about VAT
This is on behalf of a self-employed builder who has just become VAT-registered. His accountant has given him an outline of how to write up his invoices, and it seems bonkers. Just for example, let's say it's a washing machine that the customer has asked the fellow to buy and install. His account says he buys the WM, adds…
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Bathroom light advice needed please
Hi all. Our bathroom light has stopped working and when I unscrewed the cover, I found this instead of a bulb as I was expecting. Can anyone tell me if there's a way of knowing whether I need to replace just the LED round plate or just the LED driver thing that's attached to it? Or do I just need to replace the whole…
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Still having problems with condensate pump
I posted a few weeks ago about my dodgy condensate pump and I'm still battling with it. Our boiler is in an interior pantry and the pump sends the water up to the attic and outside. The pump keeps getting stuck on and it's baffling me. Sometimes it empties just fine, then other times it just keeps running until the whole…
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Is Condensation on Vinyl Flooring a Thing?
My brother works down south in the week and returns to his house in the midlands for the weekends! He keeps his heating off and everything else apart from the fridge/freezer from Monday to Friday and cranks up the heating for Saturday and Sunday. When he puts his central heating on the vinyl floor becomes damp enough to…
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Bathroom leak through ceiling downstairs
Hi all, New home owner so unsure of what to do in all honesty. I've had a small leak for a couple of months I'd say. Mid-December or something. Wasn't sure if it was from the bath or from the wash basin. So had stopped using the wash basin and have carried on using the shower / bath and it seemed 'ok', even though it…
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Damp & Cracks
Hello everyone i am a bit stuck with how to proceed and who can help. I own an older property (around 200yrs) when I bought it the survey flagged up seasonal movement due to clay soil. The house has cracks some of which haven’t changed. The front of the house ground floor has a vent and more cracks (inside not outside)…
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Stainless steel or silver fridge
Hi, I'm getting a new fridge freezer and there are stainless steel for same price and silver and wanted advice on which is better, really robustness and scratch resistant. Many thanks
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Video doorbell dilemma - help please!
Because of the type and position of our front door, we have to open it to see who a caller is. We are getting on a bit, and I would like to rectify that situation before I turn my toes up. At present, we have a wireless doorbell which sounds in four different rooms when a caller presses the button on the door. It works…
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Leaking boiler.
So just found out my boiler (Worcester Greenstar) is leaking from towards the rear-right. Even worse is this must've been doing it over a week. The carpet is absolutely drenched & it's started to show on the ceiling of the room below - which is how I noticed it. The boiler was serviced just before Xmas. As in only a couple…
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Mixing Paint?
I had 2.5 lt of Valspar paint mixed but unfortunately it looks the wrong shade for my room. If I bought a sample pot of a darker colour and added a touch it might work. My question is for anyone in the know - would I need to get Valspar sample pot or could I use any, Dulux etc.? I wondered if maybe they are differant…
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Urgent help needed.
My central heating boiler has been losing pressure for a few days now and I haven’t been able to work out where from. This morning I discovered water coming through my ceiling in the dining room down the light fitting. So obviously a pipe underneath the floor upstairs. Unfortunately, I am going to Barcelona in 3 hours to…
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Would you still consider buying a vented tumble dryer?
So my very basic dryer (that we got as settlement over the Whirlpool fire safety issue) has packed up beyond my ability to repair, and it's time to replace. I'm considering just getting another vented model - I know they are being phased out of the market, and based on usage, I'd probably only be looking at a 2-3 year ROI…
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Engineered wood flooring help needed
When we moved into our home just over a year ago we had beautiful engineered wood flooring which had a shiny coating on it which was worn slightly in high traffic areas. I've followed all the instructions I could find online on how to care for it - sweeping daily, using a swiffer type mop a couple of times a week with…
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Cavity Wall installer left thousands of beads in my garden and down my drain
I just got a warm homes grant and had cavity wall installation. They left the job l without saying goodbye, and I then realised they had left thousands of plastic beads all over my lawn, in my flower beds and down my drain. I feel so upset.. they are sinking into the mud and I cant get them out , and they drilled above my…
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Flush cone seal
So after some friends visited, we have a leak through the rubber flush cone seal. It’s never been the best fit (toilet is probably original 1950s, cistern 2024). Any advice of what to use? Medium term is to replace with a modern comfort height and hidden cistern. As I currently building the utility room, this project is…
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leak under sink or condensation
Hello, I am looking to sell my house later in the year but would first like to get on top of a problem in a cupboard under my kitchen sink that has appeared in the last week. Every few days, some water (up to 50 mL) has been collecting (in a bowl) in this cupboard. It is also where the cold water mains pipe enters the…