Dud boiler means cold showers and hot family tempers

May 18 2008 Donny Sheridan

Q My combi boiler seems unable to give enough hot water in the morning for our two showers at once. It is a complete nightmare as my wife, two daughters and I all fall out over the trickle. What can I do?

A Not a lot! A combi boiler can only cope with one appliance at a time.

The only answer is to get a hot water tank fitted. Some combi boilers can be fitted to a hot water cylinder tank.

Q I want to knock down an internal brick wall between my kitchen and dining room to create a large, open-plan area. What is involved?

A You will need to consult a structural engineer to calculate what type of lintel you need to support the upper house.

You will also need a building warrant.

Once you have the OK, you can prop up the floor joists above the wall and knock it down. Install the lintel, allow the pads to set, remove the props, then plaster.

Q My house has been broken into recently through my back window.

Have you advice on the most secure and best-quality replacement window?

A Everest (www.everest.co.uk) have probably the best windows I have seen, as they have a very strong locking mechanism. But quality windows are more expensive.

Q I have a leaky cast iron gutter joint and now have a slimy algae patch on my paving. What can I do?

A Wait for a dry day and clean the gutter with a wire brush. Then cover the joint with Unibond bitumen-based roof and gutter sealant. If possible, open the joint and pump sealant between sections.

Q A builder gave me a quote for a new kitchen and it is far too dear.

He now wants £300 for the quote.

A Tell him to sling his hook. Under no circumstances pay for a quote - especially if he did not inform you from the outset it would cost money.

Q I am fitting a new bathroom suite.

The problem is with the pipework for my towel rail radiator, as the pipes have to be wall-mounted because the floor is concrete. These copper pipes are ugly next to my chrome radiator.

Do you have any suggestions?

A The easiest solution is to keep the pipes tight to the wall and below the height of a skirting board and box them in. On the face of the box-in, use a length of skirting that matches the rest. The pipes will be completely concealed.